‘Integration of scientific practices into daily living contexts: a framework for the design of teaching-learning sequences’

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study concerns a framework for designing Teaching-Learning Sequences that aims to integrate the implementation of scientific practices in the context of daily problems. Said framework consists of three stages (formulation of the design principles, instructional design and design of the learning activities). It is based on four design principles: (1) the context-scientific model relationship as the axis around which the teaching-learning sequence is based, (2) scientific practices as tools for treating the problem and constructing the scientific model, (3) use of driven questions, and (4) promotion of knowledge transfer. Similarly, the choice of context, the proposal of questions, the drafting of objectives, selection of knowledge, design of the sequence of activities and design of the evaluation are important during instructional design. This framework has been used to design a teaching-learning sequence based on learning the lactic fermentation model in the context of yoghurt preparation such that argumentation, inquiry and modelling play a key role in the educational treatment. Implementation of this teaching-learning sequence has shown an improvement in the lactic fermentation models proposed by Spanish students aged 14–16 years. These findings are considered to be initial evidence for the utility of the teaching-learning sequence and the framework.