Raising of Standards in Mathematics and Science!

Speaker: Minister of Education and Research Øystein Djupedal

Event: Conference on Mathematics and Science CST060606

Date: 7 June 2006

Place: University of Tromsø, NorwaY

Ladies and gentlemen!

It is indeed a pleasure for me to put maths and science on the agenda. Primarily I would like to give credit to the University of Tromsø, in collaboration with the University College of Tromsø and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises for all the work they have put into preparing this annual conference. It is an important arena for focusing on the challenges we face in our society today, and it is an added pleasure that this year it has an international perspective.

Education and research
Education and research are the motive forces in our society. It has been estimated that human capital constitutes around 80 per cent of Norway’s national wealth. Investments in education and research are on the increase in Norway. Among other things we are concentrating heavily on what we call the Quality Reform in higher education, raising the standard of basic education and improving quality in the day care centre sector.

It is education and research that will safeguard our future – and as Minister of Education and Research I have repeatedly stressed that I wish my future efforts to be broadly based on such a point of departure. This is because we believe that knowledge and expertise are a result of experience and learning both inside and outside school.

Knowledge consists of skills, facts, research – but it also consists of upbringing, critical thinking, analytical capabilities and reflection, the ability to collaborate with others in achieving common goals, and always being ready to assimilate new knowledge throughout one’s life. In other words, retaining a capacity for curiosity and seeking to find things out.

Newton and curiosity
You will all know the story of how Isaac Newton discovered gravity when an apple fell on his head. He wondered what made the apple fall to the ground, and that curiosity led to formulation of one of the most important laws of physics. Children are best at asking the question: Why is that? At a certain age it can seem quite exhausting to us adults. However, we must retain and further develop this intense need to understand and find answers. At the same time as this curiosity is retained, we must also build appropriate knowledge of, and insight into, how our world is constituted. Because only by having a good foundation of knowledge and asking relevant questions can we solve the problems of the future.

Nosey Parker
Yesterday I awarded the Nosey Parker Prize to the seventh graders from Hillestad School in Holmestrand. Their research on colouring and additives in Non Stop confectionery is a good example of how curiosity and questions can lead to knowledge and results. Probably without being aware of it, they have been engaged in basic research, perhaps even touching upon new issues. As Minister of Education and Research I am proud of their involvement, and I would like to see similar projects throughout Norway.

Education, research and development of prosperity
It is not only we in Norway or in Europe who see that education and research are the key to the future. Everyone is looking for the “smart solutions”, which are based on knowledge and innovation and have well-honed skills and efficient organization as a prerequisite. Our ambition must be to be among the best. However, we must also have an educational system that furthers social equality and prevents exclusion. That is not merely a moral objective, but a prerequisite for optimal utilisation of Norway’s total knowledge-based resources.

As Minister of Education and Research I am interested in how we can contribute to creating a positive society stimulating continued growth and prosperity. Today we can see that society and the labour sector’s need for mathematical and scientific expertise are on the increase, at the same time as maths and science have become less popular subjects among school pupils and university students. This means that our educational system is not producing sufficient mathematical and scientific expertise. This is a serious problem.

We need a strategy to develop the necessary expertise in the population that society and the labour and industrial sector need in the scientific and technological areas . One of the crucial areas to succeed in achieving this is reinforcing education in maths and science in the Norwegian educational system. So that is why, in the Soria Moria Declaration, we have stated that it is particularly important to:

place greater emphasis on mathematics and science throughout school education and increase efforts to recruit pupils to these subjects.

This is the primary goal of the strategy I am now setting forth:

Raising standards in mathematics and science!

Description of the situation and the background to the strategy
The challenges linked to maths and science subjects in the Norwegian school and educational system have been visible for a long time. There are reasons for concern when most western countries are recording a noticeable downturn in recruitment to various scientific courses of study. There is even greater cause for concern when the problem appears to be more serious in Norway than in most other countries. The decrease in recruitment points to a lack of interest in mathematical and scientific subjects, not just in the educational sector, but in society as a whole and perhaps to insufficient general understanding of the importance of the subjects.

