Kinderegg learning program at ViteMeir in collaboration with teacher education (HVL)
ViteMeir is testing a new learning program in anatomy together with student teachers from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL). 40 pupils from Luster secondary school will dissect the heart and lungs of a pig, and the student teachers are helping to implement the project. The learning program is a collaboration with Luster municipality and the teacher training program at HVL.
"This is a real science center nest egg," says Åse Neraas, Head of Communication at ViteMeir.
Testing of learning programs that can become a permanent offering
Anatomy with dissection has not yet been offered by ViteMeir. Now, in collaboration with the university college and Luster Municipality, they will be testing a new learning program that uses pig dissection to learn about anatomy and how the body works. First, the facilitators at ViteMeir will conduct a dissection session for student teachers. This will give them experience of the methodology and pedagogy used. Afterwards, the students themselves will contribute to the teaching of secondary school pupils. In this way, the students get to experience how teaching using dissection works in practice.
- We've done dissection activities at ViteMeir together with the university college, but this is the first time we're doing it together with students. This is a real science center children's egg, where the student teachers first get to carry out dissection together with the presenters at ViteMeir, before they get to use what they have learned when they themselves are involved in teaching students. In addition, we get to test whether the learning program is suitable as a permanent offering for students. This is simply a win-win-win," says Åse Neraas, communication manager at ViteMeir.
Nortura provides the pig organs that are used. They are also a good sparring partner when it comes to handling the organs. Through dissection of these organs, students develop their skills in scientific exploration and increase their interest in biology and anatomy. Students are trained to plan, make observations and evaluate the activity. They work in groups and must plan and communicate both with each other and through reporting.
- Dissection is a great way to understand how our bodies work, especially when using animals such as pigs or sheep that are very similar to humans. In addition, it makes the science subject much more exciting and interesting," says Tonje Helene Været, lecturer at HVL and teacher at Luster ungdomsskule.
Practice-relevant teaching for the university college
Exploratory teaching and project work are a fundamental part of the methodology for the development of science. Dissection is an activity that can be carried out with preparatory and follow-up work. Here, students can help develop their own research questions and get training in observation and analysis. For student teachers, it is important to gain training and experience in the use of practical activities in teaching that will reflect what they can achieve later in school. Practice-relevant teaching is an important element for Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. National strategies point out that practical relevance is a challenge for most teacher education programs. The collaboration between HVL and ViteMeir makes it possible to create practice-relevant teaching in addition to the ordinary practice that the students go through.
The science center coordinator for HVL, Hege Stein, believes that ViteMeir is a toolbox for HVL, and a place where student teachers meet students in an arena full of practical learning activities.