THE EFFECTS OF INQUIRY INSTRUCTION IN A GEOSCIENCES COURSE UPON PRESERVICE ELEMENTARY TEACHER ATTITUDES TOWARD TEACHING SCIENCE AND THE ACQUISITION OF INTEGRATED SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS
Abstract
The major purpose of this study was to investigate if inquiry instruction in a geosciences course would improve the attitudes toward science and science teaching, and the acquisition of integrated science process skills of preservice elementary teachers. Attitudes were measured by the Bratt Attitude Test. The acquiring of the integrated science process skills was measured by The Science Process Measure for Teachers Part II, Form A. Two geoscience classes (N = 34) were involved in this study. One group (N = 17) received instruction in geosciences through an inquiry approach. The other group (N = 17) received non-inquiry geosciences instruction. Similar overlying themes and concepts were taught to students of both groups. The main difference between the two groups was in the method of instruction used. A univariate and a multivariate analysis of variance using a two-factor nested factorial experiment 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. Based on the results of this study, the investigator concluded that inquiry instruction as presented in this study did indeed improve the attitudes of preservice elementary teachers toward science and science teaching. Also, the areas of the acquisition of the integrated science process skills Formulating Hypothesis, Interpreting Data and Composite Skills (overall integrated science process skill), were improved significantly.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Science education
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