Competentiegerichtheid en scheikunde leren: over metacognitieve opvattingen, leerresultaten en leeractiviteiten

Recent and ongoing curriculum innovations in Dutch secondary chemistry education have led to questions about which concepts should be central in the programme and which contexts should be used to embed these concepts into. Another important question is in the discussions about these innovations is: how do students learn chemistry? This thesis examines the relations between students' metacognitive beliefs, their learning outcomes, and the learning activities they conduct in the domain of chemistry. In studying these relations, a useful framework is provided bij Novak's educational theory on 'meaningful learning' as is described in chapter 2. In chapter 3, the development of an instrument for assessing students' metacognitive beliefs regarding chemistry is described. More specifically, this instrument, a questionnaire, consists of items that can be used to determine the nature of students' epistemological beliefs, learning conceptions, and goal orientations concerning chemistry. Using this instrument, it was found that the students' aforementioned metacognitive beliefs were highly interrelated. By means of the data produced in this study, an improved version of the instrument was constructed. We used this version of the instrument in a follow-up study and identified a set of items to assess a student's 'competence mindedness'. 'Competence mindedness' is defined as the extent to which students are oriented towards coming to understand subject matter in the chemical domain. This orientation is for instance inferred from students' beliefs about chemistry as a coherent body of knowledge and about chemistry learning as a process in which knowledge is actively constructed. We describe a student's score on this scale as the extent to which he is oriented towards developing chemical competence, or, in short, the student's 'competence mindedness'. As an indicator of students' chemical competence we used the so-called 'macro-micro concept'. The macro-micro concept consists of the ability to use the macro perspective (focusing on chemical phenomena on a substance level) and micro perspective on chemistry (focusing on the structure and behavior of subatomic particles) interchangeably. Although the macro-micro concept is considered to be a central chemical competence by many experts in the field of chemistry education, the concept itself is not mentioned explicitely in any Dutch chemistry textbook used in secondary education. Using the final version of the instrument described in chapter 3, relations between the competence mindedness of students and a central chemical competency were assessed in chapter 4. Consequently, an explorative study was conducted in which a small number of chemistry teachers was questioned on the extent to which they paid attention to the macro-micro concept in their own teaching. Five out of nine teachers interviewed, held the opinion that the macro-micro concept should be a part of chemistry teaching and consequently dedicated time in class to this concept. The other teachers that were interviewed, did not mention the macro-micro concept as a central chemical concept in the interviews. In another study, students' use of the macro-micro concept when answering regular chemistry test questions, was examined. From this study, it can be concluded that there are large differences in the students' use of this concept. However, from answers given by the students involved, it can be concluded that they use the macro-micro concept. Following from the last two studies mentioned, two more studies were conducted that focused on the use of the macro-micro concept by students. In particular we were interested in the way students use this concept differently than is to be expected from the sequencing of learning contents in chemistry textbooks. More specifically, we conducted two studies to determine if students' competence mindedness and the way they use the macro-micro concept (i.e. starting from the micro aspect or not) are related. In the first, small-scale, study, we concluded that senior students that are more competence minded, more often take the micro aspect of chemistry as a starting point when relating the micro and macro aspects of chemistry. In a follow-up study, a standardized instrument was used to assess students' use of the macro-micro concept. This instrument made it possible to include a larger sample of students in the study. This study confirmed the results found in the small-scale study: more competence minded students were found to prefer relations between the macro and micro aspects of chemistry that started from the micro aspect. Chapter 5 consists of several studies concerning students' notions about how the chemical domain can be described: their chemical domain beliefs. The development of these notions are considered an important indicator of chemical competence. Relations between students' competence mindedness and aspects of their chemical domain beliefs were examined through a repertory test procedure. More specifically, the students involved in this study were asked to compare the subject of chemistry with several other subjects. Thereby, data were gathered on constructs these students' used to describe the subject of chemistry and how they contrasted with the other subjects or resembled them. In another study, relations between students' chemical domain beliefs and the extent to which these students are competence minded were examined. The results show a number of relations between students' competence mindedness and selections of their chemical domain beliefs: in general, more competence minded students more often use concepts like 'chemistry as a science', 'properties of substances', and 'chemical reactions' to typify chemistry. Having found indications that students' competence mindedness regarding chemistry is related to their learning outcomes, the question arises how students' competence mindedness can be enhanced. Moreover, relations between students' competence mindedness and the learning strategies they deploy, have not been taken into consideration up to this point. In chapter 6, a learning environment was redesigned in the form of a student study guide, that is used as a supplement to the chemistry textbook students were used working with. The main purpose of the study guide was to change the type of learning activities students use. The two quasi-experimental studies in which the study guide was used as an intervention, did not lead to significant changes in students' learning activities. However, relations were found between students' learning activities and the extent to which students were competence minded. We conclude therefore, that the learning strategies used by the students involved in the study are in particular a consequence of their metacognitive beliefs, i.e. their competence mindedness, and not of the learning environment concerned

Onderzoek door docenten (in opleiding): wat levert het op?

