THE EFFECTS OF INQUIRY INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING ON THE ATTITUDES, CREATIVITY AND TEACHING STRATEGIES OF PRESERVICE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS
Abstract
The major purpose of this study was to investigate if inquiry instruction and training will improve the attitudes, creativity, and teaching strategies of preservice elementary teachers. Attitudes and creativity were measured by the Bratt attitudes test and the New Uses test, respectively. Teaching strategy was measured through an evaluation of taped lessons. In one segment of the study, subjects from two Geoscience classes (N= 30) were involved. One group (N = 15) received instruction in geoscience through an inquiry approach. The other group (N = 15) received non-inquiry geoscience instruction. In another segment of the study, subjects from two elementary science methods classes (N = 26) were involved. The two groups of that segment of the study received the same inquiry training throughout their science methods course. The two groups differed only in that one group had previous inquiry geoscience instruction prior to enrollment in the science methods course. Analyses of variance and multivariance using a two factor nested factorial design with groups and tests as the main factors and subjects nested within groups were used to analyze the data. This analysis was followed by the Newman-Keuls range test for each significant result in the analysis of variance. Significant results were obtained. The t-test was used to analyze the teaching strategy data. Based on the results of this study, the investigator concluded that inquiry instruction and training as presented in this study did improve the attitudes of preservice elementary teachers toward teaching. Also, the areas of creativity and teaching were improved, but only marginally.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Teacher education
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