LUMAT-journal has undergone many changes during the past two years. Some of the most visible changes are that the journal has been moved to a new platform and that the journal has a new International Advisory Board. In addition, many less visible changes have been made in how the journal is run and how the reviewing process is taken care of. These changes were made to increase the quality of the journal, and we are happy to already see the first fruit of these changes.
One of the most positive “fruits” is that in 2017, LUMAT was ranked as a “1st class” -publication channel by the Finnish Publication Forum (JUFO). This increases the credibility of the journal especially among the research community in Finland. In addition, largely due to our international Advisory Board, we have received an increasing quantity of high-quality submissions from different corners of the world. The LUMAT-team is very happy for this positive momentum, but we also acknowledge that there is still much that can and should be improved. Therefore, we are grateful for all the individuals who wish to contribute in this pursuit by submitting and reviewing articles, or otherwise.
We are also exited that at the end of August we published our first articles in the 2017 running issue. The first article, written by Per-Odd Eggen and his team, examines how to assess student learning. In the article, the authors present a concept inventory tool that can help adjust teaching practices in chemistry. The second article, written by Vesna Savec, examines the opportunities and challenges for ICT in science education. The third article, written by Arvi Hakanen and Jari Lavonen, uses a questionnaire to examine the type of conceptions that 7th grade students have on the nature of science (NOS). These interesting articles are available here: https://lumat.fi/index.php/lumat/issue/view/18
In the future, LUMAT will be published as a running issue. This means that articles are published as soon as they are accepted in the same issue as other articles from that particular year. In addition to the annual running issue, LUMAT will also continue to publish special issues on timely topics.
We welcome all publications in math, science and technology education, so please feel free to submit your article to LUMAT through our online platform.
What educational topic could be more important than the quality and sufficiency of natural resources on the Earth? Could it be possible to solve these challenges and create sustainable welfare for everyone with the help of chemistry and mathematics?
This practical guide helps chemistry teachers to plan their teaching from the perspective of sustainable development, and to integrate mathematics into their topics. The theory in the beginning of the guide and most of the ideas for inquiry-based activities are from the doctoral dissertation Holistic and Inquiry-based Education for Sustainable Development in Chemistry by Marianne Juntunen (University of Helsinki, 2015).
The guide was financed by a grant from the Ministry of the Environment and the ELY centre of Central Finland. It was granted to the Lapland district of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (Suomen luonnonsuojeluliiton Lapin piiri ry) in 2015. The guide was translated into English, Spanish and Chinese in 2017, financed by Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation.
Marianne Juntunen is teacher of chemistry (Ph.D.) and chemical engineer (M.Sc). Marianne has taught chemistry to students of all ages in science clubs, schools and teacher training. With her own company, she is a producer of educational material and offers teachers in-service training about holistic and inquiry-based science education.
The International StarT Gala was held on Tuesday May 23rd, 2017 in which three of the top projects made by children and youths all over the world were awarded. The winning teams came from Indonesia, Lithuania and Finland. The Minister of Education of Finland, Ms. Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, handed the awards.
The winning projects have provided ideas on how to prevent motorcycle accidents and how to sort litter, they have also focused on research about space and weather phenomena. In their evaluation criteria, the StarT jury has focused on innovativeness and creativity as well as work-process being evident on the project videos.
The International LUMA StarT Awards were awarded for the first time. It is supported by LUMA Centre Finland, a collaborative organization that promotes science, mathematics and technology education on all grade levels. Over 800 learning communities from 36 countries have participated in the StarT model of LUMA Centre Finland. The President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, is the official patron of StarT.
“Mastering skills in mathematics, science and technology has become more important than ever. In many fields, these subjects hold the keys to the future. The StarT participants of today are the ones who build humanity’s future tomorrow.” said Minister Grahn-Laasonen.
The top learning communities, the public’s most voted favourites and the most active country were also awarded at the StarT Gala. In addition, the Finnish National Awards were handed.
Weather ball project, Veikkola elementary and secondary school, the students of grades 5A + 5B and 7th to 9th graders with the help of Aki Kukkonen, Finland
The public’s most voted projects
In an international public voting in which the International LUMA StarT Award 2017 nominee teams collected likes on YouTube, these teams have been the most popular:
Well being project about bread, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Supranee Sitthipairojsakul’s group, Thailand.
