Using Participatory Action Research to Develop a Course Module on Education for Sustainable Development in Pre-Service Chemistry Teacher Education
Keywords:
Education for Sustainable Development, Chemistry Education, Participatory Action Research, Teacher Education
Abstract
This paper describes the development of a course module on sustainability issues and Education for Sustainable Development in German pre-service chemistry teacher education. The module was inspired by empirical research findings about the knowledge base of student teachers. It was created and cyclically refined using Participatory Action Research. Experience gained during its three-year application will be reflected upon here, including feedback collected from student evaluation sheets. In the end, the participants responded extremely positively to the course. The student teachers stated that the module was interesting, relevant and valuable for their later profession as high school chemistry teachers. They also emphasised that they now felt more competent in the area of sustainability and ESD.
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References
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Spiropoulou, D., Antonakaki, T., Kontaxaki, S., & Bouras, S. (2007). Primary teachers’ literacy and attitudes on Education for Sustainable Development. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 16(4), 443–450.
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implementation. Environmental Education Research, 15(3), 315-342.
Anastas, P. T., & Warner, J. C. (1998). Green Chemistry Theory and Practice. New York: Oxford University.
Anderson, R., & Helms, J. V. (2001). The ideal of standards and the reality of schools: Needed Research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(1), 3–16.
Bodner, G., MacIsaac, D., & White, S. (1999). Action Research: Overcoming the sports mentality approach to assessment/evaluation. University Chemistry Education, 3(1), 31–36.
Bradley, J. D. (2005). Chemistry education for development. Chemical Education International, 7. Retrieved July 01 2011, from http://old.iupac.org/publications/cei/vol6/index.html
Burmeister, M., & Eilks, I. (2012). An example of learning about plastics and their evaluation as a contribution to Education for Sustainable Development in secondary school chemistry teaching. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 13(2), 93–102.
Burmeister, M., & Eilks, I. (2013). Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung (BnE) in der Chemielehrerbildung – ein Projekt Partizipativer Aktionsforschung. Chemie konkret, 20(2), advance
article.
Burmeister, M., Jokmin, S., & Eilks, I. (2011). Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung und Green Chemistry im Chemieunterricht. Chemie konkret, 18(2), 123–128.
Burmeister, M., Rauch, F., & Eilks, I. (2012). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and secondary chemistry education. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 13(2), 59–68.
Burmeister, M., Schmidt-Jacob, S., & Eilks, I. (2013). German chemistry teachers’ understanding of sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development – An interview case study. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 14(2), advance article.
Centi, G., & Perathoner, S. (2009). From green to sustainable chemistry. In F. Cavani, G. Centi, S. Perathoner, & F. Trifiro (Eds.), Sustainable industrial processes (pp. 1–72). Weinheim: Wiley-VCH.
Coffey, M. (2011). Green chemistry: Development of an educational board game. Paper presented at the Variety in Chemistry Education Conference, York, UK.
DGfE (2004). Memorandum zur Lehrerbildung für eine Nachhaltige Entwicklung (BfnE). Retrieved April 30, 2012, from www.umweltbildung.uni-osnabrueck.de/Dgfe-bne/Forschung
ECCC (1993). Chemistry for a clean world. The Hague: European Communities Chemistry Council.
Eilks, I. (accepted for publication). Action Research in science education – From a general justification to a specific model in practice. In F. Rauch, A. Schuster, A. Townsend, & T. Stern (Eds.),
Bringing a Different World into Existence: Action research as a trigger for innovations. London: Routledge.
Eilks, I., & Markic, S. (2011). Effects of a long-term Participatory Action Research project on science teachers’ professional development. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 7(3), 149–160.
Eilks, I., & Ralle, B. (2002). Participatory Action Research in chemical education. In B. Ralle & I. Eilks, Research in Chemical Education – What does this mean? (pp. 87–98). Aachen: Shaker.
Eilks, I., Markic, S., & Witteck, T. (2010). Collaborative innovation of the science classroom by Participatory Action Research – Theory and practice in a project of implementing cooperative
learning methods in chemistry education. In M. ValenÄiÄ Zuljan & J. Vogrinc (Eds.), Facilitating Effective Student Learning through Teacher Research and Innovation (pp. 77–101). Ljubljana:
University of Ljubljana.
