Chemical reasoning, and in particular structure–property reasoning, is an important goal of chemistry education. Johnstone’s triangle (1982, 1991) is often used to explicate this type of reasoning.... Show moreChemical reasoning, and in particular structure–property reasoning, is an important goal of chemistry education. Johnstone’s triangle (1982, 1991) is often used to explicate this type of reasoning. This triangle describes the multilevel thought chemical reasoning requires and shows why students find chemistry so difficult. However, this model gives little guidance for teachers and students on how to teach and learn structure–property reasoning. In this theoretical article, we propose an alternative model for structure–property reasoning which has three advantages compared with previous models, namely, more coherence between chemical concepts and the skill of reasoning, more horizontal coherence (coherence between the concepts), and more vertical coherence (coherence throughout the school years). In four cases selected from the Dutch secondary school chemistry curriculum, the model was used to show how it can guide teachers and students in teaching and learning structure–property reasoning, and to demonstrate these above-named three advantages. The presented model has various educational applications as a scaffold for students’ reasoning, and as an instruction, design, and curriculum tool for teachers. Show less
This paper describes the design of an instrument to property reasoning (SPR). Design criteria for the instrument required that it should be based on a comprehensive model for structure-property... Show moreThis paper describes the design of an instrument to property reasoning (SPR). Design criteria for the instrument required that it should be based on a comprehensive model for structure-property reasoning, assess both reproductive and productive use of structure-property reasoning, be cost-effective, and be easy for teachers to adapt to their situation. An unframed and framed sorting task and an unframed and framed mapping task were included in the instrument. It was used to determine the proficiency in structure-property reasoning of two populations: 60 Dutch secondary school students on the preuniversity track and 108 Dutch first-year university chemistry students. Results were analyzed using established statistical techniques, and they confirmed that the SPR-instrument clearly discriminates between preuniversity and first-year chemistry students. The paper concludes by outlining the possibilities offered by the instrument and suggestions for further research. Show less
Winden, A. van; Stukker, N.; Schooten, E. van; Haaften, T. van; Janssen, F.J.J.M.; Glopper, K. de 2021
Secondary school teachers expect students to write comprehensible paragraphs in their texts. However, an explicit way of teaching to write a paragraph doesn’t exist. This article describes a text... Show moreSecondary school teachers expect students to write comprehensible paragraphs in their texts. However, an explicit way of teaching to write a paragraph doesn’t exist. This article describes a text analytic study of compliance with language norms in paragraphs in two genres: e-mails with a request and persuasive texts. It addresses the question to what extent the paragraphs of thirteen- and seventeen-year-old students comply with the paragraph norms constructed on the basis of Dutch professional advisory books. Our findings indicate that students in Dutch secondary school have difficulty writing adequate paragraphs. Our results additionally suggest that students’ paragraph skills increase over time and vary across genres. Show less
Many reforms in past decades have come and gone without having the desired impact on teaching practices. Two shared ideals that reforms have had are offering challenging content by using whole... Show moreMany reforms in past decades have come and gone without having the desired impact on teaching practices. Two shared ideals that reforms have had are offering challenging content by using whole tasks and tailoring student guidance to what students need for effective learning. In this article, we aim to bridge the reform-practice gap by taking a practicality perspective on how reform ideals are presented by exploring the concept of modularity. In this study modularity refers to how teachers can rearrange and adapt lesson-building blocks (e.g. explanation, checking homework or using a whole task) to change their teaching practices in line with reform ideals. We performed an explorative study (school-based PD programme) in which participants designed, enacted and reflected on authentic lessons using their student learning outcomes as input for subsequent lesson designs. Data were gathered about the use of building blocks and how teaching practices were developed in terms of using whole tasks and tailoring student guidance. Results show that participants made ongoing stepwise changes by building on what they already did successfully for both using whole tasks (e.g. change a task to recall into a whole task and shifting it to the lesson start) and tailoring student guidance. Show less
Otter, M.J. den; Dam, M.; Juurlink, L.B.F.; Janssen, F.J.J.M. 2021
Structure–property reasoning (SPR) is one of the most important aims of chemistry education but is seldom explicitly taught, and students find structure–property reasoning difficult. This study... Show moreStructure–property reasoning (SPR) is one of the most important aims of chemistry education but is seldom explicitly taught, and students find structure–property reasoning difficult. This study assessed two design principles for the development of structure–property reasoning in the context of demonstrations: (1) use of a POE task (predict–observe–explain) and (2) use of the domain-specific particle perspective, both to increase student engagement and to scaffold micro-level modeling. The aim of the demonstration series was to teach structure–property reasoning more explicitly to pre-university students (aged 15–16). Demonstrations pertained to the properties of metals, salts and molecular compounds. The SPR instrument was used as a pretest and posttest in order to gain insight into the effects on structure–property reasoning. In addition, one student (Sally) was followed closely to see how her structure–property reasoning evolved throughout the demonstrations. Results show that after the demonstrations students were more aware of the structure models at the micro-level. The students also knew and understood more chemical concepts needed for structure–property reasoning. Sally’s qualitative data additionally showed how she made interesting progress in modeling micro-level chemical structures. As we used conventional demonstrations as a starting point for design, this could well serve as a practical tool for teachers to redesign their existing demonstrations. Show less