Protect & live project, Büyükçekmece Atatürk Anatolian High School, Nilgün Erentay’s and Nejdet Köker’s group, Turkey.
The most active countries
The most active countries out of 36 countries participating in the StarT were Turkey and Lithuania. Turkey and Lithuania have registered the most StarTeam projects.
Awarded learning communities
International LUMA StarT Education Award 2017 were awarded to the top three learning communities, the StarT jury had chosen to award:
Collaboration with several different actors; one collaboration partner was Park Tarabya Kindergarten / İstanbul, Kindergarten Satulaiva, Taipalsaari, Kirsi Rehunen, Finland
In the international public voting, in the category of learning communities, the most popular has been Energy Project, Miroslav Anti primary school, Futog, Serbia.
For additional information, please contact the director of the LUMA Centre Finland and the StarT, Professor Maija Aksela, +358 50 514 1450, or project manager Essi Purhonen. Both of them can be contacted via email info@start.luma.fi.
The International StarT Gala is a memorable award ceremony organized today, on 23rd of May at 13:00–17:00, at the Great Hall of the University of Helsinki Main Building, Helsinki, Finland.
The International LUMA StarT Awards will be awarded for the first time on 23.5.2017. StarT is organized by LUMA Centre Finland and is part of the programme for the centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017. Over 800 learning communities from 36 countries around the world have participated in StarT over the school year 2016-2017. More information about LUMA Centre Finland you can find here.
The minister of education of Finland, Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, will be handing the awards to the winners of the International LUMA StarT Award 2017. The winners are to be chosen by the StarT jury. In addition, the public’s most voted favourites are announced at the award gala. The StarT gala is organized in the grand ballroom of the University of Helsinki on the 23rd of May at 13:00.
The best teams and the best practices are to be awarded
The StarT jury has chosen the LUMA StarT Award 2017 nominees, of which there are ten in two different categories. A public voting is organized for the best project nominees for the LUMA StarT Award 2017 and for the best practice nominees for the LUMA StarT Education Award 2017. The public voting begins on the 10th of May and ends on the 21st of May. Voting is done by liking the project- and best practice videos on youtube.
The International LUMA StarT Award is given to three teams of children and youngsters. The more detailed assessment criteria you can find here.
The International LUMA StarT Education Award 2017 is given to three learning communities for best practices related to carrying out StarT. In the assessment criteria collaboration and sharing have been emphasized. The more detailed assessment criteria you can find here.
During the academic year 2016-2017 children and youngsters have been working in learning communities around the world with projects related to especially science, mathematics, and technology. The projects have been interdisciplinary, phenomenon-based and collaborative. LUMA Centre Finland has provided learning communities with support and ideas.
”StarT has inspired children, youngsters and teachers all over the world. The reported projects and best practices of learning communities are of an incredibly high standard. They convey the joy of learning and succeeding, which is one of the main goals of StarT. Sharing the best ideas through the teams’ project videos means everyone learns from each other”, says the chairman of the StarT jury, Professor Maija Aksela from LUMA Centre Finland.
Learning and sharing best practices
The International LUMA StarT Award 2017 nominees are shown below in alphabetical order according to the project title. Be inspired and learn something new!
Vote for your favourite before the 21st of May!
Cave project, Agrupamento de Escolas Cidade do Entroncamento, Francisco Gonçalves José Dias Rute Nunes, Portugal
Flight/Aviation project, Echipa Multitouchnme, Georgeta Cozma, Chereche Nicoleta Students: Mihalca Patrik, Mihai Olariu, Codru Erdei, Toni Caia, Romania
Mathematics of the chestnut, Szivárvány Kindergarten, Kistelek, Éva Virágné Szqcs and Csilla Novák, Hungary
Nature and environment project, Šiaurės licėjaus, Lina Kiliauskait’s kindergarten group, Lithuania
Protect & live project, Büyükçekmece Atatürk Anatolian High School, Nilgün Erentay’s and Nejdet Köker’s group, Turkey
SOS glove project, Semesta Billingual Boarding School, Bryan Tanamas Fachry, Adam El-Yaqien Mucharam, Sultan Gemilang Kemadi, Indonesia
Stars and space project, Salesian School Santo Domingo Savio, Jose Maria Diaz Fuentes, José Illana Lope, Jimena Díaz del Álamo, Elena López Sevilla, Laura García Morcillo, Ana Soledad, Lara Fernández, Spain
Weather ball project, Veikkolan yhtenäiskoulu, teacher: Aki Kukkonen, classes: 5A + 5B + 7-9 students, Finland
Well being project about bread, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Supranee Sitthipairojsakul’s group, Thailand
The International LUMA StarT Education Award 2017 nominees chosen by the StarT jury are shown below. Vote for your favourite before the 21st of May!
