Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Dissertation
Abstract
Science performance among elementary school students in the United States has stagnated in recent years. To address this issue, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were introduced, advocating for a reform in science education. Traditionally, hands-on laboratory work has been used to help students understand scientific concepts through a "learn by doing" approach. However, students often become disengaged during practical work, as following a set procedure to replicate scientific phenomena does not reflect how scientists approach problems in their daily practice. It is now argued that hands-on laboratories should not only involve observation or manipulation of materials and equipment but also encourage students to extend their own ideas in an inquiry-based format.
This study transformed a traditional hands-on laboratory exercise into a minds-on, inquiry-based approach using reformed teaching principles. The research examined how these principles facilitate student engagement in two science classrooms through a descriptive, exploratory study. A quantitative approach was used to measure student engagement, utilizing a novel scale based on student dialogue and behavior during the lessons. The study combined reformed teaching principles, as measured by the RTOP instrument, and lesson reform based on the EQuIP rubric to understand how these practices enhance student engagement.
Year of Submission
2025
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
First Advisor
Mason Kuhn
Date Original
5-2025
Object Description
1 PDF (x, 114 pages)
Copyright
©2025 Nathaniel Bryant
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Bryant, Nathaniel, "Facilitating Student Engagement in Elementary Science Classrooms with Reformed Teaching Principles" (2025). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2200.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2200
