No description available.

This paper explores concepts and theories in the tradition of critical pedagogy as they relate to teaching practices in contemporary American urban public schooling. Objectives for critical pedagogies are discussed and applied to various aspects of teaching and education, including urban schools and school systems as problematical institutions; establishing a healthy classroom climate and learning community; creating a learning partnership with students; posing-problems for study; generating ideas through collaborative dialogue; guiding inquiry and critical thinking; providing ongoing and authentic assessment; and the imperatives of ethical values, ideology, and multiple perspectives in critical teaching praxis. Critical educational scholarship informs teaching and learning in schools to provide liberating opportunities to achieve critical and academic literacies. Theories of liberation, freedom, democracy, justice, power, oppression, transformation, community-building, humanization, authority, dialogue, agency, instructional ideology, social reproduction, standards, curriculum, culture, learning, thinking, questioning, literacy, assessment, and pedagogy are explored from critical perspectives and discussed as they are brought to bear on classroom teaching and learning in urban K-12 schools. / Urban Education

Efforts to improve science education have resulted in proposed innovative teaching methods and changing course sequences such as the inquiry-based Physics First curriculum. This study examined student and alumni perceptions of a Physics First course in a modified curriculum that inverted the traditional course sequence of Biology-Chemistry-Physics (BCP) to an inquiry-based Physics First (PF) curriculum in which students take an inquiry-based physics course as freshman and chemistry as sophomores. This study explored the experiences of students in their ninth grade physics course and how the Physics First curriculum influenced students’ and alumni future STEM course choices and experiences. The qualitative study included a sampling of 16 male students and alumni selected from students currently enrolled and alumni who graduated within five years of the study. All the students interviewed recalled positive, memorable experiences in their Physics-9 course as they explained in their interviews that they enjoyed their Physics-9 course and remembered details about the engaging, hands-on projects as their favorite activities. Since the adoption of the PF curriculum more students were taking honors and AP science courses and over 90% of the students at the site enrolled in four years of science even though only three years were required. Almost all of the students liked science for the first time because of the Physics-9 course.

Dr. Edward Pultorak I aimed in this qualitative study to explore the perception of male faculty members of inquiry-based teaching at the Curriculum and Instruction Department at Hail University in Saudi Arabia. I also investigated participants’ perspective on how implementing inquiry-based teaching influences meeting the educational goals of Saudi’s Vision 2030. I asked the following questions:1. How do male faculty members at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Hail University in Saudi Arabia perceive inquiry-based teaching? 2. How do you think inquiry-based teaching influences meeting educational goals of Saudi’s Vision 2030? I used a semi-structured interview protocol to collect the data from 18 male faculty members at Curriculum and Instruction Department (C&I). The findings showed that participants have partial knowledge of the role of both teachers and students. Also, only five participants have used an inquiry approach in their teaching. In addition, participants reported five major challenges of implementing inquiry with all participants agreeing that students were the biggest barrier to teaching with inquiry while only two of them mentioned lack of equipment. Finally, although all participants were aware of the scientific role of inquiry model in terms of meeting the educational goals of Saudi’s Vision 2030, majority of them were not able to explain how inquiry model could lead to meet the educational goals of Saudi’s Vision 2030. Moreover, I provided implications and suggestions for future research to enhance teaching in the (C&I) at Hail University through inquiry.

In recent years there has been an increased interest in inquiry-based learning, also known as experiential learning or problem-based learning, as a more appropriate model of teaching science. The purpose of this study was to incorporate inquiry-based learning in a college sophomore-level General Microbiology Laboratory. The goal of this laboratory course is to introduce students to basic techniques and procedures necessary for the study of microorganisms. Laboratory sections were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control/reference group. The experimental group was taught the concept of serial dilutions using an inquiry-based learning approach whereas the control group was taught using traditional teaching methods. Analysis of the data generated from the students' involvement in the investigation during the fall semester indicated that the experimental group had a slightly greater improvement in their knowledge of serial dilution. The study continued in the spring semester and involved close to 300 students. During the spring semester both the experimental and the control groups had similar attitudes about their learning experience as evaluated by a Lickert Scale survey. However, a statistical analysis of the quiz scores of the students with values within the interquartiles indicated the experimental classes' quiz scores were significantly higher on quiz 2 taken at the midpoint in the study. Thus an inquiry-based learning approach was found to be beneficial to the middle 50% of the class. / Master of Science