Collaboration among geography, chemistry and social studies teachers in an interdisciplinary project, Pirkkalan yläaste, Kati Lahtinen, Finland
Collaboration of education and teacher training programme through StarT, MTA-SZTE Science Education Research Group, Faculty of Science and Informatics US, Erzsébet Korom, Hungary
Collaboration with Physical Cultural and Sports Centre, Jonava children’ nursery-kindergarten “The Sun”, Natalija Zuravlioviene, Lithuania
Collaboration with several different actors; one collaboration partner was Park Tarabya Kindergarten / İstanbul, Kindergarten Satulaiva, Taipalsaari, Kirsi Rehunen, Finland
Collaborative StarT fair, Odessa ORT Zhabotinski school, Anna Michurina, Ukraine
Community outreach, Green group, Khadija Azaitraoui, Morocco
Developing a learning module for studying mathematics in one’s surroundings, IES Santo Domingo, Eva Acosta Gavilán, Spain
Developing student workshops in learning community, Primary School ” Miroslav Anti”, Gordana Hajdukovi-Jandri, Serbia
Involving the entire school community in StarT, Betygala Maironis gymnasium, Saule Tiskuviene, Lithuania
Series of activities to foster STEAM education in primary schools, De Creatieve STEM, Sanne Cools, Belgium
The videos of the projects and the best practices as well as the learning diaries of the teams are available here.
The voting is open online until the 21st of May.
The president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, is the official patron of StarT. Welcome to StarT again in 2017-2018! You can register here.
StarT is carried out in collaboration with many partners. See the list of partners here.
Sharing and learning with the international StarT learning community! Collaborative student-centred learning! Ideas for teachers for carrying out interdisciplinary project-based learning! Learning across subject boundaries: integrative learning of the sciences, technology, mathematics, art, sports, and other subjects! Extracurricular activity groups are welcome along!
LUMA Centre Finland together with its cooperation partners is inviting all schools, kindergartens and extracurricular activity groups from all around the world to join the StarT learning community for the school year 2017-2018. (In the school year 2016-2017 more than 800 learning communities from 36 countries around the world participated in StarT.)
With support from StarT, the learning communities share ideas and best practices about carrying out interdisciplinary, phenomenon-based, student centred, and collaborative project-based learning.
StarT encourages children and youngsters to carry out project-based learning by giving visibility for their projects and awarding the best project-teams and their supervisors as well as the best practices.
Join our international StarT family today to share and learn through project-based learning!
Learning projects and good practices can be reported again starting on September 2017. There is no need to register in advance.
The grand prizes are the trips to Finland to receive the International LUMA StarT Award 2018, or, International LUMA StarT Education Award 2018, at the International StarT Gala 2018.
*** Cancelled, due to the participant cancellations ***
Discover Finnish excellence in science: Join International LUMA Summer Camp 2017 in Helsinki, Finland on August 2017.
University of Helsinki has a long experience in arranging popular international summer camps. Our LUMA Summer Camps are a meeting venue for students between 16 – 19 years of age and who are interested in natural sciences, mathematics, and technology. The LUMA Summer Camps provide a unique opportunity to get to know Finnish excellence in this field, as well as a wonderful chance to get together with other like-minded young people from all around the world.
In 2017, Finland is celebrating its 100th anniversary of independence. The theme of Finland’s centenary celebration year is ‘Together’, which will also be honored as the theme of the International LUMA Summer Camp 2017.
The International LUMA Summer Camp 2017 will take place in Helsinki, Finland from 5th to 10th of August (both for girls and boys) – arrival is possible on 4th of August.
The camp is designed to be a fantastic opportunity to meet Finnish students and explore the Finnish knowledge and one of the best universities in the world, the University of Helsinki. During the camp the participants will work on state-of-the-art scientific projects dealing with global issues and explore Helsinki and its surroundings.
Applications and acceptance
All applications are to be done online, please find the link below. This year we accept applications from students born in the years 1998 – 2001. The application period will close on 2nd of May 2017 at 4 pm CET.
