Learning in Technology and Science Education

In the Learning in Technology and Science Education research group (TN-didactics) at KTH, researchers study the technical subject’s teaching practice – why, what, how, and for who – at all levels of education. The goal is to promote the development of technology subjects in Swedish preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools and become one of the leading research environments in technology didactics, both nationally and internationally.

Research in technology and science education and teaching from pre-school to high school

The research area deals with technical and scientific didactics in preschool and teaching at all levels of school, focusing on the subject of technology in primary and secondary schools. Since the subject of technology in elementary school and secondary school has an unclear academic foundation, a weak identity, and many teachers lack competence in the subject, this provides scope for varying interpretations of the content of the subject and its purposes.

By studying, for example, teaching practitioners, often with the teacher’s role as a starting point, the curriculum or teachers’ conception of technology, the researchers try to find patterns in teaching cultures with the purpose of finding explanations to questions relating to; norms and values in the subject, choice of subject content, identification, teaching traditions, and didactic strategies.

Objectives with research in learning in technology and science education

Become a leading research environment

The overall goal of the research in the research group is to develop into one of Sweden’s foremost research environments in technology didactics, thus forming an important research environment in the field, and internationally.

Developing the technology subject in Swedish pre-school, primary schools, and secondary schools

The aim of the research project is to contribute mainly to the development of technology in Swedish pre-schools, primary schools, and secondary schools. Based on the didactic questions; why, what, how, and for whom can different studies analyse structures and approaches in teaching, governing documents, or among students and teachers’ reasoning, to map, interpret, and describe and discuss possible strategies for progress.

Contribute to KTH and society

By holding a strong research area within TN didactics, the goal is also fulfilled to serve as a research base for:

The courses offered at the Royal Institute of Technology, and which provide a degree as a subject teacher at upper secondary school level in the subjects of engineering, mathematics and physics and/or chemistry, and a degree for upper secondary school teachers in engineering and/or mathematics.
The teaching in technology and technology didactics that KTH conducts at Stockholm University’s programs aimed at prospective and active teachers in pre-school and primary school from years 1-6.

In addition, the research area contributes to the development of the technology subject, among other things through cooperation with:

Other universities of technology teacher training and practical research
The National Agency for Education and Training
Other universities through joint research schools

At present, research is mainly conducted in the field of technology, but also within physics and chemistry. The aim is to expand the research with competence in mathematics didactics.