Designing and evaluating a context-based lesson sequence promoting conceptual coherence in biology

Abstract

Context-based education, in which students deal with biological concepts in a meaningful way, is showing promise in promoting the development of students conceptual coherence. However, literature gives little guidance about how this kind of education should be designed. Therefore, our study aims at designing and evaluating the practicability of a context-based biology lesson sequence. Four design principles for conceptual coherence were defined: build upon familiar concepts; focus on core concepts; stimulate establishing connections between concepts; and reflect on these connections. These design principles have been elaborated into a lesson sequence about concepts related to cellular metabolism and the relevant connections between the concepts have been visualised in a reference concept map. The activities of teacher and students that were expected to contribute in establishing these connections were described in a research scenario. The lesson sequence was conducted in a 10th-grade class of 21 students, aged 15-16, in senior general secondary education. Data were collected from video-recordings in the classroom. The observed activities of the teacher and students were compared with the intended activities. The findings show that a research scenario is a powerful tool to systematically evaluate the design and to provide information for improving it.