Proceedings of the ATEE Winter Conference ‘Science and mathematics education in the 21st century’

Abstract

[Excerpt] Introduction: The University of Minho, Braga, Portugal, hosted the 2019 Winter Conference of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE), which took place from 15th to 17th April. The ATEE Winter conference is one of the three ATEE conferences which are organised every year, the others being the Spring conference and the Annual conference. The Winter conference is usually organized by one (or more) of the several ATEE Research and Development Communities (RDCs). This Conference was organized by the RDC on Science and Mathematics Education, which is one of the longest-standing and most active RDCs. The Conference focused on Science and Mathematics Education in the 21st Century. It is fully accepted that, nowadays, Science and Mathematics Education is an area of interest to policy-makers worldwide. The area is relevant not only for the ongoing scientific and technological development of modern, globalized and digital societies, but also for citizenship education and the sustainability of the Planet. Moreover, it contributes to the full development of the individual learner. Science and Mathematics teachers, teacher educators and researchers can therefore help to make a difference beyond the classroom. However, Science and Mathematics Education is under pressure. It has been unable to develop good levels of literacy and numeracy, to lead enough youngsters to engage in science and technology careers, and to overcome many people’s dislike and even fear of the subjects. Thus, the Conference aimed at promoting forward-looking approaches that combine engagement and enjoyment with effectiveness in developing knowledge and skills, and hence fostering ways of overcoming the challenges that the area has been facing. The Conference was a forum to enhance deep and multicultural discussions on issues like: innovative approaches to teaching science and mathematics; technologically enhanced science and mathematics education; science and mathematics education and the STEM agenda; science and mathematics education in multicultural and inclusive schools; science and mathematics teacher education in a changing world; and 21st century assessment in science and mathematics education. Two Keynotes addressed and elaborated on the conference theme. A Panel offered an opportunity for getting some insight into ways forward with regard to the challenges that science and mathematics education face in the present century. Two Plenary presentations highlighted European and Portuguese policies for Science and Mathematics Education. Over seventy papers and posters were presented at the Conference. The abstracts of the paper and poster proposals were blind refereed by at least two members of the Conference Academic Committee and many of them were reviewed and improved by their author(s) before being accepted. Altogether, they offered a rich and multifaceted picture of the Conference theme. Twenty-one full papers (fourteen related to paper presentations, and seven to poster presentations) were submitted and fifteen (ten related to paper presentations and five to poster presentations) were accepted for inclusion in the Proceedings. It should be noted that, even though full papers were submitted to a double peer review process, the content and ideas conveyed by them as well as the language used are the authors’ own responsibility. The organisers of the Proceedings would like to express their gratitude to the Conference Academic and Organising committees and to all the people, institutions and organisations that, in various ways, sponsored the Conference. However, special thanks are due to ATEE and to the RDC on Science and Mathematics Education for trusting the conference organizers, and to the University of Minho for hosting and supporting the Conference. [...]