Comparison of chemistry and general scientific tasks' procedure: Novices and experts' progress analysis
Abstract
Students' ability to solve problem tasks is seen by the OECD as key aspect of education. Research results (e.g.
PISA) indicate significant reserves of Czech pupils in this area (OECD, 2019). Teachers' active role in students' abilities development in schools is crucial.
The presented research focused on pre-service chemistry teachers' (PCTs) problem-solving ability. The aim was to map their adopted practices, strategies and hurdles of task-solving process.
The results, so far, include testing focused on solving chemical problem tasks (from Czech Curriculum) in comparison to general science tasks (from PISA). Both parts of the testing contained three tasks from different thematic units, designed for 15-year-olds.
These were assigned to all freshman PCTs at Faculty of Education, Charles University (N=33). They achieved relatively low results in chemistry tasks. 64% of students did not achieve a success-rate of 50% and only 6% PCTs achieved a 75-100% success rate.
In scientific-literacy focused tasks (PISA), their results were better. 32 % ranged in 75-100% success rate. To analyse these results, the qualitative method using eye-tracking, think-aloud and structured interviews was applied.
Three PCTs and three experts (Ph.D. candidates or post-docs) were assigned tasks similar to those from the first testing round. Results showed eye-movements patterns in PCTs and experts, were significantly different (p < .01) with a large effect-size (d = 1.216), mainly within the use of supporting information given in the task.
The perception of tasks also differed between PCTs and experts. Experts considered scientific (PISA) tasks more complex, with higher cognitive load compared to the chemistry tasks.
However, they scored better than the PCTs in both type of tasks. When solving chemistry task, even the successful PCT solved them only using memorised facts with no application of information given in the task.
The problems identified in PCTs' solving process showed a need to support PCTs' problem-solving strategies, especially: careful reading, identification of the main problem and use of given support. Similar results occurred in upper-secondary students (see Tóthová et al., 2021) Moreover, the results showed PCTs are not familiar with the complex tasks in the field-specific context.
Presenting chemistry tasks in more variability to PCTs and explaining their reason other than testing field-specific, separated, memorised information is therefore needed in order to, gradually, promote such tasks' use in classroom practice.