| The purpose of this study was to determine if the teaching strategies found in one public high school in south central Pennsylvania were consistent with the recommended teaching strategies deemed effective, in a 4 x 4 block schedule, by the review of literature and to evaluate if the intended teaching strategies were consistent with those observed in the classroom setting. The perceptions of twelve certified teachers in the content areas of English, mathematics, science, and social studies were surveyed using a Likert-scale . The perceptions of the appropriate use of student-centered and teacher-centered teaching strategies and lesson design were obtained. A Background Questionnaire and a Pre-observation Questionnaire were used to obtain data related to lesson design, use of time, and the intended use of specific teaching strategies. The final data collection instrument was an Observation Form that was used by the researcher to record observed teaching strategies and time use. The teaching strategies were coded as student-centered or teacher-centered and the time used for both categories was calculated. A comparison was made between the participants' intended teaching strategies, the observed teaching strategies, and those deemed effective by the review of literature. Results suggest that the identification and implementation of strategies were consistent among the three lists. However the use of time for student-centered teaching strategies was well below the recommended levels found during the review of literature. Results also suggest that the strategies identified by the review of literature were more expansive than the intended or observed teaching strategies. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between modifying pedagogy and the implementation of a 4 x 4 block schedule. |
