Workshop 2
 Contents
|
Section J Relating to research case studies
| Activity
J1 |
Energy
transfer: research on teachers' transformations |
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Aims
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To consider some examples of case studies related to ‘Energy transfer’.
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To relate the case studies to the general findings of the research on teachers’
transformations.
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To review your own experience and compare it with the case study material.
Background
The ‘stories’ that you looked at in the first workshop, about the ways
in which teachers approach and implement curriculum innovation, were simplified
accounts drawn from real case studies. They were simplified because they
viewed the factors that affected teachers’ transformations in isolation.
Reality is more complex, since transformations are brought about not by
single factors, but by factors that overlap and interact with each other.
The case studies presented here attempt to capture some of that complexity.
They are about two student teachers, Farida and Man Pong, who are teaching
lessons about energy as part of their school experience.
What to do
1. Read the case studies in the document ‘Activity
Resource 1’ (‘Energy transfer’: case studies).
2. Consider the following questions in relation to these case
studies.
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To what extent do you think that these teachers have distinguished between
the concepts of ‘energy transformation’ and ‘energy transfer’?
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Which concept do they think is easier? How do they justify this?
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Was there consistency between their intentions, their explanations and
the resources that they used?
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If you had just observed these student teachers’ lessons, what discussion
might you have with them about the approach they used to teaching about
energy?
3. Read the document ‘Activity Resource
3’ (Transformation of curriculum innovation: dimensions of analysis),
which gives a summary of some findings of the research into teachers’ transformations.
These findings are expressed in general terms, without examples from particular
curriculum innovations. Can you relate any of the aspects identified in
this summary to the case studies or to your own experience? |
