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Publications (10 of 18) Show all publications
Olsson, D., Thörne, K., Jakobsson, M., Christenson, N. & Hindersson, E. (2023). Prerequisites for teaching about crisis and disaster preparedness in the younger years of primary school in social study subjects and science studies: a curriculum analysis. In: : . Paper presented at NoFa9 – The 9th Nordic Conference on Subject Education,Education, knowledge and Bildung in a global world May 9–11, 2023 in Vaasa, Finland.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Prerequisites for teaching about crisis and disaster preparedness in the younger years of primary school in social study subjects and science studies: a curriculum analysis
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2023 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

The Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and climate change all direct attention to the importance of disaster preparedness, both at an individual and societal level. Disaster preparedness has also received increasing attention internationally, for instance through the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. This global framework as well as the research literature stress the importance of promoting education on disaster preparedness and how schools play a key role in this regard (Johnson et al. 2014; Pfefferbaum et al. 2018; Selby and Kagawa 2012). In our study, a systematic literature review shows that there is extensive international research on the integration of disaster preparedness in school education. However, corresponding research is lacking for the Swedish school. The Swedish Agency for Education emphasises the importance of schools working proactively with disaster preparedness (Skolverket 2022), but there are currently no guidelines regarding teaching in this area. There exists some educational material on disaster preparedness aimed at schoolchildren in the later years of elementary school and in upper secondary school, e.g. from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) (2022), but it is currently up to the individual teacher to include this in the teaching. In the present study, an investigation of the conditions for integrating disaster preparedness into teaching in elementary school was carried out, as a first step in a larger study that aims to develop a research-based teaching program for the earlier years of elementary school. Based on the international research literature on teaching about disaster preparedness, a text analysis of primary school curricula in the social study subjects and science studies, grade 1-6, was made. Preliminary results show that there are no explicit links to disaster preparedness in the current curricula. However, there is potential to align education on disaster preparedness to the existing curricular content.

Keywords
Curricula analysis, disaster preparedness, primary education
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-98947 (URN)
Conference
NoFa9 – The 9th Nordic Conference on Subject Education,Education, knowledge and Bildung in a global world May 9–11, 2023 in Vaasa, Finland
Funder
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
Available from: 2024-03-18 Created: 2024-03-18 Last updated: 2024-03-18
Christenson, N., Hindersson, E., Jakobsson, M., Olsson, D. & Thörne, K. (2023). Undervisning för krisberedskap i grundskolans tidigare år – en förstudie. Karlstads universitet
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Undervisning för krisberedskap i grundskolans tidigare år – en förstudie
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2023 (Swedish)Report (Other academic)
Abstract [sv]

Omvärldsutvecklingen, Sveriges rustning av det civila försvaret, barnrättsfrågor och att barn är särskilt utsatta i krissituationer är starka skäl till att krisberedskapsundervisning i skolans lägre årskurser bör införas.

I denna rapport presenteras en förstudie med syfte att undersöka förutsättningar för undervisning för krisberedskap i skolans lägre årskurser. Rapportens inledande forskningsöversikt visar att krisberedskapsundervisning för barn stärker krismedvetenheten och krishanteringsförmågan i det omgivande samhället och att det är gynnsamt att undervisa om krisberedskap redan i tidig ålder. Undervisning som anammar elevaktiva metoder och samverkar med föräldrar och lokalsamhälle har särskilt positiva effekter på elevers lärande. Resultaten från förstudien visar att svenska kursplaner och läroböcker riktade mot årskurserna ett till sex inte ger någon explicit vägledning för undervisning om krisberedskap. Dock visar kursplane- och läroboksanalysen att befintliga skrivningar och innehållsteman ger öppningar för att inkludera undervisning om krisberedskap inom ramen för flera olika ämnen.

Riskerna för att grundläggande samhällsfunktioner störs eller slås ut motiverar att ge plats åt krisberedskapsundervisning i skolan, men det är viktigt att sådan undervisning vilar på en solid grund. Därför avslutas rapporten med en rekommendation om ett kombinerat forsknings- och utvecklingsarbete där yrkesverksamma lärare, forskare och beredskapsexperter tillsammans bidrar med sin expertis i framtagandet av ett undervisningsmaterial för krisberedskap i skolans lägre årskurser.