Alle studenten van alle Nederlandse lerarenopleidingen leren onderzoek te doen. Lerarenopleiders beschouwen het kunnen doen van onderzoek als een belangrijke bekwaamheid voor leraren (in opleiding). Daarbij zijn er aanzienlijke verschillen in opvattingen tussen opleiders, bijvoorbeeld als het gaat over de functies van onderzoek door leraren in opleiding voor de schoolpraktijk. Die verschillen zijn te herkennen in de uitgangspunten en doelstellingen van het onderzoek: in sommige gevallen staat de uitbreiding van academische kennis centraal, maar meestal gaat het om het beantwoorden van vragen vanuit de onderwijspraktijk of wordt onderzoek gebruikt als leerstrategie. In dit artikel worden vier typen onderwijsonderzoek onderscheiden die ik aanduid als actieonderzoek, praktijkonderzoek, gezamenlijk onderzoek en sociaalwetenschappelijk onderzoek. Over die benamingen is overigens discussie mogelijk: verschillende auteurs gaan uit van verschillende definities. De betekenissen die hier worden toegekend aan de verschillende beschreven onderzoekstypen komen voort uit de opleidingspraktijk van Fontys Lerarenopleiding Tilburg. Om een indruk te geven van de manieren waarop verschillende onderzoekstypen bijdragen aan ontwikkeling van onderwijspraktijk, worden drie voorbeelden van studentonderzoeken, zoals uitgevoerd door leraren in opleiding, uiteengezet. Naar aanleiding van deze voorbeelden worden enkele conclusies geformuleerd over de kracht van de verschillende onderzoekstypen. Voorafgaand aan de beschrijving van de studentonderzoeken worden hieronder allereerst de vier in dit artikel onderscheiden onderzoekstypen beschreven en vergeleken

Competentiegerichtheid en scheikunde leren: over metacognitieve opvattingen, leerresultaten en leeractiviteiten

Recent and ongoing curriculum innovations in Dutch secondary chemistry education have led to questions about which concepts should be central in the programme and which contexts should be used to embed these concepts into. Another important question is in the discussions about these innovations is: how do students learn chemistry? This thesis examines the relations between students' metacognitive beliefs, their learning outcomes, and the learning activities they conduct in the domain of chemistry. In studying these relations, a useful framework is provided bij Novak's educational theory on 'meaningful learning' as is described in chapter 2. In chapter 3, the development of an instrument for assessing students' metacognitive beliefs regarding chemistry is described. More specifically, this instrument, a questionnaire, consists of items that can be used to determine the nature of students' epistemological beliefs, learning conceptions, and goal orientations concerning chemistry. Using this instrument, it was found that the students' aforementioned metacognitive beliefs were highly interrelated. By means of the data produced in this study, an improved version of the instrument was constructed. We used this version of the instrument in a follow-up study and identified a set of items to assess a student's 'competence mindedness'. 'Competence mindedness' is defined as the extent to which students are oriented towards coming to understand subject matter in the chemical domain. This orientation is for instance inferred from students' beliefs about chemistry as a coherent body of knowledge and about chemistry learning as a process in which knowledge is actively constructed. We describe a student's score on this scale as the extent to which he is oriented towards developing chemical competence, or, in short, the student's 'competence mindedness'. As an indicator of students' chemical competence we used the so-called 'macro-micro concept'. The macro-micro concept consists of the ability to use the macro perspective (focusing on chemical phenomena on a substance level) and micro perspective on chemistry (focusing on the structure and behavior of subatomic particles) interchangeably. Although the macro-micro concept is considered to be a central chemical competence by many experts in the field of chemistry education, the concept itself is not mentioned explicitely in any Dutch chemistry textbook used in secondary education. Using the final version of the instrument described in chapter 3, relations between the competence mindedness of students and a central chemical competency were assessed in chapter 4. Consequently, an explorative study was conducted in which a small number of chemistry teachers was questioned on the extent to which they paid attention to the macro-micro concept in their own teaching. Five out of nine teachers interviewed, held the opinion that the macro-micro concept should be a part of chemistry teaching and consequently dedicated time in class to this concept. The other teachers that were interviewed, did not mention the macro-micro concept as a central chemical concept in the interviews. In another study, students' use of the macro-micro concept when answering regular chemistry test questions, was examined. From this study, it can be concluded that there are large differences in the students' use of this concept. However, from answers given by the students involved, it can be concluded that they use the macro-micro concept. Following from the last two studies mentioned, two more studies were conducted that focused on the use of the macro-micro concept by students. In particular we were interested in the way students use this concept differently than is to be expected from the sequencing of learning contents in chemistry textbooks. More specifically, we conducted two studies to determine if students' competence mindedness and the way they use the macro-micro concept (i.e. starting from the micro aspect or not) are related. In the first, small-scale, study, we concluded that senior students that are more competence minded, more often take the micro aspect of chemistry as a starting point when relating the micro and macro aspects of chemistry. In a follow-up study, a standardized instrument was used to assess students' use of the macro-micro concept. This instrument made it possible to include a larger sample of students in the study. This study confirmed the results found in the small-scale study: more competence minded students were found to prefer relations between the macro and micro aspects of chemistry that started from the micro aspect. Chapter 5 consists of several studies concerning students' notions about how the chemical domain can be described: their chemical domain beliefs. The development of these notions are considered an important indicator of chemical competence. Relations between students' competence mindedness and aspects of their chemical domain beliefs were examined through a repertory test procedure. More specifically, the students involved in this study were asked to compare the subject of chemistry with several other subjects. Thereby, data were gathered on constructs these students' used to describe the subject of chemistry and how they contrasted with the other subjects or resembled them. In another study, relations between students' chemical domain beliefs and the extent to which these students are competence minded were examined. The results show a number of relations between students' competence mindedness and selections of their chemical domain beliefs: in general, more competence minded students more often use concepts like 'chemistry as a science', 'properties of substances', and 'chemical reactions' to typify chemistry. Having found indications that students' competence mindedness regarding chemistry is related to their learning outcomes, the question arises how students' competence mindedness can be enhanced. Moreover, relations between students' competence mindedness and the learning strategies they deploy, have not been taken into consideration up to this point. In chapter 6, a learning environment was redesigned in the form of a student study guide, that is used as a supplement to the chemistry textbook students were used working with. The main purpose of the study guide was to change the type of learning activities students use. The two quasi-experimental studies in which the study guide was used as an intervention, did not lead to significant changes in students' learning activities. However, relations were found between students' learning activities and the extent to which students were competence minded. We conclude therefore, that the learning strategies used by the students involved in the study are in particular a consequence of their metacognitive beliefs, i.e. their competence mindedness, and not of the learning environment concerned

