VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Glasson, George E."

Browsing by Author "Glasson, George E."

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Advancing the Global Land Grant Institution: Creating a Virtual Environment to Re-envision Extension and Advance GSS-related Research, Education, and Collaboration
Hall, Ralph P.; Polys, Nicholas F.; Sforza, Peter M.; Eubank, Stephen D.; Lewis, Bryan L.; Krometis, Leigh-Anne H.; Pollyea, Ryan M.; Schoenholtz, Stephen H.; Sridhar, Venkataramana; Crowder, Van; Lipsey, John; Christie, Maria Elisa; Glasson, George E.; Scherer, Hannah H.; Davis, A. Jack; Dunay, Robert J.; King, Nathan T.; Muelenaer, Andre A.; Muelenaer, Penelope; Rist, Cassidy; Wenzel, Sophie (Virginia Tech, 2017-05-15)
The vision for this project has emerged from several years of research, teaching, and service in Africa and holds the potential to internationalize education at Virginia Tech and in our partner institutions in Malawi. The vision is simple, to develop a state-of-the-art, data rich, virtual decision-support and learning environment that enables local-, regional-, and national-level actors in developed and developing regions to make decisions that improve resilience and sustainability. Achieving these objectives will require a system that can combine biogeophysical and sociocultural data in a way that enables actors to understand and leverage these data to enhance decision-making at various levels. The project will begin by focusing on water, agricultural, and health systems in Malawi, and can be expanded over time to include any sector or system in any country. The core ideas are inherently scalable...
Biotechnology Education: An Investigation of Corporate and Communal Science in the Classroom
McLaughlin, John (Virginia Tech, 2006-05-04)
It is impossible to imagine our schools or community without framing such a view around a corporate structure. Money, capital, and economic stakeholders are all around us, building a corporate landscape that all members of the community must travel through in the course of their everyday lives. To suggest that education should be void of any type of economic influence would be to deny that a very important thread of our communities' tapestry exists. As we look at the way that these education intentions move outside our own communities and connect us to other communities and the world, we see corporate education economics framed in either a global or communal perspective. A corporate science education perspective tends to treat science with strict positivism, and technology with hard determinism. Communal theories of science education view science as post-positivistic and technology with a softer determinism; as a result social implications emerge, and the science becomes more socially constructed. It supports the personal capital of all students, regardless of their view of science or technology. It allows students to "border cross" more easily so they can "scaffold" new science information onto previous learning. This research consists of exploring how biotechnology education emerged within the state, how the resources intersected within a biotechnology conference and how teachers conceptualized biotechnology practices in their own classrooms. The researcher pieced together a sketch of the history of how biotechnology curriculum arose in high school biology classes. The researcher also explored the hybrid nature of biotechnology resources such as an educational conference where teachers attend workshops and lectures. The practices of two teachers in a public high school and one in a private school setting were also analyzed.
A comparative analysis of reforms in organizing curricula and methods of secondary science instruction in the United States during the last decades of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
Turpin, Pamela C. (Virginia Tech, 1993)
This study involved a comparative analysis of reforms in the organization and structure of curricula and instruction in science education in the United States during the last decades of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A review of literature of these periods revealed similar concerns and goals for science instructional reform in schools. With the use of primary and secondary sources from these decades, a comparison of the conditions surrounding the reform movements was made. The author explored such concerns as educational norms, aims, values, customs, curricula content, instructional methods, psychological bases and their relationships with the technological and scientific cultures of the times. This comparison characterized common factors associated with the two reform movements. A historical characterization of the two reform periods identified relationships and responses of science education reform to social, educational, scientific, technological, and economic influences. These relationships and responses represent some of the common factors that late-nineteenth century and late-twentieth century reform movements in science education share. The author determined that although the terms, phrases, and jargon used by late-nineteenth century science education reformers sound similar to those used today, the reform efforts are not as similar as they seem. Different meanings of reform terminology used by educators of the two time periods resulted in science education means and goals that are distinct for each period, although the terminology used to describe these ideals sounds and appears very similar. This study shows how science education reforms in the late-nineteenth and late-twentieth centuries responded to the world of which they were a part, and how under apparent similar conditions, responses of reformers appear similar, but in reality are different.
