{"title":"What and why in teaching about sustainability","authors":"Annika Forsler, Pernilla Nilsson, Susanne Walan","doi":"10.5617/nordina.10159","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.10159","url":null,"abstract":"Education has responded to global Sustainable Development (SD) goals by drawing on a range of issue-related, context-based, and cross-curricular approaches to teaching SD. This paper aims to examine how teachers describe the content in SD and how they justify this content concerning their teaching practice. The Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) framework, with its reflective tool Content Representation (CoRe), was used in combination with semi-structured interviews to capture 18 Swedish upper-secondary science teachers’ reflections. The results indicate four themes of content that the teachers emphasise: energy and global warming, ecosystem services and biodiversity, presence of harmful substances and materials in nature, and imbalance of natural substances in nature. The teachers justified these content themes in terms of the importance of students’ gaining different perspectives (local, global, ecological, social, and economic), belief in the future, action competence, and general scientific education. The paper contributes to sustainability education research, as it focuses on teaching sustainability in the light of the PCK framework. Also, it can support and inspire teachers when they decide what content to include when teaching SD.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"101 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140670059","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}
{"title":"Lower secondary school students’ conversations when constructing representations of plate boundaries in Minecraft","authors":"Julie Guttormsen","doi":"10.5617/nordina.9647","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.9647","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores students’ (13 y) conversations when they construct representations of plate boundaries in the digital gaming environment of Minecraft Education. It also investigates how the spatial affordance of Minecraft Education may support students’ meaning making of the theory of plate tectonics. Video data of classroom activities with Minecraft Education was collected with head cameras. Analysis of the data shows that students overall used everyday language during the activity of constructing plate boundaries. The study suggests i.) a need for more teacher-centeredness and structured scaffolding of scientific language during small group work in Minecraft, and ii.) a need to increase the spatial extent in Minecraft Education to include both the subsurface and more regional scales of resolution.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"44 26","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140667421","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}
{"title":"En kritisk diskusjon av ‘tematisk analyse etter Braun og Clarke (2006)’ i naturfagdidaktiske studier","authors":"Kari Beate Remmen","doi":"10.5617/nordina.10094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.10094","url":null,"abstract":"Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006) have become a phenomenon within qualitative research – and science education is no exception. However, thematic analysis is poorly understood and even misused in published research. In this article, I investigate the use of Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis in 26 studies published in Nordic Studies of Science Education (Nordina) between 2015-2022. Applying a shortened version of Braun and Clarkes (2021a) evaluation tool, I critically examine and discuss how ‘thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006)’ is described and performed in the Nordina-articles. I find that thematic analysis is used in various ways, and often in ways that seem incompatible with Braun and Clarkes approach to the method. The findings and reflections should have implications for the use of and review of ‘thematic analysis after Braun and Clarke (2006)’ in science education research. ","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"117 28","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140669680","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}
{"title":"Matriser, krafter och fysik: Elevers levda erfarenheter av bedömningsmatriser i grundskolans fysikundervisning","authors":"Henrik Hallström, Magnus Levinsson","doi":"10.5617/nordina.10201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.10201","url":null,"abstract":"Over the past decade, the use of rubrics for formative purposes in science education has attracted attention for its potential to positively influence students’ self-regulation and learning. This study explores students’ lived experiences of using rubrics as part of learning about the concept of force in the physics classroom. To address these experiences, 19 compulsory school students were interviewed about their use of a rubric specifically designed for an assignment on force and motion. Three main themes emerged from an analysis of the descriptions of their lived experiences: (i) rubrics provide a sense of control; (ii) rubrics are required for high grades, but create stress; and (iii) rubrics foster strategic learning. The experiences revealed in these themes have the potential to deepen our understanding of the challenges involved in using rubrics to teach physics and have implications for teaching students about force.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"127 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140669086","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}
{"title":"Quantum physical insights of agential realism within new materialism in science education:","authors":"Ismo Koponen","doi":"10.5617/nordina.9776","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.9776","url":null,"abstract":"Barad’s agential realism has recently been evoked as a theoretical viewpoint for science education and science education research in approaches that emphasize the role of materiality and matter as a key aspect of learning science. Barad’s agential realism is underpinned by their specific ways of reading quantum physics, its interpretations and, in general, contemplations of the quantum nature of existence. Agential realism is an ontological as well as an epistemological (onto-epistemological) metaphysical position that strives to dissolve the boundaries between subjects and objects, and leaves little room for traditional subject-centered epistemological views (like constructivism) of learning. A closer look is warranted at how the quantum physics underpinnings of agential realism, which are clearly very important for it, appear in its current applications in new materialism within science education research. This critical commentary claims that, in such a context, the conceptualization of learning and educational phenomena derives little if any advantage or practical utility from the quantum physics-inspired metaphysics of agential realism; only metaphorical talk remains. Consequently, we need to be aware of the limited power and plausibility of the quantum-inspired contemplations contained in agential realism if it is adopted as a theoretical viewpoint for science education and science education research.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140666357","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}
