ERIC Number: ED533738
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 127
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: ISBN-978-1-1247-9717-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Changing Perceptions of Science in Undergraduate Students: A Mixed Methods Case Study
Larson-Miller, Cindy S.
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Nebraska - Lincoln
The purpose of this bounded single-case study was to explore the understanding of the nature and process of science for undergraduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The study investigated one professor's methodology to explicitly teach undergraduate students about the nature and process of science, and documented their understanding and perception of science, both pre- and post-course. Using a mixed method approach, data were collected to provide a better understanding of teaching the nature and process of science. Three main types of data were analyzed: the process of science (TPOS) assessment; survey questions, and the module curriculum. Participating students completed The Process of Science (TPOS) assessment and open-ended survey questions pre- and post-intervention. The intervention in the study was the teaching of a process of science module developed by the instructor involved in the case study. Using a split-plot analysis of variance (ANOVA) in the pre- and post-module data, comparisons were drawn for the TPOS assessment and the survey questions. Evidence showed a statistically significant improvement in the pre- and post-scores for both assessments. The process of science module was also analyzed and found to be an educationally-sound curriculum when based on the foundation and philosophy of Bloom's Taxonomy. Students appreciated the module and the change that it caused in their perceptions of science. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Evidence, Undergraduate Students, Intervention, Program Effectiveness, Statistical Analysis, Student Centered Curriculum, Teaching Methods, Case Studies, Higher Education, Scientific Principles, Data Analysis, Comparative Analysis
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Nebraska
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A