In this study, we report on the outcome of implementing conceptual hands-on activities in a Swedish introductory university mechanics course. The purpose of the activities was to ground the central concepts in the course in students’ shared, embodied experiences of physical phenomena. A total of 112 students, consisting of 105 engineering students and 7 teacher students, were enrolled in the same course. Randomly assembled groups of 3-4 students were video recorded as they undertook four different practical activities. Our analysis mainly focused on two groups of students’ embodied engagement with two of the four activities, consisting of lifting a weight with and without a system of pulleys, and finding the centre of mass using a metre stick. This is contrasted with the activity of standing on a bathroom scale as a lift goes up and down, where the embodied engagement of one of the groups was quite limited. A student interview and course evaluation reports were also analysed to evaluate the implementation of the hands-on activities from a student perspective. The results show that the participating students’ embodied experience, acquired from the conceptual hands-on activities, became an important asset as they tried to explain and link observations of the studied phenomena to their theoretical understanding. The students combined gestures, mimicking the practical procedure, and spoken language, to make their explanations more convincing for both themselves and peers. The intuitive nature and simplicity of the activities invited students to focus on the actual core of the task. In the interview, students emphasised the importance of the actual embodied feeling of the experienced phenomena, and that the activities made them notice other related physics aspects, making them go beyond their initial thoughts.
This dissertation presented the development of a novel network analysis method for studying collaborative learning in authentic, digitally intensive science classrooms. The background is the idea that new technologies, societal changes, and advances in pedagogical theory lead to new teaching practices and new forms of learning. For research to continue informing teaching, these new practices must be studied, and new methodological developments are required. The need for this development come from the aim of investigating how students learn disciplinary knowledge in authentic, digitally intensive settings. An authentic setting refers to science classrooms during curriculum-based activities, while digitally intensive settings involve the use of digital tools such as computers and scientific instruments. Materiality-based approaches are essential to account for these tools and understand how knowledge is produced in such environments. In this method, materiality is approached through actor-network theory. The development of the method was demonstrated through three studies in two physics education contexts. The first study examined online discussions in pre-service physics teacher education. These discussions enabled straightforward network data collection and the testing of functional network roles as an analysis method, which proved suitable for studying small-group collaboration. The second context involved upper secondary school physics lessons. Study II explored methods for generating network data from video recordings of students’ investigations using a materialist framework. Three approaches were identified in the literature: 1) information flow, 2) material semantic, and 3) material engagement. These were then applied to a video segment from a digitally intensive upper secondary physics lesson, demonstrating that network analysis can effectively study the material and dialogic relationships that emerge during student investigations. In the final study, the information flow networks from the previous study were quantitatively analysed using functional network roles. In addition, an approximation of node deletion was applied to assess actor importance, complementing the role analysis. The results revealed interaction patterns and quantified the importance and roles of the actors. Together, the three studies allowed for the development of the method and demonstrated its applicability for future research. The method enables comprehensive investigation of complex interactions during small-group collaboration and how students learn disciplinary knowledge in authentic, digitally intensive settings.
This study presents the findings of a collaboration between teachers and a researcher who worked together through didactic modelling. The aim of the study was to explore how the mangling phase can be designed and managed in a way that values and utilise teachers’ unique knowledge. Data, comprising audio and video recordings of conversations and lessons, collages and sketches, were analysed with practical epistemology analysis (PEA). Based on how a didactic model changed when mangling the model in primary science, the findings show how teachers’ experience and expertise can be incorporated into the modification of the model. The mangling process resulted in a significant number of suggestions for modifications to both the illustration and the model’s range of applications. The way in which the mangling was organised encouraged teachers to contribute with new insights and suggestions that can further develop the model into a functional tool for teaching primary science.
