Lincoln Memorial University LMU Digital Commons Ed. Dissertations Carter & Moyers School of Education 2020 Balancing Act: How Does an Interdisciplinary Art Unit Affect Student Self-Efficacy in a STEM School? Cindy Hankins-Koppel cindy.hankins-koppel@lmunet.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.edu/edddissertations Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Recommended Citation Hankins-Koppel, Cindy, "Balancing Act: How Does an Interdisciplinary Art Unit Affect Student Self-Efficacy in a STEM School?" (2020).edu/edddissertations/21 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Carter & Moyers School of Education at LMU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ed. Dissertations by an authorized administrator of LMU Digital Commons.
For more information, please contact Arya. BALANCING ACT: HOW DOES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ART UNIT AFFECT STUDENT SELF-EFFICACY IN A STEM SCHOOL? Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Carter and Moyers School of Education at Lincoln Memorial University by Cindy S. Hankins-Koppel April 2020 © 2020 Cindy S. Hankins-Koppel All Rights Reserved Dedication I would like to dedicate this research to my husband, Jeffrey and my children Heather and Laurel.
Their love and support has guided me through the most difficult of times. The significance of this endeavor has diminished recently by what has been identified as a global pandemic. Despite the loss and uncertainty, I have discovered that a certain clarity has emerged from the chaos. This journey has reminded me that an education is a privilege, and a necessity, so that we may always continue to influence the lives of those we encounter.
iii Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge the number of professionals that have advised me through this doctoral process. I am grateful to a host of leaders who have inspired me and offered me inspiration and advice through my career, Dr. Sylvia Lynch, Dr. Pete Silberman, Dr.
Mike Burger, Dr. Lynn Burger, and Dr. I would also like to acknowledge my principal, Mr. Bobby Lockhart and colleagues who have supported my efforts.
I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the distinguished team of Lincoln Memorial University Doctoral advisors who joined forces to guide me towards completion. I would like to thank Dr. Shannon Collins, Dr. Andrew Courtner, and Dr.
Cheri Gaines who contributed their expertise to finalize my editing, analysis and formatting. I am also grateful to Dr. McCook who guided me through the research analysis. Finally, I wish to acknowledge my Chair, Dr.
Susan Wagner whose encouragement, intuition and advice has remained steadfast. iv Abstract Educators who use interdisciplinary methods in the classroom need consistent strategies to teach STEM content, and methods to help students increase self- efficacy. The focus on cognitive gains in STEM studies limits the number of students who pursue a foundation of STEM and 21st century skills to adapt to technological advancements for their futures. Student self-efficacy, perception of personal abilities, has become more critical as individuals need a range of academic and personal skills to adapt and persist in future endeavors.
Social stereotypes and familial interests influence an individual's perception of their abilities to pursue a career in STEM from early childhood. Students gain self-efficacy in social and academic settings through a scaffolding of reflection on personal gains. The educator has an essential role in helping increase a student's self-efficacy. Measures are needed in the classroom to increase student self- efficacy and the diversity of candidates who believe in their abilities to pursue STEM interests.
Interdisciplinary art methods may be a strategy to affect student self-efficacy. The researcher used an interdisciplinary art unit with two surveys to measure self-efficacy. There was a statistical significance in the sample. There was no statistical significance in student self-efficacy based on gender and grade level.
While the researcher was unable to record any statistical difference in gender, there was a difference indicated in self-efficacy gains for the males in fourth and fifth grade. Student's exposure to STEM content, the sample size, and the length of time used for the interdisciplinary art unit may be factors that affected the outcomes of the study. v Table of Contents CHAPTER PAGE Chapter I: Introduction. 1 Statement of the Problem .12 Significance of the Study .25 Description of the Terms .31 Organization of the Study .36 Chapter II: Review of the Literature.
38 Six Methods Within The Cognitive Apprenticeship Model .47 Constructivism and Barriers to the Evolution of STEM .64 The Reasoning for a Paradigm Shift .85 Summary of Chapter II .87 Chapter III: Methodology .97 Sample of the Study .108 Methods of Analysis .113 vi Reliability and Validity .115 Limitations and Delimitations.116 Assumptions and Biases of the Study .117 Summary of Methodology .117 Chapter IV: Analyses and Results .120 Summary of Results .130 Chapter V: Conclusions and Recommendations. 132 Discussion of the Study .132 Implications for Practice and Research.133 Recommendations for Further Research .139 Conclusions of the Study. 143 Appendix A Friday Institute Consent Criteria. 152 Appendix B Middle and High School (6th-12th grades) Survey.
155 Appendix C Upper Elementary (4th-5th grades) School Survey. 166 Appendix D Principal Permission Letter. 176 Appendix E Parent Consent Form. 177 Appendix F Student Assent Form.
179 vii Appendix G Faculty Permission Request. 181 Appendix H Dean of Education Request for Permission Approval. 183 Appendix I Second Family Consent Form. 185 Appendix J Mobile Math.
186 Appendix K Pre-Assessment 6th-12th Mobile Math. 188 Appendix L Thinking about Balance Worksheet. 190 viii List of Tables Table Page Table 1 Percentage of Students Who Participated by Grade Level .113 Table 2 Pretest and Posttest Results for All Participants, Fourth through Twelfth- Grade. 121 Table 3 Pretest and Posttest Results for All Genders, Males and Female Participants.
