Journal article
Academic success in Context-based chemistry: Demonstrating fluid transitions between concepts and context
International Journal of Science Education, Vol.35(7), pp.1159-1182
2013
Abstract
Curriculum developers and researchers have promoted context-based programmes to arrest waning student interest and participation in the enabling sciences at high school and university. Context-based programmes aim for student connections between scientific discourse and real-world contexts to elevate curricular relevance without diminishing conceptual understanding. This interpretive study explored the learning transactions in one 11th grade context-based chemistry classroom where the context was the local creek. The dialectic of agency/structure was used as a lens to examine how the practices in classroom interactions afforded students the agency for learning. The results suggest that first, fluid transitions were evident in the student–student interactions involving successful students; and second, fluid transitions linking concepts to context were evident in the students' successful reports. The study reveals that the structures of writing and collaborating in groups enabled students' agential and fluent movement between the field of the real-world creek and the field of the formal chemistry classroom. Furthermore, characteristics of academically successful students in context-based chemistry are highlighted. Research, teaching, and future directions for context-based science teaching are discussed.
Details
- Title
- Academic success in Context-based chemistry: Demonstrating fluid transitions between concepts and context
- Authors/Creators
- D.T. King (Author/Creator) - School of Curriculum , QUT , Brisbane , AustraliaS.M. Ritchie (Author/Creator) - School of Curriculum , QUT , Brisbane , Australia
- Publication Details
- International Journal of Science Education, Vol.35(7), pp.1159-1182
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Identifiers
- 991005540202907891
- Copyright
- 2013 Taylor & Francis
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Metrics
274 File views/ downloads
81 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.11 Education & Educational Research
- 6.11.295 Science Education
- Web Of Science research areas
- Education & Educational Research
- ESI research areas
- Social Sciences, general