BULGARIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION POLICY

169-184

Authors: I.B. Ado, A.O. Akinbobola, G.B. Inyang

This study investigates the status of human resources in Bayelsa State of Nigeria and its implications for the implementation of upper basic of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme. A total of 181 teachers were involved in the study. The results of the study show that there are qualified human resources for the implementation of upper basic of the UBE programme in Bayelsa State of Nigeria but they are inadequate in all the three basic subjects (English Language, Mathematics and Integrated Science). Also, there is no significant difference in the availability and adequacy of human resources in the three subjects. It is recommended that adequate human resources should be provided by the government for effective teaching and implementation of the UBE programme.

202-215

Authors: Z. Birknerova

Rapid and deep changes in economics and business environment along with the dynamic development of computer art and communication technologies represent the main factors identifying the development in the area of simulation business games. These games may be considered a strange, content-determined group of simulation games. The description of their content specialties, basic elements, and possibilities of their use are the essence of our report. In the conclusion we present a short research carried out at the Faculty of Management of the University of Prešov in Prešov where we made an investigation of the students´ opinions on the use of business games in the university educational process.

236-247

Authors: L. Sagbansua

In this study, information technologies, one of the biggest enablers of the modern supply chain management (SCM), are discussed. Types and ways of information technologies related to supply chain management are analyzed. Material Requirement Planning (MRP), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and electronic trade are discussed to provide an example.

275-310

Authors: M.S. Hamzah, A.N. Md Zain

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Cooperative Learning with a Dual Situated Learning Model (CLDSLM) and a Dual Situated Learning Model (DSLM) on (a) conceptual understanding (CU) and (b) scientific reasoning (SR) among Form Four students. The study further investigated the effect of the CLDSLM and DSLM methods on performance in conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning among students with different motivation levels. A quasi-experimental method with the 3 x 2 Factorial Design was applied in the study. The sample consisted of 240 students in six (form four) classes selected from three different schools, i.e. two classes from each school, with students randomly selected and assigned to the treatment groups. The results showed that students in the CLDSLM group outperformed their counterparts in the DSLM group who, in turn, significantly outperformed other students in the traditional instructional method (T) group in scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding. Also, high-motivation (HM) students in the CLDSLM group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the T groups in conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning. Furthermore, HM students in the CLDSLM group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the DSLM group in scientific reasoning but did not significantly outperform their counterparts on conceptual understanding. Also, the DSLM instructional method has significant positive effects on highly motivated students: (a) conceptual understanding and (b) scientific reasoning. The results also showed that LM students in the CLDSLM group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the DSLM group and (T) method group in scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding. However, the low-motivation students taught via the DSLM instructional method significantly performed higher than the low-motivation students taught via the T method in scientific reasoning. Nevertheless, they did not perform significantly higher in conceptual understanding. Finally, the results showed that there were no significant interaction effects between student motivational levels and instructional methods for the scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding scores.

332-353

Authors: V. Lamanauskas, L. Railiene

Various changes are taking place in Lithuanian comprehensive schools in recent years. Not all of them can be considered positive and making the system's work effective. The changes taking place encourage natural interest in them. It is necessary not only to fix the current state, but to search for the ways how to optimize the changes taking place and to control them. Education is a complex, manifold phenomenon, the researches of which are complicated and complex as well. In this article Lithuanian comprehensive school senior class pupils' position on current education questions is analysed: preparation and teaching/learning process evaluation, the identification of advantages and disadvantages of education system and other. It is revealed how Lithuanian comprehensive school pupils value current education system, teacher provided knowledge quality and ability to prepare students for further studies at universities and other higher schools.

5-31

Authors: H.M. Kayuni

Since the democratic dispensation of 1994, the education sector seems to be in perpetual transition with numerous facets of policies being introduced against a background of alleged poor management, understaffing and a poorly paid cadre of teachers. The situation was at one time "likened to a patient on a resuscitation bed in a hospital". Despite this seemingly chaotic and complex scenario, the education system has managed to survive. Using the Malawi Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSS)' policy, the paper intends to draw some insights from public policy's Chaos and Complexity theory to explain why the education sector still manages to survive and show resilience (on the "edge of chaos") despite the apparent overwhelming challenges.

48-61

Authors: Z. Peteva, B.V. Toshev

History and philosophy of chemistry belongs to the humanities more broadly than to science. The inclusion of humanitarian elements in chemistry education can increase students'interest to chemistry. School subject curriculum, however, largely depends on what is included in the state educational requirements for learning content. The U.S. educational standards include the history and philosophy of chemistry both in curriculum and training of future teachers as an overriding obligation. In the Bulgarian standards no such obligation is presented. This article advocates the humanization of the course in chemistry in high school and highlights the benefits of this, and mentions some of the ways to implement such a change.

99-118

Authors: B. Akarsu

At least four factors affect pupils' understanding of the nature of science: teachers' specialization in different science areas (physics, chemistry, and biology), gender issues, teaching experience in elementary school environments, and the perspectives of acquiring necessary knowledge. This study is the introduction part of a research project which will be initiated soon. Four elementary science teachers participated in the study. The results reveal that participants' views of the aspects of nature of science are not solely diverged, based on their major disciplines, but there exist significant distinctions according to gender differences.

131-164

Authors: B. V. Toshev

All publications, written by Prof. Dr. Alexei Scheludko (1920-1995), are listed. Prof Scheludko, f. head of the Department and Physical Chemistry, University of Sofia, and an active member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, is a founder of the scientific school of colloid science in Bulgaria. He is among the most eminent Bulgarian scholars.