Astrid Johansen, Erik Mogstad, Bojana Gajic, Berit Bungum
Although creativity constitutes part of 21st century skills, realizing a curriculum that emphasizes creativity in science and mathematics appears to be a challenge. In this study, we investigate how lower secondary science and mathematics teachers understand the concept of creativity, how it can be promoted, and what hinders creativity in schools. Eight teachers were involved in the study, and their views were investigated through group interviews. It was revealed that teachers adopt three perspectives pertaining to how creativity can be fostered in the classroom: the nature of tasks and how they are presented and organized, the need for background knowledge, and the requirement of a supportive classroom environment. A major concern for teachers was how creativity could form part of the assessment process, since assessment systems influence what occurs in the classroom. Further, school cultures that emphasize objectivity and documentability tend to result in teachers prioritizing convergent thinking and the reproduction of knowledge, preventing the inclusion of creativity in teaching. The core values and principles for learning stated in the new curriculum introduced in Norway in 2020 include that students should experience the joy of creating, engagement, and the urge to explore. The results indicate that assessment dilemmas are the main obstacles in the realization of these intentions.
{"title":"Incorporating creativity in science and mathematics teaching:","authors":"Astrid Johansen, Erik Mogstad, Bojana Gajic, Berit Bungum","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8620","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8620","url":null,"abstract":"Although creativity constitutes part of 21st century skills, realizing a curriculum that emphasizes creativity in science and mathematics appears to be a challenge. In this study, we investigate how lower secondary science and mathematics teachers understand the concept of creativity, how it can be promoted, and what hinders creativity in schools. Eight teachers were involved in the study, and their views were investigated through group interviews. It was revealed that teachers adopt three perspectives pertaining to how creativity can be fostered in the classroom: the nature of tasks and how they are presented and organized, the need for background knowledge, and the requirement of a supportive classroom environment. A major concern for teachers was how creativity could form part of the assessment process, since assessment systems influence what occurs in the classroom. Further, school cultures that emphasize objectivity and documentability tend to result in teachers prioritizing convergent thinking and the reproduction of knowledge, preventing the inclusion of creativity in teaching. The core values and principles for learning stated in the new curriculum introduced in Norway in 2020 include that students should experience the joy of creating, engagement, and the urge to explore. The results indicate that assessment dilemmas are the main obstacles in the realization of these intentions.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47566262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research focusing on students’ argumentation in socioscientific issues (SSI) shows that students tend to base their arguments on values rather than knowledge. This study explores Swedish upper secondary chemistry students’ written argumentation. The data consists of student texts written at the end of an intervention designed to develop skills related to high quality argumentation. The results show that after being taught about argumentation and the context of SSI, students mainly base their arguments on content knowledge. Value justifications are present in students’ texts, but constitute a smaller proportion. Beside content knowledge- and value justifications, we found a third category – “reasoning” – in which students draw conclusions, or make predictions of future events, to support or refute a claim. The justifications in the argumentative texts include a breadth of subject areas in which chemistry knowledge plays an important role. This study suggests that content knowledge constitutes an important part in student argumentation.
{"title":"Students’ use of Justifications in Socioscientific Argumentation","authors":"Anders Jönsson, Louise Rietz, M. Lundström","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8203","url":null,"abstract":"Research focusing on students’ argumentation in socioscientific issues (SSI) shows that students tend to base their arguments on values rather than knowledge. This study explores Swedish upper secondary chemistry students’ written argumentation. The data consists of student texts written at the end of an intervention designed to develop skills related to high quality argumentation. The results show that after being taught about argumentation and the context of SSI, students mainly base their arguments on content knowledge. Value justifications are present in students’ texts, but constitute a smaller proportion. Beside content knowledge- and value justifications, we found a third category – “reasoning” – in which students draw conclusions, or make predictions of future events, to support or refute a claim. The justifications in the argumentative texts include a breadth of subject areas in which chemistry knowledge plays an important role. This study suggests that content knowledge constitutes an important part in student argumentation.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49269870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Inquiry-based methods have been seen as important for developing science in the school. There are good reasons why the work of designing various technological devices in technology should also be part of inquiry-based methods. If so, it requires teachers having an exploratory approach in communicating with students. In this paper, we analyze the communication between teachers and students in six technology student projects. The main pattern is that teachers act instructively to students or try to convince them to use a solution they have planned in advance. Exploratory and moderating communication were less frequent. This is contrary to the intention of inquiry-based methods. However, active students, who themselves try to come up with solutions to the challenges, seem to contribute to a more exploratory approach from the teachers. The same goes for tasks that are so open that teachers will not be able to plan the solutions in advance.