Online application form » *** Cancelled, due to the participant cancellations ***
The selection of the students will be based on the application form. When filling in the application we kindly ask you to select your favorite topic from the available camp themes, which are Mathematics, Computer Science, and Natural Sciences. There is a limited number of places available.
The list of students selected as participants will be published on 3rd of May 2017.
Once the participants for the LUMA Summer Camp 2017 have been selected, they will have an opportunity to influence themes and content of the camp.
Price and cancellation
The camp fee is 1 860 EUR (incl. VAT). The price does not include international travelling to and from Finland.
We require a 60-day cancellation notice prior to your scheduled arrival, otherwise you will be charged 50% of the total fee.
The fee includes the program for the camp, all meals during the camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner), accommodation, and local transportation in Finland. The camp fee also includes insurance coverage while in Finland, sightseeing, and evening programs during the camp week.
The organizers can not provide participants with any grants to cover the price.
The latest issue of LUMAT-B contains 18 articles about the chemistry education research carried out at the University of Helsinki.
Chemistry teaching and learning is one of the areas of focus in research in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki. Research creates a base for supporting the understanding of chemistry and for the development of good-quality chemistry teaching from basic education to higher education and to teacher education. With the use of evidence-based teacher education in chemistry, we support chemistry teaching and its development communally.
In honor of the 15th Anniversary of the Unit of Chemistry Teacher Education in the Department of Chemistry, the special issue is published in the LUMAT-B journal, where the research is presented.
In the articles, the central concepts of topics are described briefly, as the benefits and challenges from the point of view of previous research and the writer’s own research, and as well it is brought out, how teachers are able to exploit information in chemistry teaching. The writers of these articles are PhDs, who have graduated from the unit, and doctoral students.
The articles can be used freely in teaching, teacher training, and research.
Teachers from all corners of the world met on first ever Teachers’ Climate Change Forum in November 26th, 2016 to share their good practices and innovative approaches on climate change education via inspiring video presentations and to learn from each other.
The Teachers’ Climate Change Forum is a virtual forum organized by LUMA Centre Finland. At the forum, teachers interested in climate change education have the opportunity to share their practical experience and learn from each other. Chair for the forum is Director of the LUMA Centre Finland, Professor, PhD Maija Aksela. Other experts for the forum are PhD Sakari Tolppanen and PhD Marianne Juntunen.
Adult education
Climate.now – new climate change education material for higher education
Laura Riuttanen, Finland
Climate.now is a new online material about climate change. It is aimed at higher education, including all disciplines. Based on the material, teacher can give a 2-5 ECTS course in any university.
Ecoanxiety and climate change – participatory working methods
Panu Pihkala, Finland
The role of psychological and spiritual matters in climate change education. Dealing with climate change education in religious communities and the possible contributions of spiritual dimensions for environmental education (for example, the role of ritual-type activities and silence).
Plantfulness – art educative breathing with plants
Verna Kuntsi, Finland
Plantfulness adress the need of feeling or thinking ecologically. How to do it? People surely know rationally how to make sustainable decisions, but it’s not that easy. They are not simply doing them or changing their lifestyle though it’s needed. Knowing is not enough – we cannot ignore our feelings and thoughs about climat change. It is scary, specially for the kids and youth. I believe that empathy is greatly needed. In Plantfulness we take first step to empathy and relaxation. Before making any other moves or decisions, it’s the best thing to do first. After that the best sustainable desicions are made through empathy.
Teachers’ online climate guide
Pinja Sipari, Finland
Teacher´s Climate Guide is a free and open climate education website for subject teachers working in secondary schools and high schools. It presents climate change separately from the perspective of each subject taught at school and also offers photo material, assignments and general information on climate change and climate education. At the moment the material exists only in Finnish, but it would be great to see it translated in other languages in the near future.
Upper secondary education (16-19 y)
Energy and culture – transmitting climate information through simple graphs and figures
Maria Luisa Roqueta, Spain
Adapting the scientific concepts associated with climate change at a simple level of understanding for students through simple graphs and figures that transmit better the information than the theoretical definitions and capture the student’s attention – in order to make informed decisions and not rely always on experts.
