Transcript Microbiology

Making the best of a bad job.
Microbiology in schools (ages 5-18).
• Nils Olav Sjøberg
• Oslo University College
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Biomedical Laboratory Sciences
Programme (bioingeniør)
• University of Bergen 1971
• ”Cand real” thesis:
”Regulering av transkripsjonen i T7infiserte Escherchia coli- celler”
• (with 0 courses in Microbiology!)
My ”hobby”
and
”FoU”-work:
Writing textbooks
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
4 How much Science?
3 The Culture in our school
4 How much do they learn in school?
5 The teachers background?
6 Public attitudes
7 The role of the Acedemic Institutions
8 Carpe diem?
Main
points
Abstract
Microbiology share the same fate as the other natural sciences, lack of interest from our youth. So, what
happens in our schools? Microbiology exists in the 4th and 8th year of primary school, as part of
“Scinece and the Environment”. But this subject has very few hours, we are almost at the bottom in
Europe. In sec. school very few choose biology and other science subjects, and the trend is negative. In
addition, our schools focus more on social skills than actual knowledge. In international tests, our
children score very low in science, and the trend is negative. It is not necessary to have special
competence to to teach science, up to 10th year, and few teachers have. Teachers in sec. school have
the competence, but most of them are about 60 years old, and soon leaving. The public attitude
towards science and technology has been negative for a while, most of all to gene technology. The
academic institutions in science do not demand biology from school, thus undermining the position of
the subject. The government now wish to strengthen science and technology in school, and has
launched a takeoff. The negative public opinion towards biotechnology also may have turned. We must
seize the moment, and contribute to the streghtening of Science, and thus microbiology in school.
There are several ways to do this, some will be suggested at the meeting.
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
Microbiology share the same fate as the other natural
sciences, lack of Interest from our youth
Graduates in Mathematics, Science and Technology
as pct. of graduates, 2001 (Eurostat, OUE)
40
34,5
35
30
1 of 6
25
25,2
Spain
Japan
26,1
26,6
EU (15)
Germany
27,9
28
UK
Finland
30,5
30,6
France
Sweden
25
21,7
20
16,8
15
10
5
0
Norway
Denmark
Ireland
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
So, what happens in our schools?
Microbiology exists in grade 4 and 8 of the primary school, as
part of “Science and the Environment”
Elementary school (grade 1- 10)
”Science and the Environment”
MB: Some in grade 4, a lot in grade 8
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
Grade 4
The human body and health
learn about children’s illnesses and vaccination
Grade 8
The human body and health
•study how bacteria affect physiological processes in the body
•learn about the major infectious diseases and their history and extent and
how man has fought them
•learn about some other common diseases and their causes, and about how the
body protects itself against illness
•learn how technological advances, for instance the x-ray and the discovery of
penicillin and other antibiotics, have changed the epidemiological picture
•study examples of traditional folk medicine, including that of the Sami
Natural diversity pupils should have the opportunity to
•become familiar with the main features of the theory of evolution, Darwin’s work,
and the theories of natural selection
•learn the main characteristics of bacteria and viruses
•consider the value of bacteria in industry and in nature
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
1. year of secondary school
Science (Naturfag) - a common subject.
Hovedmomenter:
..enkle modeller for karbonkretsløpet, fotosyntesen og nitrogenkretsløpet
..kunne gjøre rede for forskjellen på bakterier og virus og kunne gi noen
eksempler på hvordan virus og bakterier kan forårsake sykdom. De skal kunne
gjøre rede for hvordan vi kan beskytte oss mot slike sykdommer (hygiene, vaksine,
antibiotika) ..skal kunne forklare hva vaksine er og hvordan vaksine påvirker
immunsystemet. De skal kunne gjøre rede for hva som skjer ved allergiske
reaksjoner og for mulig behandling av allergikere
Elevene skal tilegne seg noen kunnskaper i molekylærbiologi, utviklingsbiologi
og genetikk, for bedre å kunne forstå og vurdere informasjon om utviklingen innen
genteknologi og bioteknologi og å kunne ta stilling til noen av de etiske
spørsmålene som reiser seg i denne sammenhengen
DNA-molekyler, genetikk ….kunne gjøre rede for hva genteknologi er og gi noen
eksempler på hva genteknologi og bio-teknologi kan brukes til i landbruk, medisin
og industri. De skal kunne gjøre rede for noen av de etiske problemene som er
knyttet til bruk av genteknologi og fosterdiagnostikk
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
2&3. year of sec. school
You have to choose Biology, chemistry, math etc. (In
”3Bi” you find some MB)
Alltogether:
On the paper, the curriculum is quite ambitious
3 How much Science?
But this subject has very few hours, we are almost at the
bottom in Europe
”Science and the environment”
Elementary school: (1+1+1+1)+(2+2+3)+(3+3+2)
Norway: 8 %
England: 22,5 % (incl. Technology)
Time for Science and Technology as % of total (9-14 years)
Based on OECD Education at a Glance 2004, Table D1.2
England:
Why complain?
