periodic table in 9 th grade textbooks: a critical analysis of the pedagogical approaches

8/4/2019 Periodic Table in 9 th grade textbooks: a critical analysis of the pedagogical approaches

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Periodic Table in 9thgrade textbooksa critical analysis of the pedagogical approaches

Orlando FigueiredoCeclia Galvo

Institute of Education University of Lisbon

Lyon, September 5th to 9th

www.ie.ul.pt


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Contents

2

Introduction The importance of textbooks

Contextualization of this work Purpose

The Periodic Table: a very short history

The Portuguese Curricula

Methodology

Results

Final Discussion

Figueiredo, O. & Galvo, C. Institute of Education University of Lisbon www.ie.ul.pt


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Introdu

ction

3

The importance of textbooks


As, by norm, a significant amount of teachers do not use syllabus andcurricula [] or construct their own materials, the textbooks authorsbecome the main interpreters of the official documents []. That is whywe claim that textbooks strongly influence what is going on in theclassroom.

[]

The mediating function between the intentional and the implementedcurricula is deviated from the teachers to the editors.

In accordance with UNESCOs primary mandate to promote peacethrough education, the foundation of its strategy to textbooks is basedon their potential as media for introducing new concepts, teaching skillsand shaping attitudes.

Apple, 2002, 2004; Morgado, 2004; UNESCO, 2005


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Introdu

ction

4

Work contextualization


In 2007/08 the Portuguese government approved a lawthat obliges the certification of all textbooks by amultidisciplinary commission of experts.

Science textbooks from 7th to 9th grade were evaluated by

two commissions one for Physics and Chemistry andanother to Biology and Geology headed by the samecoordinator (the second author of this presentation).

I was a member of the Physics and Chemistry team.


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Introdu

ction

5

Purpose


Understand the (degree of) compliance of textbooks with theNational Curricula suggestions to teach the Periodic Table to 9 th

grade students.


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ThePeriodic

Table

6

A very short history



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ThePeriodic

Table

7



In 1649 - Henning Brand (1630-1710)

a merchant and alchemist;

identifies phosphorus, the firstchemical element from moderntimes

.


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ThePeriodic

Table

8



1829 Johann Dobereiner (1780-1849)

Ca - Sr - Ba (1817)

Cl - Br - I andLi - Na - K (1829)

Dobereiner's Triads


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ThePeriodic

Table

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1862 - Beguyer deChancourtois (1820-1886)

Geologist

Published the first PTbased on atomic

weights


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ThePeriodic

Table

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1863/64 - John Newlands(1837-1898)

Newlands octaves

New version of thePeriodic Table consistingof columns of eightelements (an octave) withsimilar properties


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ThePeriodic

Table

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1864 - Lothar Meyer(1830-1895)

1869 - DimitriMendeleiev (1834-1907)


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ThePeriodic

Table

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1869 - DimitriMendeleiev

Loves to play solitairecards

Makes 63 cardscontaining the atomic

weight, physical andchemical properties of allknown elements


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ThePeriodic

Table

13



1913 Atomic Number

Henry Moseley (1887-

1915) corroborates theVan den Broekssuggestion that centralcharge in Rutherfords

atom was equal to its

position in the PeriodicTable.


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ThePeriodic

Table

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Although modernPeriodic Table issupported on thescientific concept of

atomic number andatomic theory, itsconstruction was mainlyan inductive processwith no theoreticalframework to sustain it.


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ThePo

rtugueseCurricula

15

Two documents



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ThePo

rtugueseCurricula

16

Curriculum


General and SpecificCompetencies

Global themes

Earth in Space Earth in transformation

Sustainability on Earth

Living better on earth

Main scientific subjects toteach in each theme


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ThePo

rtugueseCurricula

17

Guidelines


Emphasis on the SpecificCompetencies

Global themes: more

detailed approach to mainscientific subjects to teachin each theme

Suggestions of didacticstrategies and tasks


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ThePo

rtugueseCurricula

18

The Periodic Table


Emphasis on the Specific Competencies

Start with the Periodic Table (before the concept of

atomic number)

Students should group cards (made by them), withthe identification of the elements (not necessarily allelements from the PT) and their main physical andchemical properties, using criteria decided by them.

