Completed research projects before 2024
KTUM
Knowledge for Teaching Upper-secondary Mathematics: comparison and benchmarking across Europe.
Project period: 1/9 2023-31/12 2024
The project aimed at exploring a possible common core framework for the education of upper secondary mathematics teachers through:
- the building of a 4EU+ community of researchers in Mathematics Teacher Education
- a recognition of practices at participating universities
- the development of tools to compare the mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) of students at participating universities
- a feasibility study for the development of research-based common teaching practices in participating university Teacher Education programmes.
PROMISE
The project Philosophy of Personalized Medicine in Practice (PROMISE) is an empirically informed philosophical analysis of how personalized medicine affects primary care practice.
Project period: September 1, 2020 to January 1, 2025.
PROMISE explores such questions in order to inform the debate about the implications of personalized medicine for medical education and the organization of the health care system in general.
The PROMISE project was funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (Project 1 grant 0132-00026B).
An investigation of constraints - Teachers’ technology use in everyday work life
Project period: 1/6 2021 - 2022
This research project was designed to identify how digital technology configures teaching and learning. The project was focused on teacher agency, concentrating on how teachers’ actions are constrained by digital technology and digital education, to identify the relational, technical, and organizational adjustments that might have been made within the university to facilitate 'better' digital teaching environments.
Co-Creating Sustainability Communication
Project period: 2023 - 2024.
The world’s sustainability problems urgently require new kinds of interaction between science and society.
In three workshops we worked together as citizens, science communicators, researchers, and other stakeholders in moving beyond mainstream science communication to co-create an interdisciplinary framework for progressive sustainability science communication in Denmark.
Programming, computational thinking and mathematical digital competencies: resources based on cross country comparisons
Project period: 1/1-2020-30/04-2024
In this project, we supported Danish mathematics teachers to integrate programming and computational thinking (PCT) into their teaching by exploring and experimenting with the role of PCT in mathematics teaching.
The project combined a comparative study of how PCT is integrated in the teaching of mathematics at compulsory level in Denmark, Sweden and England, with design experiments aimed at developing teaching practices that actively build on identified synergies between PCT and Danish mathematics teaching.
Reinventing research-based education at the university
Project period: 2020 - 2023
This research project examined how the idea of research-based education was currently reinvented and emerging in new configurations.
Taking its point of departure in a strategic initiative of the University of Copenhagen to integrate research and teaching, the project explored the different conditions and modes of organizing that affect how such integration takes form.
TIME
Project period: 1/12 2019 - 31/8 2022
DSE participates in the EU project TIME on teachers' design of inquiry based mathematics education in high school.
The TIME project also involves the Mathematics Teachers' Association from Denmark, and a number of European partners.
For a more detailed description of content and a (as the project advances) texts and other resources developed in TIME, see the project's website: https://time-project.math.hr/
Geographies of Internationalization
Project period: 1/8 2019 - 30/7 2022
Using a spatial approach, this project aims at exploring how internationalization affects the perception of quality, relevance and learning in higher education and how these perceptions travel with mobile academics.
We explore six common instruments used for internationalization: Inbound Mobility, Outbound Mobility, English as a medium of instruction, International Specialisation, Internationalization at Home, and Mobility of Researchers. First, these instruments are examined individually.
IQ-Lab
Project period: 2019 - 2022
Students’ work in laboratories is central to science education. In particular in educating pharmaceutical experts, as laboratory learning is essential for the strong focus on quality control and regulatory sciences. But despite the centrality of laboratory work, it is unclear what learning outcomes students gain from working in a laboratory.
The Nature of Naming and the Naming of Nature
Project period: 2017 - 2022
Since the mid-nineteenth century, expert taxonomists have minimized the risk of nomenclatural confusion by adopting methods based on an innovative logic of naming. However, these methods do not satisfy the demands of present-day Big Data Biology.
This project will show that in confronting the current challenges we can benefit from a better understanding of the past. To this end, the project will develop an integrated historical-philosophical account of taxonomic naming systems.
The Base on Mars
Project period: 2019 - 2022
The Base on Mars is a collaboration between the Department of Science Education, Copenhagen Game Lab, The Niels Bohr Institute, and three Danish upper secondary schools: Greve Gymnasium, Københavns Åbne Gymnasium, and Tørring Gymnasium. In December 2018, the project was granted DKK 5 million (approximately EUR 670.000) from NOVO Nordisk's educational programme for the autumn of 2018.
The aim of the project is to create a game that teachers can use in their teaching of physics at the C-level in the Danish upper secondary level.
No worries
Project period: 1/1-2018 - 31/12-2019
This research project focused on the worries that new PhD fellows at SCIENCE/KU may have in the beginning of their studies. The project was based on a workshop that is part of the Introduction course for new PhD students, where participants share their worries and support each other in finding solutions or ways to manage their worries.