Practical work has been demonstrated to offer various benefits for science learning. Despite benefits, several studies have indicated that practical work does not necessarily improve the learning of content knowledge. This study employed a video observation manual to systematically analyse the practical work in 73 videotaped science lessons from ten primary and ten lower secondary classrooms in Norway. Our findings suggest that students were more active and often participated in science-related discussions when involved in practical work. We also found that pre- and post-activities were particularly crucial for facilitating the learning of content knowledge, particularly in primary schools. Besides, the duration of practical work influenced the observed teaching: we noted a greater emphasis on learning content knowledge during shorter practical sequences. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the opportunities for practical work in science education.
Drawing can assist science learning, by making thinking explicit, helping establishing connections between existing and new knowledge and providing space for students’ creativity and engagement. In this study 40 students in grade 9 (age 14-15) were taught about the immune response to vaccination, given a short course on comics drawing and then given the task of creating a comic on the topic in pairs. Through interviews with students combined with analysis of drawings, we have investigated students’ understanding of immunology as it is expressed with the help of their explanations of drawings. Results show that students adopted a variety of drawing approaches and that they achieved a good understanding of the immune response across these, age and level considered. We discuss how these positive results may be ascribed to drawing, as an active and generative task which promoted the students going deeply into the subject matter.
Research on teacher education identifies fragmented nature of teacher education programs, perceived lack of connection between university courses and supervised teaching practice, and absence of shared visions about teaching. As part of an international project, a set of planning and reflection tools were developed with an aim to enhance the coherence of the science teacher education program. The purpose of this study is to enhance understanding of how the coherence of science teacher education can be supported through tools designed for lesson planning and reflection. In this paper, we report results from a qualitative study in which we interviewed six pre-service science teachers (PSTs) and analyzed the data on PSTs' views on supportive tools used in supervised teaching practice. The results of the thematic analysis suggest that supportive tools for coherent science teaching can effectively enhance coherence in science teacher education programs by supporting PSTs linking the theories discussed in university courses with supervised teaching practice and reflecting the teacher education program’s vision about teaching to PSTs.
Photographs as a direct representation of nature can serve as a means of probing pupils’ perceptions of ecosystems and biodiversity. In this empirical study, 98 pupils aged 10–12 years in primary schools in rural and urban western Sweden were asked to describe what they saw in a photograph of a lake and a forest, as well as what could be present but not visible. An ecological approach to visual perception was used as the theoretical framework. Individual pupils within groups exhibited a broad range of species knowledge. Although no animals were visible in the photograph, animals were imagined much more readily than plants. Forest species outnumbered aquatic ones in the answers. Pupils in rural schools named more tree and mammal species, while urban pupils more often used generic terms, such as ‘tree’ and ‘animal’. These findings raise implications for ‘what’ and ‘how’ in ecology instruction to reinforce plant awareness and species naming.
This study sheds light on first-year students' challenges during their university transition. Key barriers impacting students' sense of mastery are identified through a thematic analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected over two semesters at a natural sciences faculty at a large Nordic university. The study highlights central themes in students’ accounts, challenges, and developments across the first and second semesters. The results show that academic demands and task prioritisation challenges remain stable, while those tied to motivation and engagement intensify during the second semester. The study also reveals that students frequently experience a disconnect between the program's structure and the relevance of supporting courses. Based on Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the discussion explores how universities can foster students' mastery through targeted initiatives addressing performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional arousal. The study underscores the interplay between institutional structures and individual student responsibilities, advocating for a holistic approach to fostering self-efficacy and academic engagement. These insights can guide universities in designing initiatives that enhance first-year students’ sense of mastery, improving their academic and social integration and overall well-being.
This qualitative and ethnographically inspired study aims to fill a research gap concerning how teachers in School-Age Educare Centres (SAEC) teach science when working with students in need of special support. Empirical data were collected through video observations and field notes at a SAEC at a compulsory school for pupils with intellectual disabilities. We report results supporting two main arguments: students’ potential meaning-making is guided by the SAEC teacher and her ability to offer, coordinate, and make available various semiotic resources in the teaching. Additionally, the transition from formalized, group-oriented teaching often shifts to individual and situation driven teaching, where the focus can be adjusted for each student. This suggests the need for a deeper understanding of meaning-making processes in science education within SAEC.