Science has a
very weak
position in the
Norwegian
school
England
Czech Rep
Portugal
Japan
Mexico
Italy
Spain
Scotland
Iceland
Greece
Turkey
France
Korea
Sweden
Finland
Austria
Slovak Rep
Ireland
Belgium (Fr.)
Hungary
Denmark
Australia
Germany
Netherland
Norway
22,5
18,5
18
16,5
16
15,5
14
13,5
13
13
13
13
12,5
12
12
12
12
11,5
11,5
11,5
11
11
10,5
10
8
3 How much Science?
NO
”I like science in
school better than
most other subjects”
?
Nordic pupils like
science least of all,
particularly the girls.
YES
Uganda
Ghana (Centr)
Lesotho
Swaziland
Zimbabwe
Botswana
Philippines
Bangladesh
India (Gujarat)
India (Mumbai)
Malaysia
Trinidad & T
Israel (Hebr)
Turkey
Greece
Portugal
Spain (Balear)
Russia (Karel)
Poland
Czech Rep.
Latvia
Estonia
Ireland
N. Ireland
England
Japan
Finland
Iceland
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
3,0
3,5
4,0
Mean F5. I like school science better than most
other subjects
3 How much Science?
In sec. school very few choose Biology and other
science subjects,
3. year
Total 55 000
2. year
2. year
S&T: ca.7000
3. year
3 How much Science?
..and the trend is negative
2 The Culture in our school
In addition, our school focus more on social skills
than actual knowledge.
The Ideology of our (primary) school:
Enhetsskolen – "School of Unity”
Social skills before knowledge
Equality, not difference, not élite
Integration, not separation (sex, social, and level)
Educational philosophy (from reform pedagogues):
Learning, not teaching
Guiding, not lecturing
Pupils, not teachers responsibility etc.
Ongoing debate: What about actual knowledge ?
1 Microbiolgy, does it exist?
”Kunnskapsløftet”
Knowledge - promise / takeoff
new curiculum, from 2006:
A takeoff for Science?
The same small number of teaching hours
About the same curriculum, less specific
Using new terms
4 How much do they learn in school?
In International tests, our children score
very low in Science
4 How much do they learn in school?
Land
Science,
PISA
Finland
Japan
Hongkong *
Korea
Australia
Macao *
Nederland
Tsjekkia
New Zealand
Canada
Sveits
Frankrike
Belgia
Sverige
Irland
Ungarn
Tyskland
Polen
Slovakia
Island
USA
Østerrike
Russland *
Latvia *
Spania
Italia
Norge
Luxembourg
Hellas
Danmark
Portugal
Uruguay *
Serbia *
Tyrkia
Thailand *
Mexico
Indonesia *
Tunisia *
Gj.snitt
548
548
539
538
525
525
524
523
521
519
513
511
509
506
505
503
502
498
495
495
491
491
489
489
487
486
484
483
481
475
468
438
436
434
429
405
395
385
St.
avvik
(1,9)
(4,1)
(4,3)
(3,5)
(2,1)
(3,0)
(3,1)
(3,4)
(2,4)
(2,0)
(3,7)
(3,0)
(2,5)
(2,7)
(2,7)
(2,8)
(3,6)
(2,9)
(3,7)
(1,5)
(3,1)
(3,4)
(4,1)
(3,9)
(2,6)
(3,1)
(2,9)
(1,5)
(3,8)
(3,0)
(3,5)
(2,9)
(3,5)
(5,9)
(2,7)
(3,5)
(3,2)
91
109
94
101
102
88
99
101
104
99
108
111
107
107
93
97
111
102
102
96
102
97
100
93
100
108
104
103
101
102
93
109
83
96
81
87
68
(2,6)
87
Naturfag
300
400
500
600
700
4 How much do they learn in school?
and the trend is negative
4 How much do they learn in school?
Change of score in
Science from PISA
2000 to PISA
2003.