PICoSTE
Project period: 1/9 2017 – 31/8 2019
Promoting Instructional Coherence in Science through Teacher Education.
The project focused on enhancing science teacher preparation by emphasizing activities in science teacher education that promote the adoption of innovative teaching practices. The project focused on the horizontal priority that addresses the training of educators and the sectorial priority that addresses initial teacher education in the Baltic region. The Baltic partners were Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
The primary goal of this partnership was to clarify best practices that are useful for bridging the persistent gap between how effective science education instruction is described in the research literature and the widespread practices in use in real classrooms throughout the Baltic region and Europe. The project anticipated impacts from the local to the international level.
ATV project on "Future Digital School”
Project period: 2017 – 2018
Digital learning tools are more and more being used in public schools, high schools and in the universities, and Denmark belongs to front-runner countries. Digital learning tools can differentiate teaching, engage the only student and strengthen learning within the pupil. The technologies in hand can be used more intelligently than it is today. Implementation and usage is not moving fast enough, according to ATV’s Digital Experts.
Evaluation of Big Bang for Science
Project period: 2017 – 2018
The project Big Bang for Science (BB2N) was arranged by the Niels Bohr Institute and Aarhus University. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess whether there should be a Phase 2, and how it should be designed in comparison to Phase 1.
Quality in Master- and PhD-Education: Academic Building through Supervision?
Project period: 2017 – 2018
A conceptual project, narrowing in on the student's learning and formation. It means turning to goals beyond domain specific knowledge and skills, the “softer” learning outcomes such as development of independence, critical thinking, creativity and academic integrity.
Quantitative study, categorizations of student approaches to teaching and teaching activities
Project period: 2017 – 2018
The project is based on a large data material, collected in a 4-year-long secondary research project.
Research Grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation focuses on talent and the transition to work
Two research projects at IND focused in the period 2014-2018 on students' paths through their university education. The research projects aimed to be an important contribution to research in university teaching in science education.
CSRC
Project period: 2017 – 2018
Horizon 2020: Cyprus Science and Research Centre (CSRC)
CSRC was a TEAMING project within the Horizon 2020 framework. The project involved four international partners as well as seven Cypriot universities. The aim in phase I was to lay the groundwork for establishing a Center for Science Education Research in Cyprus. The Center was to foster leadership in research and development of smart technology, interactive educational tools and exhibits in order to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The aim in phase II was to implement the Center for Science Education Research as a focus for the integration of high quality science education research in Cyprus.
PICoSTE (Promoting Instructional Coherence in Science through Teacher Education)
Project period: 2017 – 31/8 2019
E-learning behaviours in scattering sciences
This project investigated student behaviour when they learn to do scattering science by using a combination of server logs, eye-tracking, and observations of learners in an authentic experimental environment. The question is how different strategies prepare students for active participation in authentic research situations.
Hypatia - Gender inclusion in science education
Project period: 2015 - 2018
The Department of Science Education was part of the Horizon 2020-funded project Hypatia to ensure that principles of gender inclusivity were embedded in the activities of key science education organisations across Europe. These organisations included museums and science centres, schools, industry, and research institutions. Hypatia engaged 13-18 year old girls and boys.
D2.1 Criteria for Gender Inclusion
D2.2 Good Practices on Gender Inclusion in STEM Communication
D2.3 State of the Art on Gender in STEM
D2.4 How do institutions become gender inclusive? Institutional Guidelines
Enhancing inquiry-based science learning through improved formative assessments in biology
Project period: 2015 - 2018
The project will examine how to enhance pupils’ learning from practical and inquiry based activities in Biology through improved formative assessments. In cooperation with teachers, the project will develop and test didactic designs with supporting materials in the form of competence goal formats. The didactic designs will integrate learning and assessment activities and, as point of departure, use progression-divided competence goals.
Inquiry based mathematical education and lesson study
Project period: 2013 - 2017
The project investigates conditions and potentials for mathematics teachers to do team based design and analysis of inquiry based teaching.
Specifically, the research concerns the functioning of new design tools for teachers based on the Theory of Didactic Situations, Open-ended Approach and the Lesson Study format.
Teaching portfolio
Project period: 2014 - 2017
This project was one of seven projects under UCPH’s strategic development efforts in education. The aim of this project was to develop tools for the individual university teachers to develop and maintain a teaching portfolio with the purpose of supporting the individual university teachers in continuously enhancing their scholarship of teaching.
Green Generation
Project period: 2013 - 2017
In Project Green Generation two coordinators from each of 10 municipalities developed an ESD promotion strategy over a period of three years. The evaluation focused on the municipal process and the changes that were created in municipalities by working with the ESD promotion strategy.
