English

Nature, Life and Technology (nlt) is an integrated science and mathematics subject, which has been introduced in secondary education in the Netherlands on 1st August 2007. The subject is elective for grade 10/11 HAVO (senior general secondary education) and grade 10/11/12 VWO (pre-university education).

The general aims of nlt are to make science and mathematics education more attractive and challenging by offering students insight into new – often interdisciplinary - developments in science and technology and to create coherence in teaching and learning the science and mathematics subjects.

It is an elective subject within the science stream of upper secondary education, to be assessed by a school based examination. The subject is taught by teams of teachers from a variety of disciplines. The Minister of Education, Culture and Science has commissioned in 2006 a Steering Committee to develop an evidence-based national examination programme.

To start with, the Steering Committee formulated a vision (translated in English: Outline of a new subject in the sciences) that forms the basis for the examination programme. The Steering Committee has developed the subject content, together with staff members from secondary and tertiary education and based the curriculum on a modular structure. The Steering Committee also took care of the implementation of the subject including assessment, evaluation and adaptation of the draft curriculum during the first years after the introduction.

In 2010 the Steering Committee finished its work by presenting a final report, including a proposal for an adapted examination programme to the Minister of Education, Culture and Science. The Minister has commissioned a new Committee for another five years (2011 – 2015) which has the task to anchor the new subject in the Dutch educational structure.

For more information on the subject, please contact the National Coordination Committee on nlt: info@vereniging-nlt.nl

Download:
Vision outline