Professional teachers knowledge manifested in contexts of Scientific Education Based on Modelling

case study of the practice of a trainer professor in the field of chemical education

Abstract

In the last decades, research and official educational documents have argued in favour of both insertion and integration of scientific and epistemics practices in science classes in order to support the education of scientifically literate citizens. In this sense, one of the approaches that has been investigated is the Modelling-based Scientific Education (MBSE), in which students participate in modelling-based activities whilst learning science, about science, and how to do science. This requires teachers to play a vital role in teaching processes. On the other hand, we had access to few studies that characterise professional teaching knowledge related to MBSE in regular teaching contexts, whilst those that try to do so are general ones. Therefore, the current study aims to: (i) identify, characterise, and analyse professional teaching knowledge expressed in the scholar, academic, and professional trajectories of a Chemistry trainer professor in MBSE contexts delimited by contexts involving wide spaces and time (several contextual teaching and learning situations experienced for more than two decades); (ii) characterise a possible development of such knowledge in the contexts of her trajectories; (iii) identify, characterise, and analyse the professional teaching knowledge expressed in her teaching practices whilst conducting a course to promote MBSE. In order to do so, we analyse data gathered from: (i) recording of an initial general interview about her scholar, academic, and professional trajectories delimited by contexts involving relatively wide spaces and times; (ii) recording of six meetings in which a set of activities was applied to future Chemistry teachers, that were triangulated with data from pre and post-meetings interviews with her; (iii) field notes originated from the researchers’ observations of the meetings; and (iv) artifacts provided by the professor. The Model of Modelling Diagram v2 was used as the theoretical guide of the study, whilst the Refined Consensus Model of Pedagogical Content Knowledge was used as the analytical tool. The results show mainly that (i) in some moments, the professor acquired, mobilised, expanded, and developed professional teaching knowledge in quite diversified ways and influenced by several factors such as beliefs, filters, and amplifiers; and (ii) she mobilised professional teaching knowledge in diverse groupings depending, for instance, on specific contextual factors, filters, amplifiers, influence of undergraduates, teaching and learning contexts, modelling contexts, etc. Idiosyncratic relationships between the manifestation of professional teaching knowledge and filters and amplifiers, as well as the very development of such knowledge were observed and discussed, thus supporting the proposition of new knowledge in the area. From the conclusions, we present implications of this study to science education research, critically analyse the guiding and analytical models used, and point out contributions to both the science education area and the specific field of professional teaching knowledge.