It is a particular challenge that girls choose maths and science to a considerably lesser extent than boys. This is a trend we can see in large areas of the western world. And their interest is not increasing – the proportion of girls who take degrees in scientific subjects, handicrafts and technology has remained at around 25 per cent in the past ten years. However, it is good to know that you can now see women in far more professions than previously, and formerly male-dominated sectors such as the medical and veterinary professions are recruiting more and more females. In future we must increase the radius wherein women can make their choices.

The Government wishes to go on the offensive in reinforcing mathematical and scientific subjects. Previously, focus has largely been on improving the educational system itself. A real effort to place emphasis on maths and science to meet society’s needs can only be realized through intimate collaboration between all of the relevant parties, where both the education and labour sector cooperate to bring about positive results. This means that not only do we need new instruments and areas of collaboration, but that also many players in the societal and industrial sector must make a greater contribution. We welcome new contributors to take part in this “Operation Renewal”.

Concentration and goals
If we are to meet these challenges, we must focus on many levels – total concentration. Thus our strategy will be to develop and strengthen a consistent chain of expertise stretching from the day care centre to the labour sector. The fact that the Ministry of Education and Research has taken over responsibility for day care centres is a signal that the Government believes that development of expertise should begin at an early stage.

Scientific and technological expertise form much of the basis of our prosperity. This expertise contributes to our ability to cure deadly diseases, to the fact that we have mobile phones and PCs, and that today Norway leads the world in oil and gas technology. We have every reason to believe that science and technology will have renewed and greater significance in the future. We shall combat new diseases and new threats. We will contribute to furnishing a growing world population with energy. In addition new technological areas are emerging and affect our everyday lives and work, such as biotechnology, ICT and new materials/nanotechnology.

Scientific and technological expertise is necessary to solve problems and perform a number of projects in the community, from challenges to the environment to construction of buildings and maintaining the infrastructure of society. Quite simply, we cannot have petroleum installations that are not secure, or buildings that collapse in storms and the weight of snow. And we need to have enough people with knowledge to understand environmental challenges and how to properly react to them. These subjects are also quite necessary to enable development of alternative sources of energy and to protect our vulnerable environment in new and better ways. It is also our duty to participate in the international collaboration in these challenges as a highly qualified partner.

Our foremost advantage and greatest value will be our expertise. We must look after that and develop it so that it is always appropriate for today’s and tomorrow’s society. We need science subjects for further development and renewal of our welfare state, but also as the source of personal development inherent in a sound knowledge of maths and science. Understanding more of the world around us is a source of increased awareness, understanding and pleasure in our surroundings.

Raising Standards in Mathematics and Science must be a tool for everyone who wishes to contribute to reinforcing these subjects in Norway. It points to areas where efforts must and shall be made In order to provide society with the necessary scientific and technological expertise there are two main challenges this strategy must confront:

Recruitment to many courses of study in technological and scientific subjects is too low.

Norwegian pupils achieve far too low results in these subjects.

The first challenge concerns the fact that pupils and students in Norway do not choose mathematical and scientific subjects to a sufficient extent. The second one is linked to the fact that Norwegian pupils in primary and lower secondary school have poor grades in maths and science. Most pupils have too few lessons in science subjects at upper secondary level, which means they achieve less in higher education. This is a cause for concern, not just because the labour market is looking for scientific expertise, but also because a knowledge of mathematics and science is important to understand everyday issues.

Thus primary challenges in the future will be:

• To encourage young people to choose further maths and science studies at upper secondary school.
• To adapt career choices based on scientific and technological courses of education .
• To strengthen maths and science in teacher training.
• To increase mathematical and scientific expertise in teachers.
• To increase the quality of the teaching of maths and science by developing and disseminating knowledge of good teaching methods.
• To increase collaboration between the education sector and the labour sector to ensure relevance and encourage recruitment.

Positive aspects
Even though there are many challenges, there are a number of positive aspects:

Compulsory mathematics was introduced in general teacher training in 2003.

In 2006 mathematics is the most applied for subject for more intensive training in teacher training, at the same time as many also choose scientific subjects.

In the Government Budget for 2006 375 million Norwegian crowns has been allocated to continuing and further education of teachers. Mathematics, physics and chemistry are among the prioritized subjects, and 15 million has been earmarked for further education in science subjects.

Recruitment to technological studies, including a Masters in Technological Subjects, appears to be progressing well. And what is particularly pleasing: There is at least a 51% increase in the number of females who have applied for this course of study.

