{"id":3255,"date":"2025-01-03T15:07:30","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T13:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myscience.fi\/en\/?page_id=3255"},"modified":"2025-01-03T15:18:43","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T13:18:43","slug":"annual-report-2023","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.myscience.fi\/en\/annual-report-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual report 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Contents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Director\u2019s review<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. National task<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. STEM Strategy and Action Plan<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Collaborative projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Publications and reports<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Reach of operations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Anniversary year events<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Communications<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. A brief overview of the year 2023 at the regional LUMA Centres<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Contributors<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"LUMA-keskus<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    1. Director\u2019s review<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The year 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the first LUMA Centre and the 10th anniversary of the founding of the LUMA Centre Finland network. The year 2023 was very rewarding and active. Together, we have achieved significant results in terms of the goals set for our national duties. During the year, we focused on developing innovations based on close collaboration and research, from early childhood education all the way to higher education, to support the national core curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In 2023, with the support of the Finnish National Agency for Education, we implemented several popular LUMAn lumoa (\u2018The charm of STEM\u2019) and Ulos luokasta (\u2018Out of the classroom\u2019) training events online and across the country. We successfully organised the national LUMA Days in Nurmes in conjunction with the ULOS-UT-OUT event, and the national LUMA Weeks early in the year continued their popularity. We have spread science education throughout Finland by offering plenty of remote access activities and free high-quality online materials for teaching through the VituaaliLUMA scheme.<\/p>\n

    Events of the national and international LUMAT Science Research Forum continued our research-based activities, in addition to which we are publishing the LUMAT journal established in 2013. Numerous theses and publications were completed at universities, and many educational institutions developed models for students to serve as science ambassadors in various forms.<\/p>\n

    Approximately 80 schools, vocational colleges or early childhood education units from around Finland participated in the activities of the LUMA development community, with LUMA activities reaching over 100,000 individuals in Finland during the year. Teachers play a key role in our activities, and their contribution is invaluable in building a sustainable future. A special highlight was study visits to the popular LUMA science classes. Visitor numbers have doubled from the previous year, and almost 45,000 children or adolescents visited LUMA science classes in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our LUMA science education model attracts widespread interest internationally, and specialists from universities in our network are actively involved in international activities. We warmly thank the university leaders, operators, cooperation partners, and funders for their excellent cooperation during the past year. Together we can have a good and sustainable future!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Kind regards, Maija Aksela
    Director of the LUMA Centre Finland network
    Professor of Science Education
    University of Helsinki<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. National task<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Ministry of Education and Culture awarded LUMA Centre Finland funding for its national task for the period 2021\u20132024. The funding is aimed at securing a high level of mathematical, scientific and technological expertise as well as a sufficient number of experts in Finland. The board and operators of LUMA Centre Finland determined three key operational measures to carry out the national task in the period. The implementation of the measures will be reviewed annually at the network’s development seminar and adjusted for each subsequent year. In the following sections, we will discuss the realization of the objectives of the national task in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Supporting teachers\u2019 continuous professional development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The numerous continuing education events that took place at 12 localities can be considered the highlight of 2023. The events provided diverse opportunities to get to know teaching outside schools through physical and virtual learning environments. Teachers were in particular interested in teaching in natural environments and new teaching materials, such as snow and animal studies, related to nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In 2023 LUMA Centres supported curriculum implementation at schools and early childhood education units in a number of ways, including by offering teaching equipment for loan, developing learning materials and organising study visits both on-site at university premises and online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Over the course of the year, so-called LUMA developer<\/em> teachers<\/em> convened for three development seminars, in addition to which four theme groups held monthly meetings online. In the spring, new schools and daycare centres were also selected as LUMA developers. Dozens of daycare centres and schools from all over Finland participated in the theme groups, with roughly 140 teachers or instructors participating during the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n