Bètadidactiek: naar duurzaam vakmanschap

Het bètatechnisch bedrijfsleven en de bètawetenschappen zijn voortdurend in ontwikkeling. Bovendien hebben zij zichtbaar en onzichtbaar invloed op het leven van alledag. Op bètadocenten rust de boeiende taak om leerlingen te laten zien welke betekenis bèta, ook buiten de context van het onderwijs, heeft. Het blijkt bovendien een uitdaging om die taak te verenigen met de robuuste vakstructuur die elk van de bètaschoolvakken kenmerkt. Lerarenopleidingen helpen om bètadocenten (in opleiding) een verfijnd 'vakbeeld' (d.w.z. een genuanceerde visie op het vak) te ontwikkelen. Het lectoraat bètadidactiek heeft daarbij als doel om kennis te verwerven over visies van bètadocenten op hun vakken en deze kennis in te zetten in de praktijk van de lerarenopleiding en in samenwerking met docenten in het voortgezet onderwijs

Onderwijsinnovatie en empowerment van leerlingen

Onderwijsinnovatie en empowerment van leerlinge

Samen leren innoveren in de nieuwe minor Innovatief Beroepsonderwijs.

In dit paper wordt het SOOP-principe, dat mede is vormgegeven door Johan van der Sanden en zijn kenniskring, uiteengezet en wordt uitgelegd hoe dit principe gestalte zal krijgen in de Fontys-minor Innovatief Beroepsonderwijs. Deze vernieuwende minor zal in september 2006 van start gaan bij de lerarenopleidingen VO/BVE van Fontys Hogescholen

Hoe leraren (in opleiding) 'context based' chemieonderwijs beschouwen: een verkenning binnen de M.Ed.-lerarenopleiding scheikunde