A student-perspective at cross-disciplinary education
Project period: 2016 -
The part of the project on interdisciplinary teaching and learning that adopts the student perspective was addressing the challenges of students entering an interdisciplinary programme. The focus was on how students experience the entering and becoming a part of the programme and how they experienced and dealt with the different disciplines at the programme. When taking the students’ perspective it is possible to explore how the students experience the academic culture and what possibilities they see in the interdisciplinary field.
We focused on students entering a bachelor programme and selected three programmes at KU for case studying:
- Nanoscience
- Natural resources
- Communication and IT
ASSIST-ME
Project period: 2013 - 2016
ASSIST-ME is an abbreviation for Assess Inquiry in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education.
Based on an analysis of what is known about summative and formative assessment of knowledge, skills and attitudes, the project designed a range of combined assessment methods. These methods were tested in primary and secondary schools in different educational cultures and contexts in Europe.
ASTE - Advanced Science Teacher Education
The project was a collaboration between two university colleges (UCC and UC Metropol) and two universities (Copenhagen and Aarhus University) to develop a science program for primary and lower secondary grades.
Students abilities and professional progression
Empirical research with the following research questions:
How do teachers get insight into each student's prerequisites in order to participate optimally in and maximize the academic benefits of teaching, with regard to the professional, social and study skills dimension? And How do the teachers themselves facilitate, that this knowledge comes into play when it comes to the professional progression in their specific subjects?
The Mathematics Bridge
80 lower secondary school teachers are trained in view of better preparing their pupils for mathematics in upper secondary school. The design and effect is analyzed by DSE, based on research.
The Poetics of Art - on Artistic Research
Duration of the project: January 2014 - December 2016
The Poetics of Art – on Artistic Research was a postdoc-project that aimed to contribute to the development of Artistic Research as a field within the artistic education institutions in Denmark.
Virtual Neutrons for Teaching
Project period: 2012-2016
An action research project, where we developed and followed a freely accessible e-learning portal for neutron scattering. It was aimed at students who wanted to learn about the theories, techniques and instruments used at large-scale neutron scattering facilities. The portal uses different interaction elements such as a wiki-structured textbook, online interactive lectures and lessons, and online Monte Carlo simulations of experiments.
Academic Career Database: Study Prerequisites, Study Progress etc.
Establishment of a relational database containing statistical data on students at the SCIENCE faculty to be used as a statistical resource for educational policy purposes, and for future quantitative research at the Department of Science Education, and as foundation for developing specific programmes.
Technology Enhanced SCIENCE Learning Environment
In this project, the Department of Science Education and the Department of Computer Science wanted to acquire knowledge to the Faculty of Science on teaching and teaching environments supported by and controlled with technology in relation to already existing and cutting-edge technologies that had not been disseminated yet.
In a number of cases from different study programmes within the Faculty of Science, new computer technology was tested to establish if and how this new technology could support student learning, for example related to perceptual hindrances that can be difficult to accommodate with already existing teaching methods.
The aim was to point to alternative methods for future science teaching.
Investigation of the role of upper secondary mathematics and its needs for development
Mathematics in upper secondary schools is under pressure for many reasons. This project will provide evidence for the main challenges related to students’ performance, teachers’ competences and the curriculum.
ISI 2015
Projektperiode: 2015
The Danish Industry Foundation, Odense Municipality and Danish Science Communication are partners in the project "ISI 2015 - Innovation, Science, Integration". The project is implemented in 2009-2015 in five primary and lower secondary schools in Odense. The aim of ISI 2015 is to improve especially bilingual students' abilities in the science subjects and get more students to choose a science oriented upper secondary education. The Department of Science Education is evaluating the project.
Project X
Project X is a collaboration between municipalities, secondary and higher education to develop continuing education targeted teachers in science, technology and health. The project is managed by the NTS-center and covers all municipalities in Region of Southern Denmark.
DSE is to evaluate the Project X in order to extract the knowledge generated through the project so that the project team and stakeholders in the rest of Denmark can benefit from this.
Students' time budgets - practices and constraints
How much time do students at UCPH allocate for studying every week – and why?
The projects aimed at qualifying the discussion concerning the time spent on studying by students at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). It explored the out-of-class time budget of students at different study programmes, and it explored whether the students’ time budgets were affected by the way the teaching was organized, including whether the teachers try to structure the students’ out-of-class activities.
PreSEES (Preparing Science Educators for Everyday Science)
Project period: January 2013 – December 2014
PreSEES was an EU funded project that aimed at preparing future science educators for introducing socio-scientific issues into their teaching. 7 partner universities were involved in the project (University of Nicosia, University of Copenhagen, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bogazici University, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, Universitatea din Piteşti, og King's College London).
