Teacher and student engagement when using learning materials based on the context of cutting-edge chemistry research

Background Although cutting-edge chemistry research can be an interesting and motivating context for students in pre-university education, few characteristics of supportive and effective learning materials based on such contexts are available. Purpose In this study we investigated the design, implementation, and evaluation of context-based learning materials for both teachers and students. Specifically, we studied the characteristics of learning materials situated in the context of cutting-edge chemistry research that are supportive (have educative and usable features) for teachers and effective (have features that foster understanding and motivation) for students. Sample The designed learning materials were piloted by three teachers in four tenth-grade pre-university chemistry classes at three schools in The Netherlands. Design and methods The learning materials are shaped by the 5E instructional model and are situated in the context of research on early cancer diagnosis. In this exploratory, small-scale, mixed-methods study, data on teacher and student use of these learning materials were collected through teacher and student group interviews, student pre- and post-tests, and learner self-reports. Results This study shows that the piloted learning materials have features that are simultaneously supportive for teachers and effective for students. We identified several features that made the materials educative and usable for teachers, and that fostered student understanding and motivation. Conclusion We conclude that the cutting-edge research context used to situate the learning materials was valuable, and that the teachers in the study were eager to implement these types of materials in their regular practice. In addition, the materials contributed to student motivation and student understanding, and supported teacher learning. This study also describes crucial features that teachers and students valued in the design of the learning materials, which can help in designing other learning materials based on cutting-edge research

Learning to teach chemical bonding:a framework for preservice teacher educators

Chemical bonding is an important topic which is difficult to teach well, especially for novices. This study set out to support preservice teacher educators by developing a framework for understanding and addressing the complexity of teaching chemical bonding. A model of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in science education that has been widely endorsed by experts in the field was adopted as the theoretical lens. First, a systematic literature review was performed to articulate what recent empirical studies can tell us about the knowledge teachers require to teach chemical bonding. The review corpus consisted of 59 articles published over the past 20 years relating to four components of PCK: knowledge of how chemical bonding is embedded in curricula, knowledge of student understanding related to this topic, knowledge of instructional strategies and representations for teaching chemical bonding, and knowledge related to the assessment of chemical bonding understanding. This yielded current collective PCK for teaching chemical bonding in chemistry teacher education. Next, nine chemistry teacher educators were asked to portray their own personal knowledge for teaching chemical bonding through content representations. Analysis of the content representations revealed differences between several aspects of the collective PCK derived from the literature and the personal PCK articulated by our sample of Dutch chemistry teacher educators. Finally, findings from the literature and the teacher educator content representations were synthesized into a framework for chemistry teacher educators. Uses of the framework are discussed, and sample applications to the design of classroom activities are offered. Finally, implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are addressed.</p