Me and my wife tried to travel to Iceland last summer. Because of the covid we had to postpone it to my Autumn holiday. It just happened that friend Bea’s doctor public examination was on that week at the University of Iceland, so of course we had to go to see it.
Her dissertation title was “Silent video tasks – their definition, development, and implementation in upper secondary school mathematics classrooms”. I have not yet read the thesis/articles, so I will not comment on that.
The dissertation can be found at https://opinvisindi.is/handle/20.500.11815/2680
After the formalities Bea had her lecture, she explained what silent videos are, how they are used in classroom and about the research and the methods.
The opponents, prof. Dr Merrilyn Goos (Australia) and Prof. Dr. Morten Misfelt (Denmark) had their statements remotely and there was very interesting discussion about the subject.
And finally, the dissertation was accepted.
There are many ideas that started to wake in my brain while listening the discussions. Like what are we teaching when we teach math, physics, or programming? Facts, methods, processes, problem solving, algorithms, how to use programs, how to use pen, pencil, protractor, and ruler, …? Is Bea’s silent videos the same thing like when I use simulations or videos in physics to learn about new concepts? Why some teachers want to change their ways of teaching and why they return to old ways so often? Is it a good or a bad thing?
I hope I will write about those ideas later.
more photos from the examination
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1eE9LwLpjMBtRYJG8
Mikon fysiikka ja matikka 