Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Sylvia J. Springer
Committee Member
Donna Blaess
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
4th-grade science, achievement test scores, adherence to standards, applied dissertation, assessment, committees, curriculum content, curriculums, delivery methods, developmental model, educational background, education leaders, education reform, elementary school science, employment, experts, flexible guidelines, formative committee, generalist classroom teachers, hiring criteria, implementation, instructors, job design, knowledge, National Science Academy, National Science Education Standards, pedagogy, planning, professional development, profession, program reform, research questions, science achievement, science content, science education, science instruction, science specialists, specialist hiring, student interest, summative committee, teaching
Abstract
The purpose of this applied dissertation was the creation of a developmental model of hiring criteria for 4th-grade science specialists to be used by elementary education leaders in the future. The premise for the model sprang from the author's view that 4th-grade instructors trained in science content and pedagogy would be more likely than generalist classroom teachers to plan and to implement optimally effective 4th-grade science curriculums and delivery methods. The author further believed that specialized 4th-grade science instruction might raise national science achievement test scores at that grade level and might increase student interest in science as a subject and possible profession.
The study was driven by 3 research questions: the 1st on the sort of educational background necessary for 4th-grade science specialists, the 2nd on factors besides education important for 4th-grade science specialists, and the 3rd on the importance of knowledge of and adherence to the National Science Education Standards (National Science Academy, 1995a) for a 4th-grade science specialist. Initial drafts of the developmental model sprang from scrutiny of related science education literature and input from 2 committees of science education experts. The Formative Committee's suggestions for revision of various aspects of the model were studied by the author and were then submitted to the Summative Committee for feedback. The author then created a final version of the model based on input from both committees.
The final model of hiring criteria for 4th-grade science specialists offers education leaders concrete but flexible guidelines for hiring 4th-grade science specialists. The model addresses key issues of science education reform raised by the National Science Academy: planning and implementation of science education system and program reform and the raising of previous standards of elementary school science instruction, curriculum content, teaching, professional development, and assessment.