Do Variations Of Science Teaching Approaches Make Difference In Shaping Student Content And Problem Solving Achievement Across Different Racial/Ethnic Groups?

Keywords

Inquiry; Science performances; Students’ racial groups; Teaching approaches

Abstract

Students’ frequent exposure to inquiry-based science teaching is presumed more effective than their exposure to traditional didactic instruction in helping improve competence in content knowledge and problem solving. Framed through theoretical perspectives of inquiry-based instruction and culturally relevant pedagogy, this study examines this assumption using TIMSS 2007 US eighth-grade student data. Data analysis revealed three instructional approaches, including more inquiry based, mixed, and practice based, were popularly practiced in classrooms. More inquiry-based instruction was not significantly associated with content and problem solving achievements across Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic American students. The mixed teaching approach had a significant positive relationship for Hispanic American student’s content and problem solving achievement. The relationship between practice-based approach with content and problem solving achievements of all three racial/ethnic groups were not significant. This study questions the popular assumption of the effectiveness of science teaching approaches and offers important implications for science teaching reform.

Publication Date

8-12-2016

Publication Title

International Journal of Environmental and Science Education

Volume

11

Issue

12

Number of Pages

5404-5428

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

84982239083 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84982239083

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