This study investigates the development of species knowledge among 7-12-year-old children who participated in a holiday activity, a beach school, at a marine public aquarium. The question "What could live in the environment in the picture even though you can't see it?" was asked as a pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test. We developed a method to assess the taxonomic quality of the answers. Animals were mentioned far more frequently than algae and plants. The most common answers were crab and fish. The activity increased both the quantity and taxonomic quality of children's species knowledge significantly. No differences were found between two- and three-day beach schools. The post-test showed that the children perceived the affordances that the aquariums and the beach environment offer. While beach schools can serve as a small step toward ocean literacy, additional efforts from both semiformal science institutions and schools are needed to reach more children.
Gifted students need complexity in technology education. In response, this article aims to present a framework for analyzing complexity in technology education activities (AKTA), which can be used to meet gifted students’ needs of complexity. The framework has been created by combining abilities (remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create) with knowledge dimensions (factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge) and higher order thinking. Furthermore, the framework is applied to activities for lower secondary technology education to demonstrate its utility as an analytical tool. The framework is intended for use in discussing, planning, and developing technology education with a focus on gifted students’ needs.
This article responds to Dr. Jingoo Kang’s review of Effective and Equitable Teacher Practice in Mathematics and Science Education: A Nordic Perspective Across Time and Groups of Students (Teig et al., 2024). It clarifies and extends the discussion of equity in Nordic education. We address four main critiques: (1) the use of home language as a proxy for immigrant background, (2) the interpretation of teaching quality in high- and low-SES contexts, (3) the omission of gender as a dimension of equity, and (4) the neglect of non-cognitive outcomes. Our response explains the rationale behind these methodological choices while recognizing their limitations. We also point to future directions, including stronger attention to gender equity, greater focus on socio-emotional factors, and deeper examination of the challenges faced by disadvantaged schools. By engaging with these critiques, the article aims to foster ongoing dialogue on equity and effective teaching in Nordic mathematics and science education.
One aim of science teaching is to prepare students for civic reasoning about socioscientific issues. This study analyses student conversations about socioscientific issues organised with inspiration from Harkness-teaching. Conversations were based on students’ own questions and focused on collaborative exploration. Categories were constructed to describe how students practiced the model of conversation and what content they applied as frames of references in meaning making. The results show that the students engaged in explorative discourse, where it was possible to invite each other, be open with one’s uncertainty and to introduce new perspectives. Alongside science, social science and ethics, students used historical and international perspectives, perspectives of other humans, general opinions and personal experiences as frames of reference. The categories were employed to interpret conversations in terms of Bildung, suggesting that the conversations could instantiate Bildung-oriented teaching in practice.
Det fysiske miljøet i barnehagane, inkludert materiell som barna har tilgang på, er ein strukturell kvalitetsindikator for barnehagar og er med på å forme kva leik og læring som barna vert engasjert i. Kva naturfagmateriell som finst, og i kva grad det er tilgjengeleg for barna i barnehagar påverkar leik- og læringspotensialet innan fagområdet Natur, miljø og teknologi, som er eit fagområde i den norske rammeplanen for barnehagar. Som ein del av Språksterk 1-6 prosjektet svarte 81 pedagogiske leiarar i barnehagar i levekårsutsette bydelar i Oslo på kva naturfagmateriell som fantes i små- og storbarnsavdelingar i barnehagane og kva av materiellet som var tilgjengeleg for barna. Jamvel om plastleiker og byggjemateriell som nyttast i konstruksjonsleik fanst og var tilgjengeleg for barna i dei fleste barnehagane, varierte både tilfang av- og tilgang på naturfagmateriell stort mellom barnehagane. Det var få signifikante skilnadar mellom stor- og småbarnsavdelingar i tilfang på naturfagmateriell, men det var meir utilgjengeleg materiell på småbarnsavdelingane.
