The paper describes the development and evaluation of a curriculum unit in which 3rd semester preservice students in pairs developed and tried out a series of IBSE lessons in primary schools. The preservice students were especially selected for a university-based course whereas until recently all primary teacher education was based in institutions for higher vocational education rather than in universities. With ample guidance from a science educator, scientist, a cooperating teacher and a school-based teacher educator the students were able to develop and teach successful lessons with IBSE features to elementary students who were not used to IBSE. Future development will be focused on achieving the same results with less manpower and on adapting the IBSE course to a regular nonuniversity teacher education setting
Many students in secondary schools consider the sciences difficult and unattractive. This applies to physics in particular, a subject in which students attempt to learn and understand numerous theoretical concepts, often without much success. A case in point is the understanding of the concepts current, voltage and resistance in simple electric circuits. In response to these problems, reform initiatives in education strive for a change of the classroom culture, putting emphasis on more authentic contexts and student activities containing elements of inquiry. The challenge then becomes choosing and combining these elements in such a manner that they foster an understanding of theoretical concepts. In this article we reflect on data collected and analyzed from a series of 12 grade 9 physics lessons on simple electric circuits. Drawing from a theoretical framework based on individual (conceptual change based) and socio-cultural views on learning, instruction was designed addressing known conceptual problems and attempting to create a physics (research) culture in the classroom. As the success of the lessons was limited, the focus of the study became to understand which inherent characteristics of inquiry based instruction complicate the process of constructing conceptual understanding. From the analysis of the data collected during the enactment of the lessons three tensions emerged: the tension between open inquiry and student guidance, the tension between students developing their own ideas and getting to know accepted scientific theories, and the tension between fostering scientific interest as part of a scientific research culture and the task oriented school culture. An outlook will be given on the implications for science lessons.
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Background: Survivors of lymphoma experience multiple challenges after treatment. However, a lack of knowledge of in-depth experiences of lymphoma survivors in early aftercare persists. Objective: To gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of lymphoma survivors in early aftercare who have received an aftercare consultation based on evidence-based guideline recommendations, with an advanced practice nurse. Methods: This study used a narrative design. We recruited lymphoma survivors after a best-practice aftercare consultation with an advanced practice nurse. A total of 22 lymphoma survivors and 9 partners participated. Data were collected through narrative interviews and analyzed according to thematic narrative analysis. Results: Six themes emerged: living and dealing with health consequences, coping with work and financial challenges, having a positive outlook and dealing with uncertainty, deriving strength from and experiencing tensions in relationships, getting through tough times in life, and receiving support from healthcare professionals. Conclusions: The stories of lymphoma survivors in early aftercare revealed their experiences of how they coped with a range of challenges in their personal lives. Choosing an aftercare trajectory based on an aftercare consultation that encourages patients to think about their issues, goals, and possible aftercare options may be useful for their transition from treatment to survivorship. Implications for practice: Survivors’ social support and self-management capabilities are important aspects to be addressed in cancer care. An aftercare consultation involving shared goal setting and care planning may help nurses provide personalized aftercare.
