ASSESSMENT 2

Literature Review and Data Collection Protocol

Over-arching topic:
How does Culturally Responsive Pedagogy impact upon student interest for
Stage 4 Indigenous students?

Sub-topic: How does the use of student-centred instruction as part of

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy impact upon student interest for Stage 4
Indigenous students?

Chrestin Meina
18926457
Part A: Literature Review
This literature review aims to shed light on current literature pertaining to how the use of student-
centred instruction as part of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy impacts upon student interest for
Stage 4 Indigenous students. This review will focus mainly on science content learning and student
interest in science.

Before delving into this subject, one must understand what is meant by ‘student interest’. Hidi and
Renninger (2006) developed a four-phase model of interest development which they use to
recommend educational intervention. They describe interest as being a psychological state of
engaging or a predisposition to re-engage with content (Hidi & Renninger, 2006). They highlight that
interest is both an affective and cognitive process, with biological foundations, and is the outcome of
an interaction between the individual and particular content (Hidi & Renninger, 2006). Why is it
important to understand interest; in particular student interest? Educational research focuses
particularly on situational and individual interest which have been shown to improve academic
motivation and interest as well as positively influence cognitive performance (Hidi & Renninger,
2006).

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy or Teaching (CRT) is an approach to teaching in which the educators
respect and make use of student language and cultural strengths to enhance their learning (Bonner,
Warren& Jiang, 2017). A vital part of CRT is that teachers place their students at the centre of
the learning process and use their strengths and interests to help them succeed academically
(Bonner, Warren& Jiang, 2017). Part of CRT strategy that relates to student interest is that
teachers ensure that the learning content is relevant to the students’ lives (Bonner, Warren&
Jiang, 2017). Bonner, Warren and Jiang’s (2017) qualitative study of teacher perspectives
found that teachers believed that the use of CRT and student-centred learning would make
the learning more relevant to students, hence increasing their interest and therefore also
increasing their motivation and engagement.

Particularly for Indigenous students, Lloyd, Lewthwaite, Osborne and Boon (2015) highlight the
importance of a syllabus that is student-centred and allows teachers to shape their teaching and
assessment around student interest. Culturally competent teachers of Indigenous students use
relevant and interesting content to improve student outcomes (Lloyd et al., 2015). This research,
however, contains conclusions made from compilations research that need to be supported by
empirical data. To hear from the students perspectives, Savage et al., (2011) conducted mixed
method research which included interviewing 214 Indigenous Maori secondary students. One of the
themes that emerged from these student interviews was that the students found that the more
interactive, culturally responsive and student-centred learning to be more interesting. This study is
important as it gives the student perspective.

Similarly, Hackling, Byrne, Gower & Anderson (2015) looked at five Australian Indigenous case study
schools to determine which pedagogical approaches were best for Indigenous students. As part of
their findings based on this study, they recommend that teachers use links between the science
activities and the students’ interests or experiences as part of a student-centred approach. This was
found to increase the students’ interest in science learning (Hackling et al., 2015).

McConney, Woods‐McConney and Schibeci (2011) conducted a study into the science literacy and
interest in science between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian students. They studied the
results from the 2006 PISA dataset which comprised of about 14, 000 students, and their data
analysis revealed some important information. These authors outlined that they examined student
interest in science because of its importance as an outcome of science education, as well as its
potential as a predictor of science achievement (McConney, Woods‐McConney & Schibeci, 2011).
They found that although Indigenous students lagged behind their non-Indigenous counterparts in
scientific literacy, they were ahead in mean scores of scientific interest(McConney, Woods‐
McConney & Schibeci, 2011). While accounting for variables in this score distribution, their analysis
suggested that the Indigenous students performing at lower levels than non-Indigenous students
was clearly not a result of interest in science (McConney, Woods‐McConney & Schibeci, 2011). This
study importantly reveals that Australian Indigenous students seem to have quite a favourable view
of science, despite the gap in science literacy scores. Interestingly, the authors suggested that
reading literacy was the most significant factor for the gap in science literacy between Indigenous
and non-Indigenous students and not interest in science.

