Open AccessExercising Autonomous Learning Approaches through Interactive Notebooks: A Qualitative Case Study
Author(s) -
Vani Savithri Jaladanki,
Kakali Bhattacharya
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2014.1208
Subject(s) - qualitative research , mathematics education , constructive , narrative , grasp , coding (social sciences) , grounded theory , constructivist teaching methods , participant observation , data collection , qualitative property , psychology , social constructivism , process (computing) , computer science , pedagogy , teaching method , sociology , social science , linguistics , philosophy , machine learning , anthropology , programming language , operating system
Grounded in the theoretical framework of interpretivism, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of a teacher from an inner city high school in South Texas when using interactive notebooks to inform students’ understanding of physics concepts. The participant for the study was purposefully selected with an intention to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences. Data collection incorporated multiple methods such as interviews, participant observations, and document analysis. Descriptive, In-vivo, process, and Labovian six-part model of narrative coding were used to reduce and manage data. The codes were grouped into eight categories. Two major themes were identified from the data analysis: Interactive Notebook - A Testimony of Constructive Learning and Interactive Notebook- A Pioneering Approach to Instruction. The findings of this study intersect science education and qualitative inquiry and create space for openended, autonomous, constructivist learning of scientific principles. Additionally, the findings raise implications for transferable aspects of individualized learning processes for any areas of education where concepts are challenging for students to grasp.