Urban African-American middle school science students: Does standards-based teaching make a difference?

Abstract

The current reform movement in science education promotes standards‐based teaching, including the use of inquiry, problem solving, and open‐ended questioning, to improve student achievement. This study examines the influence of standards‐based teaching practices on the achievement of urban, African‐American, middle school science students. Science classes of teachers who had participated in the professional development (n = 8) of Ohio's statewide systemic initiative (SSI) were matched with classes of teachers (n = 10) who had not participated. Data were gathered using group‐administered questionnaires and achievement tests that were specifically designed for Ohio's SSI. Analyses indicate that teachers who frequently used standards‐based teaching practices positively influenced urban, African‐American students' science achievement and attitudes, especially for boys. Additionally, teachers' involvement in the SSI's professional development was positively related to the reported use of standards‐based teaching practices in the classroom. The findings support the efficacy of high‐quality professional development to change teaching practices and to enhance student learning. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 1019–1041, 2000

Will girls be left behind? Gender differences and accountability

“…Third, our analyses indicated that perceptions of peer participation and home support were more positively correlated with achievement for African American girls than for boys. These findings also emphasize the need to disaggregate data to understand factors that differentially affect subgroups of girls (Kahle, Meece, & Scantlebury, 2000).…”

Science inquiry and student diversity: Enhanced abilities and continuing difficulties after an instructional intervention

“…The debate becomes more complex when it involves children from diverse languages and cultures (Fradd & Lee, 1999, Lee, 2002Rosebery et al, 1992;Warren et al, 2001), especially for students in urban schools (Hewson et al, 2001;Kahle et al, 2000; Table 4 Differences among demographic subgroups: Evidence in support of theory (n This category also includes Haitian Creole-speaking (3) and English/Spanish-speaking (2) students. Knapp & Plecki, 2001;Spillane et al, 2001).…”

“…As teachers increase their knowledge of science content and effective instructional strategies through professional development, they also need support in the form of science curricular resources and materials to implement these new practices. Many elementary classrooms lack appropriate science instructional materials and supplies, a situation often exacerbated by a more generalized lack of resources and funding in urban schools serving large numbers of students from low SES backgrounds (Hewson, Kahle, Scantlebury, & Davies, 2001;Kahle, Meece, & Scantlebury, 2000;Knapp & Plecki, 2001;Spillane et al, 2001). In addition, instructional time for science in lowperforming urban elementary schools is often limited and tightly regulated due to the urgency of developing basic literacy and numeracy in students with limited literacy and numeracy skills and those learning English as a new language.…”

Using students' lived experiences in an urban science classroom: An elementary school teacher's thinking

“…Teachers in urban schools spend most of their time teaching knowledge-based science in a learning environment that ignores students' experiences and provides few occasions for conceptual development (Anyon, 1997;Carlson, 1997;Kahle, Meece, & Scantlebury, 2000).…”

“…Teachers have to create a classroom environment that allows students to participate in a diverse setting while allowing teachers to incorporate students' lived experiences as a part of science learning (Atwater, 1996;Kahle et al, 2000;Oakes, 1990;Oakes, Gamaron, & Page, 1992). However, this type of classroom, where students are encouraged to bring in their lived experiences as a part of science learning, is very hard to find in urban schools that support minority students.…”