The Boyer Commission report (1998) argued that normative educational approaches to higher education deprive undergraduates of opportunities for substantial intellectual engagement and rely too heavily on ‘knowledge transfer’ as the principal mode of teaching. In response, they advocated for the use of inquiry-based methods to foster intellectual stimulation and excitement for learning and discovery, and remove barriers to interdisciplinarity (1998). A central challenge in the development of interdisciplinary educational enterprises, such as the adoption of an inquiry-based approach, is the cultivation of a shared vision across disciplines with different norms of discourse, epistemology, and pedagogy (Mahony, 2003). Using semi-structured interviews and qualitative thematic analysis, we examined how inquiry-based pedagogy is understood by faculty members from established undergraduate programs at McMaster University as well as those involved in the development of a new interdisciplinary program employing inquiry-based approaches. The key questions addressed in this study are: How do faculty members from different disciplines understand inquiry-based pedagogy, and what factors are associated with long-term sustainability of inquiry-based curricula in higher education? Four key themes were identified in this analysis including 1) guiding tenets of inquiry-based learning, 2) inquiry environment, 3) inquiry as a programmatic ethos, and 4) inquiry as subversion/resistance. From this analysis, this research was able to articulate instructors’ understanding of inquiry-based pedagogy, discussing common themes and challenges, highlighting the connections to critical pedagogy, and identifying factors such as curricular design, collaboration among staff and support from administration that have contributed to the sustainability of this approach at McMaster University / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The purpose of this research was to explore middle school leaders' perceptions of the reasons girls' enrollment levels in science courses during high school declines and if the advice given to middle school girls may be perpetuating the diminished enrollment of girls in science courses as they move from middle school to high school. The study explored the contributions of expectancy and role theory using a qualitative method. Data analysis found that cultural influences on middle school girls' career goals emerged as a significant influence on school leaders' perceptions. Instructional methodology and cultural, gendered assumptions of women in science were found as themes in middle school leaders' perceptions that further shaped the advice to girls to enroll in high school science courses. The study provided information that clarified how middle school leaders can maintain the academic pathway for girls in science as well as recommendations for further study. / by Lori Kijanka. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Considering the context of large city schools, this study explores what variables in a kindergarten classroom may impact the process of children’s engagement with nature. In particular I examine the central role of children and teacher in co-constructing their own unique understanding, knowledge, and attitude towards the natural world. In this study, I examine nature-child’s connection considering the complexity of nature beyond a pre-packaged concept (Louv, 2007) and avoiding a linear identification of a cause and effect relationship between children’s learning experiences and nature, (Kellert, 2005). This qualitative case study is based on extensive classroom observations, in which 20 kindergarten children and their teacher participate. The children’s direct, indirect, and vicarious experiences with nature are documented using digital photography, video-audio recording, and collection of artifacts. I interview the classroom teacher two times and invite the parents to fill up a questionnaire about their children’s experiences with nature outside the school time. I use the techniques and procedure of the grounded theory to analyze the data. A comparative analysis of the five learning episodes demonstrates four major factors that when all woven together encourage and sustain the children’s engagement with nature. These factors are: investigating children’s meaningful and autotelic questions, encountering and experiencing nature in familiar contexts, developing emotional bonding, and having sufficient time. The findings show the crucial role of the classroom teacher in creating five main conditions to engage the children in the process of each inquiry. She offers the children many opportunities to use their prior skills and knowledge, take responsibility of their own learning, and experiment with learning as a process. She often responds positively to the children’s learning endeavours and communicates her high confidence and expectations for them. This study makes an important contribution to the field of early childhood education and environmental education by demonstrating the possibilities and challenges in actively and holistically engaging children with nature in school settings. The findings shed light on our understanding of children and teacher’s sense of ownership and motivation as two driving forces of learning.

Considering the context of large city schools, this study explores what variables in a kindergarten classroom may impact the process of children’s engagement with nature. In particular I examine the central role of children and teacher in co-constructing their own unique understanding, knowledge, and attitude towards the natural world. In this study, I examine nature-child’s connection considering the complexity of nature beyond a pre-packaged concept (Louv, 2007) and avoiding a linear identification of a cause and effect relationship between children’s learning experiences and nature, (Kellert, 2005). This qualitative case study is based on extensive classroom observations, in which 20 kindergarten children and their teacher participate. The children’s direct, indirect, and vicarious experiences with nature are documented using digital photography, video-audio recording, and collection of artifacts. I interview the classroom teacher two times and invite the parents to fill up a questionnaire about their children’s experiences with nature outside the school time. I use the techniques and procedure of the grounded theory to analyze the data. A comparative analysis of the five learning episodes demonstrates four major factors that when all woven together encourage and sustain the children’s engagement with nature. These factors are: investigating children’s meaningful and autotelic questions, encountering and experiencing nature in familiar contexts, developing emotional bonding, and having sufficient time. The findings show the crucial role of the classroom teacher in creating five main conditions to engage the children in the process of each inquiry. She offers the children many opportunities to use their prior skills and knowledge, take responsibility of their own learning, and experiment with learning as a process. She often responds positively to the children’s learning endeavours and communicates her high confidence and expectations for them. This study makes an important contribution to the field of early childhood education and environmental education by demonstrating the possibilities and challenges in actively and holistically engaging children with nature in school settings. The findings shed light on our understanding of children and teacher’s sense of ownership and motivation as two driving forces of learning.

The main concept of this final thesis is the genesis of educational material within the application concept of inquiry based education in geography at primary school or lower level schools. The central theoretical framework was chosen issue urban geography, as one of the most actual discussed geographic sub-disciplines. The newly formed educational material will have a complexial form - except themselves textbooks for pupils will be created methodological guide for teachers. Inquiry based education wants in a school closer to real scientific process , pupils and use to anchor the separate handling of information. Pupils tries to fix minor problems, verify their hypotheses using the process set out by research, analyze everything and then synthesized. The method , together with the knowledge of geography of the city are developed through work with GPS logger. The educational material is within the next stopover implemented in selected schools . Using the questionnaire, pupils and teachers the author provide valuable feedback.