Degree Date

12-2016

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Academic Discipline

Curriculum and Social Inquiry

First Advisor

Dr. Sara Efron

Second Advisor

Dr. Shaunti Knauth

Third Advisor

Dr. Vito Dipinto, Dr. Michael Knapp

Abstract

A high school teacher conducted a study about minority middle and high school students’ interest in science. The problem was to find out why African American and Hispanic students were showing very little interest in science. The researcher used four middle school science teachers and nine high school science teachers, all from inner city schools in a big city of the Midwest United States except for one middle school teacher from a nearby suburb. The participants answered a survey questionnaire followed with a face-to-face recorded interview. The findings of the study confirmed that students showed little interest in science due to a myriad of reasons. Overall, the students preferred to work in small groups and to do labs and activities, and did not like to be lectured, to take notes, or to read science materials. This study could be useful to teachers in similar environments with similar populations.

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