Science Instructional Time Is Declining in Elementary Schools: What Are the Implications for Student Achievement and Closing the Gap?

Blank, Rolf K.

doi:10.1002/sce.21078

Cited by 94 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…This study illustrates how engineering design and reading comprehension strategies may share points of overlap as well. On a practical level, this study has implications for the many elementary teachers who want to integrate more science and engineering concepts into their curriculum but feel pressed for time (Blank, 2013). Although our instruction in the literacy block focused heavily on teacher modeling and student practice with comprehension strategies, we found that students who applied these comprehension strategies were usually also engaging in engineering design processes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Reading and Engineering: Elementary Students’ Co-Application of Comprehension Strategies and Engineering Design Processes

Wilson‐Lopez¹,

Gregory²,

Larsen³

2017

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

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For decades, researchers have asserted that K-12 teachers should embed reading comprehension instruction within each academic discipline, including ''technical subjects'' such as engineering. Recently, this assertion has become a source of controversy among researchers and practitioners who believe that time spent on teaching reading comprehension strategies may detract from time spent on more authentic activities such as engineering design. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate whether and how elementary students' applications of comprehension strategies overlapped with their application of engineering design processes. The authors provided comprehension strategy instruction to 57 third-and fifth-grade students as they read texts describing problems that could be solved through engineering. The authors used constant comparative methods to analyze students' comments from small-group and whole-class discussions about the texts. A former reading teacher with a PhD in literacy education identified students' application of reading comprehension strategies, while a former engineer with a PhD in engineering education identified their application of engineering design processes. The analysis indicated that 80.5% of comments that were coded as ''comprehension strategy'' were also coded as ''engineering design process.'' Particular comprehension strategies tended to co-occur with particular engineering design processes. This study challenges the assumption that time spent in applying comprehension strategies detracts from time spent in learning engineering design. Elementary students' application of comprehension strategies occurred in conjunction with their application of engineering design processes, suggesting that comprehension strategy instruction and engineering design instruction can be conceptualized as complementary rather than competing. Keywords: engineering education, literacy instruction, engineering designIn 1925, William Gray famously stated that every teacher is a teacher of reading (Moore, Readence, & Rickleman, 1983). He asserted that reading is necessary to learning in every academic discipline, and consequently all K-12 teachers are responsible for providing comprehension instruction on texts. Since that time, scores of books and articles have addressed the topic of content area literacy instruction, culminating in the publication of the national Common Core State Standards (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010), which affirmed that teachers in ''scientific and technical subjects'' should provide comprehension instruction within their respective disciplines. Numerous researchers (Alvermann, Swafford, & Montero, 2003;Shanahan & Shanahan, 2014) have asserted that this type of embedded comprehension instruction should start within each academic discipline while students are still in elementary school. In other words, comprehension instruction should not be reserved for elementary teachers' daily literacy block...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Reading and Engineering: Elementary Students’ Co-Application of Comprehension Strategies and Engineering Design Processes

Wilson‐Lopez¹,

Gregory²,

Larsen³

2017

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Yet, science instruction receives less instructional time than other subjects at the elementary school level (Blank, 2013). Further, elementary school teachers report feeling unqualified to teach science (Sandholtz & Ringstaff, 2014).…”

Section: Finding 3: Concerns About Student Preparationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, vast differences exist between schools in the amount and quality of science instruction (Douville, Puglee, & Wallace, 2003;Duschl et al, 2007;Blank, 2013). In order to be successful under the NGSS, students need consistent exposure to highquality, NGSS-aligned science instruction beginning in kindergarten and continuing all through their schooling.…”

Section: Implications For Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

High school science teachers' receptivity to the next generation science standards : an examination of discipline specific factors

Shapiro¹

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The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), are the biggest change to American science education since the National Science Education Standards (NSES) were published. While inquiry was central to the NSES, science assessment largely addressed factual knowledge acquisition.The NGSS represent a significant practical change for teachers as they mark a return to the ideals specified in the National Science Education Standards (NSES) and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. The purpose of this explanatory sequential, mixed-methods study was to identify and compare the factors that influenced high school science teachers' receptivity to the curricular shifts necessitated by the adoption of the NGSS. The survey data identified three factors as significant predictors of teacher receptivity: teachers' non-monetary cost-benefit analysis, alignment between the NGSS and their current teaching style, and concerns about student readiness. To understand how these factors operate in the classroom, both receptive and nonreceptive teachers were interviewed. In terms of cost-benefit analysis, all teachers agree that time is a significant cost. This includes the time it takes to adapt lessons to the NGSS, and the time it takes to teach in a way that integrates the three parts of the NGSS which are the practices of science and engineering, the crosscutting concepts, and the disciplinary core ideas. In terms of alignment between their teaching style and the NGSS, teachers talked about the lack of examples of what NGSS-aligned instruction looks like and the dearth of accessible high quality professional development. Finally, concerns about students' readiness focused on both inadequate preparation for college-level science coursework and deficits in science instruction in the lower grades.

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“…The justification for research on the impact of adequate resources for elementary science instruction is based on the numerous federal reports over the past decade that call for an increase in science education, both in time and quality in an attempt to improve the STEM workforce in the United States (Holdren, Marrett, & Suresh, 2013;NRC, 2009) Language Arts (ELA) and less than half the amount of time spent on mathematics (Blank, 2013).…”

Section: Significance Of the Research Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since 2000, the instructional time spent on elementary science education has declined while time on ELA and mathematics has increased (Blank, 2013).…”

Section: Increasing Time and Attention Dedicated To Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the impact of a kit-based science resource on teachers' ability to engage students in science : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Larsen

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The lack of time and attention dedicated to science at the elementary level is a problem that results in a missed opportunity to engage students in science at an early age, potentially perpetuating the gender gap at the secondary, college and career levels. There are many factors contributing to the lack of science education at the elementary level, including the provision of adequate materials and resources, instructional emphasis on subjects tied to high stakes testing, and the lack of content and pedagogical training provided for elementary teachers. ThisInterpretative Phenomenological Analysis explored the perspectives of nine teachers in grades Kindergarten through fifth with experience piloting a kit-based science resource, Full Option Science System (FOSS). This study employed Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as the theoretical framework as a means of examining engagement through the psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Results of the study indicate that participants observed a high level of student engagement, attributed primarily to the challenging, yet attainable hands-on approach of FOSS. Teacher confidence and enthusiasm for teaching science increased through the use of the kits and students reportedly attained a deep level of understanding of the scientific concepts. It cannot be conclusively stated that FOSS increased the teachers' ability to engage students in science, as the students may have been engaged due to the novelty of hands-on aspect rather than the teacher's competence in engaging them. As a result of this study, it is clear that providing teachers with high-quality instructional materials and resources, combined with training in pedagogical approach and content acquisition, can positively impact both teacher and student experiences with science.

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Science Instructional Time Is Declining in Elementary Schools: What Are the Implications for Student Achievement and Closing the Gap?

Cited by 94 publications

References 10 publications

Reading and Engineering: Elementary Students’ Co-Application of Comprehension Strategies and Engineering Design Processes

Reading and Engineering: Elementary Students’ Co-Application of Comprehension Strategies and Engineering Design Processes

High school science teachers' receptivity to the next generation science standards : an examination of discipline specific factors

Understanding the impact of a kit-based science resource on teachers' ability to engage students in science : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

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