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Attending to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teachers and students : guidelines for context-based chemistry curricula

Knoef, M.J. (2017) Attending to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teachers and students : guidelines for context-based chemistry curricula.

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Abstract:Context-based education (CBE) uses an authentic context as the starting point for learning, making concepts more accessible. Learning activities are organized according to the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate). Many attempts at curriculum reform have failed, because they fail to pay close attention to the curriculum enactment. CBE can be a challenge for teachers and students, because it requires significant changes in their behaviour. The present study examines the self-perceived knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers and students towards the proposed pedagogical framework. The study is carried out within the context of the Impuls project, a 2-year project initiated by the University of Twente. Qualitative data was collected through a focus group with expert teachers and group interviews with teachers and students to explore their knowledge, skills and attitudes. Quantitative data was collected with a questionnaire to examine if the initial findings could be substantiated by a lager sample. The results showed that teachers have considerable knowledge of the CBE – 5E pedagogy and are confident of their context-based skills and recognize the value of the approach. The teachers do express to struggle with the unorthodox teaching methods and express several concerns regarding the success and feasibility of CBE. The students have less knowledge of the proposed pedagogical framework. They are relatively confident of their context-based skills, but stress the importance of sufficient structure and guidance. Students are enthusiastic about working on authentic science challenges in research teams. The findings, combined with existing literature on curriculum materials, show how curriculum designers can attend to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teachers and students and promote the successful implementation of a curriculum with the CBE – 5E pedagogy.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:35 chemistry, 81 education, teaching
Programme:Educational Science and Technology MSc (60023)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72976
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