Tomlinson et al., (2003) conducted a thorough review of literature on differentiating instruction

based on student readiness, interest and learning profiles; another student-centred approach. They
identified the importance of differentiating teaching strategies based on individual students’
interests as a way to ensure equal opportunities of learning. It is proposed that interest-based
learning is linked to motivation and can have both short and long-term positive impacts upon
learning (Tomlinson et al., 2003). Moreover, they put forward that research has found that tasks that
are interesting to students, increase the likelihood that students will engage with the task, improve
their productivity and creativity as well as promote student autonomy and intrinsic motivation
(Tomlinson et al., 2003). Their research found that generally, student interest in learning contributes
to learners who are more competent and self-determined, and allows them to develop positive
attitudes to learning. Importantly for Stage 4 learners, this research found that using interest-based,
student-centred learning, facilitates their ongoing academic focus (Tomlinson et al., 2003). These
authors also importantly provide examples of how teachers can use student interest, i.e. by letting
students chose their own topics for group tasks and participate in discussions with parents and
teachers about what they are interested in learning about (Tomlinson et al., 2003). As Hidi and
Renninger, (2006) refer to situational and individual interest, Tomlinson et al., (2003) also make
reference to these types. Tomlinson et al., (2003) highlight that research suggests that it is vital for
student learning and motivation to promote situational interest when students do not have
individual interest in the content, for example through choice, novelty and links to prior knowledge.
They summarise this by saying that teachers should ask themselves how to design learning tasks that
are responsive to student interests (Tomlinson et al., 2003). This review is highly useful as it outlines
both the ways in which student interest can be supported and improved as well as highlights why
this is necessary.

Furthermore, Brown (2017) conducted a metasynthesis of 52 studies looking into Culturally

Responsive Instruction and Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) as student-centred approaches, to
determine their complementarity particularly for science learning. IBL is a way of engaging in
scientific practices to learn scientific concepts (Brown, 2017). An important attribute of IBL is
planning and carrying out investigations where students investigate or test phenomena of interest to
them (Brown, 2017). Inquiry-based approaches were found to improve student outcomes when
engaging in science inquiry, by facilitating positive attitudes towards and interest in science (Brown,
2017).

Alternatively, Hulleman and Harackiewicz (2009) conducted a randomised field experiment, rather
than secondary data analyses, to look into whether classroom activities that connected science
learning to the high school students’ lives would increase their interest in science. This approach is
also student-centred. The findings of this study are very encouraging, yet they are only
representative of one experiment and need to be replicated before generalisations can be made.
Their intervention was specifically designed to enhance the relevance of the science learning for the
students and then determine if this increased their interest in science and improved their
performance. Hulleman and Harackiewicz (2009), similar to the other researchers have also noted
the difference between situational and individual interest. They propose that situational interest in
which students engage in content, can be developed into individual interest if students are exposed
to it particular content more than once and find it relevant to themselves. They found that for
students with low success expectancies, the use of relevance increased their interest in science and
promoted their science learning (Hulleman and Harackiewicz, 2009). This may be particularly
relevant for Indigenous students who, as was mentioned before, have lower science literacy skills
compared to non-Indigenous students (McConney, Woods‐McConney & Schibeci, 2011).

Through this literature review of primary and secondary data analyses and research, it can be seen
that student-centred instruction, as part of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, generally increases
Indigenous student interest, particularly for Science learning. This action research project on the
impact of student-centred instruction aims to address this area for further research.
 References
Bonner, P., Warren, S., & Jiang, Y. (2017). Voices From Urban Classrooms: Teachers’
Perceptions on Instructing Diverse Students and Using Culturally Responsive
Teaching. Education and Urban Society, 001312451771382. Retrieved from:
http://journals.sagepub.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1177/001312451771382
0

Brown, J. (2017). A metasynthesis of the complementarity of culturally responsive and

inquiry-based science education in K-12 settings: Implications for advancing equitable
science teaching and learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching,54(9), 1143.
Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary-wiley-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/full/10.1002/tea.21401

Hackling, M., Byrne, M., Gower, G., & Anderson, K. (2015). A pedagogical model for engaging
Aboriginal children with science learning. Teaching Science, 61(1), 27. Retrieved from:
https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/1673049018?accountid=36155&rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid
%3Aprimo

Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. (2006). The Four-Phase Model of Interest Development. Educational
Psychologist, 41(2), 111-127. Retrieved from: https://www-tandfonline-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1207/s15326985ep4102_4

Lloyd, N. J., Lewthwaite, B. E., Osborne, B., & Boon, H. J. (2015). Effective teaching practices for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: A review of the literature. Australian Journal
of Teacher Education (Online), 40(11), 1. Retrieved from: https://search-informit-com-
au.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/fullText;dn=593371100133110;res=IELAPA

McConney, A., Oliver, M., Woods‐McConney, A., & Schibeci, R. (2011). Bridging the Gap? A
Comparative, Retrospective Analysis of Science Literacy and Interest in Science for
Indigenous and Non‐Indigenous Australian Students. International Journal of Science
Education, 33(14), 2017-2035. Retrieved from:
https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2010.529477

Savage, C., Hindle, R., Meyer, L. H., Hynds, A., Penetito, W., & Sleeter, C. E. (2011). Culturally
responsive pedagogies in the classroom: Indigenous student experiences across the
curriculum. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(3), 183-198. Retrieved from:
 https://www-tandfonline-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1080/1359866X.2011.588311

Tomlinson, C. A., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., Brimijoin, K., ... & Reynolds,
T. (2003). Differentiating instruction in response to student readiness, interest, and learning
profile in academically diverse classrooms: A review of literature. Journal for the Education
of the Gifted, 27(2-3), 119-145. Retrieved from:
http://journals.sagepub.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1177/016235320302700203
Part B: Data Collection Protocol

Dear Potential Participant:

I am working on a project titled ‘Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and its impact upon student interest for
Stage 4 Indigenous students’, for the class, ‘Researching Teaching and Learning 2,’ at Western Sydney
University. As part of the project, I am collecting information to help inform the design of a teacher
research proposal.

The question I am researching is ‘How does the use of student-centred instruction as part of Culturally
Responsive Pedagogy, impact upon student interest for Stage 4 Indigenous students?’ I will be collecting
data through observations of lessons and interviews with teachers. The information I want to gather is
how do teachers use student-centred teaching in their pedagogy and what effect does this have on
student interest.

By signing this form, I acknowledge that:

 I have read the project information and have been given the opportunity to discuss the
information and my involvement in the project with the researcher/s.
 The procedures required for the project and the time involved have been explained to me, and
any questions I have about the project have been answered to my satisfaction.
 I consent to the researcher observing my class during lessons and to being audio-recorded in
interviews with the researcher.
 I understand that my involvement is confidential and that the information gained during this
data collection experience will only be reported within the confines of the ‘Researching Teaching
and Learning 2’ unit, and that all personal details will be de-identified from the data.
 I understand that I can withdraw from the project at any time, without affecting my relationship
with the researcher/s, now or in the future.

By signing below, I acknowledge that I am 18 years of age or older, or I am a full-time university student
who is 17 years old.

Signed: __________________________________

Name: __________________________________

Date: __________________________________

By signing below, I acknowledge that I am the legal guardian of a person who is 16 or 17 years old, and
provide my consent for the person’s participation.

Signed: __________________________________

Name: __________________________________

Date: __________________________________
Observation Protocol
Teacher: Age: Gender: Experience level (years):

Subject:

Date:

Grade:

Lesson topic:

Number of students:

Field Notes

Time Description Questions Coding

Codes:

 Lesson Structure (LS)

 Teaching Activities (TA)
 Teaching Strategies (TS)
 Student-centred (SC)
 Use of materials (M)
 Student interaction (I)
 Indications of student interest (SI)

(Adapted from Richards, J. C., & Farrell, S. C. (2011). Practice teaching: A reflective approach.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)
Interview Protocol
Research question: How does the use of student-centred instruction as part of Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy, impact upon student interest for Stage 4 Indigenous students?

