effect of problem-based learning on knowledge acquisition and retention and critical thinking ability

213 Pages·2007·0.82 MB·English

EFFECT OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION,
KNOWLEDGE RETENTION, AND CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY OF
AGRICULTURE STUDENTS IN URBAN SCHOOLS

A Dissertation
Presented to
The Faculty of the Graduate School
University of Missouri-Columbia

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

by
JAMES C. ANDERSON II

Dr. Robert M. Torres, Dissertation Supervisor

MAY 2007
The undersigned, appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School, have examined the
dissertation entitled:

EFFECT OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION,
KNOWLEDGE RETENTION, AND CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY OF
AGRICULTURE STUDENTS IN URBAN SCHOOLS

Presented by James C. Anderson II
A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
And hereby certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance.

Robert M. Torres, Ph.D.

Bryan L. Garton, Ph.D.

Robert Terry Jr., Ph.D.

Jessica J. Summers, Ph.D.
This work is dedicated to my mom, Adell.
Thank you for your unconditional love and spiritual guidance.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To the Ag Ed faculty at MU, thank you for the exceptional training you have
provided over the past two years. Each one of you has been an inspiration and helped
guide me in the right academic direction. Dr. Bobby Torres, I consider you not only a
mentor but a friend. Thank you for being an example of how to effectively balance
teaching with research. Dr. Bryan Garton, the professional tips you have given me are
invaluable. I now feel better prepared to handle all the duties of the professoriate. Dr. Rob
Terry, it has been a pleasure working with you. I admire your calm demeanor and
diplomacy when handling difficult situations. I can only hope that I have learned some of
these skills and will use them in the future. Dr. Jon Ulmer, thank you for always being
there to answer a question or give advice. I have enjoyed working with you over the past
two years and look forward to working with you in some capacity in the future.
To Dr. Paul Vaughn and Mrs. CeCe Leslie, I appreciate your support and have
enjoyed working for you in student recruitment. Dr. Vaughn, you have truly
demonstrated what it means to be an advocate for agricultural education. Thank you for
helping to make my experience here such and enjoyable and fulfilling one. CeCe, you are
a phenomenal individual. This year I have sat back in awe of your ability to engage both
young and old. I have learned so much from you and I thank you for that experience.
To the rest of my Ag Ed family, this experience would not have been the same
without you. Amy and Mollie, you are the best! Thank you for all the thought-provoking
discussions and words of encouragement. Becky and David, you have made an indelible
impression on me in the short time we have spent together. I wish you all the best as you
complete your programs and I look forward to working with you in the future. Carol and
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Sandy, thank you for being there to answer questions or just to greet me with a warm
welcome whenever I came into the office. Your presence made everyday a pleasant one.
To the faculty, staff, and students at CHSAS who had a role in this study, thank
you for your help. This school has been such an important part of my educational
development. As a student, faculty member, and now as a researcher, I say without pause
that my passion for urban agriculture was fostered by my experiences at CHSAS. I would
like to thank every faculty member, administrator, staff member, student, and parent who
I have had the pleasure of working with for your part in my educational development.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................ii

LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................vii

LIST OF FIGURES...........................................................................................................ix

ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................x

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................1
Dissertation Overview............................................................................................1
The Current Educational Environment...................................................................1
Social Cognitive Theory.............................................................................6
The Organismic Social Cognitive Theory..................................................7
Need for the Study....................................................................................10
Statement of the Problem......................................................................................13
Purpose of the Study.............................................................................................14
Objectives and Hypotheses...................................................................................14
Definition of Terms...............................................................................................15
Assumptions..........................................................................................................19
Limitations............................................................................................................20

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE......................................................................................21
Urban Education...................................................................................................21
Urban Students’ Attitude towards School and Vocation..........................21
School Engagement..................................................................................22
Outcomes of Engagement.........................................................................25
Urban Agricultural Education...............................................................................28
Conceptual Framework.........................................................................................30
Reciprocal Interactions among the Three Factors....................................31
The Organismic Perspective to Motivation..............................................33
Enactive and vicarious learning................................................................35
Conceptual Model.....................................................................................35
Motivation.............................................................................................................36
Problem-Based Learning......................................................................................39
Constructivism Approach for Learning....................................................41
Problem-based Learning and Constructivist Theory................................42
Structure of Problem-based Learning.......................................................43
Educational Outcomes of Problem-based Learning.................................47
Critical Thinking...................................................................................................50
Summary...............................................................................................................54

