Situational interest and learning in a science center mathematics exhibition

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Informal education in mathematics exhibition

Informaali oppiminen tarkoittaa koulun ja oppilaitosten ulkopuolella tapahtuvaa oppimista. Se ta-pahtuu arkisissa tilanteissa, joiden tarkoitus ei ole alkuperäisesti ollut opetuksellinen. Koulun ul-kopuoliset oppimisympäristöt on nähty erityisesti mielenkiintoa herättävinä, motivoivina ja positii-visesti asenteisiin vaikuttavina. Tässä tutkielmassa tutkitaan matematiikkanäyttelyn yhteyksiä suhtautumiseen matematiikkaa kohtaan sekä kiinnostuksen lisääntymistä luonnontieteisiin ala-koulun kuudesluokkalaisten oppilaiden osalta. Tämän lisäksi selvitetään koulun ulkopuolisten oppimisympäristöjen mahdollista hyödyntämistä oppilaan laaja-alaisen osaamisen opettamiseen. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) -pedagogiikka tähtää kehittä-mään oppilaiden taitoja innovaation ja luovuuden saralla yhdistelemällä elementtejä luonnontie-teistä ja taiteesta. STEAM yhdistää todellisuuden ja koulutuksen ja pyrkii tarjoamaan oppilaalle ymmärryksen siitä, miten asiat toimivat sekä kohdentaa heidän teknologiataitojaan. Tutkimuksen kohteena oli Tangram - Oivalla matematiikan taito! -näyttely, joka oli osa kansainvä-listä CREATIONS-projektia. Tutkimukseen osallistui 256 kuudennen luokan oppilasta viidestä eri jyväskyläläisestä koulusta. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin kahdessa osassa: alkutestit viikkoa ennen vierailua ja jälkitestit noin viikko vierailun jälkeen. Näyttelykäynti lisäsi kiinnostusta luonnontieteitä kohtaan yhdeksällä oppilaalla kymmenestä. Kiin-nostuneimpia STEM-aineista olivat hyvän visuaalisen päättelykyvyn omaavat pojat. Kiinnostuk-sen lisääntyminen oli kuitenkin sukupuolesta tai aikaisemmasta kiinnostuksesta riippumatonta. Heikosti koulussa menestyneet sekä huonomman visuaalisen päättelykyvyn omaavat oppilaat ar-vostivat matematiikkaa vähemmän ennen näyttelykäyntiä kuin muut oppilaat. Arvostus matema-tiikkaa kohtaan ei lisääntynyt näyttelykäynnin myötä, mutta erot matematiikan arvostuksessa ka-penivat. Oppilaiden autonomian kokemus sekä näyttelyssä viihtyminen olivat erittäin tärkeässä asemassa sekä oppilaiden kiinnostuksen lisääntymisen, että matematiikan arvostuksen osalta. Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan sanoa jo lyhytkestoisen koulun ulkopuolisen oppimisen kasvattavan oppilaiden kiinnostusta ainakin hieman sekä tasoittavan oppilaiden välisiä eroja ma-tematiikan arvostuksessa. Tutkimuksen tulosten perusteella voidaan koulun ulkopuolisen oppi-misen ympäristön olleen mielekäs ja kiinnostava oppimisympäristö, joka voisi toimia erinomaise-na tapana toteuttaa myös oppilaan laaja-alaista oppimista.Informal learning is learning that takes place outside the school system. It happens in everyday situations that were not meant to be educational in the first place. Out-of-school environments are considered to produce positive effects on pupils’ interest, motivation and attitudes. The main aim of this study was to find out how math worth and interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education differed among 12-year-old pupils before and after visiting an Informal Math and Art Exhibition. Additionally, the aim was to find out if it is possible to utilize an out-of-school environment to teach 21st century skills. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics (STEAM) pedagogy aims to improve pupils’ skills in innovation and creativity by combining elements from science and art. STEAM combines reality and education and aims to provide understanding of how things work while simultaneously guiding pupils’ technology skills. The learning context was a Math and Art Exhibition that was part of international CREATIONS-project. In this study, there were 256 12-year-old pupils from five different schools in Jyväskylä, Finland. The research material was gathered in 2 parts: pretests one week before the exhibition visit and posttests around a week after the visit. Nine out of ten students felt that the exhibition increased their interest in STEM. Boys who succeeded well in the Raven-test were the most interest in STEM. The increase in interest was, however, unrelated to gender or prior interest in STEM. Math worth was low among pupils who achieved low grades at school and scored low points on the Raven test. Math worth did not increase because of the exhibition visit, but differences in math worth were diminished. Pupils’ autonomous experience and situational interest were key factors regarding both math worth and interest. According to this study, even short-term out-of-school learning increases interest and evens out pupils’ math worth. In the light of this study the out-of-school learning environment can be seen as a fruitful and interesting way to learn that could also work as an excellent way to teach 21st century skills

El rol de los CCTT como intermediarios de innovación: un análisis mutidimensional.

