Research has shown the importance of dealing with real-life issues and of enabling student encounters with complexity in chemistry education in order to increase student participation. Therefore, this study aims to analyse how complexity evolves in students’ discussions and how this complexity relates to aspects of tentativeness in chemistry. In the study, we analyse how a previously developed didactic model can be refined from the students’ considerations evolving from the present context. The study was conducted as an in situ study in one upper-secondary school. Students’ discussions were recorded on video. The recordings were transcribed and analysed using deliberative educational questions. Two different kinds of considerations emerged in the students’ discussions: factual and exploratory considerations. While factual considerations are an important element of chemistry education, students also need to encounter exploratory considerations. The study proposes a didactic model useful for teachers in didactic analysis and design of activities aiming to support students to unfold complexity through exploratory considerations. One implication is to base activities on real-life issues in order to invite the unpredictability needed for experiencing complexity and the exploratory nature of chemistry. These issues enable students to experience aspects of tentativeness in chemistry and thereby increase their understanding of NOS and chemistry as a knowledge building practice. Furthermore, this might also increase student participation in chemistry education.

En viktig målsättning för naturvetenskaplig undervisning är att utveckla förmågan att formulera undersökningsbara frågor. Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka hur undervisning som utformats med hjälp av metoden Question Formulation Technique (QFT) kan stödja utveckling av elevers förmåga att formulera naturvetenskapligt undersökningsbara frågor. QFT är en modell för att utveckla elevers förmåga att formulera och värdera sina egna frågor i allmänhet. I studien prövas QFT i en svensk skolkontext och inom ramen för naturvetenskaplig undervisning. Studien genomfördes som en interventionsstudie i gymnasieskolan och inom ramen för kursen Gymnasiearbete. I kursen ska eleverna genomföra en egen naturvetenskaplig undersökning. QFT användes för att utforma undervisning som del av introduktionen till kursen. Data består av videoinspelningar av elevsamtal från undervisning som har analyserats utifrån ett pragmatiskt ramverk med organiserande syften och praktisk epistemologisk analys. Resultaten visar vilka närliggande syften som etableras i elevernas samtal om undersökningsbara frågor i undervisningen: (A) att producera så många frågor som möjligt, (B) att bedöma vilka frågor som är mest relevanta, (C) att kategorisera frågor, (D) att hitta och specificera ett undersökningsobjekt och (E) att planera för att genomföra en undersökning. Slutsatsen är att QFT kan fungera som stöd för lärares planering av undervisning om naturvetenskapligt undersökningsbara frågor under förutsättning att läraren aktivt stödjer eleverna i att uppmärksamma centrala kvaliteter avseende undersökningsbarhet och genom att binda samman närliggande syften med det övergripande syftet. In English An important goal for science education is to develop students’ ability to formulate questions of inquiry. The aim of this study is to investigate if science teaching designed from the method “Question Formulation Technique” (QFT) can support the development of this ability. QFT is a model for developing students' ability to phrase and evaluate questions in general which has been developed in a US context. In this study QFT is used in a Swedish context and within upper secondary school science education. The study is an intervention study where QFT was used as part of the introduction to Diploma work in the final year of upper secondary school. During the diploma work students are expected to conduct their own scientific investigations. The data consists of video recordings of student conversations while working with the formulation of questions for inquiry as part of a research lesson designed using QFT. Data was analyzed using a pragmatic approach of combining practical epistemological analysis (PEA) and organising purposes. The results show that five proximate purposes were established in the student conversations while the students engaged in formulating and refining questions of inquiry based on the QFT model. The five proximate purposes were: (A) to produce as many questions as possible, (B) to assess which questions are most relevant, (C) to categorize questions, (D) to find and specify the object of inquiry and (E) plan to conduct an inquiry. In conclusion, QFT can support the planning of teaching in relation to the ultimate purpose regarding how to formulate and refine questions of inquiry provided that the teacher actively participates to support students in connecting the established proximate purposes with the ultimate purpose. Fulltext in Swedish.

Denna studie fokuserar på innebörder av att kunna formulera undersökningsbara frågor i naturvetenskap. Studien tar utgångspunkt i naturvetenskapligt undersökande som epistemiskt arbete. Den forskningsfråga som undersöks är: Vilka kvalitativa aspekter av kunnande kommer till uttryck i gymnasieelevers arbete med att formulera naturvetenskapligt undersökningsbara frågor? Studien har genomförts som en designbaserad studie med sex interventioner på gymnasiet där eleverna i den genomförda undervisningen har fått i uppgift att, i olika sammanhang, formulera undersökningsbara frågor. Data innefattar film- och ljudinspelningar och har analyserats med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultaten synliggör tre kvalitativa aspekter av att formulera undersökningsbara frågor: Precisering av det epistemiska objektet, Operationalisering av det epistemiska objektet samt Värdering av frågeställningen i relation till det epistemiska objektet. Epistemic tools for the formulation of questions for scientific inquiry The development of students' capabilities to engage in scientific inquiry is part of the science curricula across the educational system. The purpose of this study is to explore the capability to formulate questions for scientific inquiry. The research question is: Which qualitative aspects of knowing are enacted in upper-secondary school students' work with formulating questions for scientific inquiry? The study was conducted as a design-based research study with six interventions in upper-secondary school science education. Data include video and audio recordings. The analysis was conducted as a qualitative content analysis. The results show three qualitative aspects of knowing how to formulate research questions: Discerning and nuancing the epistemic object, Operationalizing the epistemic object and Evaluating a question for scientific inquiry in relation to the epistemic object.

Undersokande arbetssatt betonas som en viktig del i naturvetenskaplig undervisning (Hofstein & Lunetta, 2004), och elever forvantas utveckla formagan att formulera egna fragor som en del av sit ...

Att utveckla gymnasieelevers formagor att formulera, vardera och precisera naturvetenskapligt undersokningsbara fragor

To meet future challenges regarding sustainability issues, science education needs to address how to educate scientifically literate and responsible citizens. One aspect of this is how to draw students’ attention to the complexity in sustainability issues. Therefore, this study analyses how complexity can become visible in students’ deliberations. The study has been conducted as an in-situ study at two upper secondary schools. The data was analysed using Practical Epistemological Analysis (PEA) and Deliberative Educational Questions (DEQ). The results show that four different kinds of considerations were used to visualise complexity. Those considerations regarded facts and values in relation to known and unknown facts. The considerations were used to develop a didactic model. Design principles were also developed, which together with the model can support teachers in didactic analyses regarding complex sustainability issues in chemistry education. Furthermore, the study shows that chemistry education can contribute to development of Bildung and democratic citizenship.