Sathyam Sheoratan: Scaffolding Design Practices in the Chemistry Classroom: Exploring Teachers’ Strategies to Support Student Learning
Using design-based assignments in the chemistry classroom is an engaging way to learn about chemistry. Guiding students during these assignments, however, is a challenging task for teachers.
In a first study, we interviewed 13 experienced teachers to learn about their perceived practice. This resulted in a first outlook on how scaffolding could be implemented through the use of different kinds of questions and feedback.
In another study, we studied the actual practice of three chemistry teachers in the classroom. We found that teachers support design tasks in a more open, constructive and encouraging way then when providing support during experiments or explaining chemistry concepts, which are supported in a closed, clarifying and steering manner. Zooming in on the design tasks, we were able to characterise different approaches taken by the teachers. For example, teachers might take control of the process or stimulate the students' reasoning. The support seems to be adapted to the students, the lessons and the topics of the conversation.
In a final study, we analyzed the beliefs of two teachers in order to understand why teachers scaffold in a certain way. These two teachers showed different beliefs, where one is more inclined to a student perspective, while the other is more inclined to a task perspective.
Arooba Aqeel: Integrating sustainability into computer science higher education, focusing on teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and their understanding of sustainability
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