The aim of this case study was to investigate what happens in science classrooms when teaching is almost entirely based on the use of digital technology. Two secondary school science teachers participated, together with their seventh grade classes. Data were collected through eight observation sessions (altogether about 9.5 h) and 9 h of interviews with the teachers. For analysis, a modified version of the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework was used. The results showed the science teachers’ general approach in the classroom and revealed that they were self-confident in using digital technology, and utilised predetermined digital study material and, when it was felt necessary, supplemental materials. The teachers were positive about using digital technology since they thought it motivated their students and made assessment easier. The teachers claimed that digital technology had improved their teaching, providing more breadth because of access to varied digital tools; teaching had also become more individualised. Few differences were identified between different lessons, whether in physics, chemistry or biology, and unfortunately the identified relationship between the use of digital technology and content knowledge was limited. The teachers also reflected on the challenges they faced, especially in supporting low-achieving students and effectively using inquiry-based teaching through digital technology. Despite some acknowledged limitations, the study enhances our knowledge about how the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework can be used as an analytical tool in authentic teaching, with specific contexts and, above all, when education is largely based on the comprehensive use of digital technology rather than its occasional integration.

The dream performancea case study of young girls' development of interest in STEM and 21st century skills, when activities in a makerspace were combined with drama

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Based on a sociocultural perspective, this study explores the outcome of using a model that combines storytelling and drama to teach young children science. The research question is: How is children's learning affected when using a combination of storytelling and drama to explain a complex scientific concept?. Two preschools and one primary school were visited. Altogether 25 children aged 4-8 years participated. Each group listened to a story about The Rhinovirus Rita. No pictures were shown during storytelling. After the story was told, a play was performed with the children, telling the same story they just had listened to, and the children also made drawings. At a second visit to the schools, each child was interviewed individually and their drawings were used to stimulate recall. The results show that many of the children had learnt the names of immune system cells and how they work when someone has a cold. Moreover, they had also learnt that viruses cause colds. There were also a small number of children who did not show any learning development related to this specific content. Still, we argue that the combination of storytelling and drama is an instructional strategy that has positive potential when it comes to teaching children science.

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In earlier studies, it has been argued that drama has the potential to stimulate learning in science. However, it is not widely used, one reason being that science teachers are not familiar with this instructional strategy. In this study, it was investigated how pre-service teachers in science developed dramas related to content in a biology course. The research question included how the pre-service teachers reflected on drama as an instructional strategy to stimulate conceptual understanding about cells and cell processes, both for themselves and for their future students. Ten pre-service teachers participated, all in their first year of studies to become teachers at secondary school. Data were collected in the form of student reports and video-recordings, showing the dramas they had created served as complements confirming the reports. The reports were analysed based on the tool Content Representations. The results showed that despite the fact that the pre-service teachers previously had never experienced drama in their science education, and that they identified critical aspects of using drama in science, they were positive about using drama in science education. Some of the pre-service teachers also argued that the use of drama helped them in their own understanding of cell processes.

Inquiry-and context-based teaching strategies have been proven to stimulate and motivate students' interests in learning science. In this study, 12 teachers reflected on these strategies after using them in primary schools. The teachers participated in a continuous professional development (CPD) programme. During the programme, they were also introduced to a teaching model from a European project, where inquiry-and context-based education (IC-BaSE) strategies were fused. The research question related to teachers' reflections on these teaching strategies, and whether they found the model to be useful in primary schools after testing it with their students. Data collection was performed during the CPD programme and consisted of audio-recorded group discussions, individual portfolios and field notes collected by researchers. Results showed that compared with using only one instructional strategy, teachers found the new teaching model to be a useful complement. However, their discussions also showed that they did not reflect on choices of strategies or purposes and aims relating to students' understanding, or the content to be taught. Before the CPD programme, teachers discussed the use of inquiry mainly from the aspect that students enjoy practical work. After the programme, they identified additional reasons for using inquiry and discussed the importance of knowing why inquiry is performed. However, to develop teachers' knowledge of instructional strategies as well as purposes for using certain strategies, there is need for further investigations among primary school teachers.