RelMaS focuses on the challenges of mathematics and science education in educating younger generations for navigating and transforming a world of “climate change” in which mathematical and scientific knowledge needs to be used for dealing with wicked problems and socio-scientific issues now and in the future. For teacher education to prepare future generations of teachers, it has to qualify them to engage with the issues which students perceive as relevant and pressing, and provide research-based repertoires for dealing with these issues in ways that go beyond established classroom practices.

A key to addressing the challenges outlined above is the ‘relevancing’ of mathematics and science education:

  1. Relevancing the mathematical and scientific content in teacher education and schools for increased action competence and citizenship. This means providing students the opportunity to experience current mathematics-science as interconnected, dynamic, powerful, non-neutral knowledge highly significant for addressing global challenges.
  2. Relevancing mathematics and science content for a diverse student population. This means engaging a variety of student backgrounds and needs to provide access to repertoires for action, reflection and participation in society, important for citizens’ democratic competence.
  3. Relevancing the types of research and collaboration between schools and universities to produce results connected to school practice.

 
For further description of the theme and research foundations of RelMaS, see: