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Abstract:
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A review of literature shows that public education across the United States has changed significantly. Aimed to hold public schools more accountable, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 implemented the use of standardized tests in public schools to measure student growth and achievement. With the passing of NCLB, public schools across the state of California, alone, have focused their class instruction to the two main subjects which are at the center of standardized tests: English language arts and math. With this focus, schools are not given enough time to teach alternate subjects and science, for example, is neglected.
Additionally, gender differences have played a role in how students perceive science. Teaching approaches have impacted the way in which a child develops an attitude toward a given subject. If students develop a positive outlook toward a subject, they are likely to carry this outlook in their higher education courses.
Using gender fair teaching approaches, this thesis examined the relationship between implementing a science curriculum in an after-school program and testing its effectiveness in student engagement. In addition to the curriculum that was already in place, science lessons were developed to meet the needs of students, grades one through six, at the after-school program.
Information was gathered through a review of literature related to the following topics: history of science programs, gender attitudes toward science, reason for lack of science instruction in the elementary schools, and innovative teaching methods and gender fair approaches. Experimental data was collected at an after school program in East Sacramento, California.
This study indicated that implementing a science curriculum at an after-school program made a statistically significant difference in student attitude and level of engagement in science. Developing gender fair lesson plans that met the needs of students whose ages varied allowed for the following benefits: it brought about positive attitudes toward science content, it created connections outside the classroom environment, and it increased knowledge retention. Because of these benefits, after-school programs should consider implementing and applying a hands-on approach to
teaching science so that students can develop positive perceptions about a subject that they can carry with them through their secondary education. |
