Chemistry didactics

Domain-specific language for describing protein synthesis in upper secondary school – students’ and textbooks' technical term usage

Contact persons: Sara Wahlberg, Niklas Gericke
Other researchers: Jesper Haglund
Brief description of the research:
The project investigates the domain-specific language with focus on technical terms used to present protein synthesis in upper secondary school. The aims are to investigate a) how students handle central technical terms to describe the topic; b) in what ways textbooks in chemistry and biology use central technical terms in terms of frequency, distribution and relationship to describe the topic, and c) similarities and differences between the technical term usage in the ways chemistry and biology present the protein synthesis.
 

Inquiry-based teaching

Contact persons: Torodd Lunde, Michal Drechsler
Other researchers: Niklas Gericke
Brief description of the research:
The Swedish curricula for compulsory school science emphasizes laboratory inquiry-based teaching (IBST) aimed at developing students' critical thinking. In contrast, several studies indicate that the Swedish teaching tradition almost solely emphasize laboratory work in order to provide greater understanding of traditional science content. This study examines possible ways to bridge this gap between curricula and tradition.
 

PCK (pedagogical content knowledge)

Contact person: Michal Drechsler
Brief description of the research:
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the knowledge base of student teachers. A well-known classification can be summarized as content knowledge (CK), general pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). However, the study of an academic discipline may not provide prospective teachers with the kind of understanding they need to effectively transform their academic knowledge into instructional activities in the classroom. PCK is instead suggested to be acquired from teaching practice and critical reflections of teaching practice. One main goal for teacher education courses should, therefore, be to develop and enhance student teachers initial PCK.
 

Textbook and ICT

Contact persons: Niklas Gericke, Michal Drechsler
Other researchers: Yvonne Liljekvist
Brief description of the research:
Textbooks have a unique role as mandatory reading material in school. Textbooks are important not only as reading material, but also provide a structure for classroom activities in general. However, the exponential growth of ICT in the last decades and its introduction in school has raised the question if there has been a paradigmatic shift in the Swedish classroom of how the curriculum is enacted in the classroom. In this study, the use of teaching materials by teachers in different subjects and at different stages in the classroom is investigated. Further, how much of the teaching time digital teaching materials are used.