{"title":"Hvordan kommuniserer lærere med elevene i seks teknologiprosjekter?","authors":"Dag Atle Lysne, Bjørn-Tore Esjeholm","doi":"10.5617/nordina.7466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.7466","url":null,"abstract":"Inquiry-based methods have been seen as important for developing science in the school. There are good reasons why the work of designing various technological devices in technology should also be part of inquiry-based methods. If so, it requires teachers having an exploratory approach in communicating with students. In this paper, we analyze the communication between teachers and students in six technology student projects. The main pattern is that teachers act instructively to students or try to convince them to use a solution they have planned in advance. Exploratory and moderating communication were less frequent. This is contrary to the intention of inquiry-based methods. However, active students, who themselves try to come up with solutions to the challenges, seem to contribute to a more exploratory approach from the teachers. The same goes for tasks that are so open that teachers will not be able to plan the solutions in advance.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46645224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science teacher knowledge and skills have been thoroughly discussed by researchers; however, less is known about how teachers themselves conceptualise their professional qualities. We asked first and final-year pre-service science teachers and in-service physics teachers to describe the knowledge and skills needed to be a good science/physics teacher. Data was collected through a one-item questionnaire, followed by interviews. Using thematic coding with inductively defined codes as well as codes derived from theoretical perspectives on teacher knowledge and skills (notably the Refined Consensus Model of PCK), we found that all respondent groups emphasised science content knowledge as important. In-service teachers also often described external factors such as working conditions. First-year pre-service teachers put more emphasis on pedagogical skills and personality traits, whereas final-year pre-service teachers expressed a more integrated view of science teacher knowledge and skills. Further, we discuss the need for teacher education to focus on integrating science content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge through articulating aspects of PCK, and on giving pre- and in-service teachers arenas for professional development and for research-based discussions of teaching and learning.
{"title":"Pre-service science teachers’ and in-service physics teachers’ views on the knowledge and skills of a good teacher","authors":"Thomas Frågåt, E. K. Henriksen, C. W. Tellefsen","doi":"10.5617/nordina.7644","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.7644","url":null,"abstract":"Science teacher knowledge and skills have been thoroughly discussed by researchers; however, less is known about how teachers themselves conceptualise their professional qualities. We asked first and final-year pre-service science teachers and in-service physics teachers to describe the knowledge and skills needed to be a good science/physics teacher. Data was collected through a one-item questionnaire, followed by interviews. Using thematic coding with inductively defined codes as well as codes derived from theoretical perspectives on teacher knowledge and skills (notably the Refined Consensus Model of PCK), we found that all respondent groups emphasised science content knowledge as important. In-service teachers also often described external factors such as working conditions. First-year pre-service teachers put more emphasis on pedagogical skills and personality traits, whereas final-year pre-service teachers expressed a more integrated view of science teacher knowledge and skills. Further, we discuss the need for teacher education to focus on integrating science content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge through articulating aspects of PCK, and on giving pre- and in-service teachers arenas for professional development and for research-based discussions of teaching and learning.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43975584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global warming and a decline in pollinating insects are among the most crucial challenges today and a sufficient degree of scientific literacy is required for citizens in order to understand these issues and take action for sustainable development in general. Several studies have investigated knowledge associated with the greenhouse effect and the effect of the ozone layer. These have deduced that despite improvement in teaching tools, a high proportion of pupils and students still confuse these two phenomena. Previous research has also shown that plant biology is a neglected subject and students struggle to differentiate between pollination and seed dispersal. This study investigates the understanding regarding the mechanisms underlying global climate change and pollination by conducting a survey with four classes of Norwegian kindergarten teacher students, at the beginning of the academic year (n = 103), and by asking follow-up questions after completed teaching (n = 111). It was observed that approximately 40 percent of the students confused the greenhouse effect with the effect of the hole in the ozone layer. One fifth of the students mentioned photosynthesis while describing the importance of the Sun for life on Earth. About one third of them connected pollen to plant reproduction and two thirds believed that pollen is seeds. A survey at the end of the academic year showed that a substantial proportion of the students displayed teaching resilience. These results can be interpreted in the light of constructivist learning theory and might partly be explained by the role mass media play in influencing scientific literacy. For future citizens to make informed decisions, ecological issues should be prioritised in education.
{"title":"Kindergarten Teacher Students’ Knowledge Regarding Crucial Environmental Challenges","authors":"C. Melis, Per-Arvid Wold","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8087","url":null,"abstract":"Global warming and a decline in pollinating insects are among the most crucial challenges today and a sufficient degree of scientific literacy is required for citizens in order to understand these issues and take action for sustainable development in general. Several studies have investigated knowledge associated with the greenhouse effect and the effect of the ozone layer. These have deduced that despite improvement in teaching tools, a high proportion of pupils and students still confuse these two phenomena. Previous research has also shown that plant biology is a neglected subject and students struggle to differentiate between pollination and seed dispersal. This study investigates the understanding regarding the mechanisms underlying global climate change and pollination by conducting a survey with four classes of Norwegian kindergarten teacher students, at the beginning of the academic year (n = 103), and by asking follow-up questions after completed teaching (n = 111). It was observed that approximately 40 percent of the students confused the greenhouse effect with the effect of the hole in the ozone layer. One fifth of the students mentioned photosynthesis while describing the importance of the Sun for life on Earth. About one third of them connected pollen to plant reproduction and two thirds believed that pollen is seeds. A survey at the end of the academic year showed that a substantial proportion of the students displayed teaching resilience. These results can be interpreted in the light of constructivist learning theory and might partly be explained by the role mass media play in influencing scientific literacy. For future citizens to make informed decisions, ecological issues should be prioritised in education.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41428560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The overall aim of this thesis is to explore challenges and opportunities with teaching and learning through scientific practices in the laboratory in biology education. This thesis is based on three articles that are introduced and discussed in an extended abstract. My focus is on practice in the laboratory, and in the thesis, I have investigated practice in two different ways. First, I have investigated upper secondary biology teachers’ practices as reported in a survey and group interview (Article I). Secondly, I have analyzed undergraduate biology students’ practices through microscale analysis of their reasoning when constructing representations in the laboratory (Article II and III). The findings from Article I show that the biology teachers’ primarily report that they implement teacher-directed laboratory work with the aim of illustrating content knowledge. The findings from Article II and III shows how different representations, such as drawings and gestures, support students’ model-based reasoning. Based on these findings, I argue for the fruitfulness of a focus on modelling through representation construction as a scientific practice in the laboratory.
