Academic literature on the topic 'NORDINFO (Organization)'

Previous research suggests that connecting organizational levels of biological systems is challenging forpupils. In the present study we investigated 122 pupils’ written responses to a question in a national biologytest concerning how nutrient molecules are adsorbed by the small intestine and transported to thebrain. We aimed to investigate what awareness the pupils have of the connection between the digestiveand circulatory systems. We mapped the pupil’s expressed knowledge by using content analysis whichwas performed in five steps including connection between the systems, organizational levels and scientificexplanations. We found that the most correct descriptions contained the highest number of connectionsbetween the digestive and the circulatory systems and linking of the different organizational levels. Themost correct descriptions included the highest proportion of the meso level. Therefore, knowledge at themeso level seems to be essential for grasping connections between macro- and submicro-level processes,and connections of digestion and circulation systems.

This descriptive article aims to discuss the development of Finnish PhD education in science and mathematics education research over the past 20 years. First, the general aims and structure of PhD education at the national level are introduced. Doctoral studies seek to develop research knowledge and skills as well as the capability to produce novel scientific knowledge. Second, the development of PhD education in the Finnish context of science and mathematics education research is discussed. For the past 20 years, there has been a special focus on improving PhD education through national-level graduate schools and international collaboration. Finally, the recent changes in PhD education, such as the replacement of doctoral programmes at local universities, is discussed through the case of the University of Helsinki.

Human biology, in terms of organization of our brains and our evolutionary past, constrains and enables learning. Two examples where neurobiology and evolution influences learning are given and discussed in relation to education: mirror neurons and adaptive memory. Mirror neurons serves imitation and understanding of other peoples intentions. Adaptive memory implies that our memory is an adaptation influenced by our evolutionary past, enabling us to solve problems in the present and in the future. Additionally, the aim is to contribute to bridges between natural and social sciences in an attempt to achieve an improved understanding of learning. The relevance of perspectives on learning founded in biology are discussed, and the article argues for including biological perspectives in discussions of education and learning processes.

In this paper we report a study about two teachers’ intentions with integrated science in lower secondary school and how these intentions turn out in their classrooms. The study is based on intention alanalysis of interviews and classrooms observations. The teachers’ intentions are a result of internal and external factors. Internal factors for organizing teaching as integrated science were to let the students get a holistic understanding of the science content, to be able to apply knowledge and to see the relevance in their daily lives. External factors were school organization and syllabuses. In practice the teachers clearly connected to the students’ daily life while the holistic approach did not seem to be as important. In classroom reality the external factors became important and made the teachers change their actions.

We examined Finnish lower secondary students’ mental models of magnetism through their drawings, written explanations and interviews. Secondary students in Finland (N=12) engaged in six lessons designed specifically to target three key concepts in understanding magnetism: structure and organization (magnetic domains), magnetic fields and magnetic interactions. We describe how, with a finite number of key concepts introduced, students reflected upon and revised their mental models of magnetism and magnetic interactions towards more sophisticated and normative scientific views. We found two new categories of students’ models: the pole model and pole/field model. The critical moments in evolving the models happened during the investigations regarding understanding magnetic fields and magnetic internal structure. This article gives an example for teachers and researchers of how to follow students’ development of mental models in science.

Since publication of the first PISA results in 2001, the PISA scores have become a kind of global “gold standard” for educational quality. Climbing on the international PISA rankings have become a high priority for national educational policies world-wide, also in the Nordic countries. This article first explores why and how the OECD, with PISA as the main instrument, has emerged as the key defining organization for educational quality and policy. Some of the underlying assumptions, ideologies and values are critiqued. Secondly, the article draws attention to PISA findings that are surprising, unexpected and problematic. The most problematic finding for science education is that PISA-scores correlate negatively with nearly all aspects of inquiry-based science teaching (IBSE), the kind of teaching that is recommended by scientists as well as science educators.

