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Daisy

Research project on recruitment and retention of science teachers in a European perspective

• Comparative study of attitudes and motivation of science teachers and teacher students in several countries
• Based on / connctced with PhD project of Vegard Engstrøm in Norway
• Using test instruments from previous projects (e.g. ROSE, Phys21 etc), adapted by Vegard Engstrøm
• Marisa Michelini and Gren Ireson are co-supervisors

Financing

No obvious possibilities for project financing currently.

• Ideally EU financing for such a project would allow contributions from more countries in order to get a good comparative study, using the same instruments at the same time.
• If partners are able to use PhD or MSc students to do the research tasks, this is a possibility, but it is difficult to match the timing of several PhD or MSc student projects in different countries...

Possibility in FP7 Science in Society, but the two closest calls are not directly relevant this time (see below)

• Deadline Tuesday 18 March 2008 at 17.00.00, Brussels local time
  • Identifier: FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2008-1
  • Website: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CapacitiesDetailsCallPage&CALL_ID=104
• FP7 Capacities Work Programme: Part 5 – Science in Society
• Two options under Second Action Line – Strengthening potential, broadening horizons:
  • Collaborative Projects (Small or medium scale) - MAXIMUM GRANT €1 000 000
• ACTIVITY 5.2.1 Gender and research
  • Area 5.2.1.2 Gender dimension of research
  • SiS-2008-2.1.2.1 Influence of the perception of science on study choice
• ACTIVITY 5.2.2 Young People and Science3
  • Area 5.2.2.2 Reinforcing links between science education and science careers
  • SiS-2008-2.2.2.1 Identification of trends in scientific studies

Minimum conditions for consortium: At least 3 independent legal entities, each of which is established in a MS
or AC, and no two of which are established in the same MS or AC.

Short description

As a follow-up to the ROSE project (Schreiner, 2006), the Daisy project is concerned with the choices made by teacher students and science teachers as they choose to begin, complete or drop out of teacher studies, and later when they choose to stay in or leave the profession of science teacher. The central motive is the question “Should I stay or should I leave?” and the Daisy symbolises this dilemma which is faced by many students and teachers – where too many choose to leave, according to a number of recent surveys.

The aim of the Daisy project is to illuminate this situation in order to provide decision makers with a more comprehensive data set on the factors that motivate would-be science teachers to choose or not choose this study and profession.

Comparative study

A comparative study between countries involved in the project would be relevant and useful, drawing on experience from previous studies like PISA and TIMSS. According to NIFU (2002a), p. 10, “Sweden and Finland has seen a significant increase of MST students in the past 10 years. The development has not been as positive in Norway and Denmark. In Denmark there has been a clear reduction of the recruitment, especially for some technical lines of study. Also in Norway there has been a decline in the number of applications for engineering studies…”

However, according to EU (2004c), “there is a need to complement these studies of educational achievement against common standards with studies that open up for diversity and that analyse affective factors like interest, attitudes, motivation, etc”. It would be an aim of this thesis to follow up previous comparative studies like ROSE in this respect.

Studies from outside the EU area, e.g. Spradlin & Pendergast (2006), also provide valuable insights with regard to recruitment and retention of science teachers.