Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2013 Creating a framework for systems-based graphic analysis and the assessment of college-level introductory biology textbooks Katherine Ellen Brooks Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Brooks, Katherine Ellen, "Creating a framework for systems-based graphic analysis and the assessment of college-level introductory biology textbooks" (2013). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 1350. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/1350 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. CREATING A FRAMEWORK FOR SYSTEMS-BASED GRAPHIC ANALYSIS AND THE ASSESSMENT OF COLLEGE-LEVEL INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Education by Katherine E. Brooks B.S., Texas A & M University, 1996 M.A., University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 2000 December 2013 I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my father, Cormell, who consistently urged and encouraged me to further my education. Being the first in his family to achieve a high school diploma he then continued on to earn his Bachelors degree and then his Masters degree and finally his Ph.D. Knowledge of his uphill struggle to advance his education has helped inspire me to work towards earning my own Ph.D. Although I wish he were here to share this accomplishment with me, I still hold his memory as inspiration for now and as fuel to help propel me towards future goals and achievements. ii Acknowledgments Completing this dissertation has been a long and tumultuous process. Through the many ups and downs there have been several people in my life that have made writing my dissertation possible. First I would like to acknowledge and thank my overwhelmingly supportive husband, Kyle. His countless hours of caring for our children, pets and household needs in order to give me the time to work on my writing has been absolutely invaluable. Without his undying love and support of me, my education, and my career choices I doubt that I would have been able to finish my doctorate. I would like to recognize and thank my children, Sophia and Gabriel, for patiently tolerating my ramblings about ecological literacy and graphic analysis, along with the many long days and nights of me working instead of spending time with them. I would also like to thank my mother, Margel, who has always been there to encourage and support all of my efforts no matter how crazy they sounded. Without her support I am sure I would have given up my pursuit of the doctorate years ago. Finally, I would also like to thank my ex-husband Kevin. Through all of our trials and tribulations your undeniable support of my work towards this degree has helped bolster my spirit when I needed it most. I am also very appreciative and would like to thank Dr. Margaret- Mary Sulentic Dowell who has served as my major professor and co-chair as I developed and worked through this research. I would also like to thank the efforts of Dr. Pamela Blanchard who also served as co- chair along with my other committee members, Dr. Earl Cheek and Dr. Kyle Harms all of whom have been very generous and most astute with the advice they gave me in developing this project. Of special note, I would also like to thank Dr. Jim Wandersee who truly inspired my interest in science education and stoked the fire for a greater understanding of how students can best learn science. It was his knowledge, experience and the discovery of a kindred spirit in him iii that brought me to this program in the School of Education at Louisiana State University. I cannot express how much appreciation I have of him and his vast knowledge of science learning and teaching. I must also thank the faculty and staff at Our Lady of Holy Cross College where I have been employed while I worked on my doctorate. They have been supportive and sympathetic while I finished my degree. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1 Introduction to Ecological Literacy.................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem ...........................................................................................................1 Background and Need of Ecological Literacy ...........................................................................4 Research Rationale...................................................................................................................11 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................15 Methods of Graphical Content Analysis ..................................................................................17 Chapter 2 History of Science Education and Ecological Literacy in the United States ...............20 A History of Science Teaching ................................................................................................21 Restructuring Science Education .............................................................................................29 A History of Ecology as a Science ..........................................................................................38 Current State of Environmental Literacy in the United States ................................................49 State of Science Education in Higher Education in the United States .....................................56 How Deep Ecology and Systems-Based Thinking can Influence Ecological Literacy ...........63 Ecological Literacy as Examined by David Orr ......................................................................83 Edward Tufte and Information Display ...................................................................................87 Formulating Methods: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods Research ...................90 Chapter 3 Methods of Textbook Graphical Analysis ...................................................................98 Textbook Sampling ................................................................................................................101 Data Collection ......................................................................................................................102 Procedures ..............................................................................................................................109 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................................110 Possible Limitations of the Research .....................................................................................112 Summary ................................................................................................................................114 Chapter 4 Results of Textbook Graphical Analysis .....................................................................116 Collegiate Introductory Biology Textbooks Using Systems-Based Graphics .......................117 Collegiate Introductory Biology Textbooks Using Reader-Centered Graphics that Correspond to Classic Tuftian Principles .......................................................................127 Ethnographic Analysis of Collegiate Introductory Biology Textbooks Using Systems-Based Graphics ........................................................................................................135 Chapter 5 Conclusions of the Textbook Graphical Analysis .......................................................168 Recommendations .................................................................................................................175 v References ....................................................................................................................................180 Appendix A ..................................................................................................................................187 Appendix B ..................................................................................................................................194 Appendix C ..................................................................................................................................195 Appendix D ..................................................................................................................................196 Appendix E ..................................................................................................................................197