Förstudien tar tagits fram av forskare vid Karlstads universitet knutna till Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker inom ramen för ett projekt, Krisberedskap i skolan (etapp 1), med Räddningstjänsten Karlstadsregionen som projektledare och Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap (MSB) som finansiär.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Karlstads universitet, 2023. p. 60
Series
Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker: Rapport ; 2023:3
Keywords
forskningsöversikt, kursplan- och läroboksanalys, låg- och mellanstadiet, krisberedskap, krisberedskapsundervisning
National Category
Educational Sciences
Research subject
Biology; Samhällskunskap
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-98380 (URN)978-91-7867-427-5 (ISBN)978-91-7867-426-8 (ISBN)
Available from: 2024-02-06 Created: 2024-02-06 Last updated: 2024-02-07Bibliographically approved
Mc Ewen, B., Gericke, N. & Thörne, K. (2021). Teachers´reflections on implementing epigenetics in genetic education. In: : . Paper presented at ESERA (European Science Education Research Association) online event from August 30th to September 3rd, 2021..
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Teachers´reflections on implementing epigenetics in genetic education
2021 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-83875 (URN)
Conference
ESERA (European Science Education Research Association) online event from August 30th to September 3rd, 2021.
Available from: 2021-05-03 Created: 2021-05-03 Last updated: 2021-05-14Bibliographically approved
Thörne, K., Gericke, N. & Mc Ewen, B. (2020). Implementing epigenetics in secondary school: A design study. In: : . Paper presented at ERIDOB - European researchers in didactics of biology 31.08.20 — 04.09.20 Nicosia Cyprus.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Implementing epigenetics in secondary school: A design study
2020 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Didactics
Research subject
Educational Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-86418 (URN)
Conference
ERIDOB - European researchers in didactics of biology 31.08.20 — 04.09.20 Nicosia Cyprus
Funder
Swedish Research Council
Available from: 2021-11-02 Created: 2021-11-02 Last updated: 2021-11-30Bibliographically approved
Gericke, N., Mc Ewen, B. & Thörne, K. (2020). Recent Trends in Genetics Education Research. In: : . Paper presented at NARST 2020 Annual International Conference Portland, OR 15-18 MARS.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Recent Trends in Genetics Education Research
2020 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Didactics
Research subject
Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-77439 (URN)
Conference
NARST 2020 Annual International Conference Portland, OR 15-18 MARS
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2016-04232
Available from: 2020-04-06 Created: 2020-04-06 Last updated: 2020-08-03Bibliographically approved
Thörne, K., Gericke, N. & Mc Ewen, B. (2019). Learning epigenetic mechanisms with analogies. In: : . Paper presented at ESERA, European Science Education Research Association 26-30 Aug Bologna Italy.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Learning epigenetic mechanisms with analogies
2019 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-74743 (URN)
Conference
ESERA, European Science Education Research Association 26-30 Aug Bologna Italy
Available from: 2019-09-13 Created: 2019-09-13 Last updated: 2019-11-14Bibliographically approved
Thörne, K. (2018). Linguistic Challenges in Science Education: A Classroom Study of Teachers’ and Students’ use of Central Concepts in Genetics. (Doctoral dissertation). Karlstad: Karlstads universitet
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Linguistic Challenges in Science Education: A Classroom Study of Teachers’ and Students’ use of Central Concepts in Genetics
2018 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

This thesis examines linguistic aspects of genetics education and is based on the view that language is an essential dimension of teaching and learning. Its objective is to clarify how teachers and students use genetics concepts in real teaching situations. By studying the spoken language used in lessons, I explore how teachers present the subject and the opportunities students have to learn to use the specific language of genetics. These explorations help explain why genetics is such a challenging topic to teach and learn, as shown by previous studies. My study is based on observations and recordings of genetics lessons for grade nine students, i.e. students in the final year of compulsory education in the Swedish school system. Four classes were followed as they progressed through the genetics unit. The corpus was analyzed with different linguistic methods to reveal patterns in the way teachers use and interrelate core concepts such as gene, DNA and chromosome, how they connect the concepts of gene and trait, and how students are involved in dialogue about core genetics concepts. Teachers were found to use genetics concepts with varying meanings and interrelated words in many different ways, resulting in an ambiguous and inconsistent communication of the genetics content in the classroom. The students used the genetics concepts much less frequently than the teachers, and mainly used them in short sentences. This suggests that current teaching practices do not give students enough opportunities to develop the language of genetics. My results demonstrate several aspects of classroom talk that could contribute to the learning difficulties associated with genetics. It will be important to take these aspects into account when seeking to improve the teaching of this subject.

