Mónica Baptista

Curriculum Conception, Implementation and Evaluation: An Experience

Aligned with the new trends in curriculum studies, the Portuguese physical and natural sciences curriculum of basic education was reorganised by introducing several new ideas and principles, such as the notion of competence, the development of adequate learning experiences, an emphasis on formative assessment of students and the idea of flexible management of the curriculum. In order to promote changes in teachers’ practices and conceptions, the reorganisation of the curriculum involved a complex process of implementation. However, this process of curriculum change was stopped abruptly due to a change in government. This chapter’s goals are to describe the process of curriculum change, how teachers interpret and implement the science curriculum and the factors that affect the way the curriculum is implemented. We analysed data from three types of studies: (a) a nationwide study focused on teachers’ perspectives regarding the science curriculum, (b) a meta-analysis of several comprehensive Portuguese studies and (c) a multiple case study involving five schools. Results show that teachers modified certain practices not according to the original intentions of the curriculum, but according to how they perceived and experienced some of the constraints and their educational and school contexts. These results support the idea that it is essential to create structures capable of responding to the emerging training needs of teachers. The creation of communities of practice involving educational researchers and teachers may facilitate discussion and reflection about the curriculum, providing teachers with resources to accomplish innovations and for providing them with feedback about the work they are developing.

CURSOS DE EDUCAÇAO E FORMAÇÃO: UMA OPORTUNIDADE PARA QUESTIONAR PRÁTICAS DE SALA DE AULA E RECONSTRUIR IDENTIDADES ESCOLARES

Este estudo tem como objectivo conhecer o impacto de activi- dades investigativas em aulas de Fisica e Quimica na reconstrucao de identidades escolares. Estudaram-se tres turmas do ensino secundario de um curso de Educacao e Formacao. Participaram 28 alunos, com historias pesadas de insucesso escolar, aos quais se fez uma entrevista em grupo focado. Recorreu-se a um metodo de analise de conteudo. Os dados suge rem um percurso, inicial, feito de insucessos, assente em identidades esco lares negativas, que nao sendo passiveis de ser re-avaliadas ou restauradas, geram vontade de abandonar a escola. Para alem disso sugerem que novas experiencias pedagogicas e curriculares podem facilitar a reconstrucao dessas identidades e a emergencia de novas formas de se relacionar com a escola e com o saber escolar.

Compreendendo a aprendizagem da linguagem científica na formação de professores de ciências

After the contextualization of the Portuguese curricular basic school science reform an innovative didactic work proposal to be applied in the classroom by science teachers are presented – “design-based research”. With this approach we intend to answer to the teachers and researchers problems like the implementation of research-oriented practice and to decrease the gap between educational research and teacher practice. The above-mentioned approach integrates the scientific language teaching, crucial for scientific literacy and scientific culture. The teachers’ training, as a challenge to solve those problems is a privileged field for analysis. Key-words: design-based research; curricular reform in Portugal; Didactics of science teaching; scientific language; training of science teachers.

Fitting Lesson Study to the Portuguese Context

The adaptation of lesson study to different national contexts raises problems that are attracting the attention of researchers. In this chapter, we show how we have conducted lesson study in Portugal, taking into account the national educational context and our perspective on the teaching of mathematics, the exploratory mathematics curriculum approach, with particular attention on the development of students’ mathematical reasoning. We present two examples of lesson study, one conducted with in-service teachers of grades 5–6 and another in initial teacher education with prospective teachers of grades 7–12. We reflect on what we have identified as the main obstacles to the realization of lesson study in these contexts due to cultural factors and teachers’ concerns. We conclude with a summary of the adaptations that we have made in this teacher education process, with a view to the suitability and potential of lesson study in our country.

Teachers’ involvement and learning in a lesson study

The aim of this study is to analyse the way a group of basic education teachers got involved in a lesson study and their views, as they discuss the features of tasks, students’ expected difficulties and how to conduct exploratory work in the mathematics classroom. The conceptual framework draws on notions of task design and considers the features of lesson study. Data collection was made through a research journal made by one of the authors in the role of observer, video recording with transcription of the sessions, teachers’ written reflections and interviews. The results underscore the value of focusing on students’ reasoning in working in mathematical tasks as well as the need to address affective issues, regarding the way teachers are invited to become involved and participate in lesson studies.

Let’s save the bees! An environmental activism initiative in elementary school

Science education research emphasizes the need to engage students in socio-scientific issues, empowering them to act in a substantiated manner. This study aims to understand the potential of a collective action initiative, focused on the decreasing honey production issue, and on the students’ empowerment for action. A qualitative research methodology was used with an interpretative stance. The participants were 26 3 rd grade students and their teacher. Data was collected from the students written documents, and through an interview with the teacher. Results show that students’ engagement in collective action focused on the decreasing honey production issue, required them to mobilize their scientific knowledge to support their actions, as well as the development of several other competences. Students also became aware of the importance, for every citizen, to substantiate their knowledge in order to act, that acting is crucial to overcome issues that may persist and impact future generations, and that only by engaging in action can change take place. Another highlight was the students’ strong engagement in collective action, allowing them to raise awareness this issue in their local community.

Aprendizagens profissionais de professores dos primeiros anos participantes num estudo de aula

*** *** **** RESUMO: O estudo de aula e um processo formativo que leva os professores a refletirem, atraves de um trabalho eminentemente colaborativo, sobre a sua pratica profissional. Trata-se de uma experiencia que envolve tres momentos principais: planejamento, observacao da aula, e reflexao pos-aula e seguimento. O seu objetivo e criar condicoes para uma maior compreensao dos processos de raciocinio dos alunos por parte dos professores e, assim, contribuir para o seu desenvolvimento profissional. Neste artigo, analisamos as possibilidades formativas dos estudos de aula no que se refere as aprendizagens profissionais dos professores relativas a pratica letiva, com enfoque na selecao de tarefas e na analise do raciocinio dos alunos, bem como a sua visao da colaboracao e reflexao profissional. Para isso, seguiu-se uma metodologia qualitativa e interpretativa, tendo por base a observacao participante. O estudo de aula que apresentamos decorreu num Agrupamento de Escolas, situado numa zona rural, e envolveu cinco professoras dos primeiros anos e uma equipe do Instituto de Educacao. Os resultados reforcam a ideia de que os estudos de aula podem proporcionar aos professores um olhar mais atento sobre a natureza das tarefas a propor em sala de aula e leva-los a valorizar mais os processos de raciocinio dos seus alunos. Alem disso, este trabalho evidencia o contributo do estudo de aula para o desenvolvimento de um trabalho colaborativo entre professores e para a sua valorizacao da reflexao. Palavras-Chave: Estudo de aula. Desenvolvimento profissional. Tarefas. Colaboracao. Reflexao.