Research On The Design Of Practical Biology Homework In Junior High School Based On Activity Theory

As one of the core literacies that the junior secondary biology curriculum strives to develop,inquiry practice is a necessary ability for individuals to survive and develop in nature and society.As an important vehicle for developing students’ inquiry practice literacy,practice-based assignments have received widespread attention.The Biology Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education(2022 Edition)clearly states that the types of biology homework should be diversified,with emphasis on practice-based homework;the content of homework should include practical activities carried out by applying knowledge and skills,in addition to the practice of basic knowledge and skills.However,China’s research on practice-based assignments in biology is still insufficient,and the design of practice-based assignments lacks systematic theoretical guidance.Activity theory has been enriched and developed by many scholars and has now become an important theory to guide practical activities.Based on this,this study proposes a "study on the design of practical assignments in junior high school biology based on activity theory" and carries out the following three aspects of research:(1)to understand the existing dilemmas in the design of practical assignments in junior high school biology;(2)to develop a design process and design strategy for practical assignments under the guidance of activity theory;(3)to design different types of junior high school biology practical assignment cases according to the practical assignment design strategy and design process,and to improve the cases through practice.Firstly,this study adopts questionnaire survey,interview method and case study method to investigate the current situation of practical assignment design in junior high school biology.The survey results show that the design of junior high school biology practical homework is based on teachers’ experience,with a general design and a single form;the design of practical homework objectives is not clear,and the development of practical skills is not in-depth;there is zero student participation in the design of practical homework,and the necessary practical guidance is not set;there is a lack of time for practical homework design,and there are few homework cases to learn from.Therefore,the development of a theoretically based practical assignment design guidance tool and practical assignment cases can solve the existing problems to a certain extent.Secondly,this study combines the findings of the previous research to link activity theory with the composite practical assignment system.Based on the analysis of the elements of the system from the perspective of activity theory,four major strategies for the design of practice-based assignments are proposed,namely,emphasising the contextual and linked nature of the practical tasks;attaching importance to the application of tools in different systems;playing the role of community in practice;and giving teachers and students the power to make rules together.In addition,a process for designing practical assignments guided by activity theory was developed,and after expert review,a practical assignment design process of "Five links,Nine steps and One reflection" was finally formed,providing a reference for front-line teachers to design practical assignments.Finally,a case study on the design and practice of practical assignments in junior high school biology was carried out.Three types of practical assignments in junior high school biology,namely experiments,investigations and productions,were developed according to the characteristics of practical activities in biology.The cases of practical assignments in the biology experiment category were selected for practice,which showed that the assignments were effective and attractive to students,and that challenging practical tasks in the form of collaborative inquiry were more favoured by students.This study provides an important reference for front-line teachers to design practicebased assignments,with a view to improving the current situation of practice-based assignment design and enhancing the quality of junior high school biology assignments.