Summary: | 碩士 === 臺北市立教育大學 === 自然科學系碩士班 === 96 === This study, an action research, explored the effects of the implementation of multiple instructional strategies and multiple assessments on learning science among sixth graders. By way of instruction and assessments, the research investigated (1) how teacher’s knowledge and performance in employing multiple instructional strategies and assessments can be enhanced through action research, (2) the effects of employing multiple instructional strategies and assessments on students’ achievements in learning science among sixth graders, and (3) the effects of employing multiple instructional strategies and assessments on students’ attitudes toward learning science among sixth graders.
This research, mostly qualitative and partially quantitative, whose subjects were 26 sixth graders from an elementary school in Taipei, was conducted through 30 hours of instructional activities on a three-hour per week schedule over ten weeks. The “Achievement Assessments on ‘Typhoon and Earthquake’ and ‘Burning and Rusting’” developed by the researcher, the “Science Process Skills Index” created by Chu (2002), and the “Questionnaire on Learning Attitude toward Science” made by Wang (2000) were used as instruments for collecting quantitative data for statistical analyses of the effects on the subjects’ achievements and learning attitude. “Portfolios,” “Questionnaire of Feedback on Teacher’s Instruction,” “Learning Sheet,” “Learning Journal,” “Students Interview Records,” “Teacher’s Notes,” and “Video Tapes of Classroom Instruction” were tools for collecting qualitative data for investigating the effects of employing multiple instructional strategies and assessments.
Based on the statistical analyses of the collected data, the researcher has had the following findings: (1) With regard to teacher’s knowledge and performance in employing multiple instructional strategies and assessments, it was apparent that the teacher advanced in areas of guiding techniques, ability to deal with contingency, professional development, knowledge of competency index, action research methods, instructional activities design, interactions and relationship with the class, and assessment design; (2) Based on the quantitative data analysis, the differences between the total scores and individual item scores of the pretests and posttests were significant in students’ achievement assessments and the Science Process Skills Index, indicating that the uses of multiple teaching and assessments did have positive effects on students’ achievements in learning science; (3) The implementation of multiple instructional strategies and assessments contributed to better attitudes and higher interests in learning science among the subjects, who were supportive for the research project.
Suggestions and recommendations for further studies were then made based on the findings of this investigation.
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