MoM: Matters of Matter – Future Materials in Sustainable Development Education
Annamaria Lisotti, Italy
The role of Materials Research and innovative (either new or revisited) materials in solving the related problems. Innovative materials may be one of the keys to mitigation and resiliency ranging from architecture to energy production, smart cities development, fresh water and food supplies, low consumption and low carbon mobility. In MoM – Matters of Matter project (www.mattersofmatter.eu) secondary students investigate physical and chemical properties of samples, design experimental protocols and implement them finally unleashing their creativity and innovators potential in devising new applications for such wonder materials.
RESEt (Research and Education Svalbard Experience) project focusing mainly on polar and climate system topics
Matteo Cattadori, Italy
RESEt (Research and Education Svalbard Experience) is an ongoing educational project focusing mainly on polar and climate system topics. RESEt project aims at driving a whole class through a set of activities focusing mainly on planning, organizing, funding, making and com- municating an authentic scientific polar expedition at the Svalbard is- lands (Arctic Ocean) in summer 2016.
Upper comprehensive education (12-15 y)
Call out the sun, get the energy – environmental course
Gordana Hajdukovi, Serbia
The Students Project “Call out the Sun, Get the Energy is realized with the aim to create and develop the research abilities of students by applying research methods (Inquiry Based Science Education-IBSME). The idea of the project itself was to get students through hands-in research work on climate change as well as the factors that affect the constantly increasing temperatures on our planet.
Eco-club – waste as a reason of climate change
Natela Bagatrishvili, Georgia
The video presents the new eco-club at the school in Georgia. It shows many different kinds of activities which protect the environment.
Explore the weather more by designing and building own weather stations
Sladjana Jovic, Serbia
In this lesson, students will design and build some of the instruments that meteorologists use than, make two school Weather Stations and placed them in different school yards so that results of weather parameters date can be follow during three months and be compared.
Micrometeorology and climate change
Dirceu Dias, Brazil
Students have an active role in all processes which involve among other things the installation of a mini weather station, the collection, analysis and processing of data related to time, establish correlations with the local urban time, the water collection rain and analysis, preparation of content on time and climate for placement on social networks and suggested actions for climate change mitigation in schools and in their communities.
The study of sea level rise and increase of the greenhouse effect through analogue modelling
Gonçalo Prereira, Portugal
The first activity explores the problem of sea level rise. A model of a coastal zone with different slopes is presented to the pupils. They develop the experiment analyzing the different effects of sea level rise due to the increase of temperature and the consequent melting of glaciers. In the second activity students explore the different increase in temperature in the earth’s system without and with two levels of greenhouse effect. With this learning situation students are expected to acquire not only scientific knowledge but also inquiry competences.
The StarT program has been launched by the LUMA Centre Finland together with its network of cooperation partners to celebrate Finland’s centennial. Schools, kindergartens, families and extracurricular activity groups from all around the world are invited to invest in the future and take part in StarT to share the excitement of collaborative learning!
StarT promotes interdisciplinary, project-based and phenomenon-based learning – it puts science and technology into a context that is relevant for students and makes learning both exciting and meaningful. With support from StarT everyone from around the world learns together and from each other through project-based learning!
The project involves students carrying out science, math, and technology projects in schools, which will be on display at science fair events organized as a part of StarT – the project strives to give student projects and educational models developed by schools the visibility and fame they deserve. The Finnish media will also be following the progress of the projects.
StarT gives schools and kindergartens new ideas and support for the implementation of project-based learning and establishes a new kind of science-fair culture that focuses around collaboration. Learning communities network with each other, get visibility, and learn from each other as they see each other’s projects and ideas. In addition, 100 of the best student projects and practices in schools are awarded by the StarT jury to celebrate 100-year-old Finland in 2017.
This year StarT has seven exciting themes that serve as a wonderful starting point for the phenomenon-based student projects: everyday mathematics, nature and environment, programming and robotics, stars and space, mobile toys, technology around us, and well-being. The projects carried out by students can be either small-scale explorations or longer learning modules related to, for instance, space, health and the environment, designing mobile toys, programming robots, learning about scientific innovations through drama, or perhaps thinking about the function of mathematics in everyday life or in art. StarT encourages schools and kindergartens to develop their own models of integrative project-based learning that work best for them!
The main objective of StarT is to emphasize the role of the school or kindergarten as a collaborative learning environment. Learning can be exciting, meaningful, and effective all at the same time – StarT is aimed at just that!
