CALIFORNIA ST ATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS THESIS SIGNATURE PAGE THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION THESIS TITLE: How Students Experience Active and Passive Leaming in Science Class AUTHOR: Mercer Barrows III DATE OF SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE: May 02, 2019 THE THESIS HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE THESIS COMMITTEE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION. 2 -Anne Rene Elsbree �� o" -19 THESIS COMMITTEE CHAIR ��SGNATlJ /L DATE Joni Kolman as foul I q THESIS COMMITTEE MEMBER DATE I Running head: HOW STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING IN SCIENCE CLASS How Students Experience Active and Passive Learning in Science Class by Mercer Barrows III A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Masters of Arts Degree In Education California State University San Marcos Fall 2018 HOW PHYSICS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING 3 Thesis Abstract As authors Bigelow, Harvey, Karp, and Miller (2004) explain, part of social justice in the classroom includes a participatory and experiential environment, and to not provide that would be socially unjust. Therefore, I wanted to figure out how I can engage students in a way of learning that supports deeper learning, thinking, and engagement by implementing active learning instructional strategies. Why active learning instruction? As Minhas (2012) studied, direct instruction is significantly less effective for student’s learning and engagement, and active learning instruction is shown to produce significant learning gains and engagement. Therefore, my research investigates: How can I can the students in my physics classes to engage in active learning? In order to arrive at a solution, I needed to understand how my students were currently experiencing learning in science class. To guide this investigation, I answered these subquestions: How are students experiencing learning through direct instruction? How are students experiencing learning through active learning instruction? And when do students participate in science class? The results are as follows: students want some initial direct instruction, and find most of the strategies very helpful; students find most active learning strategies very helpful, after some direct instruction; and students prefer to participate in small groups, and not during whole class discussions. Keywords: active learning instruction, direct instruction, passive learning, participation HOW PHYSICS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING 1 Table of Contents Thesis Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 5 Statement of Problem .................................................................................................................................. 6 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Preview Literature ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Preview Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 8 Significance of Study .................................................................................................................................. 8 Definition of Terms ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................................. 11 Classroom Structures ................................................................................................................................ 11 Different Pedagogies ................................................................................................................................. 13 Passive and Active Learning Outcomes .................................................................................................... 16 Student Experiences .................................................................................................................................. 17 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Chapter Three: Methods ............................................................................................................................... 22 Participants and Setting ............................................................................................................................. 22 Data Collection .......................................................................................................................................... 23 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 25 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Chapter Four: Research Findings .................................................................................................................. 28 Students want some initial direct instruction, and find most of the strategies very helpful...................... 28 Students find most active learning strategies very helpful, after some direct instruction ......................... 32 Students prefer to participate in small groups, and not during whole class discussions ........................... 36 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 39 Chapter Five: Research Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 40 Implications and Literature Comparisons ................................................................................................. 40 Potential Issues with Data ......................................................................................................................... 43 How My Teaching May Be Informed ....................................................................................................... 43 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 44 References ..................................................................................................................................................... 45 APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................................... 47 APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................................... 54 HOW PHYSICS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING 2 APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................................................... 55 APPENDIX D ............................................................................................................................................... 58 APPENDIX E ............................................................................................................................................... 59 HOW PHYSICS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING 3 LIST OF TABLES Tables Pages 1. Data Collection Timelines…………………....……………………………….. 32 HOW PHYSICS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING 4 LIST OF FIGURES Figures Pages 1. Examining the relationship between students that enjoy learning science and their preference for direct instruction strategies……………………………... 39 2. Examining the relationship between students that enjoy learning science and all of the instructional strategies.………………………………..………….... 44 3. Comparing the differences between the responses from the two follow-up lesson questionnaires, post active learning lesson (AL) and direct instruction lesson (DI).……………………………….…………………………………... 46 4. Correlating the relationship between students that participate in science class and all of the instructional strategies.……………………………………...…. 49 HOW PHYSICS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LEARNING 5 Chapter One: Introduction The class has started, and shortly after the instructions for the activity have been given, a student asks me a question “what’s the equation for kinetic energy?” This question is a simple, low level, factual question, easily answered if they looked in the class textbook, thought back to their notes, readings, videos, or class discussions, easily googled, or easily answered by a classmate; yet the teacher is asked. My response, “I don’t know, what do you think?”, or “what did your research tell you?” as a nice way of saying “did you look it up?” The quick student response consists of some or all of, “I don’t know, you’re the