Date of Award
8-2012
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Legacy Department
Curriculum and Instruction, Literacy
Committee Chair/Advisor
Reinking, David
Committee Member
Bradley , Barbara
Committee Member
Deaton , Cynthia
Committee Member
Gillis , Victoria
Committee Member
Green , Robert
Abstract
This dissertation describes a formative experiment that investigated how strategy instruction paired with collaborative blogging could promote disciplinary literacy among eighth-grade students in a social studies classroom and among pre-service teachers in a social studies methods course. Qualitative methods were utilized to collect and analyze data in this study. To determine modifications to the intervention, an embedded, single-case study was designed to analyze data iteratively using constant comparative methods. Post-study, qualitative methods were also used to conduct retrospective analysis to connect overall findings to theory. Three modifications were made, in the middle-school setting, to the intervention, which enhanced participants' progress toward the pedagogical goals of the study. Results indicated middle-school students' disciplinary-literacy skills and pre-service teachers' instructional methods improved during the intervention. Findings suggested: (a) In-service and pre-service teachers may struggle with beliefs about disciplinary literacy and technology, but practice and experience may shift those beliefs; (b) writing on a blog may be motivating for adolescents and heighten their awareness of audience; and (c) eighth-grade students are capable of engaging in disciplinary literacy, but explicit strategies may be necessary for their success.
Recommended Citation
Colwell, Jamie, "A Formative Experiment to Promote Disciplinary Literacy in Middle-School and Pre-Service Teacher Education through Blogging" (2012). All Dissertations. 958.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/958