Dear Readers!

Nowadays, there is an urgent need to increase the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of Natural Science and Technology Education (NSTE). To solve the corresponding problems, we need the appropriate development of S y s t e m i c NSTE D i d a c t i c s because all serious improvements in our modern life and education are systemic changes.
Traditionally, the Professional NSTE systems in our schools are dominating and today it is one of the points, why we need serious improvement – the development of modern G e n e r a l N S T E as fundamental background of modern Professional NSTE, as well as modern General Education for all. It is urgent to turn special attention to principal difference in understanding the concept “didactics” by professional scientists/engineers and educators.
Didactics is the theory of learning. What, why and how to learn - these are the basic questions for all kinds of education. In Professional NSTE concept “didactics” is traditionally understood only as the content and the methodology of Sciences and Technologies themselves.
Nowadays, for the development of modern General NSTE, we need a much broader approach to Sciences and Technologies, taking away isolating gaps among different branches, stages and kinds of education, as well as among Natural Sciences, Technologies and Education themselves.
Working for higher effectiveness of General NSTE, we need to develop and implement the systemic overlapping of scientific content and science methodology with general pedagogical concepts and structures of learning, as well as with corresponding the content and the methodology of modern technologies.
Growing diversity in our life also needs the s y s t e m i c development of appropriate hierarchical diversity in education. At the same time it is important to know that traditions are very strong and the innovative approaches are not popular. The answer to the question “what NSTE for what life?” becomes more and more waited and urgent.
Let me wish success to all colleagues, developing systemic didactics of General NSTE and ask them to inform each other by publishing corresponding articles in our Journal of Baltic Science Education.

Sincerely yours,
Prof Dr Andris Broks
University of Latvia
Latvia
Deputy Editor-in-Chief of JBSE