Teacher: Age: Gender: Experience level (years):

Date:

Setting:

Semi-structured Interview

1. Can you tell me about how you use culturally responsive pedagogies in your practice,
particularly for Indigenous students?
2. I want to introduce another topic; student-centred instruction. How do you use student-
centred instruction in your practice?
3. As part of student-centred learning, What types of activities will the students be doing and
what will you be doing?
4. What do you think are the benefits of using student-centred instruction?
5. Does your use of student-centred instruction have an impact on the students’ interest?
6. How can you tell that the students are interested in the learning?
7. How do you think that the students feel about the use of student-centred instruction?

The interviewer may also ask follow-up questions that arise from the observation, in order to get
clarification or further explanations:

1. Can you clarify why you chose to use the teaching strategies and activities that were used in
this lesson.
2. In the lesson, what had you planned to capture and maintain the students’ interest?
3. To what degree did you plan this lesson based on the students’ interests?
4. What aspects of the lesson did you feel went well?
5. Is there anything that you would change if you had to teach this lesson again, in regards to
the student interest?

Codes to consider for analysis:

 Lesson Structure (LS)

 Teaching Activities (TA)
 Teaching Strategies (TS)
 Student-centred (SC)
 Use of materials (M)
 Student interaction (I)
 Indications of student interest (SI)
(Adapted from Richards, J. C., & Farrell, S. C. (2011). Practice teaching: A reflective approach.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)
Part C: Data Collection Protocol Explanation
The data collection protocols aim to address how student-centred instruction impacts upon student
interest for Stage 4 Indigenous students. For this research a dual data collection protocol approach
will be used to collect data through observations of lessons (at least 3) and then through semi-
structured interviews (at least 3) with the teachers following the lesson. They will focus on Stage 4
Science students and their teachers. The observations of lessons will be carried out in an urban
school that has a relatively large Indigenous population and the interviews will be conducted with
the teachers. It is assumed that the teachers do use both Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and in
particular, student-centred instruction. The teachers will be informed of the research task and its
purpose and will sign the consent forms to abide by ethical principles of research. The school and
participant teachers will also be de-identified and will only be described in terms of age and gender
and how long they have been teaching.

Through observation and recording field notes during Year 7 and 8 (Stage 4) Science lessons, the
researcher will plan to observe the use of student-centred culturally responsive pedagogy, to see
what methods and strategies the teacher uses. They will also record the level of student interest
during the lesson or activities. In doing so, it is imperative to also be aware of the limitations of
observations. Depending on the size of the class, it may not be possible to observe all the
occurrences during the lesson. Additionally, as the researcher will be looking to observe student
interest, it is important to note that this is not directly observable in a classroom (Richards and
Farrell, 2011). The researcher can note how engaged students look with the task or how much
students are discussing or interacting with the content but students talking might be either a sign of
interest, confusion or distraction (Richards and Farrell, 2011). This process is very subjective.

Following the lesson observations, the researcher will conduct semi-structured interviews with the
teacher to clarify what was observed in the lesson as well as obtain their perspective of the research
topics, particularly culturally responsive pedagogy, student-centred teaching and how these impact
on student interest. This gives the researcher the chance to understand the teachers’ perspectives
(Efron & Ravid, 2013). If there is an Aboriginal Education Officer present then they may also be
interviewed, to obtain their perspectives. As the interview will be semi-structured, the interviewer
will have a list of key questions ready but will also have considerable scope to ask further questions
based upon the responses provided by the interviewee.

The data from the observations and the interviews will be analysed through a process of establishing
codes to summarise the content (identified in the protocol), then placing these into categories from
which themes will be extracted. The interviews will be audio- recorded and interviewer will later re-
listen to the audio recordings and engage in the coding process which will lead to the development
of categories and end in the main themes being extracted from the interviews, regarding student
interest.

This process of analysing the raw data will lead to the development of themes that will answer the
research question of how student-centred instruction as part of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
impacts upon student interest for Stage 4 Indigenous students.
 References
Efron, S.E. & Ravid, R. (2013). Action Research: A practical guide. Guildford Press e-book retrieved
from:
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/UWSAU/reader.action?docID=1137441

Richards, J. C., & Farrell, S. C. (2011). Practice teaching: A reflective approach. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press e-chapter retrieved from:
https://www.professorjackrichards.com/wp-content/uploads/Practice-Teaching-A-
Reflective-Approach-Chap-7-Classroom-Observation-in-Teaching-Practice.pdf