PROFILES - Professional Reflection-Oriented Focus on Inquiry-based Learning and Education through Science
Project period: 2014
The PROFILES project aimed at disseminating Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE). To achieve this, the PROFILES partners used and conducted innovative learning environments and long-term teacher trainings.
PROFILES is short for: "Professional Reflection-Oriented Focus on Inquiry-based Learning and Education through Science" and is supported by the EU.
Assessment of scientific literacy in Danish upper secondary education
Project period: 2014
One purpose of the ‘Gymnasiereform’ from 2005 is to strengthen the science subjects contribution to pupils and students general education. In the spring of 2014 the Department of Science Education conducted an evaluation of how this intention is realized in stx and hf.
The assessment investigated how the concept of scientific literacy (in the special Danish version called ’naturfaglig dannelse’-’scientific bildung’) is found in the teaching of science and in the students’ outcome of the teaching in the general upper secondary education, and which barriers could be identified for realizing the curricular goals of scientific literacy.
Virtual Lab Exercises in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
It is a well-known problem in laboratory courses that the learning outcome of traditional “cook-book” exercises does not realize the learning objectives ascribed to them. In this project a number of virtual lab exercises in biochemistry and molecular biology was developed and tested.
These web-based exercises can either be used as preparation for real lab work or as substitutes for exercises that will not be carried out in the lab. IND followed and evaluated the project in collaboration with biochemistry teachers at the Department of Biology, the University of Copenhagen (and at the Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark).
Innovation pedagogics
The purpose of the project was to develop a course for experienced teachers, who had participated in Adjunktpædagogikum, and who wanted to try out involving their students in innovative processes in their teaching.
Evaluation of the test subject Biotechnology
This project aimed at evaluating the test subject Biotechnology in both the regular high schools (STX) and the technical high schools (HTX).
DNA & Life - a national education project for high school students (pilot project)
The National Natural History Museum in collaboration with Centre for GeoGenetics invited high school students from the entire country to participate in a unique project: the mapping of the biodiversity in Denmark, based on the participants’ collection of DNA in their local area.
The Red Thread
The Red Thread was a project that aimed to develop and test tools that can help create coherent science education with good academic progression and natural transitions throughout the school years - with special attention to the transition between science / technology and science in secondary school.
DSE evaluated the project in order to ensure ongoing feedback to participants that could help to inform practice. Simultaneously, the evaluation project related to the overall output of all sub-projects so that they could be disseminated and used for further dissemination of good practice.
Evaluation of Regional Center of Expertice (RCE)
Project period: 2012
RCE Denmark is a network for all who work professionally with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). From September to December 2012 DSE was leading a formative evaluation of the activities.
The aim of this evaluation was to extract and map RCE-Denmark's benefit for the participating organizations and to give directions for future priorities, initiatives and focus areas for the network management group and thus uncover the network long-term potential.
Project South
Project period: 2012
DSE evaluated the process and outcomes associated with "Project South - from kindergarten to graduate" from autumn 2011 to end of the project in the end of 2012. The project "from kindergarten to graduate" was a regional cooperation in the South Region headed by NTS center. The overall aim was to develop courses that could change students' perception of the natural subjects related to science, technology and health.
The evaluation focused on indications of culture-creating or changing processes as signs of permanent changes in the teaching of science, technology and health in a number of educational institutions (formal and informal) assigned to the project.
Smartphones group on Facebook
This is an open Facebook group where Danish gymnasium science teachers can share smartphone applications which may be useful in teaching science. The focus is on applications which can be used as scientific instruments to sense and gather data for analysis.
Evaluation of the Science Municipalities
Project period: 2008-2011
The Science Municipality project was a national three-year project aimed at improving conditions for science education in 25 of all 98 Danish municipalities. The project has ben lead by Danish Science Communication (now: Danish Science Factory).
The Science Municipality Project was build on the vision that children’s and young people's interest in science subjects can be strengthened if the right groups of stakeholders within the municipality cooperate. A Science Municipality is a municipality with a strategy for development of the science subjects. The project was developed from the experiences gained in the well documented project Science Team K.
- Elements of the Science Municipality model were:
- Municipal science education coordinators
- Science education boards
- Municipal science education strategies
- Political support
- Networks of science education stakeholders
PhD supervision: To lead the way
INSPIRATION TO PhD STUDENTS AND THEIR SUPERVISORS
The pamphlet "To lead the way" is based on interviews with 15 phD students and phD graduates, seven heads of graduates schools and three phD supervisors from the University of Copenhagen. PhD students and supervisors from all eight faculties at the University of Copenhagen where interviewed.