Cultivating a Caring, Environmental Self: Using the Figured World Concept to Explore Children's Environmental Identity Production in a Public School Garden Space
Sulsberger, Megan Jane (Virginia Tech, 2014-12-29)
This ethnographic case study investigates the diverse means and processes by which environmental identities were produced by five first grade students as they participated in an emergent, public school garden space. The children's histories, choices, personal and social experiences, expressions, and corresponding narratives are explored alongside the garden structure and social context to unpack the individualized and layered nature of children's environmental identity and care development. To locate and analyze children's engagements in the garden space, ethnographic, discourse, and narrative analysis methods are employed. The figured world concept is used to theorize and study the caring, environmental identities taken up and enacted by the children in this context. Through participation in emergent provocations, the creation and leveraging of garden artifacts, and investments in caring relationships, the children in this study shaped and cared for the garden space while it simultaneously shaped and cared for them. The environmental identity stories presented in this work broaden the definition of environmental identity to be more inclusive and less normalizing, thus, creating new spaces and moments for children to identify as environmentalists. The stories also raise implications for environmental education researchers to utilize more rigorous frameworks for investigating environmental care and identity development in the field. Findings from this research indicate that emergent garden spaces are potential sites for children to build relationships with nature in the public school. This is a significant practice for schools, as children today lack spaces in which to form environmental identities that implicate environmental care behaviors.
A Cultural Study of a Science Classroom and Graphing Calculator-based Technology
Casey, Dennis Alan (Virginia Tech, 2001-11-12)
Social, political, and technological events of the past two decades have had considerable bearing on science education. While sociological studies of scientists at work have seriously questioned traditional histories of science, national and state educational systemic reform initiatives have been enacted, stressing standards and accountability. Recently, powerful instructional technologies have become part of the landscape of the classroom. One example, graphing calculator-based technology, has found its way from commercial and domestic applications into the pedagogy of science and math education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the culture of an "alternative" science classroom and how it functions with graphing calculator-based technology. Using ethnographic methods, a case study of one secondary, team-taught, Environmental/Physical Science (EPS) classroom was conducted. Nearly half of the 23 students were identified as students with special education needs. Over a four-month period, field data was gathered from written observations, videotaped interactions, audio taped interviews, and document analyses to determine how technology was used and what meaning it had for the participants. Analysis indicated that the technology helped to keep students from getting frustrated with handling data and graphs. In a relatively short period of time, students were able to gather data, produce graphs, and to use inscriptions in meaningful classroom discussions. In addition, teachers used the technology as a means to involve and motivate students to want to learn science. By employing pedagogical skills and by utilizing a technology that might not otherwise be readily available to these students, an environment of appreciation, trust, and respect was fostered. Further, the use of technology by these teachers served to expand students' social capital--the benefits that come from an individual's social contacts, social skills, and social resources.
A descriptive analysis of the assessment techniques used by supervisors of physical education student teachers
Treanor, Laura Jeanne (Virginia Tech, 1993)
The purpose of this study was to describe the various assessment techniques used by supervisors of physical education student teachers. A survey instrument was sent to physical education supervisors at colleges and universities listed in the 38th Annual Guide to Accredited Education Programs/Units. A total of 177 Surveys were sent out; 109 were returned for an overall response rate of 61.5%. The study generated demographic information about supervisors of physical education student teachers as well as information about the assessment practices of the supervisors. The frequency with which certain assessment techniques (ie. intuitive assessment, eyeballing, rating scales, checklists, systematic observation, anecdotal notes, reflection and conferencing) and assessment modes (live observation, videotape and audiotape) were used was also collected. Factors that supervisors assess with the particular assessment techniques (ie. time, management, lesson content) were also analyzed. The data from this study indicate that all assessment techniques and modes are used to some degree by supervisors of physical education student teachers. However, some techniques are used more frequently than others and some only when certain modes are used. The assessment technique most frequently used by supervisors was conferencing (97%) and least frequently was eyeballing (42%). Overall, live observation was utilized most often (97%) and audiotape least often (5%). The data also indicate that supervisors use many different techniques of assessment to gather information about such factors as discipline, organization, Management and time. It was concluded that some factors were assessed through a variety of techniques, perhaps indicating that supervisors combine the information from different assessment techniques in order to more accurately assess their student teachers.
