The Next Generation and Texas Science: Life Science Teacher’s Use of Literacy and Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Assessing Students’ Abilities to Engage in Science Practices, A Three Article Dissertation

This dissertation investigates the connection between science education and disciplinary literacy as an avenue to promote students’ proficiency of scientific practices. To do this, a progressive three-article dissertation format was followed to complete a qualitative evidence synthesis of three NSTA journals, conduct an exploratory case study of three life science teachers, and develop an outline of a professional development program for secondary science teachers. Results from the qualitative evidence synthesis illustrate connections which highlight the purpose and strategies to engage and assess students in the scientific practices of developing and using models and constructing scientific explanations. From the exploratory case study, an understanding of what students should be reading and how they should be interacting with readings were identified. In addition, a Disciplinary Literacy Progression of Teachers and Students was developed from the data analyzed during the case study. Findings from the qualitative evidence synthesis and the exploratory case study contributed to the creation of a conceptual framework and instructional outline for a professional development program for the secondary science teachers within Arid Independent School District. This three-article dissertation study highlights the implications for implementation of disciplinary literacy within educational policy, teacher preparation programs, classroom instructional practices, and the theories of pedagogical content knowledge and reflective practice.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

Texas Tech University

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Hill Foster, Meagan E.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Matteson, Shirley M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Lesley, Mellinee
• Zimmerman, Aaron S.

• disciplinary literacy
• science practices
• qualitative systematic review
• case stud
• three-article dissertation

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2346/96965

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/96965