Teacher Training and Student Inquiry and Science Literacy:  Linking Teacher Intervention to Students’ Outcomes in STEM Courses in Middle and High School Classes

Gisele Ragusa

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: K-12 Teacher Professional Development
Tagged Division: K-12 & Pre-College Engineering
Page Count: 12
Page Numbers: 25.1236.1 - 25.1236.12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--21993
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/21993
Download Count: 392

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Gisele Ragusa University of Southern California

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Gisele Ragusa is the Director of the University of Southern California's Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation. She is jointly appointed in the Viterbi School of Engineering's Division of Engineering Education and the Rossier School of Education. Her research interests and areas of expertise include engineering education as well as assessment and measurement in STEM education. She teaches courses in STEM teacher education, learning theory, measurement theory, assessment design, and research methodologies. She has been the principal investigator on several federal grants through the U.S. Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation.

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Abstract

Teacher Training and Student Inquiry and Science Literacy: Linking Teacher Intervention to Students’ Outcomes in STEM Courses in Middle and High School Classes Abstract Engineers and scientist utilize the principles and theories of science andmathematics to design, test, and manufacture products that are important to thefuture of a nation’s citizenry. With the exception of biological sciences, however,the percentage of college students seeking degrees in math, science andengineering disciplines has been declining for the past two decades. Furthermore,fewer potential engineering majors are completing rigorous college preparatoryprograms and graduating in the top quarter of their high schools. This shortfallhas raised concerns among leaders in science, technology, engineering,mathematics, (STEM) and fields. To meet the changing demands of the nation’s science and engineeringlabor force, recognition of the importance of pre-college education interventionand implementation of challenging curricula that captures and sustains middle andhigh school students’ achievement and interest in science and engineering iscritical. Current research reveals that one of the most important determinants ofwhat students learn is the expertise and pedagogy of the teacher. Additionally thecurrent research on STEM student achievement is that students need directinstruction in science literacy including comprehension, science vocabulary andscience writing. This should be coupled with deliberate and guided practice inscientific experimentation. Accordingly, our research is focused on improvingteacher quality in these important instructional areas and resulting middle andhigh school student learning in science, technology, engineering and math(STEM). Our university has partnered with two large urban school districts to plan,deliver and sustain a targeted inservice teacher professional development and amiddle and high school STEM curriculum intervention. We have worked atstrategic instruction in science literacy for our teachers and their students inaddition to focusing on inquiry focused instruction with emphases onexperimentation. Results of this teacher and student focused targeted interventionhas revealed a dramatic increase in student achievement in scientificexperimentation and increased science literacy.

Citation
Format

Ragusa, G. (2012, June), Teacher Training and Student Inquiry and Science Literacy: Linking Teacher Intervention to Students’ Outcomes in STEM Courses in Middle and High School Classes Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--21993

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -    Teacher Training and Student Inquiry and Science Literacy:  Linking Teacher Intervention to Students’ Outcomes in STEM           Courses in Middle and High School Classes                                     Abstract        Engineers and scientist utilize the principles and theories of science andmathematics to design, test, and manufacture products that are important to thefuture of a nation’s citizenry. With the exception of biological sciences, however,the percentage of college students seeking degrees in math, science andengineering disciplines has been declining for the past two decades. Furthermore,fewer potential engineering majors are completing rigorous college preparatoryprograms and graduating in the top quarter of their high schools. This shortfallhas raised concerns among leaders in science, technology, engineering,mathematics, (STEM) and fields.         To meet the changing demands of the nation’s science and engineeringlabor force, recognition of the importance of pre-college education interventionand implementation of challenging curricula that captures and sustains middle andhigh school students’ achievement and interest in science and engineering iscritical.        Current research reveals that one of the most important determinants ofwhat students learn is the expertise and pedagogy of the teacher. Additionally thecurrent research on STEM student achievement is that students need directinstruction in science literacy including comprehension, science vocabulary andscience writing. This should be coupled with deliberate and guided practice inscientific experimentation. Accordingly, our research is focused on improvingteacher quality in these important instructional areas and resulting middle andhigh school student learning in science, technology, engineering and math(STEM).        Our university has partnered with two large urban school districts to plan,deliver and sustain a targeted inservice teacher professional development and amiddle and high school STEM curriculum intervention. We have worked atstrategic instruction in science literacy for our teachers and their students inaddition to focusing on inquiry focused instruction with emphases onexperimentation. Results of this teacher and student focused targeted interventionhas revealed a dramatic increase in student achievement in scientificexperimentation and increased science literacy.  
AU  - Gisele Ragusa
CY  - San Antonio, Texas
DA  - 2012/06/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Teacher Training and Student Inquiry and Science Literacy:  Linking Teacher Intervention to Students’ Outcomes in STEM Courses in Middle and High School Classes
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/21993
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--21993
ER  -