Developing Teachers’ Professional Knowledge in Measurement Uncertainty
A Praxeological Analysis in STEM Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33830/ijrse.v8i1.14413Keywords:
Uncertainty in measurement, Professional didactics, Praxeology, Professional development, university educationAbstract
Teaching complex concepts in metrology, such as measurement uncertainty, raises significant challenges in higher education, particularly in experimental chemistry where the reliability of results depends on the accuracy of measurements and the interpretation of their associated uncertainty. Although international research highlights the importance of metrological literacy for science education and for promoting rigorous experimental practices, studies examining how chemistry teachers actually integrate this knowledge into their teaching remain limited. This lack is even more pronounced regarding the effects of professional development programmes on teachers’ didactic praxeology. Our study addresses this gap by analysing the impact of a specialized metrology training program on the professional development of a university chemistry teacher. Drawing on the concept of praxeology from the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (Chevallard, 1999) and Professional Didactics (Pastré, 2011), we examine, first the structure and intentions of the training designed by an expert in metrology and, second the teacher’s subsequent implementation of a practical chemistry session related to measurement uncertainty. The findings show how the training contributes to the evolution of the teacher’s praxeologies, particularly in the diversification of tasks, the mobilization of more explicit measurement techniques, and the strengthening of technological-theoretical justifications. By highlighting the conditions that support the effective integration of metrological knowledge into higher education teaching, this study provides insights that are relevant beyond the local context, contributing to international discussions on teacher professional development in STEM education.
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