Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Branton, Rebecca
URN	etd-07102012-202739
Title	The Effects of Teaching Style on Student Learning of DNA
Degree	Master of Natural Sciences (M.N.S.)
Department	Natural Sciences (Interdepartmental Program)
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Browne, Dana Committee Chair Moreno, Juana Committee Member Slezak, Cyrill Committee Member
Keywords	inquiry based learning traditional style learning
Date of Defense	2012-07-03
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract New methods and practices are constantly being introduced in education due to new research that emerges as a push for student achievement increases. We as teachers must adapt to these new ideas to ensure student success. This study was completed to determine if inquiry-based teaching methods would be more beneficial in learning Biology concepts than traditional lecture instruction. The students were divided into two groups, which differed based solely on their instructional format. The activities involved in this study included inquiry-based activities and traditional activities, i.e. PowerPoints, guided notes, experiments and worksheets. The participants in this study, students in a ninth grade Biology class, were given a pretest to assess prior knowledge of the unit on DNA that would be covered in the classroom lessons. The same assessment was also administered at the completion of the unit to measure leisure gain. The instructional format of the material given showed an effect on learner outcomes. In general, there was a significant difference in the mean posttest scores. However, further analysis showed this difference was between honors students and academic students. When comparing unit test scores, inquiry students’ scores were significantly higher than the traditional lecture students. If inquiry activities are executed properly, implementing them into the Biology curriculum can increase learning gains of Biology topics.
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