Determining effects on fifth grade students' achievement and curiosity when a technology education activity is integrated with a unit in science
Brusic, Sharon (Virginia Tech, 1991-07-05)
The purpose of the study was to explore the effect of integrating technological activities with science instruction. The researcher examined whether fifth-grade students' achievement and curiosity relative to the science unit were related to their participation in classes where the experimental treatment was employed. A secondary focus of the study was to determine whether students' curiosity about the unit prior to studying it was related to their achievement. The researcher used a quasi-experimental,pretest/post test design for the study. The researcher developed and field tested two instruments for use in the study: a measure of curiosity and a measure of students' science knowledge and comprehension relative to the unit studied on changing forms of energy. The sample (n=l23) was drawn from a population of fifth-grade students in Staunton and Augusta County, Virginia. Classrooms were randomly assigned as treatment and control. Treatment group teachers taught the unit by having students participate in two technological activities that corresponded with the science unit. Control group teachers used traditional science methods (i.e., primarily teacher demonstrations of science experiments) to teach the unit. Pretest and posttest data were analyzed using correlation analysis and analysis of covariance procedures. The researcher reported a significant difference between treatment group students' and control group students' curiosity, favoring the treatment group. No significant differences were found between groups in science achievement and no significant relationship between students' curiosity and achievement was reported. The researcher concluded that the integration of technological activities with science instruction may positively affect fifth-grade students' curiosity but may not enhance or deter from their science achievement. Hence, the science-technology linkage shows promise as a useful method of promoting greater student curiosity without negatively affecting their achievement.
Effectiveness of the Provisional Teaching License Route in Virginia for Preparing Business and Information Technology and Marketing Education Teachers
Shumate, Michael David (Virginia Tech, 2021-06-24)
The goal of this research was to assess the Virginia three-year provisional teaching license preparation path for earning a teaching license with an endorsement in Business and Information Technology (BIT) and Marketing Education (MKED). The study examined BIT and MKED teacher preparedness as it relates to core teaching and program management competencies for CTE educators who enrolled and completed Virginia's three-year teacher provisional licensure route to determine the effectiveness of the routes themselves. The research studied how the participants teacher preparation path impacted teachers' preparedness and how the elements of the provisional path contributed to the teacher's confidence in teaching. The study had one main research question and two sub-questions. The first sub-question emerged into five themes. They include lack of support system, struggle to implement essential teaching competencies, struggle to implement essential program management competencies, taking coursework while teaching does not work, and slight improvement by third year, but still a struggle. The second sub-question emerged into three themes. They include the need for effective support system, need for increased funding for teacher pay and required college courses, and need for focused training on specific CTE competencies. Three key conclusions from the study were BIT and MKED teachers need specific preparation training focused on core CTE teaching and program management competencies prior to entering the classroom, need a student teaching and/or co-teaching experience prior to entering the classroom by themselves, and need effective and active mentoring as well as administrative feedback and support during the entire three-year provisional licensure process.
