Date
8-2019
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)
Chair
Meredith Park
Keywords
Literacy Integration, Middle School Teaching, Motivation Science Content Area, Self-efficacy, Veteran Teachers
Disciplines
Education | Language and Literacy Education
Recommended Citation
Smith, Summer Lynn, "Successfully Implementing Common Core Literacy Standards in the Science Classroom: A Phenomenological Investigation" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2174.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2174
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how veteran sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade science teachers in Northeast Georgia implemented the Literacy Common Core Performance Standards into their discipline. Legislation introduced many standards reforms in the past 15 years, and this newest change directly corresponded with achievement expectations in the content areas. This study looked at experienced teachers who integrated the Common Core Literacy Standards into their science curriculum and explored their experiences in this implementation. A transcendental phenomenological method was used for 12 teacher interviews over a six-month period. In addition, student work samples, science literacy assignments, and teacher planning documents were analyzed. Upon bracketing personal understandings, I sought a thick, rich description of self-efficacy and motivation of science teachers as they integrated the Common Core Literacy Standards into the content area. The phenomenological analysis determined three themes across the co-researcher participants that centered upon professional development, teacher collaboration efforts, and time management with literacy standards in the content area. Implications for the research suggested specified in-depth professional development, nurturing collaboration time between peer teachers, and ongoing school- or system-level support with integrating literacy standards in science. Recommendations for future research could branch out to other geographic locations, focus upon specific professional learning designs or literacy resources, and concentrate in-depth on professional learning communities’ practices.
