Chemistry teachers' functional paradigms

Abstract

The task of effectively integrating thought and action has plagued social scientists and frustrated professional practitioners for many years (Argyris and Schon, 1974). In the first of three major critiques of educational research, Schwab (1969) identifies failure to make the theory/practice distinction as the major impediment to educational progress. Schwab maintains that the aim of practical knowledge is to aid decision-making and guide action in specific situations and that, in contrast to theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge has no great durability or extensive application. In the last decade, several researchers have focused their attention on the practical knowledge of professionals (). Building on Imershein's work, Crocker (1983) has advanced the concept of a functionalparadigm as a means of investigating why teachers and classrooms function as they do. Crocker assumes that teachers are similar to other communities of scholars or practitioners in sharing common beliefs, values, exemplars, and routines which constitute functional paradigm, and he points out that identifying functional paradigms involves seeking commonalities among teachers rather than differences. One purpose of the current study was to shed some light on the extent to which teachers' beliefs, values, and techniques, as they apply to interpretation of curriculum materials, are commonly held, and the extent to which they are idiosyncratic.The study is an examination of the interpretive process used by high school chemistry teachers in translating curriculum materials into classroom practice. The specific set of curriculum materials which provide the context for the study are called ALCHEM* (see footnote on page 118) and are authorized for grade 10, 11, and 12 chemistry courses in Alberta. The study was guided by the following four questions: 1 . What is the nature of teachers' functional paradigms as represented by the way 2. What are some of the factors which influence teacher interpretation of curric-3. What are some of the relationships among these factors? they interpret curriculum materials? ulum materials? Science Education 71(1): 117-134 (1987) 0 118 LANTZ AND KASS 4.What would be some of the characteristics of a model of teacher interpretation of curriculum materials which is based on data derived from the study?* The content and format of the ALCHEM materials are unique in at least three ways: a) applied and descriptive Chemistry are used to develop chemistry theory; b) several of the current concerns in science education are addressed, including the nature of science, science and society, and practical versus theoretical knowledge in science; and c) the three student core books consist of pages which can be inserted into student loose leaf binders. In its present form there are three core books and seven elective units in the ALCHEM program. The core books are called ALCHEM 10, ALCHEM 20, and ALCHEM 30, and can be used as the basis of two half-courses and one full course, respectively, or with two full courses. Each core boo...

Teachers' professional growth during the development and class enactment of context-based chemistry student learning material

“…Teacher beliefs act like a filter through which new knowledge is interpreted and integrated and therefore play a major role in the development of practical knowledge (Pajares, 1992;Van Driel, Beijaard, & Verloop, 2001). Different studies highlighted the role of teachers' personal beliefs about content in relation to the implementation of a curriculum (Duschl & Wright, 1989;Lantz & Kass, 1987). Teachers did not implement curriculum materials that contradict their ideas about content and how this content should be taught (Cotton, 2006;J.…”

“…The purpose of employing a particular teaching strategy, not merely its use, distinguishes a teachers' orientation. Different goals of teaching science are reported in literature, for example: transmit facts of science, assist students to develop science process skills, engage students actively with "hands-on" experiences, and involve students in investigating solutions to authentic problems (Lantz & Kass, 1987;Van Berkel, De Vos, Verdonk, & Pilot, 2000). 2.…”

A Review of Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Knowledge for Teaching Earth System Concepts

“…Generally, as the teachers gain more content background, they have more confidence in regards to the content and consequently rely less on officially approved materials (Lantz and Kass, 1987), present more knowledge of related concepts (Chung, 2011;Harshweh, 1987), use more lectures to present new information (Carlsen, 1991;Dobey and Schafer, 1984), and ask high-level questions in problem solving situations (Barba and Robba, 1992;Carlsen, 1991;Lee, 2010).…”

“…There are also other studies that support the idea that teachers who have more content background knowledge rely less on officially approved material when they choose lesson content and topics (e.g. Hollon et al, 1991;Lantz and Kass, 1987).…”

Qui enseignera l'épistémologie des sciences? Conceptions d'enseignants sur la science et conséquences pour l'enseignement des sciences

“…Les résultats obtenus confortent l'idée que ces relations existent. Lantz et Kass (1987) ont étudié trois professeurs de chimie enseignant le même programme de chimie de base et constaté que leur cours sur l'épistémologie des sciences différait de façon importante, en fonction de leurs différences de conceptions personnelles. Duschl et Wright (1989) ont constaté que les professeurs de sciences de leur étude adhéraient à une vision hypothético-déductive de la méthode scientifique et à un enseignement de la discipline sous forme de connaissances propositionnelles.…”