In the European context, mathematics and science education is termed mathematics and science didactics. Didactics is the science of the teaching profession and contributes with knowledge with direct relevance for teachers’ work. Didactic knowledge aims at giving support to teachers for planning and implementation of instruction and assessment of knowledge.
Research
Our research concerns teaching at university level, primarily teacher education, as well as teaching and learning in school, pre-school, and in situations outside formal teaching contexts such as museums and science centers. The research emanates from questions on communication and language, environment and sustainability, how to evaluate and assess mathematics and science knowledge, how to develop didactic models for teaching, and how the mathematics and science subjects can contribute to students’ possibilities of engagement as citizens in society.
Our research groups in mathematics and science education have extensive international collaboration with researchers in Europe, USA, Africa and Asia on teacher education, didactic modelling and comparative didactics.
Education
MND has an extensive assignment in teacher education. We participate in teacher education for primary and secondary school with particular responsibility for education of secondary school teachers. We also have an overall responsibility for educating mathematics and science teachers for upper secondary school. We collaborate with international universities and offer possibilities for studies within teacher programs to study abroad in specific courses.
MND offers masters programs and doctoral studies in mathematics and science didactics. At present, the department has 90 students engaged in masters studies and 27 doctoral students.
