Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
classes according to the mood prevailing on a particular day. Nonetheless, a
teaching approach informed by constructivist learning theory that regularly seeks
feedback on students
sense-making
experiences
(and not just
the outcomes of
their
sense making) could do much to help students re-engage their epistemic hunger.
It is often suggested that we need to show learners the relevance of the subjects
we teach, and some chemistry teaching approaches seek to work through problems
or contexts rather than being based on a sequence deriving from the conceptual
structure of the subject. Yet, it might be suspected that
'
,
through teaching that is designed to support perceptions of sense making, is just as
important as
'
everyday relevance
'
and may engage the natural epistemic hunger in
many learners (Taber,
Forthcoming
). After all, those of us who are chemistry
teachers certainly enjoyed learning chemistry, found it interesting and were moti-
vated to learn more. Perhaps there is some reason why we were intrinsically
interested in the subject: but perhaps some of us responded to being able to make
good sense of the teaching and that initiated a positive feedback cycle that kept us
engaged and made us confident enough to put the required effort into further
learning.
intellectual relevance
'
'
5.2
Implications for the Research Programme
The argument made in this chapter has taken well-established constructivist ideas
about teaching, normally considered primarily from a cognitive perspective, and
suggested that considerations from the affective domain reinforce the key principles
posited as the basis of constructivist-informed chemistry teaching. If we accept,
with Ausubel, that the most important single factor influencing learning is indeed
what the learner already knows, then perhaps close behind might be how the learner
experiences the processes of making sense of teaching and learning activities.
Strangely, despite the central emphasis on
in constructivist litera-
ture, most research judges that in terms of how the teacher or researcher views the
learner
making sense
'
'
pro-
cesses as subjectively experienced by learners themselves (Brock,
2006
). That
certainly seems an important area for further research. Studies are needed to explore
the extent to which learners may sometimes accept and appear committed to a new
idea met in chemistry instruction more because of the social context—how other
learners seem to respond to new ideas—than because they are persuaded of the
logical strength of the arguments for the idea. If this seems a significant effect—and
this would seem likely from the parallel with adoption of religious beliefs, for
example (Cornwall,
1987
)—then it is important to know the long-term implications
for the robustness of student learning and whether effective instruction needs to be
designed accordingly (e.g. to use initial socially induced commitment to an idea as
a starting point for then developing a more cognitively principled foundation for
commitment to the idea).
s ideas, and not enough studies have focused on the
making sense
'
'
'
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