viten.no –digital teaching programs in science education

Abstract

viten.no is a web-based platform with digital teaching programs in science for secondary schooldeveloped by the Norwegian research and development project Viten (Jorde, Strømme, Sørborg,Erlien, & Mork, 2003). The Viten project is a collaboration between the University of Oslo, the Norwegian University for Science and Technology and the Norwegian Centre for Science Education. The Viten teaching programs are available for free, and no additional software is needed to use them. Students in grade 8-12 can work collaboratively on various science topics and each topic ranges in duration from 2-8 science lessons. Three types of programs are available, engaging students in: a) designing solution to problems, e.g. design a greenhouse for growing plants in a spaceship on its way to Mars, b) debating controversial issues, e.g. whether or not there should be wolves in the Norwegian wilderness, c) investigating scientific phenomena, e.g. radioactivity, gene-technology.