Science Academy NAFA is a new national programme for developing science education in Denmark that will encourage motivational and rewarding natural science teaching in primary and lower-secondary schools by strengthening the education of current and future natural science teachers.
NAFA’s three core initiatives are: developing models for building competencies in primary and lower-secondary schools; capacity building in teacher education; and research on the didactics of natural science.
The focus in primary and lower-secondary schools will be on developing sustainable models for the continuing and further education of science teachers in collaboration with the municipalities in Denmark.
The focus in the education of science teachers will be on developing the competencies of teacher training educators at university colleges and through offers targeting students in teacher education.
Last but not least, within natural science didactics, a Center for Excellence in Science Education (CESE) will be established that will link research at universities and the didactic practice of the educators in teacher education and in the classroom.
“For me, the unique feature of NAFA is that we strengthen the common thread between all levels from school to teacher education and research. With NAFA, we are creating long-term and sustainable capacity-building in all aspects that will make a difference to natural science teaching in Denmark for many years to come,” says Stefan Hermann, President of University Colleges Denmark and Vice-Chancellor, University College Copenhagen.
This 8-year initiative will contribute to raising the standard of natural science education for children and young people. In a formal collaboration, the programme includes all of Denmark’s university colleges, four universities, ASTRA – Denmark’s national Centre for Science Education and more than 200 schools in 30 municipalities.