Examining Changes in African American Students' Epistemic Agency as STEM Learners
Taylor, Lezly (Virginia Tech, 2022-06-15)
Despite reform efforts to broaden historically underrepresented populations across STEM disciplines, the data continues to highlight gaps of achievement across racial demographics. In an effort to address educational inequity, current reform efforts have touted the implementation of learning progressions as a promising strategy that can produce equality of outcomes across racial groups in STEM. Despite this promising effort, few studies have examined how to integrate practices of equity within learning progressions for groups such as African Americans that have been traditionally excluded from science and STEM. This study argues that an equity oriented learning progression should be responsive to sociohistorical factors of epistemic injustice that dissociated African Americans identities from being producers of knowledge. This study argues that the construction of a learning progression to advance the epistemic participation of African American students is aligned with goals of social justice related to diversifying STEM. The aims of this study explored how African American students progressed toward epistemic agency as STEM learners as a result of identity transformation through the engagement of the epistemic practices of engineering. This study used qualitative methodology to explore how student participants demonstrate epistemic development in their artifacts and discourse when engaging in engineering activities across a learning progression designed to develop epistemic agency. The findings from this study contribute to a broader understanding of how equity-oriented learning progressions can be designed to promote epistemic justice, how sociocultural positionings influence epistemic communities, and how students can become epistemic agents to raise STEM awareness within their local community. Advancing students epistemic practices of engineering and epistemic agency as STEM learners is key to creating meaningful pathways into STEM for students in K-12.
Experiential Learning and Professional Identity Development for Scientists Participating in K-12 Outreach: A Case Study of the Graduate Extension Scholars Program
Wilk, Ayla Arsel (Virginia Tech, 2016-06-28)
To address 21st century environmental and economic issues, the practice of agricultural science has become more interdisciplinary, collaborative, and reliant on wider community connections. These changes have fueled demands to improve public agricultural literacy and strengthen the agricultural science workforce, increasing expectations for high-quality undergraduate teaching and public scholarship by agricultural science faculty. Unfortunately, faculty often lack professional preparation for this aspect of their work (Bagdonis and Dodd, 2010; Blickenstaff, Wolf, Falk, and Foltz, 2015). In other STEM fields, K-12 outreach by graduate students has gained popularity as a way to improve scientists' skills and outlook toward public scholarship. This thesis explored learning and professional identity development for participants in a K-12 outreach program for graduate students in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Virginia Tech. The theoretical framework of Kolb's (1984) experiential learning cycle and Lave and Wenger's (1991) situated learning theory were employed to explore these processes. Findings revealed that the Graduate Extension Scholars saw themselves as educators and public scholars both before and after participating in the program. Motivations for participation were related to identified gaps in their professional preparation. Participants believed that their knowledge, skill, and professional identity around teaching and public scholarship had been strengthened by their participation in the program. The program's constructivist experiential theoretical framework, community of practice, and extensive support structures were identified by participants as contributors to these outcomes. This study informs program evaluation and has broader implications for preparing future agricultural science faculty.
An Exploration of How Primary School Teachers in Malawi Plan and Implement Social Studies Lessons for the Preparation of Active Participatory Citizens in a Democratic Society
Mhango, Ndalapa Adrian C. (Virginia Tech, 2008-03-25)
The purpose of public schooling in many democratic nation-states is the preparation of an active participatory citizenry. For this reason, educators advocate the use of participatory classroom practices for instilling in students knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes for active civic responsibilities. In this connection, Malawi has since the re-introduction of democracy in 1994, reformed the primary school curricula to emphasize participatory classroom practices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore how primary school teachers in Malawi planned and implemented social studies lessons for the preparation of competent citizens in a democratic civil society. The study used a case study genre of qualitative research involving three senior grade teachers as research participants. The study yielded four major results based on four generic research questions. The first result was that the social studies primary school curriculum has content and pedagogical approaches that are appropriate for the preparation of active participatory citizens. The second result was that the three teachers displayed limited understanding of the concept of participatory learning that was suggested to them in the curriculum documents. As such, their planning of lessons was largely teacher-centered, which they thought was participatory in approach. The third result was that the teachers’ limited conception of participatory learning, as reflected in the teaching plans, was transferred to their classrooms. In this way, the teacher-centered classroom practices caused a lot of missed opportunities for the students’ development of skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and rational decision-making that are necessary for active participation in a shared democratic political community. The last result was that state policies on the use of English as the medium of class instruction and the grade eight mandated examinations negatively contributed to the decisions that the teachers made in the organization of participatory classroom practices. Thus, the general picture based on these research results showed that there was a discrepancy between the state’s intended curriculum and the teachers’ enacted curriculum.