{"title":"Teaching and learning through scientific practices in the laboratory in biology education","authors":"Mari Sjøberg","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8766","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8766","url":null,"abstract":"The overall aim of this thesis is to explore challenges and opportunities with teaching and learning through scientific practices in the laboratory in biology education. This thesis is based on three articles that are introduced and discussed in an extended abstract. My focus is on practice in the laboratory, and in the thesis, I have investigated practice in two different ways. First, I have investigated upper secondary biology teachers’ practices as reported in a survey and group interview (Article I). Secondly, I have analyzed undergraduate biology students’ practices through microscale analysis of their reasoning when constructing representations in the laboratory (Article II and III). The findings from Article I show that the biology teachers’ primarily report that they implement teacher-directed laboratory work with the aim of illustrating content knowledge. The findings from Article II and III shows how different representations, such as drawings and gestures, support students’ model-based reasoning. Based on these findings, I argue for the fruitfulness of a focus on modelling through representation construction as a scientific practice in the laboratory. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43280756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Berit S. Haug, Øystein Sørborg, Sonja M. Mork, Merethe Frøyland
Scientific practices are introduced in curricula around the world, replacing the more general concept of inquiry. There are many different definitions of scientific practices, and the purpose of this article is to contribute to a common understanding of what scientific practices are and how they can be implemented and assessed in the classroom. We analyzed the Norwegian curriculum LK20 and found that teachers are mainly left on their own in how to interpret, implement and assess scientific practices. To address the lack of support, we selected a set of central scientific practices based on LK20, the research literature and international curricula and described the practices as explicit and close to teaching practice as possible. Implications for use are discussed, together with a call for other researchers to join the discussion.
{"title":"Naturvitenskapelige praksiser og tenkemåter – på vei mot et tolkningsfellesskap","authors":"Berit S. Haug, Øystein Sørborg, Sonja M. Mork, Merethe Frøyland","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8360","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8360","url":null,"abstract":"Scientific practices are introduced in curricula around the world, replacing the more general concept of inquiry. There are many different definitions of scientific practices, and the purpose of this article is to contribute to a common understanding of what scientific practices are and how they can be implemented and assessed in the classroom. We analyzed the Norwegian curriculum LK20 and found that teachers are mainly left on their own in how to interpret, implement and assess scientific practices. To address the lack of support, we selected a set of central scientific practices based on LK20, the research literature and international curricula and described the practices as explicit and close to teaching practice as possible. Implications for use are discussed, together with a call for other researchers to join the discussion.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42738718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study examines the relationships between preservice primary teachers’ (PSTs) views, understandings, and implementations of inquiry-based teaching (IBT) in primary biology education. In earlier studies, these relationships have been researched separately. Exploring them simultaneously allows a greater insight into the process of teacher change and science teacher identity development. Drawing on the narrative method, data included learning diaries, lesson plans, and interviews during a two year research period. Our findings reveal the complex relationships between three aspects of IBT. For example, embracing views of IBT were sometimes accompanied by a significant understanding of IBT and other times by a weak understanding. Whereas, hesitant views of IBT also went together with significant understanding. We discuss these relationships in the light of their impact on science teacher identity and provide suggestions for teacher education.
{"title":"How relationships between views, understandings, and implementations of inquiry-based teaching in biology contribute to science teacher identity","authors":"Anne Pellikka, Sonja Lutovac, Raimo Kaasila","doi":"10.5617/nordina.7854","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.7854","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the relationships between preservice primary teachers’ (PSTs) views, understandings, and implementations of inquiry-based teaching (IBT) in primary biology education. In earlier studies, these relationships have been researched separately. Exploring them simultaneously allows a greater insight into the process of teacher change and science teacher identity development. Drawing on the narrative method, data included learning diaries, lesson plans, and interviews during a two year research period. Our findings reveal the complex relationships between three aspects of IBT. For example, embracing views of IBT were sometimes accompanied by a significant understanding of IBT and other times by a weak understanding. Whereas, hesitant views of IBT also went together with significant understanding. We discuss these relationships in the light of their impact on science teacher identity and provide suggestions for teacher education.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44508217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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