Special Initiatives in Mathematics and Science Education
Since the turn of the millennium, several initiatives encouraging students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, collectively known as STEM, have been launched,17 one of which led to the establishment of The National Centre for Science Recruitment.18 The center is an administrative agency of the Ministry of Education and Research, and its mandate is to design and implement initiatives that will increase the number of students, females in particular, choosing STEM education and careers. The center collaborates closely with tertiary educational institutions and employers in order to strengthen the position of STEM in society. Other initiatives include the establishment of two national centers for mathematics and science in education, and nine local science centers that all contribute to enhancing knowledge about the STEM subjects and increasing motivation toward STEM.19-21 In addition, the political strategy aims to provide professional development for STEM teachers so that all these teachers will fulfill the expanded employment requirements by 2025 (see the section “Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development,” above).
Norwegian municipalities may allow high achieving students in Grades 8 to 10 to join upper secondary school classes in certain subjects, mathematics being the most common. These cases are considered on an individual basis, and decisions are subject to the consent of students or their parents.22 Certain universities arrange for high achieving students in Grades 11 to 13 to join mathematics courses at the university.
Recently, the Ministry of Education and Research commissioned a project called “The Virtual School of Mathematics,” which is available to both high achieving and low achieving students.23 The virtual school is accessed via the Internet, and gives high achievers in Grades 8 to 10 (primarily in Grade 10) the opportunity to attend 11th grade mathematics classes and low achievers (primarily in Grade 9) access to a multitude of different digital learning resources designed to help them understand, succeed in, and develop motivation in mathematics. For low achievers, the virtual school is a supplement to their regular in-school classes. For both groups, the virtual school is built on the principles of “flipped classrooms.”24
The Ministry of Education and Research has implemented a new course aiming to increase the mathematical competence of low achieving students in mathematics in lower secondary school. Students who take this course still are required to take the standard mathematics course that is compulsory for all students.