Fremtidens naturfaglige uddannelser. Naturfag for alle

Summary: Science education of the futureensure the connection between the different educational levelsand the interaction between different subject matters. This willensure a better flow in the educational system and contributeto a greater clarity when it comes to pupils’ and students’learning. The Ministry of Education should initiate thedevelopment of competence-based national curricula and ofnew ways of evaluating, testing and teaching in accordancewith the use of science competencies. In addition, localauthorities should be obliged to develop and offer local courseplans and curricula based on the idea of competencies. Theseshould be based on four competencies, namely empirical,representational, reflection- and modelling competencies.Strengthening the science education cultureThe strengthening of the science education culture at alleducational levels must happen through the local use ofteacher teams consisting of colleagues representing a broadspectrum of science teaching competencies. Leaders ofeducational institutions are responsible for the creation ofconditions for initiating team building and development.It is recommended that science education in grades 1-6 shouldcontinue to exist in the form of the integrated subject“science/technology”. However this subject should bestrengthened by ensuring the development of local curricula,by increasing requirements made on learning facilities andresources and by demanding that teachers of this subjectshould have proper training. In grades 7-9, a localcoordination of the three existing science subjects (physics/chemistry, biology and geography) must be ensured. This willprovide a better foundation for both in-depth treatments ofspecific scientific subjects as well as for interdisciplinaryprojects. All the science subjects should carry equal weightin the final exams in primary school. School leaders shouldensure that only teachers who are fully qualified to teachscience subjects do so.In secondary school it is recommended that a general94