Research and Design teachers’, and students’ frame of reference around the concept of 'model’.

Abstract

This pilot study investigates the way that young students and teachers of a Dutch Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) secondary school subject Research and Design (R&D) reason about the concept of ‘model’. The core of the Dutch Technasium secondary school course Research and Design curriculum (R&D is in Dutch called Onderzoeken en Ontwerpen O&O) is to involve students in real-life design (or research) problems with a problem owner at a company or organisation. Students explore the nature of the design problem, establish a design brief, explore possible solutions and work out one option into a design, a prototype or a product depending on the level of complexity. Students work and learn in teams coached by Technasium teachers. Some secondary school teachers are qualified to teach at Technasium if they obtain a certificate from the Technasium foundation through a number of short training courses. They are originally teachers in various subjects like mathematics, physics, physical exercise, language and so on. The other part of the teachers has a teaching degree in R&D next to a degree in engineering. Thanks to different backgrounds the teachers offer a variety of angles and know-how in different fields of expertise needed during a R&D activities. Such a composition is enriching and STEM supporting at the level of knowledge transfer. It is clear that some R&D teachers have no design pre-knowledge. A pilot survey of R&D students and teachers on the concept of ‘model’ within design activities unexpectedly showed similar doses of confusion about the concept of ‘model’ among students and teachers. Therefore, when asked to teach a concept of ‘model’ in design related activities teachers provided a different definition of concept. Often a physically built scale ‘model’ or prototype is the form of ‘model’ they recognize in designing. The danger of such an approach is that the students obtain different, incomplete, or incorrect knowledge about the concept of ‘model’ in relation to design. Therefore, the set of values and norms within the group of Technasium teachers is needed, to establish a design related frame of reference.