(Kjærnsli mfl 2004). (fra Realfag…)
5 The teachers background?
It is not necessary to have special competence to teach
Science, up to 10. grade, and few teachers have.
Elementary school:
Teachers have 3-4 years of general teachers
education, almost nobody have specific education in
natural science subjects
You may teach chemistry and biology in grade 9-10
without any such education
Lærernes utdanningsnivå
I et internasjonalt perspektiv framstår norske lærere som underviser i naturfag
i 8. klasse, med et høyt generelt utdanningsnivå. Når det derimot gjelder
spesifikk utdanning i naturfagene, ligger de norske lærerne langt under
gjennomsnittet internasjonalt
(Kjærnslie, Lie, Turmo)
http://www.pisa.no/Dokumenter/NPT-1-2005-Kjaernsli-mfl.pdf
5 The teachers background?
Additional (in-service) education in Science
the last two years? Science, 8. grade:
100
90
80
70
Japan
60
Nederland
Norge
50
Slovenia
40
USA
30
Int. gj.snitt
20
10
0
Faglig
innhold
Metoder
Grønmo m.fl (PISA)
Læreplan
IKT og
naturfag
Utforsking Vurdering
Not
Norwegian
teachers !
5 The teachers background?
Teachers in sec. school have the competence
Secondary school:
Teachers must have one year of education within
the subject, as part of bachelor, but a lot do have
a Master.
N
Master
In that
subject
In other subject
Math
Other
Teaching chemistry
320
71 %
35 %
45 %
bio 41 %
Teaching biology
291
72 %
69 %
35 %
chem 56 %
Teaching physics
328
79 %
47 %
62 %
chem 20 %
Biology-teachers have
a Master in Biology
5 The teachers background?
but they are 60 years old, and soon leaving
Who will
replace
them?
6 Public attitudes
The public attitude towards science and technology is
negative, most of all to gene technology, also among
young people.
1999:
Will make life:
Better
Worse
Solar energy
79
4
Telecommunication
80
6
Data / IT
71
15
Space research
48
10
Gene /bio-technology
43
39
Good
Bad
6 Public attitudes
The trend may have turned.
7 The role of the Acedemic Institutions
The Academic Institutions in Science do not
demand biology from school, thus undermining
the position of the subject.
You do not need biology to study medicin, veterinary !
8 Carpe diem?
I have been describing a
sad situation, but of
course – there is hope:
The government now wish
to strengthen Science and
Technology in school, and
has launched a takeoff.
Describing the sad
situation
Suggesting a lot of
measures.
Read it !
Suggesting a lot of measures.
8 Carpe diem?
A. Tiltak for helhet i utdanningsløpet: kvalitet og kvantitet
A.8 Bygge regionale nettverk for å motivere til
yrkesvalg innen matematikk, naturvitenskap og
teknologi
A.9 Krav om realfag for å begynne på
naturvitenskapelige studier ved universitetene
A.12 Forskningsformidling som pliktarbeid
i forskerutdanningen
• Utvikling av realfagene
• Lærerkompetanse og lærerutdanning
D. Formidling til allmennheten
D.2 Etablere arena for møte mellom realfagsutdannere,
politikere og næringslivsledere
E. Resultatoppfølging
8 Carpe diem?
The negative public opinion also may have turned
Inge Ramberg; Nordmenns forhold til forskning og teknologi 2004 - resultater fra en intervjuundersøkelse;
NIFU/STEP Skriftserie 21/2004.
8 Carpe diem?
We must grasp the chance, and all contribute to turn
the negative trend of Science in this country. There
are several ways to do this
Teachers in primary school need
education and help
Teachers in secondary school need
support
The children and the public need
interesting cases and stories
The newspapers need good stuff
Cooperate with existing ”school labs”
You are the experts
and know the good
stories !
Thank you for your attention
Sentrale internettsider
Realfag naturligvis
http://odin.dep.no/filarkiv/235427/Realfag.pdf
Læreplaner
http://www.utdanningsdirektoratet.no/
TIMSS, Norge
http://www.timss.no/
PISA
http://www.pisa.no/
Om kunnskapsløftet
http://www.kunnskapsloeftet.no/
Kunnskapsløftet http://www.utdanningsdirektoratet.no/dav/119407aedb.pdf