Journal of Baltic Science Education

133-134

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 15, No. 2, JBSE, 2016

136-139

Authors: Martin Bílek

The feasible real experiments should not be in any way eliminated from school laboratory practice. This is the permanent starting point of all approaches to natural science curricula, and it is still in force. The real living environment makes us face more and more items of the virtual environment, worlds, mediated by infinite possibilities of computer networks. The mediated perception through virtual images has become (thanks to the massive spread of information technologies) the major cognitive channel of school age pupils. Direct utilization of information from an objectively existing reality is steadily superseded and replaced by virtual information. Six years ago we asked on the first pages of JBSE Nr. 1 (Bilek, 2010): How to blend an effective and meaningful application of real, indirect and simulative observation, measuring and experimenting according to didactic principles? Do we have to answer now or do we know directions where can we find the answer?

159-172

Authors: Ümran Betül Cebesoy, Ceren Öztekin

The importance of genetically literate individuals who can understand and join debates about genetics related issues, including gene therapy or cloning has been acknowledged by societies. With this respect, raising genetically literate individuals has become more prominent. Teachers’ knowledge in genetics literacy and their attitudes towards issues in genetics literacy influence their teaching practices. As a wide range of variables effect teachers’ genetics literacy levels and attitudes, this study examined how a set of variables including pre-service science teachers’ self-perceived interest, knowledge and importance of genetics, gender, academic achievement, socioeconomic status (household income, employment status and educational level of parents) are related to the their genetics literacy levels and attitudes towards various genetics literacy issues. Data was collected from 355 pre-service science teachers through administration of Genetics Literacy Assessment Inventory and Attitudes towards Issues in Genetics Literacy Scale. Canonical correlation analysis suggested that self-perceived interest and importance in genetics literacy issues, gender and parents’ educational levels were positively associated with participants’ genetics literacy levels, as well as attitudes towards the use of genetic information, gene therapy, and gene therapy applications. On the other hand, self-perceived knowledge, GPA, household income, employment status of parents were not found to be associated.

185-193

Authors: Maria Kampeza, Angeliki Vellopoulou, Glykeria Fragkiadaki, Konstantinos Ravanis

Children form representations of concepts, physical phenomena and technical objects which are critical to teaching and learning. In addition, they are familiar with the everyday usefulness of many particular objects, although it is not certain that they associate them with the scientific aspects of their function. In this research, preschoolers’ representations of the expansion thermometer were explored, as well as their ability to distinguish it as a specialized technical tool. The sample consisted of 111 children (53 boys and 58 girls) aged 5-6 years from 9 public kindergartens in Patras, Greece and data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews. The results demonstrated that although some children replied in a satisfactory way to all interview questions, the majority of the children were not able to distinguish the thermometer as a particular object and struggled with its function, so the suggestion for it to be used in curricula and/or educational activity books should be made cautiously.

204-215

Authors: Jingying Wang, Yue Zhang, Weizhao Shi

Scientific model has been advocated as a central role of teaching in science education reform all over the world, with the critical method to achieve one of the goals of science education to promote scientific models and modeling. To find the students’ perceptions of cognitive level of physics models and their modeling mechanism, firstly, research progress in scientific models and modeling are summarized. Then, 39 experts and 8 researchers are chosen to do the three-stage questionnaire and interview, and 1576 students are selected from junior high school and 1625 students from senior high school to do the empirical study. The classification and cognitive level of physics models perceived by high school students have been founded as well as the influence on schools and regions. Finally, regression analysis on the model construction process of students is conducted. The result shows the cognitive level of scientific models held by students, appeared in Chinese national curriculum standards and national examination requirements are equivalent, but there are also some differences among students’ learning, curriculum standards and examination requirements. A specific classification of the models based on the comprehensive understanding systems is conducted, and the impact on learning among different schools and regions and inherent relationship on the cognitive level of physics models are founded.

232-245

Authors: Jing-Chuan Lee, Chih-Lien Wang, Li-Chih Yu, Shu-Hsuan Chang

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineer and Mathematics + Art/Design) education is presented to broaden interest in STEM fields, enhance the creativity of STEM students, and spur innovation. Although studies have explored the environment factors that influence individual creativity, few researches have investigated the role of students’ savoring which might drive the demand-pull innovation in creativity cultivation. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effects of perceived support for creativity and the multiple mediation of savoring capacity on individual creativity in the context of undergraduate Design education. The instruments were administered to 851 Design-majored students in Taiwan. The collected data were tested against the research model using a path analysis-based procedure of multiple-mediators analysis. Research findings include: (1) Both students’ perceived support for creativity and their ability to savor (through anticipation, enjoying the moment, and reminiscence) have significant positive effects on their individual creativity; (2) Among the three methods of savoring, savoring the moment alone has significant positive effects on individual creativity; (3) Students’ perceived support for creativity mediated by their ability to savor the moment has significant positive effects on their individual creativity. The findings provide several important theoretical and practical implications regarding fostering students’ creativity in the context of STEAM education.

261-264

Authors: Editorial Board

End page, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2016, JBSE