Norske masterutdanninger i naturfag for grunnskolelærere – store variasjoner i omfang på masteroppgaver og fagsammensetning<br>Norwegian master educations in natural science for lower secondary school

Abstract

English title: Norwegian master educations in natural science for lower secondary school – large differences in courses offered and size of master thesis

Currently, the majority of students in lower secondary school teacher education take a four-year education in Norway. From 2017 this education will be prolonged to a five-year master education. In connection to this, there is an ongoing debate in Norway about the content of the new teacher education programs. In 2010, the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) began the first integrated five-year master education for lower secondary teacher education students in Norway. This program is described in the article, with a focus on the subject natural science in the 5–10 level education. UiT has made progress regarding the difficult link between the student’s school practice and their education at the University. As teacher educators, we experience that the new education also seems to give the students a higher identity and motivation towards teaching natural science. There are four teacher education colleges/universities in Norwegian offering a master degree in natural science/pedagogical content knowledge for teachers in lower secondary school. These master educations are relatively different in structure, and especially the subjects offered and the size of the master thesis is considerably different.