Ensuring the relevance of an evidence-based chemistry teacher education study program: narrative insights from continuous research-based development conducted at the University of Helsinki

Abstract This article has two aims. First is to introduce an evidence-based research-oriented chemistry teacher education study program developed and applied at the University of Helsinki (Finland) since 2001. The study program is a 5-year master’s program operated by the Faculty of Science. Second is to provide insights for the constant research-based development needed to ensure its relevance in the rapidly changing world. The focus is to report what kind of research resources and research-based development are constantly required to keep an academic chemistry teacher education study program up to date. The research approach is narrative. We aim to produce good practice guidelines by generating narrative insights from selected design-based research projects implemented by our research group. With this approach the key insight is that there is a need to conduct research-based development on four levels simultaneously: 1) learning resources for courses, 2) pedagogical models and courses, 3) program and university level development, and 4) national and international level projects. What unites these different categories is that they all require a co-design approach to fulfil the needs of all stakeholders. The insights provided in the article can serve as a valuable example for chemistry teacher education curriculum development around the world.