Discuss criteria used by students in grouping theelements

Ask students to group the element cards bysimilarity of chemical properties

Sustained by this new organization, introduce themodern Periodic Table

Investigate the reasons behind the fact that someelements have similar chemical properties.

Introduce the atomic structure and the concept ofatomic number as an explanation to the similarity of

chemical and physical properties

Global themes: more detailed approach to mainscientific subjects to teach in each theme

Suggestions of didactic strategies and tasks


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ThePo

rtugueseCurricula

19

The Periodic Table


Portuguese Curriculaadvices an inductivestrategy to teach theperiodic table subject.

Besides the scientificknowledge about thePeriodic Table, this strategyfacilitates the study of the

PT within the context of itsconstruction.


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Metho

dology

20Figueiredo, O. & Galvo, C. Institute of Education University of Lisbon www.ie.ul.pt

Categories

Content

analysis

(qualitative/interpretative)

Subject

organization

Innovative

Traditional

Type ofactivities Innovative

Traditional

Compliancewith Curricula

Full

Partial

Not Compliant


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Results


TextbookNumber of

schoolsusing it

Category A Category B Category C

A 34% (441) Traditional Traditional Not compliant

B 18% (238) Traditional Traditional Not compliant

C 18% (230) Traditional Traditional Not compliant

D 11% (145) Traditional Traditional Not compliant

E 7% (93) Innovative Traditional Not compliant

F 7% (93) Traditional Traditional Not compliant

G 5% (60) Traditional Traditional Not compliant

H 1% (8) Innovative InnovativePartially

compliant


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Results


Textbook A

Textbook D

Textbook F

Textbook G

739 (57%) schools

authors opted by atraditional approach

it introduces the atomicstructure and explains theconcept of atomic numberbefore the presentation ofthe periodic table;

textbook (D) has someinnovative tasks forstudents web and bookresearch and presentationof the results to the class;

textbook (F) is seriouslyworsened by severalscientific errors.


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Results


Textbook B

Textbook C

468 (36%) schools

the Table of Contentspresents the study of thePT before the atomicstructure. Howeverbefore introducing the PT,both textbooks present arather incomplete,summary, and confusedidea of the atomicnumber and proceedfrom there, to theperiodic tableexplanation;

both from the sameeditor.


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Results


Textbook E

93 (7%) schools

Textbook (E) does notuse the card activitysuggested in thecurricula, but it uses aninnovative approach tothe TP study. It presentsthe PT of the elementsdeparting from theelements characteristics

and not from theconstitution of the atom.However all the strategyis very expositive andtasks are very traditionaland induce the studentsinto a role of listen andreproduce.


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Results


Textbook H

8 (1%) schools

although it does not usethe card activitysuggested by thecurricula it shows asocio-constructivistapproach to the PT,complemented byactivities of the sametype;

textbook (H) is adopted byless then 1% of thePortuguese schools with9th grade classes.


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FinalD

iscussion


A big majority of Portuguese 9th grade Physics andChemistry textbooks do not comply with curricula

recommendations and prefer a deductive teachingstrategy to an inductive one;

A big majority of Portuguese 9th grade Physics andChemistry textbooks convey traditional teachingstrategies and traditional pictures of scientific

knowledge;

Criteria for science textbooks adoptions should bebetter understood by science education researchers.


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TheEnd

27Figueiredo O & Galvo C Institute of Education University of Lisbon www ie ul pt

Thanks for attention.

Merci pour votre attention.

Bem-haja pela vossa ateno.

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periodic table in 9 th grade textbooks: a critical analysis of the pedagogical approaches

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