Evidence-Based Research-Oriented Chemistry Teacher Education

Chemistry teachers are the main agents for change towards sustainability. There is a great need for skilled chemistry teachers, which are the key agents in inspiring young people into chemistry and promoting a sustainable future. This article describes a novel model program of evidence-based research-oriented chemistry teacher education developed and applied at the University of Helsinki, Finland. The program produces research-oriented chemistry teachers (ROCTs). An ROCT has two professional identities, as a chemist and as a chemistry teacher. Both identities require extensive knowledge of chemistry and comprehensive understanding of chemistry as a science. Therefore, the most important competence of an ROCT is chemistry education research. Chemistry education is an independent research area of chemistry that builds the chemistry educational expertise that binds together the domains of chemical and pedagogical knowledge. This article describes how the development of both professional identities is supported through our current research focus areas, which are sustainable chemistry and modern technology. It will explain, for example, the degree structure, courses and research-based development strategies. Also, the article introduces the ways in which design-based research strategies are conducted collaboratively with the national and international chemical research community and the whole society, including stakeholders such as the chemical industry, schools, teacher associations, and museums. Overall, the novel evidence-based ROCT education program model described in this article can serve as a valuable example for teacher education curriculum development around the world.