{"title":"Mathematics and outdoor photography experience – exploration of an approach to mathematical education, based on the theory of Dewey’s aesthetics","authors":"A. Meier, M. Hannula, M. Toivanen","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.317","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.317","url":null,"abstract":"Based on Dewey’s theory of art, aesthetics, and experiences and photographer Barnbaums’ writing about expanded perception through photography, we conducted a one-day experimental mathematics education unit. Using photography in outdoor conditions had a positive impact on teacher students’ perception of the use of photography for teaching mathematics. To study the changes in students’ visual attention deeper, we used gaze-tracking to analyse one student’s visual attention when walking outdoors after the activity. The gaze data indicated that more visual attention was given to objects he had photographed or discussed during the group activity in comparison to other objects.","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122652393","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":"Non-formal science education: The relevance of science camps","authors":"J. Halonen, M. Aksela","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.316","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.316","url":null,"abstract":"Non-formal science education means goal-oriented learning outside of school. The use of out of school learning environments (e.g. science camps) has been found to increase motivation and interest in natural sciences. In this study, the relevance of non-formal science education in science camps has been analyzed from the perspectives of children and families, which has not been studied before. The analysis of relevance has been based on the relevance theory developed by Stuckey, Hofstein, Mamlok-Naaman & Eilks in 2013. The study focuses on the 46 science camps organized by the University of Helsinki LUMA Centre in the years 2015 and 2016, involving more than 900 schoolchildren and some of their parents (N=124). The study examined also the impact of children’s gender and children’s earlier interest in science on the relevance of chemistry related science camps. Survey and theme interview were both used as research methods. \u0000The results of the survey show that non-formal science education in science camps is relevant according to both the children and the families, mainly at the level of individual relevance, with emphasis on present and intrinsic dimensions of relevance. The tasks related to the camp themes, for example in chemistry camps, experimental work in the laboratory, and friends made in the science camps are the most relevant for children. The chemistry science camps are individually most relevant to those children who didn’t have much earlier interest in chemistry. Boys are more confident about their own interests at the individual relevance level than girls. At the level of societal relevance, boys are more focused on present-day relevance than girls when girls also consider the future. The levels of societal and vocational relevance were only slightly visible in the answers of the survey. However, based on theme interviews, camps were considered as relevant for all relevance levels of the relevance theory. \u0000The results of this research can be utilized in the development of out of school learning environments, especially in the development of science camps and in further research.","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127130676","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":"Out of school opportunities for science and mathematics learning: Environment as the third educator","authors":"Valeria M. Cabello, Vesna Ferk Savec","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.353","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.353","url":null,"abstract":"Out-of-school environments offer a unique opportunity for experiental learning which transcends the role of educational resources and teachers. This article introduces the special topic of out-of-school learning in science and mathematics education. First, we present the theoretical underpinnings from the movement towards crossing the boundaries of school in educational practices and broadening educational spaces. We continue with the key facets of out-of-school learning through a constructivist approach, aided by the concept of mediation environments as the third educator from a socio-material perspective. Furthermore, we focus our discussion on a selection of articles from this special number as an international overview on out-of-school learning. In the conclusion section, we discuss the gaps that the following works fill, as well as new questions that arise in the area. The closing remarks highlight the promotion of active learning in students, considering the role of the environment as the third educator. ","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121974742","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":"Research-based exhibition development: Illustrating the invisible nanoworld","authors":"Antti Laherto","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.323","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.323","url":null,"abstract":"Informal learning environments such as exhibitions in museums and science centres have the potential to promote public engagement in the societally important fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology (NST). This study contributes to research-based development of an NST exhibition by mapping educational, communicational and museographical challenges in illustrating nanoscale science. For the methodological framework, the study employs a previously suggested model based on the Model of Educational Reconstruction. Potential visitors’ perspectives were analysed by reviewing research literature on NST learning, and by interviewing science centre visitors. On the basis of the results, the study suggests strategies for illustrating the nanoscale in an exhibition: ways of supporting visitors’ scale conceptualisation, presenting images and visualisations deliberately, and using scale models and macroscopic analogies. The study examines how the educational role of science centres may be enhanced by informing exhibition development with visitor-oriented research.","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115341833","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":"Primary school teachers’ perceptions of out of school learning within science education","authors":"Annette Henriksson","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.313","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.313","url":null,"abstract":"This article examines what key aspects primary teachers highlight when they describe their use of out of school learning in the science subjects. The empirical study is made in the form of a semi-structured interview with primary teachers (N=15). Compared to earlier research in the area the results highlight the importance of clear learning aims for the outdoor sequence. The results show that teachers view outdoor education as an opportunity to study nature \"for real\", which, according to teachers, increases the interest of the children. As aspects that obstruct outdoor teaching, teachers mainly describe different organizational-economic aspects. In their description of the learning content in the outdoor education, teachers mainly talk about the students’ interest (affective motivations) and the concrete activity or act (process-oriented motivations). The scientific subject knowledge is limited in the teachers’ descriptions.","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"510 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117040010","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":"Change of the ideas of science teachers after participation in a training program on the use of non-formal educational places","authors":"D. Bustamante, C. Vanegas","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.320","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.2.320","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study is to understand how the perception of teachers might change after they participate in a training program on the use of non-formal educational places (NFEP). The design of the study is ethnographic and its methodology is qualitative. The study comprehends the analysis of three multiple cases according to the disciplinary area, including teachers of primary education, biology, and physics. The analysis was focused on the discourse of the participants, establishing eight categories which were previously validated through triangulation by time and by instruments. The study concludes that the participants were able to restructure their ideas about the use of NFEP for teaching, showing mainly ontological and epistemological changes, which are discussed in the paper.","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125013571","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}
A. Laine, M. Ahtee, L. Näveri, E. Pehkonen, M. Hannula
{"title":"Teachers’ influence on the quality of pupils’ written explanations – Third-graders solving a simplified arithmagon task during a mathematics lesson","authors":"A. Laine, M. Ahtee, L. Näveri, E. Pehkonen, M. Hannula","doi":"10.31129/LUMAT.6.1.255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.1.255","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study is to find out whether there is a connection between teacher’s request and guidance for written explanation and third-graders’ achievements in solving a non-standard problem. Pupils’ task was to solve a simplified arithmagon and to explain their solution. The lessons of seven teachers were recorded and their actions were examined and categorized during a problem-solving lesson. Also pupils’ solutions were checked and classified. The teacher’s behavior seems to have a crucial role in the quality of pupils’ written explanations. The third-graders had difficulties in writing their reasoning for solving the problem.","PeriodicalId":380132,"journal":{"name":"Lumat: International Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131335938","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}