Hoe kan het universitair onderwijs studenten goed voorbereiden op de toekomst? Hoe moeten we hen leren grip te krijgen op allerhande complexe kwesties waarvan we weten dat ze die zullen tegenkomen?... Show moreHoe kan het universitair onderwijs studenten goed voorbereiden op de toekomst? Hoe moeten we hen leren grip te krijgen op allerhande complexe kwesties waarvan we weten dat ze die zullen tegenkomen? Fred Janssen en Harriët Sjerps betogen dat de huidige aanpak binnen het universitaire onderwijs hiervoor ontoereikend is. Zij laten zien dat dit wel kan worden gerealiseerd wanneer disciplines worden uitgewerkt tot onderzoeksperspectieven. Show less
Enthousiaste studenten die zelf de cruciale vragen bedenken en als volhardende detectives op zoek gaan naar de antwoorden. Hoe bereik je dat als veel communicatie via een zee van schermpjes... Show moreEnthousiaste studenten die zelf de cruciale vragen bedenken en als volhardende detectives op zoek gaan naar de antwoorden. Hoe bereik je dat als veel communicatie via een zee van schermpjes verloopt? Een inventieve methode om de colleges op te bouwen volgens het principe van onderzoekend leren blijkt erg aan te slaan. Met als bonus: studenten leren elkaar beter kennen, zelfs in coronatijd. Show less
Student insight into algebraic formulas, including the ability to identify the structure of a formula and its components and to reason with and about formulas, is an issue in mathematics education.... Show moreStudent insight into algebraic formulas, including the ability to identify the structure of a formula and its components and to reason with and about formulas, is an issue in mathematics education. In this study, we investigated how 16- and 17-year-old pre-university students’ insight into algebraic formulas can be promoted through graphing formulas by hand. In an intervention of five 90-min lessons, 21 grade 11 students were taught to graph formulas by hand. The intervention’s design was based on experts’ strategies in graphing formulas, that is, using a combination of recognition and qualitative reasoning, and on principles of teaching complex skills. To assess the effect of this intervention, pre-, post-, and retention tests were administered, as well as a post-intervention questionnaire. Six students were asked to think aloud during the pre- and posttests. The results show that all students improved their abilities to graph formulas by hand. The think-aloud data suggest that the students improved both on recognition and reasoning, and give a detailed picture of how students used recognition and qualitative reasoning in combination. We conclude that graphing formulas by hand, based on the interplay of recognition and qualitative reasoning, might be a means to promote students’ insight into algebraic formulas. Show less
Kop, P.M.G.M.; Janssen, F.J.J.M.; Drijver, P.H.M.; van Driel, J.H. 2020
In biological research, generic questions that are derived from perspectives (ways of looking at and thinking about life processes) help in generating specific questions. In this study, we used... Show moreIn biological research, generic questions that are derived from perspectives (ways of looking at and thinking about life processes) help in generating specific questions. In this study, we used perspective-based generic questions as scaffolds to support student teachers in increasing the quality and quantity of their questions about biological topics. Fifteen student biology teachers were given an intervention to individually generate, in 15 min, as many questions as possible that they might ask in class about standards from the national syllabus for biology on a particular biological topic, first without using, and then using a set of perspective-based generic questions. The results of this study show that, using perspective-based generic questions, student teachers generated significantly more and higher quality questions. The formulated questions can be applied in two different contexts: during practicum, when student teachers actually teach biology, or when they plan future lessons, as the basis of challenging tasks or assignments, with the aim of getting students interested in finding the answers. Show less
Dam, M.; Ottenhof, K.W.; Boxtel, C.A.M. van; Janssen, F.J.J.M. 2019
Out of all the complex systems in science education curricula, cellular respiration is considered to be one of the most complex and abstract processes. Students are known to have low interest and... Show moreOut of all the complex systems in science education curricula, cellular respiration is considered to be one of the most complex and abstract processes. Students are known to have low interest and diculties in conceptual understanding of cellular respiration which provides a challenge for teaching and learning. In this study, we took literature about modelling and teaching and learning cellular respiration as a starting point for the design of a concrete dynamic model in which students (n = 126) use Lego® to simulate the process of cellular respiration. Students used the simulation embedded in the context of finding the eciency of a sediment battery as a future source of green energy and we tested the e ects on conceptual learning and situational interest in an experimental study. Results on conceptual learning show that both experimental and control groups had comparable results in the test. The questions that students in the experimental group asked during enactment, however, gave notice of a focus on both isolated component parts as well as modes of organization at higher organizational levels which is linked to how biologists mechanistically understand complex systems. Both groups report a similar high measure to which the topic is meaningful in real life (situational interest value), whereas the enjoyment (situational interest feeling) was significantly increased in the experimental group. Furthermore, students report specific advantages (e.g., I now understand that one acid chemically changes into another and they do not just transfer atoms) and disadvantages (e.g., time issues). Show less
A teaching method will only be implemented in the classroom if it is not only of benefit to students but is also practicable for teachers. In this contribution we propose an adaptive teaching... Show moreA teaching method will only be implemented in the classroom if it is not only of benefit to students but is also practicable for teachers. In this contribution we propose an adaptive teaching method for speaking skills in foreign languages. To make it practicable, we used the Bridging Model which assumes that regular teaching and the new method are shaped around the same lesson segments. By recombination of these segments teachers can adapt the new method to their teaching context. Based on questionnaires and visual representations of lessons, we examined how and with which considerations 13 teachers enacted the method in practice. Furthermore, the practicability was examined using impact analysis. Results show that the teachers succeeded in applying the method in practice and found the adaptive method to be significantly more desirable than their regular teaching. The flexibility of the method could be an ingredient for curriculum reforms in general. Show less
