72- 15,192 CIGNETTI, Jesse Anthony, 1941- A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF BEGINNING SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHERS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR SCIENCE CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, CULTURAL ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE OF CULTURALLY DEPRIVED STUDENTS. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1971 Education, general University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN 'MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED A COMPARATIVE STUDY OP THE PERCEPTIONS OP BEGINNING SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHERS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR SCIENCE CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, CULTURAL ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE OP CULTURALLY DEPRIVED STUDENTS DISSERTATION Presented In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Jess Anthony Clgnetti, B.S., M.Ed **«»»« The Ohio State University 1971 Approved by Adviser < College of Education PLEASE NOTE: Some pages have indistinct print Filmed as received. University Microfilms, A Xerox Education Company ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My gratitude and appreciation are extended to all who offered words of encouragement and assistance during this study. My deepest expression of gratitude is offered my adviser, Dr. Frederick Schlessinger, whose encouragement and guidance have been so vital to this study. The under­ standing to related problems and his kind suggestions have been a source of inspiration. I wish also to thank the helpful guidance of the other members of my committee, Dr. Herbert Coon and Dr. James K. Duncan. Appreciation is given to Dr. Arthur White for his counselling in the various statistical and computer prob­ lems, to Dr. Robert Howe for his assistance to the study, and to Mr. William Brewington who was a pleasure to work with during the study. To my wife, Mary Ann, and my daughter Jill, my deepest love and appreciation for their patience, encour­ agement, and sacrifice through the years of my graduate study. This degree was earned together. ii To my father who died during the last months of my doctoral program, his Inspiration, encouragement and forethought will continue with me forever. Jess A. Clgnetti September, 1971 ill VITA September , 1941 Born - Oklahoma, Pennsylvania 1962 . B.S. Ed., Slippery Rock State College, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. 1962-1965 . Chemistry and Physical Science teacher, Penn Hills High School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 1965 . M.Ed., Duquesne University, Pitts­ burgh, Pennsylvania. 1965-1967 . Chemistry and Physical Science teacher, Gateway Schools, Monroe­ ville, Pennsylvania. 1967-1968 . Academic Year Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 1968-1970 . Assistant Professor of Physical Sciences, California State College, California, Pennsylvania. 1970-1971 . Assistant to the Director of Academic Year Institute, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Fields of Study Studies in Science Education, Professors F. R. Schlessinger and H. 1. Coon. Studies In Curriculum, Professor James K. Duncan. lv TABLE OP CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................... ............ ii V I T A ..................................................... lv TABLES ..................................................... vii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION AND NEED FOR THE S T U D Y ............ 1 Variables Measured .......................... 4 Definition of Terms.. .......................... 7 Hypotheses ..................................... 9 Limitations ................................... 12 Delimitations ................................. 13 Assumptions ................................... 14 O v e r v i e w ....................................... 15 II. REVIEW OP RELATED RESEARCH ....................... 16 Characteristic and Problems of Beginning Science Teachers ............................ 16 Beginning Teachers and Resulting Behavior Changes ............. .......... 26 Research Involving Early In-School Experiences and/or Urban Settings ......... 30 III. THE STUDY— DESIGN AND P R O C E D U R E ............ 37 Population and Samples ........................ 37 Instrumentation ............................... 49 Data Collection Procedures .................... 55 Analysis of D a t a ............................ 56 IV. ANALYSIS OP RESULTS ........................ .. 60 Non-Ohio State Graduate Results (NOSU) .... 60 S u m m a r y .................................... 82 Ohio State Graduate Results (OSU) ........... 84 Summary .................... ......... 108 v Chapter Page Non-Ohio State Graduates (NOSU) Compared to the Ohio State Graduates ( O S U ) ........... 110 S u m m a r y .......................................... 