The study of physics teachers' responses to student explanations using the Content Knowledge for Teaching Energy framework

Dodlek, Danijela (author), Planinšič, Gorazd (mentor), Etkina, Eugenia (co-mentor)

Well-prepared teachers possess the knowledge, skills, and pedagogical techniques necessary to provide high-quality instruction, establish inclusive learning environments, and promote student learning. One of the important aspects of learning physics is developing explanations of physical phenomena. Numerous research in the fields of science and mathematics investigated how pre-service and in-service (elementary/middle/high school) teachers interpret and respond to student explanations but none focused on physics teachers exclusively. This study aims to fill this gap by studying how physics teachers interpret and respond to student explanations of a complex phenomenon. We investigated pre- and in-service physics teachers’ responses to students’ written explanations of their answer choices to a non-traditional problem involving momentum and energy. The survey administered to several different groups of participants (including in- and pre-service teachers from different countries) included the problem statement and four student explanations. The participants were asked to describe what they thought the student's strengths and weaknesses were and to provide a response to that student. To analyse the responses provided by the participants, we developed a coding scheme using the Content Knowledge for Teaching Energy (CKT-E) framework and expert responses. Specifically, we utilised a component of that framework called Tasks of Teaching. We compared what experts and participants wrote for each of the codes, and quantified the differences between their responses by developing numerical scores for each of the codes (0, 1, or 2). Our findings were similar for both partially incorrect and mostly correct students’ explanations. Overall, our findings showed that the participants were relatively successful in identifying productive and incorrect/problematic aspects of students’ reasoning. Although the feedback that the participants provided was somewhat deficient as it usually focused on one aspect of the student's reasoning rather than focusing on both correct and incorrect/problematic elements, the participants in their responses generally engaged students in metacognition. Furthermore, we found that the participants were more successful in addressing perceived problematic elements than in building on students' productive ideas. However, we must note that our findings were different for different groups of participants. A group of in-service teachers, who voluntarily participate in everyday discussions on social media focusing on a student-centred teaching approach, demonstrated better performance for the majority of codes than other groups of in-service teachers. This finding suggests that targeted professional development, in addition to teaching practice, could influence how in-service teachers respond to the students. Surprisingly, responses from pre-service teachers who went through the program that emphasised the development of the skills involving listening to the students and providing feedback on their ideas were often comparable, and at times better than responses from the in-service teachers. This indicates that through not only the teaching practice and professional development but also through carefully crafted teacher preparation programs we can help future teachers learn to respond productively to students’ explanations.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Content Knowledge for Teaching Energy, Tasks of Teaching, interpreting student ideas, effective feedback, metacognition, building on productive ideas, addressing problematic ideas
• Work type: Doctoral dissertation
• Typology: 2.08 - Doctoral Dissertation
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Year: 2024
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-156022
• COBISS.SI-ID: 194251779
• Publication date in RUL: 28.04.2024

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Študija odzivov učiteljev fizike na razlage dijakov z uporabo teoretskega okvira Content Knowledge for Teaching Energy

Abstract

Dobro pripravljeni učitelji imajo znanje, spretnosti in pedagoške tehnike, potrebne za zagotavljanje visokokakovostnega pouka, vzpostavitev vključujočega učnega okolja in za spodbujanje učenja. Eden od pomembnih vidikov učenja fizike je razvijanje razlag fizikalnih pojavov. Številne raziskave na področju naravoslovja in matematike so preučevale, kako pred in med službovanjem (osnovna/srednja/srednja šola) učitelji razlagajo in odgovarjajo na razlage učencev, vendar nobena ni bila osredotočena izključno na učitelje fizike. Ta študija želi zapolniti to vrzel s študijem, kako učitelji fizike razlagajo in se odzivajo na razlage učencev. Raziskali smo odgovore bodočih in aktivnih učiteljev fizike na pisne razlage učencev glede izbire odgovorov na ne-tradicionalni problem, ki vključuje gibalno količino in energijo. Anketa, ki so jo izvedli učitelji udeleženci, je vključevala navedbo problema in štiri razlage učencev. Udeleženci so bili naprošeni, da opišejo, kaj so po njihovem mnenju prednosti in slabosti učenčeve razlage, ter da podajo odgovor temu učencu. Za analizo odgovorov, ki so jih posredovali udeleženci, smo razvili shemo kodiranja z uporabo ogrodja Content Knowledge for Teaching Energy (CKT-E) in na podlagi odgovorov strokovnjakov. Natančneje, uporabili smo komponento okvira CKT-E, imenovano Tasks of Teaching. Primerjali smo, kaj so strokovnjaki in udeleženci napisali za vsako od kod, in količinsko opredelili razlike med njihovimi odgovori s številčnimi ocenami za vsako od kod (0, 1 ali 2). Naše ugotovitve so bile podobne tako za delno napačne kot za večinoma pravilne razlage učencev. Na splošno so naše ugotovitve pokazale, da so bili udeleženci razmeroma uspešni pri prepoznavanju produktivnih in nepravilnih/problematičnih vidikov učenčevega utemeljevanja. Čeprav so bile povratne informacije, ki so jih posredovali udeleženci, nekoliko pomanjkljive, saj so se običajno osredotočale le na en vidik učenčevega utemeljevanja, namesto da bi se osredotočile na pravilne in nepravilne/problematične elemente, pa so odzivi udeležencev učencu na splošno vključevali spodbujanje v metakognicijo. Poleg tega smo ugotovili, da so bili udeleženci uspešnejši pri izpostavljanju prepoznanih problematičnih elementov kot pri nadgrajevanju produktivnih idej učencev. Vendar pa moramo opozoriti, da so se naše ugotovitve pri različnih skupinah udeležencev razlikovale. Skupina aktivnih učiteljev, ki so prostovoljno sodelovali v rednih razpravah na družbenih omrežjih, osredotočenih na študenta osredinjen pristop poučevanja, je pri večini kodiranih elementov pokazala boljše rezultate kot druge skupine aktivnih učiteljev. Ta ugotovitev nakazuje, da bi lahko usmerjen profesionalni razvoj poleg izkušenj s poučevanjem vplival na to, kako se aktivni učitelji odzivajo na učenčeve ideje. Presenetljivo pa so bili odzivi nekaterih skupin študentov-bodočih učiteljev, slušateljev študijskega programa s poudarkom na razvoju spretnosti, kot je poslušanje učencev in podajanje povratnih informacij o njihovih idejah, pogosto primerljivi in včasih boljši od odzivov aktivnih učiteljev. To kaže, da lahko ne le z izkušnjami s poučevanjem in profesionalnim izpopolnjevanjem, temveč tudi s skrbno oblikovanimi študijskimi programi za izobraževanje učiteljev pomagamo bodočim učiteljem, da se naučijo produktivno odzivati na razlage učencev.

• Keywords: CKT-E, interpretacija učenčevih idej, učinkovita povratna informacija, metakognicija, gradnja na produktivnih idejah, obravnavanje problematičnih idej