Abstract
Creating coherence between the content of science subjects has been a primary aim of certain reforms in science education and is often proposed in policy documents in various countries (Osborne and Dillon 2008 ; Schmidt et al. 2005 ; Osborne and Collins 2001 ). One of the problems that emerges
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from literature on coherence is the lack of consensus on its defi nition and conceptualization (Schmidt et al. 2005 ; Johnson and Ratcliff 2004 ). In this research, the emphasis will be on coherence between the secondary school subjects chemistry and biology. In current educational practice, chemistry and biology are often treated as completely independent and unrelated subjects (Bardeen and Lederman 1998 ). This is incongruent with current scientifi c practice, in which the emphasis is shifting towards more multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches (Bulte et al. 2006 ). However, chemical concepts like acid, pH, chemical reactions, and chemical bonds are frequently used in biological texts. Chemistry is considered to be a prerequisite for biology, and students are expected to grasp the interrelatedness of chemistry and biology by themselves. This study strives to contribute to the development of a learning and teaching (LT) strategy that emphasizes coherence between chemistry and biology from a students’ perspective for upper secondary, preuniversity students (grade 11, age 16–17). The aim of this research is to enable students to experience coherence between chemistry and biology in a context-based curriculum unit. Based on activity theory, a context is defined as a social practice: the culturally defined activity or activities performed by participants with common goals, motives, and use of a common set of tools. A social practice has also been denoted as an authentic practice (Boersma et al. 2005 ; Westbroek 2005 ). In this study, an authentic practice covering the domains of chemistry and biology will be used as a source of inspiration for the design and development of a curriculum unit. We will report on the results of the first research cycle. The central question addressed is: to what extent do students experience and express coherence between chemical and biological concepts by attending an authentic practice-based curriculum unit embodying the domains of chemistry and biology?
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