Engaging Preservice Secondary Science Teachers in an NGSS-Based Energy Lesson: A Nanoscience Context
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Deepika Menon [1] ; Mary Sajini Devadas [1]
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[1] Towson University
Towson University
Estados Unidos
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- Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 96, Nº 3, 2019, págs. 528-534
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
The new approach to teaching science presented by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) warrants training high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers to prepare the future STEM workforce. We share the implementation of an energy lesson using a nanoscience approach, well-aligned with the NGSS vision, in a secondary-STEM-education course for preservice science teachers. First, we engaged preservice teachers in discussions related to alternate sources of energy; this was followed by a case-study approach to illustrate a real-world problem of energy deficiency and solar energy (solar cells using nanoparticles) as one potential solution because it is cost-efficient, clean, and a renewable source of energy. Preservice teachers conducted several hands-on explorations in groups using real cube models to understand and illustrate the size-dependent nature and dimensions of nanoparticles, used lasers and visuals of a UV–vis spectrum, and observed the trends in voltage and current outputs for fluorine-doped tin oxide electrodes with and without nanoparticle solution. Formulating evidence-based explanations, students summarized their findings as a case-study report regarding the nanoparticle approach as a remedy to the energy-deficit problem. The lesson provides opportunities for preservice science teachers to develop an understanding of green energy and illustrates how the NGSS standards can be tied together in a science lesson.