122 Table 4 Student Demographics by Fourth- through Twelfth-Grade Levels .124 Table 5 Pretest and Posttest for Fourth and Fifth grades, Male and Female Participants .125 Table 6 Pretest and Posttest for Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades, Male and Female Participants .126 Table 7 Pretest and Posttest for Ninth through Twelfth Grades, Male and Female Participants .127 Table 8 Student Demographics by Fourth through Fifth Grade Level Participants ……………………………………………………………………………….128 Table 9 Student Demographics by Sixth- through Eighth-Grade Level Participants ………………………………………………………………………………….129 Table 10 Student Demographics by Ninth- through Twelfth-Grade Levels. …130 ix List of Figures Figure Page Figure 1 Alexander Calder Mobile. 34 Figure 2 Engineering Design Process Graphic for Elementary Students. 90 Figure 3 Engineering Design Process Graphic for High School Students.
91 x Chapter I: Introduction To maintain global competitiveness the United States requires a workforce of competent and qualified individuals to fill and persist in careers associated with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) (GovTrack., 2020; Carnevale et al., 2011; Faber et al., 2013; National Research Council, 2014). Along with a cognitive foundation of STEM skills, individuals need a range of abilities to adapt, thrive, and grow with the advancing technological changes to join the workforce of the 21st century (Bandura, 1997; Faber et al., 2013; World Economic Forum, 2015). A student’s study and preparation of STEM skills toward a 21st century career involves attaining cognitive gains in the foundations of STEM, as well as an ability to apply 21st century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving (Faber et al., 2013; National Research Council, 2014; Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), 2018; World Economic Forum, 2015). Unfortunately, student attitudes towards school have declined since 1980 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2004).
Jobs in career segments associated with STEM in the United States remain unfilled due to unqualified applicants or workers’ lack of persistence in these careers (Faber et al. To adapt to the shift in skills needed for technological advancements in schools and careers, students need to increase their self-efficacy to strengthen their beliefs in their abilities to meet these challenges (National Research Council, 2014; World Economic Forum, 2015). Although, improving student skills in STEM education has remained a focus, international comparisons of 15-year-old student scores revealed U. students scored below their peers world-wide in the three core assessment areas: science, reading, and mathematics (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2018).
Test results revealed U. students ranked 25th in science, 21st in reading, and 25th in mathematics. STEM concepts are expansive in context but were designed to be taught in K-16 classrooms using interdisciplinary methods that are applied to real-world issues to foster 21st century skills and learning in unique ways (Carnevale et al. Educators need consistent strategies in the classroom to increase students’ self-efficacy towards their abilities to adapt as a global citizen to the shifts and advancements of the 21st century.
Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study is to determine the effects on student self-efficacy when STEM content is taught using an interdisciplinary art unit. Gender attitudes will be measured to explore student’s self-efficacy towards STEM. The researcher will collect and analyze the data based on students’ grade levels to measure differences in self-efficacy towards STEM studies. An interdisciplinary unit will be used as a teaching method to introduce students to STEM content through art applications.
Student self-efficacy will be measured before and after teaching an interdisciplinary art unit. Research Questions The researcher sought to answer whether student self-efficacy is affected when an interdisciplinary art unit is used in the classroom to teach STEM. This guided the research questions. The researcher sought to answer questions on the effects on student self-efficacy through data analysis on the student sample, the student genders and student grade levels.
The purpose of this research is to investigate that there is no difference in student self-efficacy toward STEM with 2 participation in an interdisciplinary art unit. The research questions for this research study are as follows: Research Question 1 How does participation in an interdisciplinary art unit affect student self-efficacy toward STEM? Technological advancements have affected how individuals learn and process advancements in the ability to function as a literate citizen and require a shift in the skills learned in the classroom to adapt to these developments (American Management Association, 2019; National Research Council, 2014; OSTP, 2018). The skills necessary for an individual’s participation in a global society and the 21st century extend beyond cognitive abilities in mathematics, technology, and engineering (Bandura, 1997; Faber et al., 2013; Kelly & Knowles, 2016; National Research Council, 2014). The 21st century skills needed for today's workers are increasingly essential to face the challenges of technological advancements and help the United States to maintain a competitive edge (Arts, 2011; Faber et al., 2013; World Economic Forum, 2015).
Students’ perceptions of the level of their skills and the skills that needed to fill STEM careers in the 21st century are not aligned with the actual needs of, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) professionals (Cohen et al. The skills needed to fill jobs require 21st century workers to possess a broad range of competencies and an ability to apply cognitive and personal strategies to shift between these skills as needed, but students have low self-perception in their abilities. 21st century skills that require numeracy and scientific literacy are considered foundational literacies that should coincide with cognitive, creative, 3 and analytical skills (World Economic Forum, 2015). A common theme in skills was identified among executives in an American Management Survey in 2019.
These four skills, known as the 4 Cs (i., creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration) were identified as gaps that need to be filled to compete globally. These skills are identified by U. executives as becoming increasingly important as the United States pushed forward to fill the shortages of qualified applicants in STEM careers. While STEM competency remains essential, STEM-ICT professionals indicated the areas were most valued in their employees and most frequently used were those who possessed 21st century competencies (Cohen et al.
Regardless of career pursuits, all citizens will need the abilities associated with these skills in the United States to participate globally, not just the segment of the population that will pursue careers in STEM.