Emergent theorizations in modelling the teaching of two science teachers

Abstract

As the main goal of this study is to understand the teacher’s thoughts and action when he/she is immersed in the activity of teaching, its purpose concerns the comprehension of the teacher’s practice. With this aim we describe the procedures used to model the teaching of two teachers with respect to the topic of Plant Diversity. Starting from the consideration of theoretical constructs of script, routine and improvisation, this modelisation basically corresponds to the microanalysis of the teacher’s beliefs, goals and knowledge, which are highlighted in the classroom activity. From such a modelisation some theorisations emerge, which correspond to abstractions gained from concrete cases. They allow us to bring to the foreground strong relationships between beliefs and actions, knowledge and objectives of the teacher in action. Envisaged as conjectures and not as generalisations, these abstractions could possibly be extended to other cases, as well as tested out with new case studies raising questions over their formulation or perhaps demonstrating that the limits of their applicability do not go beyond the original cases.