Biology Teachers Designing Context-Based Lessons for Their Classroom Practice-The importance of rules-of-thumb

In science education in the Netherlands new, context-based, curricula are being developed. As in any innovation, the outcome will largely depend on the teachers who design and implement lessons. Central to the study presented here is the idea that teachers, when designing lessons, use rules-of-thumb...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of science education 2011-11, Vol.33 (17), p.2437-2462
Main Authors: Wieringa, Nienke, Janssen, Fred J. J. M., Van Driel, Jan H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biology
Biology education
Classrooms
Context-based education
Curriculum development
Curriculum innovation
Education
Elementary School Teachers
Foreign Countries
Humanities and Social Sciences
Identification
Interviews
Knowledge
Lesson design
Lesson Plans
Netherlands
Observation
Outcomes of Education
Science Education
Science Instruction
Science Teachers
Teacher development
Teacher knowledge
Teachers
Teaching Methods
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Summary:In science education in the Netherlands new, context-based, curricula are being developed. As in any innovation, the outcome will largely depend on the teachers who design and implement lessons. Central to the study presented here is the idea that teachers, when designing lessons, use rules-of-thumb: notions of what a lesson should look like if certain classroom outcomes are to be reached. Our study aimed at (1) identifying the rules-of-thumb biology teachers use when designing context-based lessons for their own classroom practice, and (2) assessing how these personal rules-of-thumb relate to formal innovative goals and lesson characteristics. Six biology teachers with varying backgrounds designed and implemented a lesson or series of lessons for their own practice, while thinking aloud. We interviewed the teachers and observed their lessons. Our results suggest that rules-of-thumb, which differed substantially among the teachers, indeed to a great extent guide the decisions teachers make when designing (innovative) lessons. These rules-of-thumb were often strongly associated with intended lesson outcomes. Also, teachers' personal rules-of-thumb were more powerful in determining the lesson design than formal innovative goals and lesson characteristics. The results of this study encourage more research into how rules-of-thumb reflect teachers' practical knowledge, for which suggestions are made.
ISSN:0950-0693
1464-5289
DOI:10.1080/09500693.2011.553969