Students' involvement in authentic modelling practices as contexts in chemistry education

Abstract

In science education students should come to understand the nature and significance of models. A promising strategy to achieve this goal is using authentic modelling practices as contexts for meaningful learning of models and modelling. An authentic practice is defined as professionals working with common motives and purposes, pertaining to a similar type of procedure and applying relevant knowledge on the modelling issue they work on. In this study we evaluate whether the use of authentic practices initiates adequate students' involvement. This was done by investigating students' interests, ownership, familiarity and complexity. In addition, we evaluated students' expressed modelling proced..