Three Authentic Curriculum-Integration Approaches to Bird Adaptations That Incorporate Technology and Thinking Skills

Autor/inn/en	Rule, Audrey C.; Barrera, Manuel T., III
Titel	Three Authentic Curriculum-Integration Approaches to Bird Adaptations That Incorporate Technology and Thinking Skills
Quelle	(2008), (30 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Animals; Self Efficacy; Problem Based Learning; Scores; Thematic Approach; Thinking Skills; Access to Computers; Computer Uses in Education; Pretests Posttests; Elementary School Teachers; Manipulative Materials; Computer Literacy; Personality Traits; Science Achievement; Rural Youth; Integrated Curriculum + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Animal; Tier; Tiere; Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit; Problem-based learning; Problemorientiertes Lernen; Themenzentrierter Unterricht; Denkfähigkeit; Computernutzung; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Hilfsmittel; Computerkenntnisse; Individual characteristics; Personality characteristic; Persönlichkeitsmerkmal; Rural area; Rural areas; Youth; Ländlicher Raum; Jugend; Jugendlicher
Abstract	Integration of subject areas with technology and thinking skills is a way to help teachers cope with today's overloaded curriculum and to help students see the connectedness of different curriculum areas. This study compares three authentic approaches to teaching a science unit on bird adaptations for habitat that integrate thinking skills and technology skills: a problem-based learning approach utilizing the Cognitive Research Test (CoRT) Breadth thinking skills (de Bono, 2000); a thematic approach integrating several subject areas using "Talents Unlimited" thinking skills (Schlichter & Palmer, 1993); and a process skill-focused approach using object boxes (Rule, Barrera, & Stewart, 2004). Three third grade classes of students (N=60) of mixed ability and Spanish/English proficiency from a western rural community participated in this pretest- intervention-posttest study. Post-test scores showed all classes gained in knowledge of bird facts and adaptations, descriptive vocabulary, curiosity, technology self-efficacy, and knowledge of computer applications. Problem-based learning students showed the most curiosity (measured by questions generated for a topic-related image); thematic unit students excelled in computer application knowledge; while object box students showed largest gains in science knowledge, vocabulary, and computer self-efficacy. Integration of thinking skills allowed teachers to structure and scaffold learning in all three approaches. All three authentic approaches exhibited strengths along with challenges and are recommended. (Contains 12 tables.) (Author).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10