Date of Award

Spring 2023

Type

Dissertation

Major

Doctor of Education

Degree Type

Curriculum and Leadership

Department

Teacher Education

First Advisor

Dr. Parul Acharya

Second Advisor

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart

Third Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Lovelace

Abstract

Science achievement has been a major focus in our educational system. While several learning models effectively increase science achievement, the nation is still not progressing adequately. A gap in the literature shows the need to find the effects of teachers’ self-efficacy, specifically with in-service science teachers. A pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group, quasi-experimental research design was used in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 to find the effects of in-service science teachers’ self-efficacy on science achievement, using the 5E Instructional Model. The study included 38 in-service science teachers who rated items on the pretest/posttest STEBI-A. Teachers in the experimental group consisted of 14 teachers who teach in four of the lowest-achievement schools within the district. These teachers participated in the 5E in Action intervention to increase pedagogical content knowledge using the 5E Instructional Model. The control group consisted of 24 teachers in the remaining six schools. The STEBI-A and MAP Growth Science collected data. Independent and dependent t-tests were used to answer the following research questions: “What are the differences in pretest and posttest self-efficacy scores of teachers who did not receive the training? What are the differences in pretest and posttest self-efficacy scores of teachers who received the training? What are the differences in posttest self-efficacy scores of science teachers in the experimental group and those in the control group? What are the differences in students' pretest-posttest science achievement scores taught by teachers not trained in 5E Instructional Model? What are the differences in students' pretest-posttest science achievement scores who were not taught by teachers trained in 5E Instructional Model? What are the differences in students' posttest science achievement scores taught by teachers trained in 5E Instructional Model versus teachers not trained to use this model? Results of the study found that teachers who participated in the intervention, 5E in Action, increased their self-efficacy and science achievement to a statistically x significant degree. Teachers in the control group did not show any statistically significant differences between the pretest and posttest scores of the STEBI-A. The posttest scores of both the experimental and control groups did not show any statistically significant differences. Students who were taught by teachers in both the experimental and control group showed a statistically significant increase in science achievement scores based on the MAP Growth Science. However, the experimental group showed more growth. Posttest scores showed that science achievement was about the same for both groups. Overall, 5E in Action effectively increases the self-efficacy of in-service science teachers and science achievement. Recommendations for future research include replicating the study to include a diverse group of teachers based on different grade levels and contents. Also, finding self-efficacy's impacts on science achievement focuses on ESOL, SWD, and low-socioeconomic subgroups of students.

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