Exploring the Integration of Indigenous Science in the Primary School Science Curriculum in Malawi
Phiri, Absalom Dumsell Keins (Virginia Tech, 2008-03-27)
Moving out of theoretical academic constructs, the indigenous movement has attracted the attention of the Malawian education system to explore the value for contextualizing science by way of indigenous technologies. This is a milestone decision but the beginning is not smooth. However, indigenizing the curriculum has a promise of hope to invigorate science educators to pursue the search for the science out of indigenous technologies out of the "taken for granted" and "place-based" traditional knowledge systems. This is only the beginning of the journey in pursuit of local sciences that bear a promise for sustainability in development without relying exclusively on the outcomes of globalization. This study sought to unravel the issues that surrounded implementation of ground braking primary school science and technology curriculum, which has integrated indigenous knowledge in the learning of science. Commencing prior to the implementation of the new curriculum, this was a pilot study strategically conceptualized and timed to inform the curriculum developers and other stakeholders about issues to pay attention to as the curriculum implementation process unfolds. The study revealed that teachers are likely to face multiple challenges stemming from the design of the curriculum, teachers background knowledge in academic science, pedagogical knowledge, and cultural foundations. The outcome of teaching was negatively affected by the design of the curriculum, teachers' knowledge of science, and attitudes toward indigenous knowledge. Recommendations for improving the integration of indigenous knowledge and science in the curriculum include the need to better articulate the scientific principles involved in indigenous technologies and to involve learners in meaningful "practical work" in science lessons, supported by further research.
Factors Influencing the Persistence and Non-Persistence of African American Students in Scientific Majors at a Predominantly White University
Green, Andre M. (Virginia Tech, 2006-04-26)
Factors that influenced African Americans to persist or not persist within their scientific major while matriculating at a predominantly White university guided the focus of this study. The study explored the perceptions of African Americans that were both persistent and non-persistent within with their scientific major in order to gain a better understanding of what steps could be taken for the retention and encouragement of more African Americans in these fields at a predominantly White university. The study explored other factors besides intelligence that inhibited or promoted the success of African Americans in scientific fields. The study was qualitative in nature and participant interviews provided the data for the study. Actor network theory was used as a theoretical framework for exploring the factors that caused students to persist or not persist within a scientific major with the major implications of the study being: (1) The persistence of students had more to do with the open and closed networks they participated in rather than their intellect; (2) The student development of networks aligned with their ability to overcome the negative images associated with them in science; (3) Students’ development of closed networks were a means of protection.
Factors present during the devolopment of exemplary interdisciplinary teams in middle level schools
Gibson, Patrice Keough (Virginia Tech, 1992-07-05)
The purpose of this study was to identify common elements in the experience of exemplary interdisciplinary teams in middle level schools, to assess their value in team progress as perceived by teachers, to determine to what degree the results support current theory, and to identify variations in exemplary teams' practices. In this study, an interdisciplinary team is a group of two to five teachers responsible for instructing a common group of students in the core subjects--mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts--during a four or five period block in the daily schedule, with two planning periods daily--one for team planning and the other for individual planning. Interdisciplinary team organization is one system widely acknowledged as a method of promoting collaboration for teachers and small social groups for students. However, to benefit teachers and students, these teams must operate effectively. Erb and Dada (1989) have proposed a complete model of team development measures, including four domains of teaming--organization, attention to students, shared responsibility and growth, and instructional coordination-- and factors which promote team growth. Teachers' perceptions of these factors' importance can help persons developing effective teams. Team members at twelve Virginia middle level schools were surveyed and observed. Sixteen teams from small, medium, and large schools serving a variety of socioeconomic groups qualified as exemplary teams by their activities on all four domains. Analysis of team practices revealed that coordination with non-team teachers, use of uniform discipline policies and scheduling guidelines, and observing peers' teaching and proposing staff development programs were activities conspicuous by their absence on exemplary teams. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed that exemplary teams concentrated on one of three different areas--administration, curriculum, or change to new activities--and that some teams might use collaboration to perpetuate poor pedagogical practices. Teachers valued training, support, and activities in their teams' development, but reported school organization and decision making structure as less important. Analysis includes a model relating nearly 60% of the variation in team expertise to team members' respect for individuality in the context of strong team identity, and whole-school work environment.
