Getting Involved: Context-Based Learning in Chemistry Education - Affective Dimensions in Chemistry Education - page 54

expectancies and values means that success can be perceived in different ways, for
example, in relation to a given norm that is related to the development of a deeper
understanding. However, as other research suggests, it can also be perceived as a
wish to behave in accordance with the expectations of peers or a person

' s self-

image (Hannover & Kessels, 2004 ; Taconis & Kessels, 2009 ).
The contextualization of chemistry content in CBL aims to increase task value
by making the connection of the content with personal interest and (future) utility
more obvious for the students. Following the expectancy-value-model, context-
based learning should therefore have an influence on the students ' choice of future
science activities (Bennett et al., 2007 ).

3 Transformation of Theory and Research into Practice:
Examples from the Context-Based Approach Chemie im
Kontext

Chemie im Kontext was developed in Germany between 1999 and 2008, with the
support of the German Ministry of Education (BMBF) and the participating Ger-
man federal states. The process of development was symbiotic: educational
researchers and teachers from different schools cooperated in “learning communi-
ties” (Parchmann et al., 2006 ) and adapted the framework of Chemie im Kontext for
different state syllabi and school systems. Modules were developed and tested, and
the different learning communities exchanged experiences and material between
the different parts of Germany. The products were used as a foundation to develop
textbooks, teacher guides, reports, and papers (e.g., Demuth, Gr ¨ sel, Parchmann, &
Ralle, 2008 ; Demuth, Parchmann, & Ralle, 2006 ; Nentwig et al., 2007 ; Parchmann
et al., 2006 ). Accompanying research studies have investigated different aspects
affected by the implementation of the Chemie im Kontext approach, such as the
students

interest and conceptual development (Demuth et al., 2008 ; Parchmann
et al., 2006 ;), the implementation and transfer processes (Demuth et al., 2008 ), or
the influence of attitudes and prejudices (Menthe, 2006 , see below). Based on a
study carried out in one federal state, a positive finding was that students indeed
perceived their chemistry lessons as more relevant and effective regarding the
learning of cross-curricular competencies, applicable knowledge, and the under-
standing of basic concepts. This finding became evident in a comparison with other
students learning similar topics (Parchmann & I. und the CHiK team, 2009 ).
However, we have to consider that effects were diverse on a class level. On the
one hand, for some groups, motivation really increased, whereas, for others, it
stayed more or less the same and even dropped at the beginning for some classes.
The same is reported for cognitive learning outcomes: while CBL students
outperformed others in some studies, other studies offered less coherent outcomes
in this area (Bennett et al., 2007 ; Parchmann et al., 2006 ; Taasoobshirazi & Carr,
2008 ; see also Fechner, van Vorst, K¨ lbach, & Sumfleth, 2015 ). Therefore, more

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