[ES] Los centros tecnológicos (en adelante, CCTT) son uno de los agentes clave de los sistemas de innovación (en adelante, SI) y actúan como pieza fundamental para fomentar y apoyar la innovación empresarial a través de la tecnología. El objetivo principal de esta tesis ha sido el estudio del rol de los CCTT en diferentes contextos identificando, a través de varias técnicas de análisis cuantitativas y cualitativas, su papel como intermediarios de innovación en los SI, así como los factores y variables clave para su competitividad. Para ello, en la primera parte de esta tesis se ha investigado sobre los SI, con el objetivo de analizar el entorno en el que operan los CCTT, aplicando tanto el método comparativo a través del estudio del caso de varios SI de referencia a nivel internacional, como la metodología del Análisis de las Condiciones Necesarias para identificar los factores críticos de mayor incidencia en la innovación y la competitividad de un territorio. La segunda parte de la tesis se ha dedicado a la investigación sobre los intermediarios de la innovación, analizando de forma particular el rol de los CCTT mediante la aplicación de la metodología del Análisis Cualitativo de Datos a la revisión bibliométrica de las publicaciones sobre CCTT. Por último, se ha aplicado la metodología del Proceso de Análisis Jerárquico para identificar y priorizar los elementos que inciden en la eficiencia y la competitividad de un CT. Con todo ello, se establecen conclusiones de utilidad tanto para la mejora de la gestión de los CCTT, como para el establecimiento de políticas de innovación que tengan como resultado una mayor eficiencia de los propios Centros, así como un incremento de la competitividad del territorio.[CA] Els Centres Tecnològics (d'ara en avant, CCTT) són un dels agents clau dels Sistemes d'Innovació (d'ara en avant, SI) i actuen com a peça funda per a fomentar i donar suport a la innovació empresarial a través de la tecnologia. L'objectiu principal d'esta tesi ha sigut l'estudi del rol dels CCTT en diferents contextos identificant, a través de diverses tècniques d'anàlisis quantitatives i qualitatives, el seu paper com a intermediaris en els SI, així com els factors i variables clau per a la seua competitivitat. Per a això, en la primera part d'esta tesi s'ha investigat sobre els SI, amb l'objectiu d'analitzar l'entorn en què operen els CCTT, aplicant tant el mètode comparatiu a través de l'estudi del cas de diversos SI de referència a nivell internacional, com la metodologia de l'Anàlisi de les Condicions Necessàries per a identificar els factors crítics de major incidència en la innovació i la competitivitat d'un territori. La segona part de la tesi s'ha dedicat a la investigació sobre els intermediaris de la innovació, analitzant de forma particular el rol dels CCTT per mitjà de l'aplicació de la metodologia de l'Anàlisi Qualitativa de Dades a la revisió bibliométrica de les publicacions sobre CCTT. Finalment, s'ha aplicat la metodologia del Procés d'Anàlisi Jeràrquica per a identificar i prioritzar els elements que incidixen en l'eficiència i la competitivitat d'un CT. Amb tot això, s'establixen conclusions d'utilitat tant per a la millora de la gestió dels CCTT, com per a l'establiment de polítiques d'innovació que tinguen com resultat una major eficiència dels propis Centres, així com un increment de la competitivitat del territori.[EN] Technology Centers (hereinafter, TTCC) are one of the key agents of Innovation Systems (hereinafter, IS) and act as a fundamental piece to promote and support business innovation through technology. The main objective of this thesis has been to study the role of TTCC in different contexts by identifying, through various quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques, their role as intermediaries in IS, as well as the key factors and variables for their competitiveness. To this end, the first part of this thesis has investigated the IS, with the aim of analyzing the environment in which the TTCC operate, applying both the comparative method through the case study of several international reference IS, and the methodology of the Necessary Conditions Analysis to identify the critical factors of greater impact on the innovation and competitiveness of a territory. The second part of the thesis was devoted to research on innovation intermediaries, analyzing in particular the role of the TTCC by applying the Qualitative Data Analysis methodology to the bibliometric review of publications on TTCC. Finally, the Hierarchical Analysis Process methodology has been applied to identify and prioritize the elements that affect the efficiency and competitiveness of a TC. With all this, useful conclusions are drawn both for the improvement of the management of the TTCC and for the establishment of innovation policies that will result in greater efficiency of the centers themselves, as well as an increase in the competitiveness of the territory.Del Campo Asenjo, C. (2023). El rol de los CCTT como intermediarios de innovación: un análisis mutidimensional [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/20113

Incidental Learners: Exploring primary school science teachers' learning during the Science Enrichment Programmes at the Science Centre Singapore

Teacher learning is active, continuous and challenging. As there is growing and ever-broadening knowledge in science, teachers need continuous support to maintain best practices throughout their career. For teachers to perform their diverse and complex roles, they need relevant science learning experiences. This is especially the case for primary school teachers. This study investigated whether and how primary school teachers in Singapore learn during Enrichment Programmes which are designed for primary school students, at Science Centre Singapore. The main focus of the study was to explore the nature of teachers’ constructed knowledge during the programmes, which are facilitated by three different dimensions of science communication. The method included a survey, interviews and observations. Analysis of the data from quantitative and qualitative results enabled a description of teacher learning in the programmes designed and conducted for students. The results led to the construction of a teachers’ learning model. This model establishes that teachers learn through communicating in different roles during the programmes. Further reflection leads to useful integration of the knowledge gained, which then contributes to classroom practice. The programmes provide a unique space for enhancement of elements of the teachers’ professional knowledge landscape, which differs from the kind of professional development offered in programmes designed for teachers. Further research is required, however, to understand more about how Pedagogical Context Knowledge is informed by these different roles