Abstract [en]

This thesis centers on linguistic aspects of genetics education. The aim is to contribute to the understanding of how teachers present genetics content in the classroom and what opportunities students have to learn to use the specific language of genetics. It may also provide insights into why genetics is such a challenging topic to teach and learn. The study is based on observations and recordings of genetics lessons in the final year of compulsory education. A corpus of 45 genetics lessons was analyzed with different analytical lenses to reveal how teachers and student use core concepts. Findings show that the teachers used genetics concepts with varying meanings and interrelated words in many different ways, which results in an ambivalent and inconsistent communication of genetics content in the classroom. The students use central genetics concepts to a much lesser degree than do the teachers and mainly in short sentences which indicates that the students are not given the opportunities to develop the language of genetics. The results show several aspects of classroom talk that might contribute to the learning difficulties that previously have been reported in the genetic education literature. These are important to consider in future efforts to improve genetics teaching.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Karlstad: Karlstads universitet, 2018
Series
Karlstad University Studies, ISSN 1403-8099 ; 2018:22
Keywords
Classroom study; Classroom talk; Genetics education; Genetics concepts; Scientific language;Secondary school; Systemic Functional Linguistics; Thematic pattern analysis
National Category
Didactics
Research subject
Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-67141 (URN)978-91-7063-855-8 (ISBN)978-91-7063-950-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2018-06-08, 11D121, Karlstads universitet, Karlstad, 13:30 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2018-05-17 Created: 2018-04-24 Last updated: 2019-02-06Bibliographically approved
Thörne, K. & Gericke, N. (2015). Genetic determinism in teachers’ talk in secondary science classroom. In: : . Paper presented at The 46nd conference of Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA) at The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, 1st – 3rd July..
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Genetic determinism in teachers’ talk in secondary science classroom
2015 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Social Sciences Educational Sciences Didactics
Research subject
Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-65168 (URN)
Conference
The 46nd conference of Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA) at The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, 1st – 3rd July.
Available from: 2017-11-09 Created: 2017-11-09 Last updated: 2018-07-26Bibliographically approved
Thörne, K. & Gericke, N. (2014). How secondary teachers verbally relate the words gene, DNA and chromosome when teaching genetics. In: : . Paper presented at the 10th ERIDOB (European research in didactics of biology) conference in Haifa, Israel..
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How secondary teachers verbally relate the words gene, DNA and chromosome when teaching genetics
2014 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Social Sciences Educational Sciences Didactics
Research subject
Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-65126 (URN)
Conference
the 10th ERIDOB (European research in didactics of biology) conference in Haifa, Israel.
Available from: 2017-11-08 Created: 2017-11-08 Last updated: 2018-07-26Bibliographically approved
Thörne, K. & Gericke, N. (2014). Teaching genetics in secondary classrooms: a linguistic analysis of teachers’ talk about proteins. Research in science education, 44(1), 81-108
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Teaching genetics in secondary classrooms: a linguistic analysis of teachers’ talk about proteins
2014 (English)In: Research in science education, ISSN 0157-244X, E-ISSN 1573-1898, Vol. 44, no 1, p. 81-108Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study investigates Swedish biology teachers’ inclusion of proteins when teaching genetics in grade nine (students 15-16 years old). For some years there has been a call for the attention of proteins in teaching genetics as a mean of linking the concepts gene and trait. Students are known to have problems with this relation because the concepts belong to different organizational levels. However, we know little about how the topic is taught in the classroom and therefore this case study focus on how four teachers talk about proteins while teaching genetics, and if they use protein as a link between micro and macro level. The four teachers were observed and audio recorded during entire genetics teaching sequences, 45 lessons in total. The teachers’ verbal communication was then analyzed using thematic pattern analysis, which is based in systemic functional linguistics (SFL). The linguistic analysis of teachers’ talk in action revealed great variations in both the extent to which they used proteins in explanations of genetics and the ways they included proteins in the linkage between genes and traits. Two of the teachers used protein as a link between gene and trait, while two did not. Three of the four teachers included instruction about protein synthesis. The common message for all teachers was that proteins are built, but none of the teachers talked about genes as exclusively encoding proteins. Our results show some possible examples of how proteins could be used in teaching genetics at this age level. However, they also suggest that students’ common lack of understanding of proteins as an intermediate link between gene and trait could be explained by shortcomings in the way the subject is taught.

Keywords
science education, teaching genetics, systemic functional linguistics, compulsory school, proteins, micro-macro, biologididaktik, genetikundervisning, systemisk funktionell lingvistik, grundskolan, proteiner, mikro-makro
National Category
Didactics Biological Sciences
Research subject
Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-15226 (URN)10.1007/s11165-013-9375-9 (DOI)000330984400004 ()
Funder
Hasselblad Foundation
Note

I den ena författarens licentiatuppsats ingår denna artikel i manuskriptform.

Available from: 2012-10-18 Created: 2012-10-18 Last updated: 2018-06-04Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0001-9629-0951

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