Identifying research foci

Identifying research foci to progress chemistry education as a field

One of my publications is:

 

Taber, K. S. (2017). Identifying research foci to progress chemistry education as a field. Educación Química, 28 (2), pp.66-73.

d.o.i.: 10.1016/j.eq.2016.12.001

 

 

 

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Abstract:

Chemistry education is now increasingly seen as an academic field of scholarship in its own right. This article suggests two important principles to be taken into account when considering the question ‘What should be the key foci for chemistry education research (CER)?’. The first of these applies a typology that divides research into chemistry classrooms as inherent (‘essential’), embedded (‘entangled’) or collateral (‘incidental’), according to the extent to which the research is conceptualised in terms of issues that arise in teaching and learning the specific subject matter of chemistry. It is important for the development of the field that inherent CER is particularly encouraged. The second principle relates to what makes a field scientific. Here it is suggested that research needs to have a programmatic nature so that the field does not just accumulate more studies, but is seen to progress by allowing new researchers to effectively be inducted and then build upon existing work.

[La educación química se está estableciendo como un campo académico con su propia identidad y características. Este artículo sugiere dos importantes principios que deben tomarse en cuenta al hacer la pregunta: ¿cuál debería ser el enfoque de la investigación en educación química (Chemical Education Research)? El primer principio aplica una tipología que divide la investigación en las clases de química como inherente («esencial»), incrustada («involucrada») o colateral («incidental»), de acuerdo con el grado en el que la investigación se conceptualiza en términos de asuntos que surgen en la ensen ̃anza y el aprendizaje de contenido específico en el área de la química. Para el desarrollo del campo de la educación química es importante que se favorezca la investigación en educación química clasificada como inherente. El segundo principio se relaciona con qué es lo que hace que un campo sea científico. Aquí se sugiere que la investigación necesita tener una naturaleza programática, de forma que el campo no solamente acumule más estudios, sino que progrese al permitir que los nuevos investigadores sean inducidos al campo y construyan sobre el trabajo existente.]

Keywords:
  • CER[Chemistry Education Research];
  • Chemistry education as a field;
  • Research programmes

Contents:

  • What makes a research manuscript count as SER, or CER?
  • A typology of research in subject based teaching and learning
  • The need for intrinsic foci for research in chemistry education
  • Intrinsic concerns of science education
  • Intrinsic concerns of chemistry education
  • Taking a scientific approach – developing research programmes in CER
  • Taking CER forward

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