123 Summary of Results of Chapter I V ................ 125 V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 129 S u m m a r y .......................................... 129 Conclusions .......................... 132 Recommendations ............................... 137 APPENDIX A. Science Classroom Activities Checklist: Teacher Perceptions (SCACL:TP) ...................... 139 1. The Instrument ............................... 140 B. Science Classroom Activities Checklist: Student Perceptions (SCACL:SP) ........................ 145 1. The Instrument ........................ 146 C. QUESTIONNAIRES ...... ...................... 151 1. Classroom Student Questionnaire ........... 152 2. Teacher Questionnaire................... 153 D. Facilities Checklist ............................. 156 E. The Interview Schedule ............................. 159 F. Cultural Attitude Inventory .................... l6l G. Descriptions of Science Teacher Education Programs at The Ohio State University.... 166 H. Listings of Variables for Correlation M a t r i x ............................................ 174 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................ 176 vi TABLES Table Page 1. The Schools, Number of Participating Teachers, and Institutions Attended ............... 41 2. Means, Standard Deviation, and Ranges for the First Year Ohio State Teachers In Science and the First Second and Third Year Non-Ohio State Graduates of Science ..... ........... 43 3. Frequency of Schools and Classes by School Category and Urban-Suburban Classification . 44 4. Frequency of Classes by Grade Level for Both Categories of Graduates and Urban-Suburban Classification ................................... 45 5. Frequency of Classes by Science Area, Ohio State and Non-Ohio State Graduates, and Urban- Suburban Classification ........................ 46 6. Frequency of Curriculum Projects by Science Area for the NOSU Graduate ................... 47 7. Frequency of Curriculum Projects by Science Area for the Ohio State Project and Non-Project G r a d u a t e s ....................................... 47 8. Frequency of Curriculum Project Classes by School Classification for Non-Ohio State and Ohio State (Project, Non-Project) Graduates ......... 48 9. Mean Class Size, Standard Deviation, and Range by Ohio State Graduates (Project, Non-Project) Non-Ohio State Graduates and Urban-Suburban Classification ....... .................... 48 10. Kuder-Richardson 20 and 21 Reliabilities for the Science Classroom Activities Checklist (un- revlsed and revised) and for the Pre-test and Post-test Data Collection Phase of the Present Investigation . ............................... 51 11. Correlations of Selected Variables of the Non- Ohio State Graduates with the Composite Post­ test Score on the SCACL:TP ............... 62 vii Table Page 12. Regression Analysis of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Composite Post-Test Score on the SCACLtTP ............... 63 13. Correlation of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Composite Post-test Score on the SCACL:SP .......................... 65 14. Regression Analysis of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Composite Post­ test Score on the SCACL:SP ..................... 66 15. t-Test for Correlated Samples Comparing the Non- Ohio State Science Teacher Graduates on Pre and Post-test SCACLrTP Composite and Subscale S c o r e s ............................................ 68 16. t-Test for Correlated Samples Comparing the Non- Ohio State Science Teacher Graduates in Pre and Post-test SCACL:SP Composite and Subscale S c o r e s ............................................ 69 17. Correlations of Selected Variables of the Non- Ohio State Graduates with the Composite Cultural Attitude Inventory Score ........................ 71 18. Regression Analysis of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Cultural Attitude Inventory (CAI) Composite Score .... 72 19. Correlations of Selected Variables of the Non- Ohio State Graduates with Cultural Attitude Inventory Attitude Subscale Score ............ 73 20. Correlations of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Cultural Attitude Inventory Knowledge Subscale Score ............ 74 21. Regression Analysis of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Attitude Subscale of the Cultural Attitude Inventory . 76 22. Regression Analysis of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Knowledge Subscale of the Cultural Attitudes Inventory . 76 viii Table Page 23. Correlations of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio State Graduates with the Students' Mean Attitude Toward Science ........................ 77 24. Correlations of Selected Variables of the Ohio State Graduates with the Students' Attitude Toward the Present Science Course ............. 79 25. Regression Analysis of Selected Variables of the Non-Ohio