NTA in English

Science and Technology for all

The NTA-program, Sweden

The aim of the NTA program is to support teachers in their efforts to stimulate pupils´ curiosity, interests and knowledge in science and technology. The NTA program offers and develops methods as well as services and products for improving learning and teaching in science and technology, both at overall municipal level and at the level of individual schools/schools districts.

The NTA program was started in 1997 as a project by the Royal Swedish Academy of Science (KVA)  and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Science (IVA) in cooperation with municipalities troughout Sweden. From the start the participation has increased to 110 municipalities and 27 independent schools  (a total of 180000 students and 8000 teachers) (December 2012).

Read more about NTA in the article "NTA – A Swedish School Programme for Science and Technology" - by prof. Per-Olof Wickman, Stockholm Institute of Education, Sweden

The organisation of the NTA program

NTA Production and Service

Owned, run and financed by the municipalities Provides/sells complete unit material, instructions for NTA units, training for unit instructors and coordinators.

NTA Development

• Run in project form and financed by KVA and IVA
• Adapts and develops extant and new units
• Develops an infrastructure for didactic research in science and technology

Professional Development for the Teacher Team

Continuous professional developement is a central part of NTA

What are the goals of the professional development?

• Teacher teams develope and expand their attitudes toward, and approach to, science and technology
• Teacher teams develope and expand their knowledge of science and technology
• Theacher teams acquire tools for developing work metods and forms

To which groups is the professional development directed?                                        

Teacher teams in those municipalities participating in the NTA program (including non-municipal, "free" schools)

Professional development for teacher teams                                                               

Professional development for teachers/teacher teams (including principals) consists of:

• Introduktory training
• Training in thematic areas (NTA units)
• Recurring unit meetings

These parts create a whole.

One requirement for using the NTA units is completion of the training program.

Introductory training

New teacher teams are given a presentation of and insight into the work methods used in the NTA units, the program's main activities and how NTA will function locally within the municipality. This introduction lasts about half a day.

Training in NTA units                                           

The teacher teams become familiar with an NTA unit by working with the unit assignment, elucidating the of the experiments, working through questions of curriculum, emphasizing observation, reflection and documentation as development tools, as well as by advancing their knowledge of the subject area. Unit training lasts an entire day and is repeated annually.

Unit meetings 

Meetings can include exchange of experience, expansion of knowledge in the subject area, reflection and discussion on work methodes and forms, collaboration with local industry, interaction with researchers at universities/college. Meetings recur during the school year.