0000000001038652
AUTHOR
Piia Nuora
Adolescents' perception of scientific inquiry in nature : a drawing analysis
This study was carried out to determine adolescents’ perception of scientific inquiry (SI) in nature and the effect of a science camp on those perceptions. Eleven science campers (14 to 16 years old) participated in this research during a science camp. Pre- and post-test included open questions and drawing tasks. The campers’ drawings were analyzed to assess their out-of-school perceptions related to SI. The aim was to clarify what phases and factors the campers associated with SI in nature, and how their perceptions differ after participating at a science camp. The findings suggest that the phases of SI were well known before the camp, but minor developments in campers’ perceptions of the …
Evaluation of a Chemistry Concept Inventory for general chemistry students at Finnish university
A chemistry concept inventory (Chemical Concept Inventory 3.0/CCI 3.0), previously developed for use
 in Norwegian universities, was tested and evaluated for use in a Finnish university setting. The test,
 designed to evaluate student knowledge and learning of chemistry concepts, was administered as both
 pre- and posttest in first year general chemistry courses at the University of Jyväskylä. The results were
 evaluated using different statistical tests, focusing both on individual item analysis and the entire test.
 Some individual questions were found to be not discriminating or reliable enough or too difficult, yet the
 results, as a whole, indicate that th…
Narrative Study of Teacher Students' Experiences on an Experimental Chemistry Field Course in Finland
The aim of this study was to investigate chemistry teacher students’ experiences of an experimental chemistry field course. A narrative approach was used because the aim was to obtain authentic reports. The study participants (N = 8) had all taken part in an experimental chemistry field course between 2013 and 2015. The teacher students reported that once they had participated in the field course, they were ready to teach science outside the classroom with students in future. Without the field course, they would be less likely to do so. The results indicate that chemistry teacher students feel they need more training in different learning environments. peerReviewed
Drawing Cartoon Strips as a Learning Tool in Fostering the Learning of Titration in Pre-service Chemistry Education
In this study, static visual displays of titration created by the university-level pre-service chemistry education students was investigated. The aim for the students was to learn the theory of titrations, using self-prepared cartoon strips with supportive texts. Attention was paid to the titration cartoon strips students made which were suitable for both learning and teaching purposes. The basis of this study was students’ own drawings: students observed and visualized the titration process, and built their own representation of it. Simple models were created using pencil and paper. The goals were to determine how students regard the learning tool, how drawing cartoon strips helps their le…
Building natural science learning through youth science camps
This study focuses on a youth science camp for pupils in sixth to ninth grades that is organized annually by the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The main idea of the science camp is to learn to do guided inquiry in nature. The study investigates the significance of science camp for encouraging young participants to learn science and how the camp supports their learning. The research method used was a survey. Altogether, 47 youth participated in the camp in 2012 and 2013. The results show that the participants wanted to learn more about science than secondary school could offer, and science camp had a positive impact on their interest in science. It was possible to introduce important conc…
The role of guidance in student engagement with chemistry studies
During recent years, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Jyväskylä has made an extensive effort to support chemistry students’ first study year. The first-year curriculum includes enhanced study counselling course, intensive orientation course and support for academic study skills via a specific course. In this study, the effects of the revisions were studied by exploring the chemistry students study continuation and what factors contributed to it. In 2015 to 2017, data were collected from first-year chemistry students (n = 106), who completed a questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of their first semester. The results show that the percentage of dropout rates after t…
Kitchen chemistry course for chemistry education students: influences on chemistry teaching and teacher education – a multiple case study
AbstractThis 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 che…
Student experiences of project-based learning in an analytical chemistry laboratory course in higher education
Abstract This study describes students’ experiences in project-based learning (PjBL) incorporated as part of a revised undergraduate analytical chemistry laboratory course. We examined which phases were the easiest as well as the most challenging and what student skills developed during the research project. The research data were collected between 2016 and 2018 via two questionnaires. They were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. One questionnaire focused on the whole course (in 2016–2018, n = 127) of which only the answers on the research project questions were analyzed. The other questionnaire focused on only the research project (in 2018, n = 42). Based on the results of our…
Keitä opetamme ja mitä he oppivat? Käsite- ja asennetestit kemian peruskurssien opetuksen arvioinnin ja kehittämisen työkaluina
Jotta opetusta voidaan tehokkaasti kehittää, tulisi tuntea sekä opiskelijoiden lähtötaso että opiskelijoiden ajattelussa tapahtuvat muutokset kurssin aikana. Jyväskylän yliopiston kemian laitoksella selvitettiin näitä asioita kahdella testillä, joista toinen mittasi kemian käsitteiden ymmärtämistä ja toinen opiskelijoiden käsityksiä ja asenteita kemian oppimiseen liittyen. Kokeilu toteutettiin syksyllä 2016 kahdella ensimmäisellä kemian perusopintojen kurssilla siten, että opiskelijat testattiin ensimmäisen kurssin alussa ja toisen kurssin lopussa. Tässä artikkelissa esitellään testituloksia opiskelijoiden ajattelusta sekä siinä tapahtuneista muutoksista kurssien aikana ja pohditaan näiden …