‘Integration of scientific practices into daily living contexts: a framework for the design of teaching-learning sequences’

ABSTRACT

This study concerns a framework for designing Teaching-Learning Sequences that aims to integrate the implementation of scientific practices in the context of daily problems. Said framework consists of three stages (formulation of the design principles, instructional design and design of the learning activities). It is based on four design principles: (1) the context-scientific model relationship as the axis around which the teaching-learning sequence is based, (2) scientific practices as tools for treating the problem and constructing the scientific model, (3) use of driven questions, and (4) promotion of knowledge transfer. Similarly, the choice of context, the proposal of questions, the drafting of objectives, selection of knowledge, design of the sequence of activities and design of the evaluation are important during instructional design. This framework has been used to design a teaching-learning sequence based on learning the lactic fermentation model in the context of yoghurt preparation such that argumentation, inquiry and modelling play a key role in the educational treatment. Implementation of this teaching-learning sequence has shown an improvement in the lactic fermentation models proposed by Spanish students aged 14–16 years. These findings are considered to be initial evidence for the utility of the teaching-learning sequence and the framework.

KEYWORDS:

• Integration of approaches
• context
• inquiry-based learning
• modelling
• argumentation
• teaching-learning sequence
• compulsory secondary education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The ‘Framework for K–12 Science Education’ report from the National Research Council (NRC, 2012) proposes the study of eight scientific practices: posing scientific questions, developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analysing and interpreting data, using mathematical and computations thought, constructing scientific explanations, using evidence-based argumentation, and obtaining, evaluating and communicating information.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Spanish Government: [Grant Numbers EDU2017- 82197-P and PID2019-105765GA-I00].