Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning

Major Professor

Dana L. Zeidler, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Benjamin C. Herman, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Stephen J. Thornton, Ph.D.

Committee Member

David Rosengrant, Ph.D.

Keywords

Environmental Education, Science Education, Science for Citizenship, Scientific Literacy, Socioscientific Issues

Abstract

The overarching aim of this research was to ultimately support global resiliency through science education, preparing citizens to laudably negotiate the contentious socio-cultural science- and technology-based issues of modern times. Correspondingly, this mixed methods study aimed to move a large, diverse school district toward school environments conducive to contextualized socioscientific issues (SSI)-based learning. Of interest to teachers, administrators, and policymakers, the research investigated the effects of subsuming standards-based objectives within the SSI instructional framework on science achievement. Analysis of variance of multilevel assessment and classroom observation protocol data revealed that students experiencing the SSI intervention showed statistically significant gains in content acquisition and that the gains were tied to implementation fidelity. Of overarching and theoretical import, the research also investigated the effect of the SSI curriculum on the development of students’ character and values as global citizens. Statistically significant shifts in how students expressed the socioscientific orientation dimensions of Ecological Worldviews, Social and Moral Compassion and Socioscientific Accountability were found. Nuanced findings associated with the content achievement of diverse learners were also revealed.

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