{"title":"Fifth grade science students’ modelling performance when using a particle model of matter to explain different phenomena connected to phase transitions","authors":"Lisa Kristina Lunde","doi":"10.5617/nordina.9817","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.9817","url":null,"abstract":"Models and modelling are key features in science. A particle model of matter is a basic model to explain the properties of substances and phase transitions. This study aims to gain insight into the modelling skills of 5th grade students who had been explicitly taught about models and a particle model of matter. The students’ ability to transfer their understanding of the particle model of matter to new contexts was studied, to see if prior modelling knowledge was transferable. The results showed that the students had an increase in sophistication level in their models, understood what needed to be included in a drawn model, and were also able to transfer some knowledge to a new context. This highlights how working with models and modelling helps students understand which explanatory entities are important when creating models in scientific teaching.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140671541","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}
Fredrik Jensen, Marit Kjærnsli, Erik Knain, Maria Løvgren, Andrea Pettersen
{"title":"Sammenhengen mellom utforskende undervisning i naturfag og elevers prestasjoner og interesse for og trivsel med naturvitenskap. Norske resultater fra PISA 2015.","authors":"Fredrik Jensen, Marit Kjærnsli, Erik Knain, Maria Løvgren, Andrea Pettersen","doi":"10.5617/nordina.9335","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.9335","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents the results of an analysis of the Norwegian data from PISA 2015. The aim was to investigate the relationship between different types of inquiry-based teaching activities and student achievement and interest and enjoyment. For student interest and enjoyment, the results show a positive relationship with higher exposure to most of the different inquiry-based activities. When it comes to student achievement, our results draw a more complex picture. For instance, the highest mean performance is found for students who reported that they can explain their own thoughts and ideas in most lessons, compared to students who reported that they could do this in either all lessons or less frequently. For other activities, such as planning, carrying out and discussing experiments and investigations, these activities are related to highest performance when they are used less frequently. These results add nuance to our understanding of the relationship between how students perceive inquiry-based teaching activities, student achievement and interest and enjoyment in science in PISA data.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140666154","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}
{"title":"Students’ explanations of a complex natural phenomenon using mathematical modeling as a design feature in a model-based inquiry unit","authors":"Claus Auning, Mette Auning","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8965","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8965","url":null,"abstract":"This research investigates the ways in which mathematical modelling as a design feature support or constrain students’ understandings and explanations of a complex natural phenomenon and how students experience the relevance of mathematical modelling in a model-based inquiry (MBI) unit. To support lower secondary students in using mathematical modelling, we developed an MBI unit based on a complex natural phenomenon, a cloudburst event, in which mathematical modelling was essential to understanding and explaining the phenomenon. The research took place in two Danish schools and the unit comprised 12 lessons over a period of one week. The sample group consisted of 40 students in the 14–16 years age group. For the analysis of the students’ mathematical modelling, the research used an adaptation of the modelling cycle proposed by Blum and Leiß (2005) to interpret the students’ artefacts. A subset of participants (n = 7) was also interviewed about their models to gain insights into how students experience the relevance of mathematical modelling in the MBI unit. Results show that the majority of the students – 37 out of 40 – were able to understand the mathematical problem from the anchoring phenomenon and model the phenomenon from a mathematical perspective, but we also see that a small number of students have problems in completing all the facets of the mathematical modelling cycle and are not able to validate the solution of the mathematical problem in relation to the anchoring phenomenon. Students expressed that their own modelling process along with the mathematical modelling helped them better understand the various elements of the anchoring phenomenon.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70774026","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}
{"title":"Læreres erfaringer med kompetanseutvikling i et online profesjonelt læringsfellesskap","authors":"Majken Korsager, Berit Reitan, Camilla Haslekås","doi":"10.5617/nordina.8985","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.8985","url":null,"abstract":"This study presents what reflections science teachers express when they shared experiences after trying out a new teaching method in science in an online synchronous professional learning community (PLC), and how they experienced participation in the online PLC. The results indicate that the teachers experienced increased awareness about their own teaching practice. The teachers were comfortable conducting collaborative sessions synchronously online and found that this gave them flexibility in terms of time and their geographical location. However, the support provided by the module was not sufficient to create reflective discussions for all the teachers. This insight is an important contribution, which should be considered to support PLC (online or not) in schools.","PeriodicalId":37114,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Science Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44086441","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}