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III. METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................57
Purpose of the Study.............................................................................................57
Objectives and Hypotheses...................................................................................57
Research Design....................................................................................................58
Variables of Interest..................................................................................59
Control Factors..........................................................................................60
Population and Sample.........................................................................................62
Instrumentation.....................................................................................................64
Leadership Theory Unit Test....................................................................64
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.............................................66
Methods Triangulation..............................................................................69
Student Characteristics..............................................................................70
Treatment and Procedures.....................................................................................70
Problem-Based Learning (Treatment)......................................................74
Teacher-Guided Learning (Control).........................................................76
Procedures.................................................................................................81
Data Collection.....................................................................................................82
Data Analysis........................................................................................................83
Research Objective One............................................................................83
Research Objective Two...........................................................................84
Research Objective Three.........................................................................84
Research Objective Four...........................................................................85
Research Objective Five...........................................................................86
Research Objective Six.............................................................................87

IV. FINDINGS..................................................................................................................88
Objective One.......................................................................................................88
Objective Two.......................................................................................................94
Objective Three.....................................................................................................96
Objective Four....................................................................................................106
Research Hypothesis One.......................................................................107
Objective Five.....................................................................................................108
Research Hypothesis Two.......................................................................108
Research Hypothesis Three.....................................................................110
Objective Six.......................................................................................................111
Research Hypothesis Four......................................................................111

V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, & RECOMMENDATIONS...114
Purpose of the Study...........................................................................................114
Objectives and Hypotheses.................................................................................114
Limitations of the Study......................................................................................115
Research Design..................................................................................................115
Population and Sample.......................................................................................116
Instrumentation...................................................................................................117
Data Collection...................................................................................................117
Data Analysis......................................................................................................118
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Summary of Findings..........................................................................................119
Objective One.........................................................................................119
Objective Two.........................................................................................120
Objective Three.......................................................................................121
Objective Four........................................................................................123
Objective Five.........................................................................................124
Objective Six...........................................................................................125
Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations............................................125
Objective One.........................................................................................125
Objective Two.........................................................................................128
Objective Three.......................................................................................131
Objective Four........................................................................................134
Objective Five.........................................................................................136
Objective Six...........................................................................................139

APPENDIX

A. Consent Forms..............................................................................................143

B. Leadership Theory Unit Test.........................................................................147

C. Example of the Instructor’s Manuals w/Test Key.........................................155

D. Student Identification Form..........................................................................162

E. Score Report Form........................................................................................164

F. Study Schedules.............................................................................................166

G. Case Study.....................................................................................................169

H. Formal Learning Objectives..........................................................................172

I. Organizers for Investigation..........................................................................174

J. Student Reflection Questions........................................................................177

K. Teacher Observation Notes...........................................................................179

L. Academic Motivation Scale – High School Version.....................................182

REFERENCES...............................................................................................................186

VITA...............................................................................................................................199

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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page

1. A Comparison of the Characteristics of PBL to the Constructivist Instructional
Principles.................................................................................................................43

2. Arends’ PBL Model.....................................................................................................45
3. Ryan and Millspaugh’s PBL Model............................................................................46
4. Instructional Materials Provided for the Leadership Theory Unit...............................73
5. Summary of DailySchedule by Instructional Strategy ................................................82
6. Seventh Grade ISAT T-Scores by Instructional Strategy............................................89
7. Achievement Descriptors of Reading ISAT T-Scores.................................................90
8. Prior Knowledge and Critical Thinking Ability Scores by Instructional Strategy......91
9. Type of Motivation to Attend School by Instructional Strategy..................................92
10. Influences in the Decision to Attend CHSAS, Satisfaction with the Decision, and
perceived effort during the Study...........................................................................93

11. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation between Factors Influencing Perceived
Autonomy Support and Outcomes of Self-Determination......................................95

12. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation among Outcomes of Self-Determination.......96
13. Instructional Strategy Preference for Day-to-Day Learning.......................................97
14. Instructional Strategy that Better Prepared Students for the Test...............................98
15. Instructional Strategy that Encouraged Students to Think Deeper.............................99
16. Advantages and Challenges of the PBL Instructional Strategy................................100
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17. Means, Standard Deviation, Ranges, and Pearson Product-Moment Correlations for
Knowledge Acquisition Scores and Selected Variables.......................................106

18. Analysis of Covariance in Knowledge Acquisition by Instructional Strategy.........109
19. Analysis of Covariance in Critical Thinking Ability by Instructional Strategy.......110
20. Analysis of Covariance in Retention of Knowledge by Instructional Strategy........112
21. Comparison of the Knowledge Acquisition Test and the Knowledge Retention Test
Mean Scores by Instructional Strategy.................................................................113

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