Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
An analysis of curriculum frameworks from the fifty states to ascertain the
compliance with the National Science Education Standards for integrating ScienceTechnology-
Society (STS) themes is reported within this dissertation. Science standards
for all fifty states were analyzed to determine if the STS criteria were integrated at the
elementary, middle, and high school levels of education. The analysis determined the
compliance level for each state, then compared each educational level to see if the
compliance was similar across the levels. Compliance is important because research
s)lows that using STS themes in the science classroom increases the student's
understanding of the concepts, increases the student's problem solving skills, increases
the student's self-efficacy with respect to science, and students instructed using STS
themes score well on science high stakes tests. The two hypotheses for this study are: H01: There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to ScienceTechnology-
Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards)
between the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
H02: There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to ScienceTechnology-
Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards)
between the elementary, middle, and high school level when examined individually.
The Analysis of Variance F ratio was used to determine the variance between and
within the three educational levels. This analysis addressed hypothesis one. The Analysis
of Variance results refused to reject the null hypothesis, meaning there is significant
difference in the compliance to STS themes between the elementary, middle and high
school educational levels. The Chi-Square test was the statistical analysis used to
compare the educational levels for each individual criterion. This analysis addressed
hypothesis two. The Chi-Squared results showed that none of the states were equally
compliant with each individual criterion across the elementary, middle, and high school
levels.
The National Science Education Standards were created with the input of
thousands of people and over twenty scientific and educational societies. The standards
were tested in numerous classrooms and showed an increase in science literacy for the
students. With the No Child Left Behind legislation and Project 2061 , the attainment of a
science literate society will be helped by the adoption of the NSES standards and the STS
themes into the American classrooms.
compliance with the National Science Education Standards for integrating ScienceTechnology-
Society (STS) themes is reported within this dissertation. Science standards
for all fifty states were analyzed to determine if the STS criteria were integrated at the
elementary, middle, and high school levels of education. The analysis determined the
compliance level for each state, then compared each educational level to see if the
compliance was similar across the levels. Compliance is important because research
s)lows that using STS themes in the science classroom increases the student's
understanding of the concepts, increases the student's problem solving skills, increases
the student's self-efficacy with respect to science, and students instructed using STS
themes score well on science high stakes tests. The two hypotheses for this study are: H01: There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to ScienceTechnology-
Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards)
between the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
H02: There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to ScienceTechnology-
Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards)
between the elementary, middle, and high school level when examined individually.
The Analysis of Variance F ratio was used to determine the variance between and
within the three educational levels. This analysis addressed hypothesis one. The Analysis
of Variance results refused to reject the null hypothesis, meaning there is significant
difference in the compliance to STS themes between the elementary, middle and high
school educational levels. The Chi-Square test was the statistical analysis used to
compare the educational levels for each individual criterion. This analysis addressed
hypothesis two. The Chi-Squared results showed that none of the states were equally
compliant with each individual criterion across the elementary, middle, and high school
levels.
The National Science Education Standards were created with the input of
thousands of people and over twenty scientific and educational societies. The standards
were tested in numerous classrooms and showed an increase in science literacy for the
students. With the No Child Left Behind legislation and Project 2061 , the attainment of a
science literate society will be helped by the adoption of the NSES standards and the STS
themes into the American classrooms.
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