Materials for Teaching Together: Science and Mathematics Teachers collaborating for better results
  • SUMMARY

SUMMARY

Studies show a lack in students’ motivation to learn mathematics and science. This has several negative impacts:

  • Many fields in the world of work rely on an understanding of mathematics and/or science
  • Many decision-making processes in society, politics, economy, ecology etc. require a basic understanding of science and mathematics principles
  • Students who are less motivated to learn mathematics and science are less likely to become motivated teachers in these fields.


Mathematics teachers often use science contexts in tasks, and science teachers often use mathematics, however they are usually working independently. Science context is often arbitrarily chosen, mathematics used with little regard towards learning. We will develop materials that are useful for both mathematics and science teachers that are designed to increase the competences in both subjects at the same time, allowing for interdisciplinary learning and for collaboration between mathematics and science teachers, ranging from common lesson planning to team teaching.

The main aim of the project is to produce materials for pre- and in-service teacher training, and for teaching in schools, that allow teachers to teach mathematics and science in an interdisciplinary way, as well as to collaborate with each other in several ways, both in preparing and in executing their teaching. Numerous evidence (e.g. Jones/Rasmussen/Moffitt 1997: "A collaborative approach to interdisciplinary learning", Bransford et al. 2005: "Foundations and opportunities for an interdisciplinary science of learning", as well as several works from Resnick or Schoenfeld) shows that this will foster learning and improve achievements in both mathematics and science. This is done by developing and collecting materials that are showing a variety of methods, approaches and contexts. The context will be relevant and meaningful to students, and can contain out-of-classroom activities, real-life situations, nature of science issues. Several of these materials will be supported by interactive ICT products.