Domain-specific expertise of chemistry teachers on context-based education about macro-micro thinking in structure-property relations

Abstract

This study aims to determine and describe the new domain-specific expertise of experienced chemistry teachers in teaching an innovative context-based unit about macro– micro thinking in structure–property relations. The construct of ‘teachers’ domain-specific expertise’ was used to analyse the new repertoire chemistry teachers need to acquire to teach a context-based unit and achieve the intended effects of the curriculum innovation. A phenomenological approach of exploration and verification of teachers’ new repertoire resulted in the description of seven themes. These themes were related to the new aspects of the unit: the context-setting, the teacher’s role and the new content. In addition, the results show that the theoretical framework of teachers’ domain-specific expertise is feasible for the analysis and description of their new repertoire in the domain of teaching a contextbased unit. Further research is necessary to explore the use of the framework from the perspective of teachers’ professional development, where affective components in teachers’ learning processes play an important role.