Implementing Inquiry-Based Learning in a General Microbiology Laboratory
Walker, Candace Lynette (Virginia Tech, 2005-07-25)
In recent years there has been an increased interest in inquiry-based learning, also known as experiential learning or problem-based learning, as a more appropriate model of teaching science. The purpose of this study was to incorporate inquiry-based learning in a college sophomore-level General Microbiology Laboratory. The goal of this laboratory course is to introduce students to basic techniques and procedures necessary for the study of microorganisms. Laboratory sections were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control/reference group. The experimental group was taught the concept of serial dilutions using an inquiry-based learning approach whereas the control group was taught using traditional teaching methods. Analysis of the data generated from the students' involvement in the investigation during the fall semester indicated that the experimental group had a slightly greater improvement in their knowledge of serial dilution. The study continued in the spring semester and involved close to 300 students. During the spring semester both the experimental and the control groups had similar attitudes about their learning experience as evaluated by a Lickert Scale survey. However, a statistical analysis of the quiz scores of the students with values within the interquartiles indicated the experimental classes' quiz scores were significantly higher on quiz 2 taken at the midpoint in the study. Thus an inquiry-based learning approach was found to be beneficial to the middle 50% of the class.
Influence of Pre-service Teachers' Beliefs about Diversity on Science Teaching and Learning
Brand, Brenda R. (Virginia Tech, 1998-02-13)
The influences of the background experiences of five pre-service Science teachers on their beliefs about diversity were the focus for this study. These individuals were followed throughout their teacher preparation program. The data for this study consisted of interviews, conducted before and after entering the field. Data also consisted of any relevant written assignments. The data for this study were analyzed according to emerging themes, depicting initial beliefs and any changes in the beliefs occurring over time. The results of this study were organized into vignettes, telling each story from before and after the students entered the program. Three themes emerged from an analysis and interpretation of the vignettes: (1) Early life experiences shaped the pre-service teachers' sense of identity and influenced their beliefs on diversity, (2) Experiences with diversity influenced pre-service teachers' philosophy of teaching, and (3) Experiences with diversity during the teacher preparation program challenged or confirmed pre-service teachers' preexisting beliefs. The implications from this study suggest that pre-service teachers need challenging experiences in diverse classroom settings that will promote an expansion of their beliefs, enabling them to cross cultural borders.
Integrating Global Competencies into Business and Information Technology and Marketing Education Curricula
Woo, Jihyun (Virginia Tech, 2019-06-21)
Since the world has become smaller, resulting in the development of a global economy, it is no longer adequate for countries to provide education in silos by country or region. Instead, educators throughout the world need to integrate global competencies into their curricula. However, many teachers generally lack the knowledge of global context 21st century skills and do not have enough global experiences to assist them in providing this context. Although a great deal of effort has been put into providing teachers revised global Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum, very little is known concerning how many teachers are integrating global concepts into their curricula. The purpose of this research was to determine the factors that affect the integration of global tasks into Virginia Business Information and Technology (BIT) and Marketing Education (MKED) curriculum as defined by lived experiences of Virginia BIT and MKED teachers. A qualitative research method design was used to collect and analyze data for this study. A purposeful sampling method was chosen to find the best participants for this research. Interviews were used to determine the lived experiences of BIT and MKED concerning the extent to which they integrate global competencies into their curricula. In addition, factors affecting this integration were identified. The findings of this study suggest strategies for overcoming challenges for integrating global competency into the curricula and provide factors to make best practices for integrating global tasks into Virginia BIT and MKED curricula.
