CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2003, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 115-130	Theme Issue: Teaching Chemistry and Physics INVITED RESEARCH/POSITION PAPER Methods and issues of teaching and learning

GLEN S. AIKENHEAD
University of Saskatchewan, College of Education

CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS INSTRUCTION: INTEGRATION, IDEOLOGIES, AND CHOICES

ABSTRACT: Teachers choose whether or not to integrate Chemistry and Physics, and if so, to what extent. Choices rest on the ideology of a teacher, particularly the professional self-identity of a teacher. Choices become more rational the more a teacher understands the ideologies guiding those choices. The purpose of the article is to uncover some of these ideologies in three different contexts: scientific disciplines, the science curriculum, and relevance of subject matter. Four decades of research in science education suggest that choices can be made, but putting those choices into action is a political process, not a rational process entirely. One major challenge for teachers who want to innovate is the need to rethink and reformulate their professional identities. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract.: 2003, 4, 115-130]

KEY WORDS: chemistry and phyisis instruction; integration; ideologies; relevance; history

CORRESPONDENCE: Glen S. Aikenhead, Professor of Science Education, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, 28 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X1, Canada; fax: 1-(306)-966-7658; e-mail: glen.aikenhead@usask.ca

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