Date Approved

11-20-2018

Embargo Period

11-26-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Thompson, Carol C.

Committee Member 1

Lacke, Christopher J.

Committee Member 2

Kuo, Yu-Chun

Keywords

Interdisciplinary, Mathematics, Secondary, Standards, Student, Teacher

Subject(s)

Common Core State Standards (Education); Interdisciplinary approach in education

Disciplines

Science and Mathematics Education | Secondary Education

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how teachers understood and practiced using IUs to teach the core disciplines of the CCSS. The strategy of inquiry was a single case study in an urban high school where teachers of English, science, social studies, and math courses discussed IUs, and some teachers were observed using IUs. Data from public documents, teacher and student participant interviews, teacher classroom observations, a teacher survey, and field notes were analyzed and produced themes around the implementation of IUs.

The findings of this study indicate that teachers perceive how to conceptualize an IU, and some demonstrated incremental adjustments in their instructional practice. Students preferred learning frameworks based upon cognitive apprenticeship dimensions, and most teachers did not use the dimensions. Most teacher participants perceive that time to teach the standards and objectives in their discipline will be diminished by incorporating other disciplines. The teachers' instructional strategies revealed incremental steps toward using students' prior experiences, knowledge, and skills and revealed an unanticipated approach using cognitive apprenticeship and Vygotskian constructivism (Colllins & Kapur, 2006).

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