The negative trend for research funds for mathematics, science and technology seems to have been broken. In the 2001 to 2003 period these subjects saw a marked increase in funding.

In addition most Norwegians are very interested in research material in the media. In a survey from 2004 all of 77 per cent answered that they were generally interested in research and technology material in the media. The corresponding proportion for sports, believe it or not, was 61 per cent.

The primary goal of the strategy is:

• To strengthen expertise in maths and science in the whole educational system, in the labour sector and in the community in general.
• To increase recruitment to the labour and educational sector within science and technology.
• To promote positive attitudes to mathematics and science in everybody in the educational sector and in the community in general.

In order to reach these goals the Government is now presenting a plan of action. Goals and means to achieve them are intended to assist us in increasing recruitment to these subjects and improve the quality of education, thus creating graduates who will meet a need and benefit society.

OUR PRIORITIZED GOALS AND mETHODS TO ACHIEVE THEM IN THE FUTURE ARE:

1) The primary goal of the Government is to improve the teaching of mathematics and science in day care centres and primary and lower secondary school

Some of our objectives are to

• increase awareness of the work done in day care centres linked to the subject areas of “Nature, the environment and technology” and “Number, space and form”. As previously mentioned, it is important to create interest in the subject at an early stage.
• We wish to improve the quality of training in science subjects, and increase their relevance, and improve motivation in pupils.
• Further, we wish to increase recruitment to the programme area for science subjects in upper secondary school, with particular emphasis on increasing the number of girls.
• As I have previously mentioned, the aim is to increase the relevance of, and motivation for the study of science subjects through collaboration between day care centres, schools and business and industry.

“Head Start”
As is known, we face a challenge when it comes to recruitment to mathematical and scientific subjects. One of the reasons is that they are regarded as particularly difficult. As a response to this challenge, at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology this autumn a project will be implemented along the lines of the Swedish “Head Start” at Chalmers Technical College in Gothenburg.

The purpose of the project is

• To motivate pupils at lower and upper secondary level to concentrate on maths and science, and recruit pupils to further studies in science and encourage them to choose careers in mathematics and science.
• To motivate in particular students from environments without traditions for higher education, to take responsibility for their own futures by concentrating on science subjects.
• To increase the proportion of girls who choose to study maths and science.

The core of the activity is that students provide groups of pupils with various types of homework assistance in mathematics and science, so that pupils feel that they have a better command of these subjects and see mathematics and science subjects as more relevant. It is important that the students act as good examples and mentors for the pupils.

In the project, focus will also be placed on groups that do not normally go in for higher education, among others pupils from disadvantaged environments, pupils from homes without academic traditions, and immigrants. Focus should also be placed on girls by deliberate use of students who can appear as good role models for girls.

In collaboration with local businesses, thematic evenings with speakers for example from the business community, other important institutions, as well as universities and regional colleges, can be arranged to encourage pupils to believe in a future linked to their choice of professions within mathematics and science. Students will also connect with contacts within business and industry with a view to collaboration between education, business and industry and subsequent career opportunities.

The project will be given a Norwegian and “Trondheim”-linked touch, and not be a blue print of the Swedish Head Start project, but we strongly believe in this approach and are sure it will be just as succesful!

Numbers, space and form in the day care centre
Through the new framework plan for day care centres, the Government is placing greater emphasis on children becoming more aware of mathematical and scientific concepts and forms. So that this focus shall really give results, employees in day care centres must acquire more professional and pedagogical expertise in this area. The Ministry of Education and Research has assigned county governors funds for increasing expertise with guidelines emphasizing particular concentration on this new area of study in the framework plan.

Increased hours of study in schools
To meet the challenge of deficient knowledge in pupils of mathematics and science, in line with the Soria Moria Declaration the Government will seek to increase the number of hours at primary level dedicated to mathematics and science. It is known that mathematics and science require a certain level of proficiency before you can understand the context of what you have learned. Thus it is important for me to increase the number of hours so that pupils spend enough time and are well trained in dealing with such challenges.

A charting test in numerical comprehension
Another point the Soria Moria Declaration looks at is the fact that a charting test for numerical comprehension shall be introduced. Today we have such a test in reading ability, and the Government wishes to introduce a similar test to chart numerical comprehension in the second or third grade. In this way we can more easily find out what skills pupils actually acquire, so that we can better adjust teaching accordingly.

2) Another primary goal of the Government is to improve the competence of teachers and teacher training.

Some of our objectives in this area are:

To increase recruitment of students in teacher training who choose mathematics and science, and reinforce the proportion of mathematics and science in their training, at the same time as we shall increase the competence of teachers in mathematics and science through goal-oriented continuing and further education of teachers who are already working in schools.

We shall increase the competence of teachers and school administrators in mathematics and science by reinforcing the relationship between the labour sector and education.

Secondary senior teacher positions
To strengthen the partnership and collaboration between the labour sector and educational institutions, the Government wishes to pave the way for personnel with a mathematics and science educational background in enterprises and organizations to be given secondary senior teacher positions in schools. In this way they may contribute in schools as role models and be useful resources. Various attempts involving exchanges between enterprises and schools have been made, but not in a particularly systematic way. A secondary senior teacher arrangement where employees with a background in mathematics and science teach for example 20 per cent within the upper secondary and higher education level will be evaluated with a view to trials in 2007.

Relevant enhancement of skills for teachers of mathematics and science
In line with the Raising of Standards in Mathematics and Science, which will be introduced in school this autumn, it is important that teachers of mathematics and science receive relevant enhancement of skills in mathematics and science. Teachers must be updated both professionally and pedagogically so that pupils receive knowledge that they find interesting, thus developing the drive to do research we wish to encourage.

Evaluating financing systems to increase recruitment of graduates taking teacher training
In order to increase the proportion of teachers with mathematics and science in their portfolio of subjects, in 2007 the Ministry will evaluate financial instruments for recruiting teachers/trainee teachers to take master’s courses in mathematics and science, and to recruit mathematics and science students to the teaching profession. There may be a great potential source of skilled mathematics and science teachers among engineers and other graduates with a mathematics and science background.

3) A third primary goal of the strategy is to create development of mathematics and science subjects in higher education and research.

Recruitment of students to courses in mathematics and science and engineering at universities and university colleges must be increased, as well as improvement of the quality of mathematics and science teaching in higher education, while motivation and relevance for students must be further stimulated.

The number of women who choose mathematics and science subjects in higher education and research must be increased.

We must also increase awareness in the labour sector and business and industry concerning mathematics and science education in schools.

Gode sirkler AS (Positive Circles Ltd)
An example of an initiative within mathematics and science taken locally is the Gode sirkler AS (Positive Circles Ltd) collaboration, between the three Hordaland municipalities of Fjell, Sund and Øygarden on Sotra. This collaboration has been established to meet the increased activity in the petroleum and gas industry coinciding with many of the people in this sector now approaching the age of retirement. Gode sirkler AS is focusing precisely on the local need for the research-based supply of expertise in mathematics and science and technology. Undersea technology is the motor in this regional development, and Gode sirkler has established a partnership agreement with SINTEF regarding a four-year development project. They are also establishing an educational programme in collaboration with the University College of Bergen concerning operation and maintenance in the petroleum and gas sector. This course of study will be closely linked to industry, use teaching resources from there and also practical applications.

The fact that Gode sirkler is focusing on expertise in mathematics and science technology in the whole school career is especially dear to the present Minister. Straume Day Care Centre in Fjell is starting up as a technology-oriented day care centre this autumn; its first focus will be on greenhouse and irrigation systems! Training of staff will be carried out in conjunction with the University College of Bergen. Work on this special area is already well in progress at lower secondary level, where pupils are working on the subjects at close quarters, and primary pupils will soon follow suit. This autumn Sotra upper secondary school will start up Norway’s first technology programme where pupils will receive practical experience in industrial enterprises.

In addition we will reinforce support for research and increase the number of doctorates within mathematics and science.

We will reinforce and promote didactic research within mathematics and science. This is particularly important. Aesthetics and the recreational aspect of mathematics and science and technology must be emphasized more strongly.

The Government also believes that the relevance of, and motivation to pursue, mathematics and science courses of study through collaboration between business and industry and universities and regional colleges must be increased.

