Influential factors outside of school

In this article we look at the factors that have influenced in many ways teaching and learning at school. Such factors are INSET training for mathematics and science teachers and the extensive science and mathematics program (LUMA1) launched by the Finnish Ministry of Education. Very often other factors have been founded by enthusiastic persons who have seen that something should and can be done to improve especially the teaching and learning of mathematics and science at school. Such factors are MAOL, the Finnish Association of Teachers of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Informatics, FINISTE, Finnish network for Information in Science and Technology Education, HEUREKA, the Finnish science centre, URSA, the Finnish astronomical society, FMSERA, Finnish Mathematics and Science Education Research Association, and Finnish Graduate School of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry Teachers. These factors influence school teaching mainly indirectly but they give possibilities to active teachers as well as researchers to bring forward their ideas and discuss them.