What Works In Teaching Science:A Meta-Analysis of Current ResearchCarolyn Schroeder

Center for Math & Science Education

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University Project Staff

• Timothy P. Scott, Ph.D., Project Director

• Carolyn Schroeder, Ph.D., Research Associate

• Homer Tolson, Ph.D., Senior Analyst

• Yi-Hsuan Lee, Ph.D., Analyst

• Tse-Yang Huang, Ph.D., Analyst

Advisory Board

• Carol L. Fletcher, Ph.D., Texas Regional Collaboratives, UT Austin

• Ginny Heilman, Region VI ESC

• Anna McClane, Region IV ESC

• Sandra S. West, Ph.D., Texas State University

• Jo Ann Wheeler, Region IV ESC

What teaching strategies have been shown to improve student achievement in science???

Criteria for Selection of Studies

• Dealt with K-12 science education in the U.S.• Used student achievement (success, performance,

etc.) as dependent variable• Used science education teaching strategies as

independent variables• Was experimental or quasi-experimental• Reported effect size (ES) or statistics necessary to

calculate it• Could not be totally correlational• Could not deal exclusively with special populations• Could not be included more than once (e.g., same

study reported in a dissertation and journal article)

Read and Share

Everyone:• Read pages 1-2.

When finished:• Discuss the answers to the following questions -1.What is the goal of science education?2.Why are standards important?3.How were these strategies selected?4.What is important about the order in which the

strategies appear in the booklet?

Jigsaw Activity

Number off from 1 to 8.

Read your assigned strategy; underline or highlight important points for discussion.

Move to your designated area. As a group create a chart paper using the following criteria.

GROUP WORK - 10 Minutes

Write the strategy name and number on the top of the chart paper.

Discuss and record on the chart paper -• Overview of the strategy• Examples you feel would be helpful at your grade level – from booklet• Specific example of how you have or will use the strategy in your

classroom• Obstacles or problems associated with using the strategy• Hang your wall chart when finished

RETURN TO YOUR SEATTHANK YOU!!

C1=Questioning C2=ManipulationC3=Enhanced Material C4=AssessmentC5=InquiryC6=Enhanced ContextC7=Instructional TechnologyC8=Collaborative Learning

Figure 1. Mean Effect Sizes for Treatment Categories and Total Data

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

C1* C2* C3* C4* C5* C6* C7* C8* TotalMean ES

Table 4. Ranking of Teaching Strategies

Strategies Effect Size Rank

Enhanced Context Strategies 1.4783 1

Collaborative Learning Strategies .9580 2

Questioning Strategies .7395 3

Inquiry Strategies .6546 4

Manipulation Strategies .5729 5

Assessment Strategies .5052 6

Instructional Technology Strategies .4840 7

Enhanced Material Strategies .2908 8

GATHER YOUR GROUP OF EIGHT

GALLERY WALK – 2 Minutes a Station

• As you walk discuss and include important points on your sheet.

• You have a resident expert in each group.

What teaching strategies have been shown to improve student achievement in science???

• All of the innovative strategies have a positive influence on student achievement.

• Innovative science instruction is a mixture of teaching strategies.

• Teaching strategies are tools, and the right tool must be selected for the job at hand.

Most Powerful–Enhanced Context Strategies

• Make learning relevant to students• Use real-world examples and problems

– Problem based learning– Case based learning

• Use technology to bring real world into classroom

• Take students out of classroom into real world

• Use multiple contexts to teach concept

RUBRIC AT END

In final group, after everyone has shared:

Review the product rubric at the end of the booklet. •How could you use this in your work?•How important are rubrics like this when we purchase kits or curriculum or when adopting textbooks?

Rubric Design Based on Meta-Analysis

• Science content– Accuracy and alignment

– Safety

• Organization and structure– Format of materials

– Coherency

• Meaningful assessment– Alignment

– Formative

– Summative

– Metacognitive

• Effective instructional practices– Enhanced context

strategies

– Inquiry strategies

– Instructional technology strategies

– Collaborative learning strategies

– Manipulation strategies

– Questioning strategies

• Equity and practicality– Equity

– Practicality

Conclusions

Questions or Comments?