Enhancing Science Education on a National Scale

Description

Science education stands as a cornerstone of societal progress, fueling innovation, and addressing complex global challenges. However, despite existing Danish national strategies and programs, there is a trend of young learners opting out of science education. In response to this challenge, the Danish Science Academy (NAFA) endeavors to promote engaging science teaching throughout the Danish educational system.
The implementation of such a large-scale transdisciplinary program is unprecedented in Denmark. This talk builds on an ethnographic study of the innovation of science education through a comprehensive, nationwide approach in the NAFA program. It offers introspective reflections on leadership of internal operations, serving as an exploration of NAFA as an ecosystem for collaborative innovation in Danish science education.
The assessment identifies drivers and barriers for trans-sectorial and trans-institutional negotiated leadership, aiming to facilitate systemic change.
The talk will address various central questions, leading to a conclusion that underscores the significance of collective leadership, sensemaking, boundary spanning, and the establishment of informal learning networks in local communities. These activities are advocated for the purpose of embedding science teaching in local initiatives, ultimately fostering long-term and sustainable macro-scale impact.
The analysis contributes to the existing body of Scandinavian studies on large-scale innovation in science education.

Period	12. Jun 2024
Held at	IDN - Institut für Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften Leibnitz Universität Hannover, Germany
Degree of Recognition	International