This document summarizes research on science teaching in Icelandic schools. Data was collected from 20 schools through classroom observations and surveys. The research looked at teaching methods, resources, and time spent on science instruction. Key findings include:
- Science is typically taught in regular classrooms, not dedicated labs. Practical and inquiry-based activities are rare, especially in primary grades.
- Classroom activities focus on teacher-led discussions, written work, and arts/crafts projects. Little use is made of technology or outdoor lessons.
- While middle schools show the most variety, emphasis is still on textbooks and worksheets rather than hands-on learning or student choice.
- Equipment and resources are limited
1. What does the teaching of science
look like?
Svava Pétursdóttir Ed.D.
Gunnhildur Óskarsdóttir Ph.D.
Nordic Research Symposium on Science Education , Helsinki, 4-6 June 2014
2. Research questions
• What are the main characteristics of teaching
science in Iceland?
– Teaching methods, pedagogy
– Organisation (classroom, timetables, classroom
setup)
– Equipment, devices, ICT, outdoor facilities
– Assessment
3. Research questions
• Teachers
– Education
– Participation in CPD
– Pedagogical content knowledge
– Attitutes
• New national curriculum
– Has is started to influence school practice?
•
4. Data
• the Research project on Teaching and learning
in Icelandic schools 2009-2011 (age levels 6-
15) (see http://skrif.hi.is/starfshaettir/)
• Personalised learning
– Official policy and school development discourse
– Diverse pupils
– Pupil choose what and how to learn
– Learning environment
5. Data collection
• From 20 schools
• A large team of researchers
• Field reports:
– registration of all equipment
– arrangement of the furniture
– timings and main activities
– use of curriculum materials and pupil assignments.
6. Space given to teach science?
Number of
lessons*
Total
reports
Science/ all
lessons
Curriculum
guidelines
min per week/total
Curriculum
guidelined
Primary
(6-9 year olds)
5 162 3,1% 320 / 4800 6,7%
Middle school
(10-12 y)
8 122 6,6% 360 / 4200 8,6%
Lower
secondary
(13-15 y)
10 99 10,1% 360 / 4440 8,1%
Total 23 383 6,0% 1040 / 13.440 7,7%
*used time varied between 10-140 minutes
12. Where is science taught?
Total
number
Science
room
Outdoors
Home
room
Other
Primary
(6-9 year olds)
5 0 0 5 0
Middle school
(10-12 y)
8 0 0 8 0
Lower
secondary
(13-15 y)
10 6 1 3 1
Total 23
13. Science specific artefacts
• Primary (4 rooms)
– Owls and flowers hanging from the ceiling
• Middle school (7 rooms)
– Sinks in 3 rooms
– Glassware, measuring beakers and quipment
teacher brought in on a trolley
– Fish tank
– Pictures of wasps
14. Lower secondary
Posters: birds, horses, periodic table
Science gadgets, refrigerator, drying rack, microwave, high worktable
without chairs, periodic table
Pictures of; birds; whales; star signs, models, equipment for
experiments, microscopes, binocular microscopes
Globe, models, equipment for experiments, microscopes, binocular
microscopes
Some equipment on the teachers desk, a shelf with birds, poster with
birds, catagories of animals, fish, mammals, reindeer antlers on the wall
Specimens of rocks, biology posters, models, glasses with specimens,
microscopes, binocular microscopes
Nature, hut, hammock, more manmade equipment made of wood
Sinks in 7/10 rooms
15. Media Equipment
19 classrooms
Number of
classrooms
Percentage
Traditionally styled OHP 4 21%
Television 5 26%
VCR 3 16%
Stereo or radio 4 21%
DVD player 1 5%
Þessi búnaður ekki nýttur í þessum kennslustundum
Image http://www.acco.com.au/products/6001047_14001290_21015210/Nobo-Quantum-2511-Projector.aspx
16. Computer equipment
19 classrooms
Number of
classrooms
Percentage
Computer Teacher 11 58%
Computer Pupil 2 11%
Overhead projector 7 37%
Printer 4 21%
Laptop for pupils 1 5%
Eftir að skoða notkun kennara, nemendur aldrei
17. Primary, 6-9 year olds
• Teacher presentation with discussions followed
by arts and crafts
• Cutting, cluing, pasting
Images:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snj%C3%B3tittlingur.jpg
http://www.aslandsskoli.is/menningardagar/2012/menningardagar12.html
http://www.goingonanadventure.co.uk/2013_10_01_archive.html
21. Classroom practices
Examples and instances
1 test
1 (1) video middle school (primary)
0 ICT based work
1 outdoor lesson
2 lectures, new content in lower secondary
1 mindmap - Quiz
23. Preliminary conclusions
• Little practical work
• Little inquiry based methods
• Little pupil choice
• Varied teaching methods in middle school
• Less emphasis on textbooks than previous
research has shown
• Few signs of integration of subjects