ERIC Number: EJ1009078
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Feb
Pages: 11
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-6803
EISSN: N/A
Impact of a Multiyear Systemic Reform Effort on Rural Elementary
School Students' Science Achievement
Shymansky, James; Wang, Tzu-Ling; Annetta, Leonard; Everett, Susan; Yore, Larry D.
School Science and Mathematics, v113 n2 p69-79 Feb 2013
This paper is a report of the impact of an externally funded, multiyear systemic reform project on students' science achievement on a modified version of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) test in 33 small, rural school districts in two Midwest states. The systemic reform effort utilized a cascading leadership strategy of professional development delivered at summer workshops and through distance technologies and local leadership groups that focused on helping teachers work in communities of practice to adapt science inquiry lessons to teach and reinforce strategies and skills in language arts in the lessons. Science achievement scores of Grade 3 and Grade 6 student cohorts on the two forms of the TIMSS administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the professional development effort revealed a V-shaped pattern of scores, suggesting that teachers struggled with the newly adapted science inquiries at first but then became more effective in their use. The impact of the adaptation strategy on the students' achievement, questions about the time needed for new instructional strategies to be embraced by teachers, and the wisdom of using "low stakes" achievement tests in studies are discussed. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure, and 3 notes.)
Descriptors: Elementary School Science, Science Achievement, Elementary School Students, Program Effectiveness, Change Strategies, Educational Change, Rural Schools, Communities of Practice, Teacher Workshops, Professional Development, Inquiry, Achievement Tests, Achievement Gains, Instructional Effectiveness, Instructional Innovation, Teaching Methods, Grade 3, Grade 6
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 3; Grade 6
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A