7250.10 - Nature

7250.10

Nature

11

In this workshop, students develop competence in asking questions appropriate to the natural sciences, in finding or producing relevant data, in organising and analysing data, and in finding answers to their questions. Considering various research projects, students will learn to work with exemplary data. They will also work in-depth with a few selected questions in the natural sciences. The purpose of this course is for students to get an open and broad understanding of nature and its characteristics, but also to learn to conduct research projects and work with exemplary cases while focusing in-depth on particular areas within the natural sciences.

The workshops will focus on areas as geology, the atmosphere, the sun and the solar system, the ocean, and ecosystems. This course lasts eight weeks. The first week is an intensive, mostly theoretical introduction, which aim is to introduce students to the diversity within the field of natural science and give them a broad foundation on which to work. Thus, students should have gained a suggestive basis to choose an area to focus on in their workshop. This part is made up of lectures and other instructor guided activities. It should be noted that this introduction to the first workshop is not a formula that demands that all projects be developed and structured in the same way. Rather, we aim for diversity both in educational approach (using a dynamic interplay of mini-courses, lectures and other types of teaching) and in how the various groups shape their projects. Then, in groups of 2-4, students choose a particular subject to focus on in their workshop. The topics chosen must be within one of the focus areas of the course, and the instructors in the natural sciences track must accept the research question students formulate. A guide to the workshops, their purpose, structure and requirements will be handed out in class. After their workshop and their research question has been accepted, the groups will get 2 tutorial sessions before they submit their projects. The supervisors will mostly consist of the teachers in the natural sciences at Føroya læraraskúli. Though, in exceptional cases, an external supervisor might be found. The supervisions may be conducted through written correspondence (e.g. via First Class) or in person. Optionally, students might use synchronised intercommunication (e.g. a Skype conference). In addition to the formal supervisions, at least one of the instructors in the natural sciences will be available for consultation on campus a minimum of one morning every week. In this way, we hope to develop a thriving academic environment on campus while students also have the ability to work off-campus. An additional 2-hour lecture and two one-day workshops are part of the course.

Toward the end of the course, students will write a paper. There will be 3-4 subjects from which to choose. Students will receive these topics one week before the paper is to be submitted. The paper will be written in groups of 3-4 students and should be between 5 and 8 pages. Internal examiners will be used. Grades will be awarded on a Passed/Not passed basis.