Peer review is a significant component in scientific research. Introducing peer review into inquiry processes may be regarded as an aim to develop student understanding regarding quality in inquiries. This study examines student understanding in inquiry peer reviews among pre-university chemistry students, aged 16–17, when they enact a design of a mimicked scholarly peer review. This design is based on a model of a human activity system. Twenty-five different schools in Brazil, Germany, Poland and The Netherlands participated. The students (n = 880) conducted in small groups (n = 428) open inquiries on fermentation. All groups prepared an inquiry report for peer review. These reports were published on a website. Groups were randomly paired in an internet symposium, where they posted review comments to their peers. These responses were qualitatively analyzed on small groups' level of understanding regarding seven categories: inquiry question, hypothesis, management of control variables, accurate measurement, presenting results, reliability of results, discussion and conclusion. The mimicked scholarly review prompted a collective practice. Student understanding was significantly well on presenting results, discussion and conclusion, and significantly less on inquiry question and reliability of results. An enacted design, based on a model of a human activity system, created student understanding of quality in inquiries as well as an insight in a peer-reviewing practice. To what extent this model can be applied in a broader context of design research in science education needs further study.Keywords: Design studyDiscourseChemistry education

[English below] In deze studie is onderzocht in hoeverre een ontworpen zelfevaluatie-instrument bruikbaar is voor het evalueren van de nauwkeurigheid, betrouwbaarheid en validiteit in onderzoek in de betavakken door leerlingen uit de bovenbouw van het vwo. Het instrument heeft vier ontwerpkarakteristieken, respectievelijk betreffende de inhoud (Concepts of Evidence-model), de mate van complexiteit (SOLO-taxonomie), gedetailleerdheid en algemene toepasbaarheid. In een ontwerpgericht onderzoek is de bruikbaarheid van het instrument voor het onderwijsproces onderzocht in een klas met 27 bovenbouw vwo-leerlingen in drie opeenvolgende onderzoeksmodules. Het door leerlingen en docent ingevulde instrument, lesobservaties, leerlingantwoorden uit interviews en vragenlijsten, en reflectieverslagen van de docent zijn geanalyseerd op vier criteria voor formatieve evaluatie. Geconcludeerd wordt dat de bovenbouw vwo-leerlingen met het instrument de nauwkeurigheid, betrouwbaarheid en validiteit in een onderzoek in voldoende mate zelfstandig kunnen evalueren in verschillende natuurwetenschappelijke onderzoekscontexten. Instrument for self-evaluation of accuracy, reliability and validity of inquiries by pre-university science students: an empirical study on feasibility This article considers the feasibility of the design of a self-evaluation instrument for pre-university science students with which they can evaluate the accuracy, reliability and validity of their inquiries. The design is based on four design characteristics: content (CoE-model), complexity (SOLO-taxonomy), extent of details and extent of generality. Design-based research is used to test the feasibility of the instrument in a class with 27 pre-university science students in three successive inquiry units. The analysed data are: the filled-out instrument, classroom observations, students’ responses in questionnaires and interviews, and teacher’s reflection reports. From this study it can be concluded that the four characteristics lead to a design of a self-evaluation instrument that is feasible for pre-university students to evaluate the accuracy, reliability and validity in different inquiry contexts.

Beishuizen, J., Dolmans, D., Van Driel, J., Wopereis, I., & Van Merrienboer, J. (2012). Het Interuniversitair Centrum voor Onderwijswetenschappen: terugblik en vooruitblik [The Interuniversity Centre for Educational Sciences: A retrospective and prospective view]. Pedagogische Studien, 89, 417-424.

The metaphor of scaffolding has been found to be a useful and inspiring metaphor to describe the temporary and tailored support a teacher can give to a student. However, its interactive nature makes the measurement of scaffolding difficult; to our knowledge, no instrument for measuring scaffolding in classroom situations is available. In this chapter, two different instruments for analysing the scaffolding process in teacher small-group interactions are presented. We focus on what we see as the most important feature of scaffolding: its adaptive nature, or its contingency. We build on two contingencyoriented frameworks, the more qualitative and general model of contingent teaching and the more quantitative and detailed micro-level contingent shift framework. We present an analysis of 29 interaction fragments from a larger corpus of data on scaffolding. In these interaction fragments, prevocational social studies teachers support students (7th and 8th grade; 12-15 years old) performing open-ended tasks. We present detailed analyses that demonstrate that both frameworks are suitable for exploring the variability in contingency in teacher – small-group interactions. The models are complementary in that the first, general model distinguishes different phases in scaffolding interactions and emphasises the importance of the first phase (that is, diagnostic strategies), while the second, micro-level model provides detailed insight into the extent to which teachers adapt their teaching in response to student actions and the nature of these adaptations. The model of contingent teaching appears to be especially useful for practice and for teachers’ professional development. The contingent shift framework appears to be the most useful for scientific purposes. 6 This chapter is based on: Van de Pol, J., Volman, M., Elbers, E., & Beishuizen, J. (2012). Measuring scaffolding in teacher – small-group interactions. In R. Gillies (Ed.), Pedagogy: New Developments in the Learning Sciences. Hauppage: Nova Science Publishers.