Research in physics and technology education

Research projects in the section include students' motivation for studying science, studies of illustrations in physics textbooks in a historical perspective, space technology as a context for learning mechanics, teaching of technology and design and technology in compulsory school and implementation of the subject "Technology and theory of research" in upper secondary school.


Students

NorSEd: Nordic research network in Science Education

Through NorSEd, NTNU contributes to Nordic co-operation and research training.
More on the research network NorSEd ...


Studentarbeider

Masterstudenter i fagdidaktikk inngår i disse prosjektene, eller de gjør utviklingsarbeider innen fysikk-undervisning i skolen. Utvalgte undervisningsopplegg studenter har utviklet som del av sin masteroppgave:

Research projects

S-TEAM: Science-Teacher Education Advanced Methods

The Division of Applied Physics and Didactic Physics participate in the European project Science-teacher Education Advanced Methods (S-TEAM). S-TEAM is a Seventh Framework Programme Science-in-Society project, funded by the EU,  which aims to disseminate inquiry-based science teaching methods (IBST) to the widest possible range of teachers and teacher educators across Europe and associated countries. More on Science-teacher education advanced methods - S-TEAM ...

Images in physics textbooks

Images constitute an important component of physics textbooks as multimodal texts. In this project images in textbooks used in physics teaching in Norwegian upper secondary schools from 1943 till present are analysed in terms of the three dimensions content specialization, framing and formality. The analysis indicates a shift from focus on experiments to focus on theoretical models, as illustrated in the figure. Further, it is found that newer textbooks entail under-communicated abstractions in terms of pedagogical models manifested in images. 

Figure 1: Isaachsen, 1943


Figure 2: Isaachsen, 1963

Figure 3: Øgrim, Ormestad og Lunde, 1972

Increasing abstraction in representing electromagnetic induction in physics textbooks, moving from experiments to generalized models.

Publication, NorDiNa, 4(2), 2008. Berit Bungum: Images of physics: explorative study of the changing character of visual images in Norwegian physics textbooks [pdf]

Who is the science student?

The project aims at shedding more light on what has motivated young students to enter science as a field of study, and how they look upon their future careers in the field. The investigation is done by means of questionnaires and interviews. Data from physics students are collected and analysed by Silje Rødseth in her master thesis, and the project is currently being extended to students in chemistry and biology.

Publication, Fra Fysikkens Verden,2, 2007. Silje Rødseth & Berit Bungum: Hvem er fysikkstudenten? [pdf]

Teachers at Andøya Rocket Range

Teachers in authentic practice in space technology

The project is run by phd student Hanne Mehli, and investigates school teachers' gains from in-service courses in space technology at Andøya Rocket Range, where they form part of authentic research communities. The project also aims at shedding light on how teachers may transfer knowledge from these courses to their classroom teaching, and how space as a context may facilitate students' learning of Newtonian mechanics.

Publication, NAROM, 2008.
Hanne Mehli: Lærersamlinger ved NAROM/Andøya Rakettskytefelt. Opplevelser fra kurs gjennomført i 2005 og 2006 [pdf]

"Technology and theory of research": Realizing the subject

The project consists of a survey of teachers teaching the new subject in Norwegian upper secondary school, and an action-research project undertaken with the school Byåsen Videregående Skole and the teacher Hilde Ervik. It aims at developing students' view of the nature of science by means of involvement with science and scientific investigations in authentic settings.

Publication: Acta Didactica, 3(1), 2009.
Teknologi og forskningslære i videregående skole: Hvem er lærerne og hvordan former de faget?  [pdf]

Technology and Design in schools

The group is currently involved in a project on technology and design with Finnmark University College, with grants from the Research Council of Norway ("Technology and design makes the future in North Norway"). Bjørn-Tore Esjeholm is doing his phd in this project, which investigates how design and technology in an interdisciplinary setting may bridge school subject with students' life outside school and hence act as motivation for further education.

Previous publications on technology and design in schools

Contact: Berit Bungum