Science teaching in the Netherlands is changing. The new curricula for biology, chemistry, and physics do not only focus on content knowledge, but also on ways of thinking (denkwijzen) and ways of working (werkwijzen) in science. This asks a lot from teachers: they need to help students not only learn facts, but also think and act in ways that are typical for each discipline.
At the same time, many pre-service teachers experience teacher education as fragmented. Subject knowledge, subject-specific didactics, and school practice are often learned in separate parts of the programme. As a result, it can be hard to connect what is learned at university with what is needed in the classroom.
This project addresses that challenge by focusing on discipline-specific thinking (DST). DST refers to the ways of reasoning, explaining, and asking questions that are typical for a discipline such as chemistry, biology, or physics. In this project, DST is used as a central idea to connect curriculum goals, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and teaching practice.
At Radboud University, we develop and study a semester-long course for pre-service biology, chemistry, and physics teachers in the educational master’s programme. The course helps students explore discipline-specific thinking in their subject and use it in lesson planning, teaching, and reflection. The project will also study how this course supports their professional development over time, including their confidence in teaching science.
Expected outcomes
- A clearer framework for discipline-specific thinking in teacher education
The project will help describe what DST looks like across biology, chemistry, and physics, and how it can be recognized in pre-service teachers’ planning and teaching. - Better insight into teacher learning
The study will show how DST develops during teacher education and how it relates to pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and teacher efficacy. - Tested course designs and teaching materials
The project will produce and refine a DST-focused course format, including activities, assignments, and examples that can be used in science teacher education. - Practical tools for teacher educators
Outcomes will include concrete ways to support and assess DST in teacher education, such as prompts, tasks, and assessment ideas. - Stronger alignment with the Dutch science curricula
By linking DST to denkwijzen and werkwijzen, the project supports teacher education that is better aligned with current curriculum developments. - Support for coherence in teacher education
In the longer term, the project aims to reduce fragmentation by helping future teachers connect subject knowledge, didactics, and classroom practice more strongly.