Patricia Wastiau, Caroline Kearney, MST study, preliminary results, PIC meeting, 05/11/09, Brussels

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MST Analysis – preliminary resultsPIC Meeting on MST, Brussels, 05/11/2009

Patricia Wastiau & Caroline Kearney


The issue

Disaffection from students

2

Number of graduates

Depending on:

Level of education

Disciplinary field

Geographical area


A European issue?

3

A topic for cooperation….


A European issue?

4

A topic for cooperation….

• Universal concepts and content

• Technological societies

Even if….

• Different systems

• Other policies concerned


Common features of public policies on MST

5

Sooner is better

Teacher training

Active pedagogies


Common features of public policies on MST

6

• How to measure impact?

• Slow scaling up

• What about content and knowledge

• Systemic/holistic approach

• Long term commitment


Outline of analysis of completed MST questionnaires from 7 MoE

• Organization of MST subjects in primary & secondary curricula

• MST priorities rated by MoE

• National MST Initiatives

• Role of ICT in MST learning

All above based on completed questionnaires from 7 countries: CH, ES, FR, IT, NL, NO, & TU.

7


Completed MST questionnaires

8


Organization of MST subjects in primary curricula

• All primary school curricula in 7 countries teach Maths and Science (considered as a single area)

• 3 countries (FR, IT, TU) also teach some form of technology at primary level (ICT, Computer Science, Design & Technology).

9


Organization of MST subjects in secondary curricula

• At secondary level in 5 out of 7 countries, MST subjects are split into various separate subjects

• In 4 countries (FR, IT, ES, & TU) type and number of MST subjects taken depends on subject strand chosen by student

• In NL Science is taught in a holistic way under the thematic umbrella of ‘Man and Nature’. In CH similar option exists to teach subject clusters as part of more comprehensive fields such as ‘Man and Environment’, ‘Man and Technology’.

10


MST MoE Priorities:

11


Initiatives

12

PedagogyCareer Guidance

GenderTeacher Education

3 2

1

7 10

1015


Inititatives

• All 7 countries: at least 1 initiative related to improving pedagogy in MST

• 6 out of 7 countries: at least 1 initiative related to MST career guidance

13


MST national strategies in CH, IT, NL & NO

Powerpoint template - Patricia Munoz King

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Analysis of other MST initiatives

• Mostly only national measures reported (except for some regional measures in IT & ES)

• All initiatives concern either both primary & secondary level students or only secondary students (no initiatives devoted solely to primary)

• Out of 36 initiatives: 17 concern all MST subjects, 11 concern a certain combination of MST subjects, 5 concern Sciences only, 2 Maths only, & 1 Technology only.

15


Partnerships

• Schools (All)

• Universities (FR, CH, TU)

• Foundations/expert institutes (FR, IT, NO,ES, CH)

• Other Ministries (FR, IT)

• Regional Authorities (ES, IT) /EU (IT)

• Museums (IT, ES)

• Industry (FR, NL, NO, CH)

• Teacher & Trade Unions/Associations (IT, NO)


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Lack of gender balance for secondary MST teachers

17


Role of ICT in MST learning

• ICT is used in the teaching of MST subjects in all countries

• In NO & NL no specific details are given on how to use ICT in MST subjects (or any subjects) as ICT competence is considered as a basic skill to be integrated in all subject learning

18


Reasons given for using ICT in MST

• To collect, record & analyze data

• Display information in different formats

• Share information

• Allows students to work independently

• Allows students to practice as much as they like

• Motivating for students as do not feel ‘judged’ by computer

• Aids personalized learning

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Reasons for using ICT in MST teaching:

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Thank you and next over to you …

Thank you for listening… and for more interesting results, please

provide your completed questionnaire as soon as possible so we can

produce a complete comparative analysis of Europe by December

2009.


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