The Newton Concept aims to provide exceptional learning experiences for children and youth in the fields of STEM. The educational program is the cornerstone of the concept.
In Newton Rooms, students gain access to relevant and exciting equipment and are met by a trained Newton Teacher.
The educational programs in Newton are called Newton Modules, and five modules are now presented at newtonroom.com.
The teaching of Newton Modules is typically carried out over a whole day and includes pre- and post-work that students carry out at school.
Each module is a collection of practical activities, tied together and designed for high learning outcomes and positive student learning experiences. They all have specific learning goals anchored in the national curriculum.
At the Newton Room in Angers, France, the 'We Explore Energy' module is offered to students. Photo credit: Benjamin Geminel
Kjersti Gylseth, Educational Specialists in the Newton Concept, has many years of experience with Newton. She has specialised in natural science and mathematics and has been a teacher in secondary schools and high schools. Additionally, she is a former Newton Teacher and has developed several Newton Modules.
Since 2018, she has been working with developer guidance and quality assurance of the modules developed in Norway.
Educational Specialists in the Newton Concept: Pedrikke Votvik, Ørjan Snoen, and Kjersti Gylseth.
Photo credit for all photos: FIRST Scandinavia.
Together with Kjersti, Educational Specialists Ørjan Snoen and Pedrikke Votvik work to uphold the educational principles of the Newton Concept by guiding developers, who are typically Newton Teachers.
The quality assurance covers subjects, methodology, and alignment to the curricula. Additionally, it comprises graphic and digital content and design, as well as intellectual property rights. Lastly, a module must be described so thoroughly that a Newton Teacher can use it without any special training.
– What characterises a high-quality Newton Module?
“There are several characteristics. To name a few: The Newton Module has clear objectives for what students should learn, does not cover too many goals, and has a clear connection between theory and practice. A Newton day varies in teaching methods, workplaces and equipment used. This is important to reach all types of learners, Kjersti says.
“We also facilitate learner collaboration and ensure that there is a sufficient amount of equipment for everyone to be hands-on. High-quality modules include low-threshold activities, where all students can achieve something and experience different strategies and solutions. Visiting Class Teachers should feel inspired and gain professional development and ideas for new teaching methods.
She believes the modules contribute to the students' in-depth learning.
“In-depth learning is a process where one gradually develops a lasting understanding, as opposed to the subject matter students cram for exams. In-depth learning is achieved over time and requires that students actively engage in the subject matter, reflect, and converse. The Newton Modules challenge the students to connect theory and practice, and they do so over an extended period of time.
In the Search and Rescue Module, students will program robots from LEGO® SPIKE™ Prime to carry out several tasks essential for cleaning up after a landslide.
Varied Module Library
In the Norwegian National module library, there are 25 approved modules, and an additional 8 are under development. The library spans various subject areas, allowing students to explore programming, energy, biological processes, scientific methods, fish, geology, and many more.
The international module library is currently being built, mainly from Norwegian-approved modules. The modules undergo additional quality assurance, addressing language, property rights, and graphics.
Five international modules are now presented front-end on newtonroom.com, and more will be introduced progressively.
- We explore Energy
- Up in the air with numbers
- Search and rescue
- Robots and Circumference
- Sustainable Aviation Fuels
According to Kjersti, the modules are the cornerstone of the Newton Concept.
"The Newton Modules showcase the goals of the Newton Concept and display our educational platform. We look forward to more modules being used outside of Norway.
At the Newton Partner Summit this week, Kjersti and the rest of the Educational Specialists shared the International Module Library with the network.
