EXAMINATION OF THE CHANGE IN SCIENCE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, PERSONAL SCIENCE TEACHER EFFICACY, AND SCIENCE TEACHING OUTCOME EXPECTANCY DUE TO PARTICIPATION IN MODELING INSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Gloria Kreischer-Gajewicz A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION December 2019 Committee: Judith Jackson May, Advisor Starr E. Keyes Graduate Faculty Representative Tracy Huziak-Clark Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz Rachel Vannatta © 2019 Gloria Kreischer-Gajewicz All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Judith Jackson May, Advisor Highly effective teachers have a positive impact on their students and their performance. Therefore, in-service teachers must continue to grow and develop their craft (Marzano, 2003). Research has shown factors influencing teacher effectiveness include their content knowledge, their self-efficacy, and their outcome expectancy (Bandura, 1977; Ohle, Boone, & Fischer, 2014; Sargent, Ferrell, Smith, & Scroggins, 2018; Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001). Teachers who spend almost all of their class time teaching content and not working on improving student understanding have lower self-efficacy and outcome expectancy and struggle to improve their student’s academic success (Petty, 2009). According to research, professional development should focus on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to have a more significant impact on student achievement (Kleickmann, Richter, Kunter, Elsner, Besser, Krauss, & Baumert, 2013; Shulman, 1986). Modeling Instruction is a type of professional development focused on the improvement of science teaching pedagogy. There is significant research on the impact of Modeling Instruction (MI) on students. However, little research on the effects of MI on teachers exists (Brewe, 2008). The purpose of this research was to examine how Modeling Instruction professional development impacts teachers. Examining a t-test of dependent samples using a pretest-posttest design will help to determine if MI professional development for in-service science teachers in an appropriate means for improving teacher content knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy. The sample for this study included 567 participants in physical science Modeling Instruction professional development workshops from 21 different states in the United States. The researcher utilized a quasi-experimental research design utilizing surveys iv disseminated through voluntary participation in the Modeling Instruction professional development from 2016 to 2018 to ascertain the level of content knowledge (CK), personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE), and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE) for each of the teachers both pre and post participation. Paired t-tests revealed that Modeling Instruction professional development has a positive impact on content knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy. Multiple regression analysis revealed several predictors for the dependent variables, with gender as a common thread throughout. This research also provides implications for leadership and teaching. v This dissertation is dedicated to my family who has stood by my side, giving me help, hope and motivation when the journey seemed never-ending. I want to thank my husband Chris, whose unwavering support throughout tremendous personal struggles, has taught me persistence, resiliency, and that laughter truly is the best medicine. To my son Jordan, whose gentle soul and amazing compassion has taught me how to love unconditionally. To my son Daniel, whose random acts of kindness and perpetual curiosity has made me a better teacher and mother. To my best friend, Amanda, who walked into this journey with me and never left my side. Life knocked me down a few times; I experienced sadness and failure. But you were there to help me get back up. To my parents, Randye and Michael, who showed me the power of education, dedication, and perseverance. I saw firsthand how hard you worked to put your family first while furthering your education. I thank you all for inspiring me to pursue my doctorate. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of my doctorate would not have been possible without the financial support generously extended to me by the Dr. Neil Pohlman award. I want to thank Dr. Patrick Pauken and Dr. Judith Jackson-May for nominating me and the Leadership Studies doctoral faculty at BGSU for selecting me to receive this award. Also, I would like to thank the Neil Pohlman family for initiating this award. I am humbled by the five incredible women that were part of my dissertation committee. I value their presence in my life and am lucky to have such amazing women share their experiences and be with me along this dissertation journey. I hope that one day I can do the same for other women in my life. I am grateful to the American Modeling Teacher’s Association senior advisor, Dr. Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz, who inspired me to become a Modeling Instruction teacher leader. Her unparalleled knowledge about Modeling Instruction and classroom discourse are inspirational. Colleen granted me access to AMTA data files that were instrumental to this project. AMTA has lit the fire for thousands of science teachers and transformed classrooms all over the world. I would like to thank my chair, Dr. Judith Jackson May, for her insightful comments and editor’s eye. She kept encouraging me to focus on the theoretical constructs that informed my research and pushing (sometimes dragging) me toward my goal of becoming a doctor. She has shown me, by her example, what a great leader looks like. Judith has a prodigious presence and I will remember to always take the cannoli. I am also indebted to Dr. Rachel Vannatta, whose expertise in quantitative methodology is invaluable. She has taught me a great deal about scientific research. Rachel’s patience, vii encouragement, and friendship bolstered the process of understanding complex statistical analyses into manageable ingredients for my research. Dr. Tracy Huziak-Clark inspired me to drink the Kool-Aid and started me on my path of transforming my classroom. She guided me to embrace Modeling Instruction and provided me with a topic idea for this research. Tracy has aided many teachers to transform their classrooms, but without her vision of bringing modeling to BGSU, I would not be the teacher I am today. Thank you for lighting my fire. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Starr Keyes, my graduate representative. She has a keen eye for details and her suggestions made my research more succinct. Starr has shed light on areas of my research that guided my editing process and made my experience more robust. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................ 3 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................. 5 Research Questions ................................................................................................... 9 Theoretical Foundation .............................................................................................. 9 Overview of Methodology ........................................................................................ 12 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 13 Importance of Modeling Instruction in Professional Development .......................... 15 Researcher Assumptions ........................................................................................... 16 Definition of Key Terms ........................................................................................... 19 Organization of the Study .......................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................. 22 Historical Background ............................................................................................... 23 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................. 24 Review of the Literature ............................................................................................ 27 Content Knowledge ....................................................................................... 27 Development of content knowledge and its impact on student learning .............................................................................................. 28 Pedagogical Content Knowledge .................................................................. 31 Development of pedagogical content knowledge .............................. 33 Impact of pedagogical content knowledge on student learning ........ 33 Self-Efficacy .................................................................................................. 34 ix Development of self-efficacy ............................................................ 35 Impact of self-efficacy on student learning ....................................... 36 Collective Efficacy ........................................................................................ 36 Outcome Expectancy ..................................................................................... 38 Development of outcome