Scheikundeleraren die actief zijn binnen het voorbereidend hoger onderwijs krijgen in toenemende mate te maken met 'nieuwe scheikunde'. Het betreft een landelijke onderwijsinnovatie waarin het scheikundeonderwijs voor havo en vwo vanaf klas 3 wordt getransformeerd naar een 'context based' onderwijsprogramma. De oorsprong van de innovatie ligt in de problemen die veel docenten ervoeren met de inhoud en vorm van het scheikundecurriculum voor de tweede fase (Bulte, Carelsen, Davids, Morélis, Jansen-Ligthelm, Pilot, Velthorst & De Vos, 2000). De Nederlandse situatie is hierin niet uniek; in tal van andere landen zijn soortgelijke analyses initiatieven ontstaan voor de ontwikkeling van 'context based chemistry education' (zie bijvoorbeeld Bennett & Lubben, 2006; Parchmann, Gräsel, Baer, Peter Nentwig, Demuth, & Ralle, 2006; Schwartz, 2006). Onder regie van het SLO en vooruitlopend op het nieuwe eindexamenprogramma dat dit jaar wordt vastgesteld, hebben scholen c.q. scheikundeleraren tot dusver de vrijheid gehad om al dan niet te participeren in de ontwikkeling en implementatie van één of meer modules 'nieuwe scheikunde'. In 2011 wordt nieuwe eindexamenprogramma's vastgesteld waarin de nieuwe scheikunde is verwerkt. De urgentie voor lerarenopleidingen scheikunde om in hun onderwijsprogramma's ruimte te maken voor onderdelen waarin studenten competenties ontwikkelen aangaande nieuwe scheikunde is dan ook hoog. In een praktijkonderzoek onder studenten van de M.Ed.-lerarenopleiding scheikunde van Fontys Lerarenopleiding Tilburg waarin, parallel aan een vakdidactiekmodule over nieuwe scheikunde, wordt in eerste instantie verkend hoe zij 'context based' scheikundeonderwijs in algemene zin percipiëren (1). In de onderzoeksliteratuur worden die opvattingen in veel gevallen verbonden met de verschillende 'curriculum emphases' zoals worden onderscheiden door Roberts en Östman (1998). Daarom is ervoor gekozen om ook de opvattingen van de betrokken studenten over de wenselijkheid van de verschillende curriculum emphases na te gaan (2). Tot slot is onderzocht hoe de betrokken studenten hun opvattingen over context based chemieonderwijs in algemene zin en die over nieuwe scheikunde in het bijzonder rapporteren in een essay dat zij schreven als eindproduct voor de module (3). Het onderzoek is parallel uitgevoerd aan één van de modules vakdidactiek zoals die worden verzorgd aan de M.Ed. lerarenopleiding scheikunde. Deze module had expliciet betrekking op het opbouwen van kennis en het aansluitend ontwikkelen van professionele opvattingen over context based chemie-onderwijs en de ontstaansgeschiedenis, uitgangspunten en implicaties van nieuwe scheikunde. De module is gevolgd door 24 studenten. Onderzoeksgegevens zijn verzameld op drie verschillende manieren. De opvattingen van de studenten over context based chemieonderwijs zijn geïnventariseerd aan de hand van een vragenlijst bestaande uit 14 stellingen waarbij studenten met een vijfpunts Likertschaal steeds konden aangeven in hoeverre zij zich konden vinden in een stelling. Ook zijn gegevens op soortgelijke manier verzameld betreffende de voorkeur van studenten voor de verschillende curriculum emphases. Verder zijn kwalitatieve onderzoeksgegevens verzameld doordat elk van de studenten een essay schreef over context based scheikundeonderwijs en nieuwe scheikunde. Uit de resultaten blijk dat de meeste studenten geen uitgesproken voorstanders zijn van één enkele curriculum emphasis. Over het geheel genomen scoort 'Solid foundation' het hoogst en 'Companion meanings' het laagst. In de essays zijn opvattingen van studenten terug te vinden over een aantal aspecten van context based scheikundeonderwijs in het algemeen en nieuwe scheikunde in het bijzonder. Zo laten studenten zich uit over de kansen en de valkuilen die zijn zien. Het gaat dan bijvoorbeeld om opvattingen over de vraag of context based onderwijs een passende oplossing is voor geconstateerde problemen in het scheikundeonderwijs, of context based onderwijs zal leiden tot inhoudelijke verdieping of verschraling en of het haalbaar is om modules steeds te blijven actualiseren. Studenten formuleren ook aandachtspunten voor het innovatieproces. Zo stellen studenten dat er aandacht voor de gevolgen voor de toetspraktijk en voor de individuele verschillen tussen leerlingen en tussen havo- en vwo-leerlingen. Enkele studenten constateren dat de nieuwe aanpak meer verantwoordelijkheid legt bij leraren en willen daarom bijvoorbeeld goed geïnformeerd worden of vrijheid hebben om leerlijnen te arrangeren. Ook pleiten enkele studenten ervoor om ook leerlingen in het ontwikkelproces te betrekken. Daarnaast is in sommige gevallen verbazing te lezen over de parallelle, maar ogenschijnlijke van elkaar losstaande, ontwikkelingen rond context based scheikundeonderwijs in verschillende landen. Ook de aandacht voor context based scheikundeonderwijs en nieuwe scheikunde binnen lerarenopleidingen wordt becommentarieerd. Enkele studenten zien een belangrijke rol weggelegd voor lerarenopleidingen in het wegwijs maken van beginnende leraren in het ontwikkelproces en het informeren over uitgangspunten