This study aims to develop knowledge about student preschool teachers’ knowledge development of science and science teaching during their preschool teacher education. The data material consists of a web-based questionnaire with multiple-choice and open-ended questions. 183 students have participated in a cross-sectional study of students in semesters one, five and seven of a preschool teacher education programme. The analysis shows that a positive attitude dominates the students' views of science and that their self-confidence about science subjects and science teaching increases over time. The results from the two open-ended questions about the student´s experiences of science teaching in relation to thematic teaching and their education show a great variety. Reasons why science can be perceived as difficult for them to teach are indicated, but at the same time, awareness of ways to shape science teaching emerges. The consequences of the results for preschool teacher education are discussed.
Bringing new approaches to science teaching such as interdisciplinary, problem-based teaching into schools has proved a slow and difficult process. One of the means to bring about the change is through teacher education. This study is a qualitative study inspired by constructivist Grounded Theory which explores how four new teachers educated from programmes with an explicit focus on changing science teaching in schools, experience the transition from being a teacher student to being a teacher. The study found that new teachers were able to transfer approaches to science teaching from education to profession in the cases where 1) their teaching profile gave them the flexibility to plan interdisciplinary science teaching, 2) education and discourse in the schools aligned, 3) they were supported by management and 4) they experienced support in a community of practice with people they had studied with.
The article examines the continuity of non-disciplinary experience, predisciplinary exploration, disciplinary teaching of the subjects, and the facilitation of interdisciplinary cooperation and learning. My argument circles the question of what it implies for science students to explore phenomena in their predisciplinary appearance. I discuss two efforts that both have distinct predisciplinary features: world-oriented education and phenomenon-based science education. The educational intention of predisciplinarity is to show the school subjects’ origin in the world, and to establish a world-related foundation for interdisciplinary work. Interdisciplinary cooperation can be improved by allowing students and teachers to start in the world before it is transformed into subjects. I describe four stages of phenomenological inquiry with a predisciplinary intention: sensing with an open mind, choosing a phenomenon, facilitating disciplinary teaching, and facilitating interdisciplinary teaching. Predisciplinary teaching requires the science educator broad knowledge, a curious mind, and an embodied experience of unfolding the teaching potential of the place.
This article investigates the reflective practices of student teachers on their science conversations with kindergarten children, analysing 15 transcriptions from 28 participants engaged in an educational design project. The project aimed to enhance their skills in emergent science communication with children aged three to six. They documented and reflected upon these interactions, submitting both transcriptions and reflection notes. The analysis of these transcriptions revealed that although they could partially evaluate their conversational strategies and identify barriers to exploration, they struggled to utilise and reflect upon open-ended questions and scientific knowledge meaningfully. This highlights the need for an enhanced understanding of how these elements influence exploratory conversations. The findings advocate video reflection as a valuable tool for professional development in facilitating engaging science discussions.
To empower the young generation to bring about sustainability change is imperative. Living in Anthropocene requires new forms of teaching for sustainability in order to achieve such paradigm shift in regard to sustainability. We build on John Dewey’s educational idea ‘democracy as a way of life’, a pragmatic orientation which is in alignment with civic education conceptualized as ‘learning as participation’. The research project makes use of didactic modelling, a cyclical process where empirical results and theoretical knowledge have been processed by preschool teachers, principals, and researchers, in close collaboration. A new action-oriented model for teaching sustainability was developed and contains the following: A purpose continuous with an authentic sustainability problem; Children participating in processes that include creativity, deliberation and critical evaluation. These aspects are all embedded in an approach of preschool didactics. In addition, by incorporating children’s voices all along the course of action, an agency process is formed, and consequently, an expanded action repertoire for sustainability is achieved.
