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Teaching and Learning of Chemical Bonding Models Teaching and Learning Of Anna Bergqvist | Teaching and learning of chemical bonding and learning of chemical models | Anna Bergqvist | Teaching Teaching and learning of chemical bonding models Teaching and learning of Many complex real-world phenomena can only be understood using models that make the abstract visible and provide explanations, predictions, descriptions, chemical bonding models or simplifications. However, research has shown that students have difficulties understanding models used in science education in general, and particularly Aspects of textbooks, students’ understanding and teachers’ chemical bonding models. professional knowledge This thesis examines various aspects of the teaching and learning of chemical bonding, and its presentation in textbooks and by teachers. It is shown that the representations used by teachers and in textbooks can cause students to 2017:23 have difficulties in understanding, which teachers were generally unaware of. Anna Bergqvist Teachers rarely justify their choices specifically to overcome students’ difficulties, suggesting that their knowledge of how to teach chemical bonding could be improved. A learning study in which teachers collaboratively explored and reflected on their own teaching practice significantly improved their presentation of chemical bonding, their awareness of students’ understanding, and their ability to justify their choices. Overall, this work shows that there is a gap between research and teaching practice, and that effective ways of incorporating research results into teaching practice are needed to improve teaching and learning in chemistry. ISBN 978-91-7063-786-5 (print) ISBN 978-91-7063-787-2 (pdf) Faculty of Health, Science and Technology ISSN 1403-8099 Chemistry DOCTORAL THESIS | Karlstad University Studies | 2017:23 DOCTORAL THESIS | Karlstad University Studies | 2017:23 Teaching and learning of chemical bonding models Aspects of textbooks, students’ understanding and teachers’ professional knowledge Anna Bergqvist DOCTORAL THESIS | Karlstad University Studies | 2017:23 Teaching and learning of chemical bonding models - Aspects of textbooks, students’ understanding and teachers’ professional knowledge Anna Bergqvist DOCTORAL THESIS Karlstad University Studies | 2017:23 urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-48502 ISSN 1403-8099 ISBN 978-91-7063-786-5 (print) ISBN 978-91-7063-787-2 (pdf) © The author Distribution: Karlstad University Faculty of Health, Science and Technology Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden +46 54 700 10 00 Print: Universitetstryckeriet, Karlstad 2017 WWW.KAU.SE Abstract Despite the growing importance of science and technology in society, school students consider these subjects irrelevant and hard to learn. Teachers must therefore know how to teach science in ways that enhance students’ understanding and interest. This thesis explores various aspects of the teaching and learning of chemical bonding, an important topic in school chemistry that is primarily taught using models. Research has shown that students find chemical bonding difficult to understand, and that the use of models in science education contributes to this difficulty. I therefore investigated teachers’ knowledge of how to teach chemical bonding and ways of developing it to improve students’ understanding. To this end, I analysed chemistry textbooks and teachers’ lesson plans, and conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers about their teaching of chemical bonding. This revealed that the representations of chemical bonding used in textbooks and by teachers can cause students difficulties. The teachers were generally unaware of how these representations might affect students’ understanding, implying that their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) could be improved. To explore ways of incorporating research findings into teaching practice and developing teachers’ PCK, I conducted a learning study in which three secondary science teachers together explored and reflected on their own teaching practice. CoRe, a method for creating detailed descriptions of what, how, and why specific content is taught, was used to enhance the reflections and make the teachers’ PCK explicit. As a result, the teachers developed their representations of chemical bonding, became more aware of students’ understanding, and were better able to motivate their actions and choices of content and strategies. This thesis shows how professional development can bridge the gap between research and teaching practice, and how teachers’ PCK can be developed to improve students’ understanding. 1 2 Acknowledgements After eight years including a great portion of joy as well as agony, and lots of hard work, I am finally coming to the end of this journey. It has been an exciting and challenging time and there are so many people I want to thank. All of you have, in your own special way, made this journey possible. Thank you all! First of all, I want to thank my supervisor Shu-Nu Chang Rundgren for all the support and great engagement you have given me during these years, and for becoming a good friend. