Tools for Scool developement

NTA supports school developement and learning

In the participating municipalities, NTA provides support and stimulation for children, youths and teachers to develop elemantary school education in science and technology. NTA makes possible to create a long-term plan for school development in which local industry, institutions and people outside the school are also engaged. The foundations for this cooperation are formed by the conditions in respective municipalities. The objective is to provide support and stimulation so that elementary school students and teachers can achieve the goals specified in the Swedish national curriculum and syllabuses. The work carried out is based on the mainstays of the NTA project:

Curriculum; an investigative work method with access to thematic experimental units
Material Support; organized material support
Professional Development; continuous competence development for teachers
Assessment; ongoing evaluation of children´s and young people´s learning
Administrative and Community Support; local cooparation between the schools, the municipaly, industry, higher education, and others.

The five mainstays of NTA are inspired by the National Science Resources Center's (NSRC) elements for local development. These form a model of shool development work that is applicable to all subject areas taught. The teacher teams use this model as a starting point for their local dvelopment work, whereupon students and teachers supplement, change and develop the model according to each team's needs.

20 complete units

Today, NTA provides 20 units in biology, physics, chemistry, technology and mathematic for kindergarten through 9th grade. 16 of the units are adapted versions of the Science and Technology for Children, STC, curriculum, developed by the National Science Resourses Center, NSRC, and Carolina Biological Supply Company, CBS. NTA is based entirely on the Swedish national curriculum and syllabuses. It does not, however, satisfy all the goals specified in the syllabuses.

Each NTA unit is complete in the sence that it provides:

Written material for students as well as teachers
Laboratory material for an entire class (work is carried out in a regular classroom)
Training in the thematic area, which is mandatory for teachers wishing to use NTA; professional development for the teacher/teaching team
Separate training for every thematic area

Teachers who have tested NTA in their teaching and other types of educators are currently involved in development/adaption of the NTA units.

Thus, working with the NTA units means taking part in a stimulating and rewarding school development project along with many other teachers and students.