Evaluation of engineering studies
The Ministry of Education and Research will soon have a project ready for NOKUT – the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education - to evaluate two- and three-year courses of engineering education. This evaluation will focus particularly on the quality and relevance of these courses of study. The fact that engineering studies correspond to the needs of society and the labour sector is important, and it is necessary for research and developmental work in this area to be performed within areas of societal importance. The measures necessary will be implemented when the results are in place.

4) A fourth primary objective for the Government is to reinforce expertise in mathematics and science in the labour sector.

We wish to establish a national meeting-place between the Government, business and industry, and the education sector in order to monitor developments in mathematics and science, reinforce collaboration and propose schemes.

We wish to contribute to development of more practically-oriented schemes in higher education, where business enterprises are a central arena for the learning process.

Models for career guidance with an emphasis on mathematics and science will be further developed, in addition to the fact that we will establish regional meeting-places between educational institutions and the labour sector.

And we wish to promote development of cutting-edge environments or centres of excellence where we have particular prerequisites for competing internationally.

An arena for interplay and collaboration
The first mathematics and science strategy was a strategy for improving the position of mathematics and science in the educational system. This is beginning to have results, but it is still important to remain focused on education. At the same time, with this strategy the Government wishes to extend its focus, by to a greater degree including society and the labour sector. Up to now various parties in society have not to a sufficient extent been allowed to set out guidelines for the knowledge and skills graduates must have when they have completed their education. For this reason the Government wishes to invite people to a national arena for mathematics and science; a meeting-place between mathematics and science educators, politicians, business executives and other important participants in societal affairs. In this way we wish to grasp the chance to contribute to a systematic effort to reinforce the relevance of mathematics and science. In due course we will contact the relevant parties involved and discuss the substance of the matter.

5) Our fifth and final primary objective is to improve communication with the general public

We wish to increase awareness of the importance of mathematics and science among decision-makers and in the media, and we wish to increase the opportunities for parents to motivate their children to study mathematics and science.

To achieve this we believe it is important to develop mathematics and science arenas outside schools with a view to creating interest in these subjects and the desire to study them.

We also wish to increase understanding of the usefulness of mathematics and science in society and in business and industry. Here the business sector, relevant organizations and the education and research sector must collaborate in contributing to this goal.

We shall document our focus on mathematics and science and provide information on it. That means that collaboration with the media must have a central place.

The International Polar Year 2007-2008
Norway will use the International Polar Year as a platform for promoting educational collaboration in the northern areas at all levels of the educational system. The Norwegian Research Council, which coordinates efforts in Norway, has reported considerable interest in educational projects in the present application phase. We also wish to use this opportunity to focus on mathematics and science and on how important this fund of knowledge is for developments in the north. With disturbing reports of climate changes and an ice-free Arctic Ocean at the North Pole, at the same time as we are expanding extraction of oil and gas, we urgently need insight into the significance of these changes for developments in the north. We will use this year to produce ideas for developing attractive and relevant projects for daily work in schools. We also hope to implement simulations that may provide us with scenarios for the future concerning for example how climate changes and greenhouse gas emissions may affect the environment.

Conclusion
There are many ways to view the world. Some see it through the spectacles of religion and gain an understanding of the total picture in that way. Others view the world through the spectacles of science and find sense in it. Others also manage to combine these points of view. On their part the Pythagoreans believed that “all is number” and that it is mathematics that is the way to true knowledge and understanding. Regardless of whether everything can be set up in formulae, the Pythagoreans have given us valuable knowledge that is necessary for modern society.

The vision of the Government is that Norway shall be a leading nation in terms of knowledge and expertise where the need for skills in mathematics and science is adequately covered. The goals and strategies the Government has now presented are part of the focus (centred) on mathematics and science in this period of government. In the course of this period the strategy will be reviewed annually, and in the future there will be a need to correct and supplement both goals and strategies. There is a long way to go before the goals we have set reflect the true situation. The strategies we have set forth will help us to achieve these goals, and in the long term change the situation in our society. The purpose of this strategy is to create a fruitful base and pave the way for the development of future Nosey Parker Award winners, modern editions of Pythagoras, Abel and Newton, as well as other clever pupils and students thirsting for knowledge who wish to contribute to development of society.

Together we – politicians, educational institutions and other active members of society – will make this possible!

Thank you for listening to me.