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me, always having a positive attitude and reminding me of that health is the most important in life, and for carefully pushing me forward. You have, at all times, shown that you believed in me, and being patient and understanding despite the delays that had occurred. And there has been a few… Pernilla Nilsson, my co-supervisor, thank you for sharing all your knowledge of the world of PCK with me. It started with valuable feedback when I first met you during my time at the fontD research school, followed by fruitful discussions when you were the opponent at my licentiate seminar, and continued with co-supervision. I have learnt a great deal from you, and every discussion always made my thoughts clearer and showed me a way forward. Michal Drechsler, my co-supervisor during the first years. Thank you for many, and often long supervisions, where you commented on my work and supported me in all parts of the first part of my research. A very special thanks to Nina Christensson and Karin Thörne. I strongly believe that without you this journey would not have been possible to finish. Thanks to both of you for being such great friends, for all the laughs, discussions of research and everything under the sun, for sharing so many ups and downs during these years, and for company in the “Friday Research Club”. Those were followed by varoius forms of “research clubs” whenever needed. Nina, we started this journey together at the fontD research school, we have shared all the steps during the way, and you stood by my side this 3 very intensive last period of my PhD journey. Extra thanks for all your supportive talk during this period, for coaching and ceeping me calm, and for reading and giving valuable comments on my text, it helped me to be able to finish in time! Karin, together we have tried hard to “embrace the ‘obehag’, keeping up with deadlines and not to get stuck in “the swamp of analyses”. Thank you for all your sharp and honest comments, on research text as well as daily life issues! Torodd Lunde, the philosophic member in the “Friday Research Club”. Thanks for all the research discussions and company, for reading my texts, all the laughs, and for letting me being responsible for counting your bags… Don’t get lost out there! Marianne Annersand, my headmaster. Thanks for all your support and always believing in me, and for your understanding and being a good friend during all the ups and downs during this journey. Karin Hedengård, the chief education officer for upper secondary school at Arvika commune. Thanks for your support and encouoragement to apply for the fontD research school. Marie Persson, my closest colleague at Solbergagymnasiet. Thanks for all the laughs, for putting up with all my talks and thoughts, sometimes enthusiastic and sometimes despondent, and for helping me with all kind of things, from students that asked where I where to stand in for my teaching. I hope that you still will continue to be my working partner! Per-Henrik Mogren, my colleague at Solbergagymnasiet. Thanks for being so helpful with arranging the teaching schedule to facilitate my research time, and for your concerns about my well-being. Ann Dyrman, the best librarian ever. Thanks for support with references, and for helping me whenever I needed. Thanks to everyone in SMEER, Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education Research group, for feedback and discussions. Extra thanks to Teresa Berglund, for traveling company and fruitful discussions, and 4 Niklas Gericke for valuable advices and sharing your knowledge with me. Thanks to fontD, Swedish National Graduate School in Science and Technology Education Research in Norrköping for providing a stimulating environment, great network and the best possible start to my PhD journey. All my collegues at chemistry department, and all my colleagues and friends at Solbergagymnasiet, thanks for company at lunchtimes and “fikapaus” and interesting discussions. The teachers that volunteered to participate in my studies. Thanks for sharing your time, experience and thoughts with me. All my fantastic students during the years. Thanks for inspiring and challenging my teaching in so many ways! Maria Rosenkvist, my very dear friend. Thanks for always being there for me, for all long talks and for your patience with me this last year. What should I have done without you! Dear Fredrik, you came into my life in a very intense period. Fortunately, you know exactly how this PhD journey is. Thanks for always being so caring and understanding, and for all your warm support in so many ways: reading my texts, preparing me dinner, talk and walks, and a lot of hugs! I hope you are still there after all... Patrik, the great father of my wonderful son. Thanks for all your unconditional support during this journey, and for having such a big heart and still being an important friend. My beloved family: My mother, my brothers Peter and Thomas, for always being there for me. I love you all, and it means so much for me knowing that you would help me whenever I need it, in the way each one of you are capable of.
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