A1 Journal article (refereed)
Kitchen chemistry course for chemistry education students : influences on chemistry teaching and teacher education : a multiple case study (2020)

Nuora, P., & Välisaari, J. (2020). Kitchen chemistry course for chemistry education students : influences on chemistry teaching and teacher education : a multiple case study. Chemistry Teacher International, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2018-0021

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Nuora, Piia; Välisaari, Jouni

Journal or series: Chemistry Teacher International

eISSN: 2569-3263

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 2

Issue number: 1

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH

Publication country: Germany

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2018-0021

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/65148

Abstract

This study introduces the Kitchen Chemistry (KC) course and its influences on chemistry education as a whole. KC is considered to be a life-relevant learning environment that engages learners in science through the pursuit of personally relevant and meaningful goals. KC, as a form of interdisciplinary learning, aims to develop boundary-crossing skills and to support the development of pupils’ scientific thinking. The purpose of this research was to determine how KC as a context-based teaching approach applies to chemistry education and what it offers to chemistry teaching and teacher education. We found that KC gave lower secondary school pupils the opportunity to understand the chemical phenomena in a familiar context. Teachers of visiting groups saw that integration is the challenge: pupils often see the subjects of chemistry and home economics as separate entities. The chemistry education students highlighted real-world connections to chemistry concepts and contexts. They also found KC to be an interesting form of teaching chemistry. According to the KC course teachers, the students were motivated and excited, and provided positive feedback on the course. These findings suggest that teachers and teacher education students need to be guided in actively using integration.

Keywords: chemistry; food preparation; home economics (curriculum subjects); educational methods; teacher training; multidisciplinary research

Free keywords: context-based education; interdisciplinary learning; kitchen chemistry; life-relevant learning

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 0