Eilks, I., Nielsen, J. A., & Hofstein, A. (accepted for publication). Learning about the role of science in public debate as an essential component of scientific literacy. In C. Bruguière, P. Clément, & A. Tiberghien (Eds.), Book of selected presentations, ESERA Conference Lyon 2011. Dordrecht: Springer.
Eilks, I., Rauch, F., Ralle, B., & Hofstein, A. (2013). How to balance the chemistry curriculum between science and society. In I. Eilks & A. Hofstein (Eds.), Teaching Chemistry – A studybook (pp.
1-36). Rotterdam: Sense.
Feierabend, T., Jokmin, S., & Eilks, I. (2011). Chemistry teachers’ views on teaching ‘Climate Change’ – An interview case study from research-oriented learning in teacher education. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 11(1), 85–91.
Haney, J. J., Czerniak, C. M., & Lumpe, A. T. (1996). Teacher beliefs and intentions regarding the implementation of science education reform strands. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(9), 971–993.
Hartings, M. R., & Fahy, D. (2011). Communicating chemistry for public engagement. Nature Chemistry, 3(9), 674–677.
Hofstein, A., Eilks, I., & Bybee, R. (2011). Societal issues and their importance for contemporary science education: a pedagogical justification and the state of the art in Israel, Germany and the USA. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 9(6), 1459–1483.
Khalid, T. (2003). Pre-service high school teachers’ perceptions of three environmental phenomena. Environmental Education Research, 9(1), 35–50.
KMK (2007). Empfehlung der Ständigen Konferenz der Kultusminister der Länder in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (KMK) und der Deutschen UNESCO-Kommission (DUK) vom
15.06.2007 zur „Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Schule«. Retrieved April 30 2012, from www.kmk.org/fileadmin/pdf/PresseUndAktuelles/2007/KMK-DUK-Empfehlung.pdf
Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Eilks, I. (2012). Action research to promote chemistry teachers’ professional development – Cases and experiences from Israel and Germany. International Journal of Mathematics and Science Education, 10(3), 581-610.
Meadows, D., Randers, J., & Meadows, D. (1972). Limits to growth. New York: Universe.
McIntyre, D. (2005). Bridging the gap between research and practice. Cambridge Journal of Education, 35(3), 357–382.
Papdimitriou, V. (2004). Prospective primary teachers’ understanding of climate change, greenhouse effect, and ozone layer depletion. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 13, 299–307.
Rieß, W. & Mischo, C. (2008). Evaluationsbericht „Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) an weiterführenden Schulen in Baden-Württemberg«. Stuttgart: Umweltministerium Baden-
Württemberg.
Sadler, T. D. (2011). Socio-scientific Issues in the Classroom. Dordrecht: Springer.
Seybold, H.-J. & Rieß, W. (2006). Research in environmental education and Education for Sustainable Development in Germany: the state of the art. Environmental Education Research, 12(1),
47–63.
Spiropoulou, D., Antonakaki, T., Kontaxaki, S., & Bouras, S. (2007). Primary teachers’ literacy and attitudes on Education for Sustainable Development. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 16(4), 443–450.
Summers, M., & Childs, A. (2007). Student science teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development: an empirical study of three postgraduate training cohorts. Research in Science & Technological Education, 25(3), 307–327.
Transfer 21 (without year). Orientierungshilfe Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Sekundarstufe I Begründungen, Kompetenzen, Lernangebote.
UNCED (1992). Agenda 21. Retrieved July 10 2011, from www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/
UNESCO (2005a). World decade of education for sustainable development. Retrieved July 10 2011, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/educationfor-sustainable-development/
UNESCO (2005b). Guidelines and recommendations for reorienting teacher education to address sustainability. Retrieved July 10 2011, from unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001433/143370e.pdf
Ware, S. A. (2001). Teaching chemistry from a societal perspective. Pure and Applied Chemistry, 73(7), 1209–1214.
Whyte, W. F., Greenwood, D. J., & Lazes, P. (1989). Participatory Action Research. The American Behavioral Scientist, 32(5), 513–551.
Zachariou, A., & Kadji-Beltran, C. (2009). Cypriot primary school principals’ understanding of education for sustainable development key terms and their opinions about factors affecting its
implementation. Environmental Education Research, 15(3), 315-342.
Published
2013-03-31
How to Cite
Burmeister, M., & Eilks, I. (2013). Using Participatory Action Research to Develop a Course Module on Education for Sustainable Development in Pre-Service Chemistry Teacher Education. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 3(1), 59-78. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.251
Section
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