51.4 Analysis
Data analysis involved two steps:First, and most importantly, the video-recorded
lesson was analysed with a sharp focus on how the teachers enacted the specific
content in the lesson and how the teacher strove to make learning possible for
students.Second, the transcribed tape recordings from the three video clubs were
analysed through content analysis (applied in the way described by Miles and
Huberman 1994 ) in order to identify aspects that the students identified as being
important for their learning. A content analysis of this kind is based on the view that
it facilitates the production of core constructs from textual data (e.g. a systematic
method of, data reduction; data display; and, conclusion drawing and verification).
In this way, the primary mode of analysis was the development of categories from
data into a framework that captured the key themes of how the students described
aspects of PCK.
51.5 The Lesson
When starting the lesson the teacher introduced a“warm-up-task”. The task was
designed around the question“Discuss which characteristics are inherited and
which are acquired among humans. Give examples,first individually and then
together with a peer.”As soon as the students entered the classroom they started to
discuss the task with lots of engagement. The teacher was walking around in the
classroom and reasoned with the students about what is inherited and what is
achieved. After 10 minutes the teacher closed the door and introduced the lesson.
He formulated the aim of the lesson on the whiteboard and explained to the students
that they were going to focus on dominant and recessive genes. He continued with
presenting the different concepts that they were going to work with during the
lesson; dominant and recessive characteristics, allele, homozygote, heterozygote
and cross-schemes. The three goals formulated on the whiteboard were:
- To learn the difference between dominant and recessive characteristics.
- To learn some examples of dominant and recessive characteristics.
- With the help of a punnet square, to discuss if two brown-eyed parents can have
a blue-eyed child.
During the lesson and while explaining to the students, the teacher completed a
concept map on the whiteboard. Through the concept map he wanted to help the
students to see the linkages between the concepts and provide examples of different
characteristics. Further to the concept map, he also drew two different cross-scheme
for blue and brown eyes.
758 P. Nilsson