Problem Solving in Chemistry Supported by Metacognitive Scaffolding: Teaching Associates' Perspectives and Practices

Autor/inn/en	Vo, Kimberly; Sarkar, Mahbub; White, Paul J.; Yuriev, Elizabeth
Titel	Problem Solving in Chemistry Supported by Metacognitive Scaffolding: Teaching Associates' Perspectives and Practices
Quelle	In: Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 23 (2022) 2, S.436-451 (16 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Sarkar, Mahbub) ORCID (White, Paul J.) ORCID (Yuriev, Elizabeth)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1756-1108
DOI	10.1039/d1rp00242b
Schlagwörter	Problem Solving; Chemistry; Metacognition; Scaffolding (Teaching Technique); Teaching Assistants; Learner Engagement; Teaching Experience; Student Attitudes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Problemlösen; Chemie; Meta cognitive ability; Meta-cognition; Metakognitive Fähigkeit; Metakognition; Schülerverhalten
Abstract	Problem solving is a fundamental skill that chemistry graduates should possess, yet many students have difficulties solving problems in chemistry. These difficulties may be either student- or instructor-driven. Instructor-related difficulties could stem from some teaching practices, such as expecting students to apply procedures without requiring them to show their reasoning or solely focusing on worked examples. Such practices could inhibit the development of problem-solving skills. To address these challenges, our group developed a metacognitive scaffold (Goldilocks Help) to support both students and instructors through structured problem solving. This scaffold breaks down the problem-solving process into phases and places emphasis on reasoning required throughout that process. This study explored how teaching associates (TAs) used the problem-solving scaffold and how this practice affected their teaching and perceptions of student learning. Seven TAs based at a large research-intensive Australian university were interviewed, and the data were analysed using the framework approach. Teaching with the problem-solving scaffold was found to be beneficial, albeit with initial student resistance. The scaffold provided a common thinking structure between the TAs and students, enabling TAs to easily identify mistakes and address specific areas of concern. However, TAs also experienced students' attention shift from content to the scaffold. Initially, many students unproductively viewed the process as requiring two separate actions of solving the problem and being explicit about the problem-solving process they used, as opposed to an integrated activity. Through constant reinforcement and prompting by TAs during and prior to solving the problem, students continued to grasp how to effectively internalise the scaffold to assist their problem solving. Understanding how TAs use problem-solving scaffolds with students will add to the field of education research to inform innovations in supporting the development of students' problem-solving skills. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01