Strengthening science literacy in the City's primary schools
The Natural Science Teachers' Learning Community for the 2026–2027 school year launched in August with a popular course supporting teachers' work and ongoing professional development in science instruction. A collaboration between Reykjavík's Department of Education and Youth and the University of Iceland's School of Education, the project aims to strengthen science education in the City's primary schools by expanding teachers' subject knowledge.
Practical tools and creative teaching methods
The learning community's first winter session, "Science Literacy in the Local Environment," took place this August at Hagaskóli to great success. Roughly 60 teachers participated alongside students from the University of Iceland's School of Education. The course belongs to an annual outdoor learning module led by Jakob Frímann Þorsteinssonur, an assistant professor at the university.
Participants focused on planning and conducting research in the school's local environment, practicing data collection, and reviewing their findings. The goal was to equip teachers with practical tools and methods they can easily apply in the classroom. To support continued professional development, every participant received a fully stocked equipment kit to use at their school. These kits included magnifying glasses, measuring tape, a net, tongs, and a clipboard — all essential tools for research and outdoor learning in the local environment.
The local environment as a convenient research setting
Participants appreciated receiving templates for simple experiments and research activities that adapt well to the classroom and empower students to work independently. This course provided a space to build teachers' confidence, reinforce their subject knowledge, and elevate the quality of science education across Reykjavík's primary schools.
Four additional learning community sessions will run throughout the school year, offering participants the chance to deepen their knowledge of local environment research and develop a broader range of creative approaches to science teaching.