This study is an investigation on how students express their understanding of genetic concepts and their relations during peer discussions. Participants in this study were non-major students from a Swedish upper secondary school. Special attention was paid to how the groups treated the domain- specific vocabulary, how they expressed their understanding of reduction division and how they connected concepts from different biological organization levels. These subject areas have been reported as difficult for students in earlier studies. The results show discussions concerning the three subject areas and in the discussions the students help each other to make the meaning of the genetic concepts clear. The analysis is based on socio-cultural perspectives with focus on how the participants treated the genetic content from the previously presented subject areas in their discussions.

Improved learning by implementation of inquiry-based science education (IBSE) has been well documented. Eight Norwegian secondary school teachers associated the term IBSE with problem solving, good student dialogues, experiments and practical work. They rarely implemented “full” IBSE in their teaching practices even though this is well anchored in the Norwegian national curriculum. The teachers had experienced that IBSE led to an increased interest, motivation and curiosity for science learning, and explicit scaffolding and guidance were regarded as important to obtain good learning processes. Limiting factors for implementation of IBSE were time available, organization of teaching hours, class room facilities and the number of students in the class. IBSE activities were in particular valued as important to stimulate science-based discussions in the classroom. In order to promote and increase the implementation of IBSE in secondary school science teaching, two strategies might be good to pursue: increased time resources to teach science in the Norwegian school and introduction of IBSE-focused teacher training programs.

In Denmark, a new interdisciplinary agenda has been invented across the science subjects in lower secondary school. Interdisciplinary integration around six major problem-based teaching sequences in grades 7-9 has been made mandatory, and a new interdisciplinary oral end examination has been devised. The new examination format was piloted with volunteering teachers/classes during spring 2016 end examination. The present study captures teacher challenges facing and implementing the new interdisciplinary agenda in its pilot-year, including the end examination. Empirically, we have surveyed interdisciplinary beliefs, attitudes, and related practices amongst a diverse sample of teachers across the sciences (N=94). Further, we have made observations and teacher interviews with nine teachers participating in the 2016-pilotting. Against a generally positive background, we have identified substantial challenges related to teacher beliefs, subject matter knowledge and interdisciplinary self-efficacy, traditional teaching practices, as well as a range of organizational barriers to the implementation of reform intentions.

Kolej Universiti Islam Sultan Azlan Shah (KUISAS) organized and hostedthe Second World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilization (WCIT)during August 18-19, 2014, at Casuarina Hotel, Ipoh, Malaysia. Under theleadership of chairperson Wan Sabri bin Wan Yusof (associate professor), theorganizers chose Ibn Khaldun’s notion of the rise and fall of civilization asthe general theme and asked potential presenters to explore the contemporarystate of Muslim affairs. The over 200 selected presenters, ranging from thesocial sciences to the applied sciences, were slotted into various parallel panels.After welcoming and introducing the sponsors and various presenters,Nordin Kardi (vice-chancellor and rector, KUISAS) spoke on the Arab Springand other problems that continue to afflict the Muslim world: a low to mediumlevel of socioeconomic human development, an absence of good governance,intra-Muslim conflict, and an attitude of the “Muslim world and the rest.” Hesuggested that Muslims begin building strategic bridges to deal with them.The first keynote speaker, Sultan Nazrin M. Shah (pro-chancellor, Universityof Malaya), echoed some of Kardi’s points and reflected critically uponthe Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states’ general poor performancein producing scientific publications as a typical example of the deplorablestate of knowledge production among Muslims as a whole. Headvocated participation, transparency, equitable treatment, good governance,and sound education to remedy this generally negative condition.The second keynote speaker, Serif Ali Tekalan (vice-chancellor, Fatih University,Turkey) spoke on “The Role of Waqf in Islamic Civilization: Turkey’sExperience in Waqf for Education.” A great deal of evidence shows thatTurkey has used “endowment policies” to transform its socio-educational andreligious landscape. Both Muslim-majority and minority communities shouldbe able to benefit from its experience. The final keynote speaker, Zamry AbdulKadir (chief minister), who closed the conference, remarked that Muslimsshould return to the Qur’an and Sunnah to rebuild Islamic civilization. He optimisticallystated: “[I]ronic as it may seem, despite the multitude of conflicts… are we actually looking at the … resurgence of Islam?” He observed thatthe conference’s main result was “a call to re-examine the essence of Islamic ...