Since the reestablishing of the teacher education at the University of Life Sciences in 1999 phenomenology and phenomenon-based science education has been a field of teaching and research. In the phenomenological approach to science education, the starting point is the careful description of lifeworld phenomena.
Phenomenon-based science education is opposed to a science teaching which too often is planned “from the end”: Starting with the basic concepts and the scientific structures and from there moving into the world of phenomena and lived experience. In contrast, a science teaching planned “from the start” involves a primary focus on perceptual lifeworld experience and a secondary cognitive or reflective activity in which these experiences are understood or explained.
This pedagogical idea is based on the notion of phenomenology as an attempt to return to “the things themselves” and to experience and understand phenomena from within. To apply phenomenology to science education entails an interplay between building a theoretical foundation for a phenomenological science education and developing guidelines for science teachers and science teacher educators. After an initial phase of developing this foundation for teaching and learning, the next phase will have to emphasis stronger research on students’ and teachers’ learning in phenomenon-based science education.
References
Dahlin, B., Østergaard, E. & A. Hugo (2009). An Argument for Reversing the Bases of Science Education - A Phenomenological Alternative to Cognitionism. Nordina 5(2) 2009, p. 201-215. (se vedlegg)
Hugo, A. (2006). Når faget vokser ut av fenomenene. Naturen som historieforteller. IMT – rapport nr. 12/06.
Østergaard, E., & B. Dahlin (2009). Sound and Sensibility. Science Teacher Students Bridging Phenomena and Concepts. In: Proceedings from 2009 NARST Annual International Conference. April 17 - 21, 2009, Garden Grove, CA, USA, p. 328 [full paper on attached CD-ROM] (se vedlegg)
Østergaard, E. og S. Strangstadstuen (2004). Fenomen- og virksomhetsbasert undervisning. En eksempelsamling. Chiron Nr. 1 2004. IMT, Universitetet for miljø- og biovitenskap
Østergaard, E., B. Dahlin & A. Hugo (2008). Doing phenomenology in science education: a research review. Studies in Science Education, vol. 44, nr. 2, s. 93-121. (se vedlegg)
Østergaard, E., A. Hugo & B. Dahlin (2007). From phenomenon to concept: Designing phenomenological science education. In: V. Lamanauskas & G. Vaidogas (Eds.). Proceedings from the 6th. IOESTE Symposium for Central and Eastern Europe, 123-129. Siauliai, Lithuania, June 2007. (se vedlegg)