Investigating How Nontraditional Elementary Preservice Teachers Negotiate the Teaching of Science
Shelton, Mythianne (Virginia Tech, 2015-02-06)
This qualitative study was designed to investigate the influences on nontraditional pre-service teachers as they negotiated the teaching of science in elementary school. Based upon a sociocultural theoretical framework with an identity-in-practice lens, these influences included beliefs about science teaching, life experiences, and the impact of the teacher preparation program. The study sample consisted of two nontraditional pre-service teachers who were student teaching in an elementary classroom. Data, collected over a five-month period, included in-depth individual interviews, classroom observations, audio recordings, and reviews of documentations. Interviews focused on the participants' beliefs relating to the teaching of science, prior experiences, and their teacher preparation program experiences relating to the teaching of science. Classroom observations provided additional insights into the classroom setting, participants' teaching strategies, and participants' interactions with the students and cooperating teacher. A whole-text analysis of the interview transcripts, observational field notes, audio recordings, and documents generated eight major categories: beliefs about science teaching, role of family, teaching science int he classroom, teacher identity, non-teacher identity, relationships with others, discourse of classroom teaching, and discourses of teachers. The following significant findings emerged from the data: (a) the identity of nontraditional student teachers as science teachers related to early life experiences in science classes; (b) the identity of nontraditional student teachers as science teachers was influenced by their role as parents; (c) nontraditional student teachers learned strategies that supported their beliefs about inquiry learning; and (d) nontraditional student teachers valued the teach preparation program support system. The results from this qualitative study suggest that sociocultural theory with an identity-in-practice lens provides a theoretical frame work for understanding the influences that affect why nontraditional pre-service teachers select strategies to teach science in the elementary classroom.
Investigating Personal Learning in an Ecotourism Setting
Hoffman, Brittany (Virginia Tech, 2017-05-02)
It has been proposed that for ecotourism to be the sustainable response to mass tourism, it should not only support local communities and their environments but also educate visitors. This study aimed to understand visitors' perceptions of personal impacts, including personal learning, in an ecotourism setting and why these impacts differed between visitors. To fully comprehend the nature of personal impacts, I took a primarily qualitative approach, using participant observation and a series of survey questionnaires. This study reveals that the visitor's construction of personal meaning is achieved through the interaction between the visitor's prior knowledge, quality social interaction on the tour and the fulfillment of the desire for an 'authentic' experience. With this finding, I suggest considering learning in an ecotourism setting as personal change and provide practical suggestions for encouraging all visitors to achieve personal understanding.
Investigating Strategies for Enhancing Achievement of Urban African American Students in Middle School Science Classrooms
Lanier, Marilyn (Virginia Tech, 2012-03-29)
This dissertation interprets a qualitative study designed to investigate the pedagogical practices of experienced science teachers who, through their teaching practices, promote learning and achievement of urban African American middle school students between the ages 10-13 years. Based upon the theoretical frameworks of the theory of third space and culturally-responsive pedagogy, this study targeted the pedagogical practices that connected home-to-school experiences. The study sample consisted of 17 students, 2 experienced science teachers, and 1 principal from the same urban middle school. Data collected over a six-month period include in-depth individual interviews, classroom observations, audio recordings, videotaping, and review of documentation. Interviews focused on the participants' experiences, views, and the role each played in learning and achievement. Classroom observations provided additional insights into the classroom setting, participants' actions, and participants' interactions with the teachers and other students. The student focus group emphasized the students' perspectives of their teacher and her teaching strategies. A whole-text analysis of the interview transcripts, observational field notes, video recording and documents generated three major categories: connection to students, classroom management, and instructional pedagogy. The following significant findings emerged from the data: (a) the beliefs and views of teachers affect their classroom practices; (b) when teachers build rapport with African American students, they are better able to create trust, increase the comfort level in their classroom, and motivate learning; (c) a teacher's use of home-to-school connections motivates students' interest in learning while helping them to make connections to curriculum, (d) the type of classroom management practices a teacher uses can enhance effective content implementation, and (e) a teacher's varied instructional pedagogical practices can provide African American students the opportunity they need to demonstrate knowledge and achievement. Implications for middle school teachers, students, parents, administrators, and teacher educators are included. Suggestions for future research are also provided. The results from this qualitative study strongly suggest that third space theory provides a theoretical framework for understanding the connections necessary for bridging a culturally-responsive disposition and a continuum between home and school experiences, which is critical in a science classroom populated by urban African American students.

Browsing by Author "Glasson, George E."

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