Didactics and Epistemology of Chemistry II [SAGRM207]

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will be able to

- Identify and use the major concepts in science or chemistry education research seen during the course: didactic transposition, scientific knowledge, school knowledge,  chemistry triplet, levels of knowledge.

- Organise and justify a teaching/learning plan for ten given chemistry concepts, relating to the 4th, 5th and 6th year of secondary education (general AND qualifying orientation);

- Define a chemistry concept using the levels of knowledge

- Give concrete examples of contextualised situations adapted to the concepts of chemistry in the second and third degrees of general and qualifying education

- Describe, criticise and/or justify a teaching method used to teach one of the chemistry concepts covered during the course.

- Solve a stoichiometric problem using methods learned in class

- Describe the  difficulties experienced by students in relation to the chemistry concepts covered in the course (4th to 6th year)

- Recognise, distinguish and predict the conditions for carrying out a redox/acid-base reaction

- Propose a teaching-learning approach incorporating the STEAM aspects covered in the course

- Recognise an OQHERIC approach, an inquiry-based method and suggest ways of transforming a given approach into an inquiry-based method

Objectives

The objectives of this course are

• to prepare students to teach chemistry in secondary schools in relation to the school curriculum

• to construct learning sequences (theory, exercises and practical work)

• develop and critique methodologies for learning chemistry

• describe and identify the main epistemological trends in sciences

• identify the main difficulties encountered by students in teaching chemistry and provide appropriate didactic solutions

• to observe and analyse the practices of chemistry and experimental science teachers in secondary schools;

Content

The course includes :

• An exploration of current and future chemistry curricula and syllabuses in high school and university ;

• An upgrade in the mastery of the knowledge to be taught;

• An analysis of classical didactic devices related to process teaching-learning (focus on 5th and 6th year courses);

• A reflective review of the didactic difficulties encountered during the teaching practice;

• A critical approach to inquiry in the classroom;

• A presentation of the main epistemological currents applied to chemistry, and their consequences on students' conceptions;

• An analysis of the specific constraints of evaluations in science, including external evaluations;