The University of Ljubljana (UL) possesses a rich tradition. It ranks as a very large university, with more than 63,000 graduate and postgraduate students. Approximately 4000 higher education teachers are employed in the 22 faculties, 3 arts academies and one university college. The university was founded in 1919 on the basis of centuries of educational tradition, remaining the only Slovenian university for half a century. Based on its own research projects as well as advances in research at home and abroad, the University provides instruction and training to prominent scientists and experts, capable of leading sustainable development. The Faculty of Education is educating future teachers for preschool, primary and secondary level, and it also has al long tradition in in-service education of teachers. Among the educational institution in Slovenia it has the biggest reputation that is why the Faculty of Education took an important part in developing new curricula, in providing new modules of in-service training as well as educational research and counselling. Research activities at the Faculty of Education are organized in two units: Institute for research and artistic work, Centre for education policy studies (CEPS). Faculty of Education primarily performs research projects in the fields of social sciences (education included) and humanities; fellows who join research activities at other institutions mostly work in the fields of mathematics, science, medicine and sport. Altogether, members of the research groups are engaged in about thirty different research projects mostly subsidized by the EU and partly by Slovenian Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

Dr. Iztok Devetak is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Education at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Slovenia. His research focuses on how students from elementary school to university learn chemistry at all three levels of chemical concepts (e.i macro, submicro and symbolic). He also studies the influence of motivation and ICT on science learning. He is a member of editorial boards of Cypriot Journal of Educational SciencesInternational Journal of Environmental and Science Education, Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, Eurasian Journal of Physics and Chemistry Education and CEPS Journal. He was a Fulbright scholar in 2009.

Dr. Saša A. Glažar is a Professor for Chemical Education at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Slovenia. He has been a member of International Centre for Chemical Studies (ICCS) University of Ljubljana since its foundation. He has been involved in defining, classifying and categorization of science concepts in building relational systems for various levels of education. He has been involved in Tempus project, which was focused on early science learning. As an expert, he is taking part in development of new science curricula (Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia) and in international research dealing with evaluation of science knowledge of pupils in primary and secondary school (TIMSS and PISA).

Dr. Janez Vogrinc is an Assistant Professor of Statistics and Methodology at the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana. His main research area is criteria for evaluating the quality of the scientific findings, the professional development of education practitioners and teaching/learning practices, action research. He is involved in international (˝e.g. Enhancing Professional Development of Education Practitioners and Teaching/Learning practices in SEE countries, Teacher Education – Innovation of Studies in Mathematics and IT) and national projects (e.g. The analysis of the factors that influence on meaningful science and technology learning, Encouraging a culture of research and innovation in schools through a process of lifelong teacher learning).

Dr. Mojca Juriševič is Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Slovenia. Her research interests lie in personality factors which influence learning processes, primarily motivation for learning. She is involved in many national and international research projects on this topic. Professionally she works closely with teachers in pre-service and in-service teacher training, especially through situational learning and teacher’s portfolios development. She is a member of the National Expert Commission for Educating the Gifted and Talented.

Dr. Vesna Ferk Savec is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Education at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Slovenia. Her current research interests are in evaluation of methods for teaching and learning science, including the usefulness of help tools and associated teaching materials.

Dr. Katarina Senta Wissiak Grm is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Education and Researcher in chemical education at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. She took a B.Sc, M.Sc. and a PhD in chemistry, all at the University of Ljubljana. She taught chemistry in secondary (high) schools, before moving into both, chemical and chemical education research. Her chemical research has been on the biodegradation and photolysis of organic pollutants in the atmosphere. Her current chemical education research interest is in evaluation of active learning methods for teaching and learning science.

Matej Urbančič is a PhD student and teaching assistant in Chemical Education at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Slovenia. His research focuses mainly on primary school science education, especially on enquiry based science education and developing scientific literacy.

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