NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

3-4

Authors: Editorial Board

GAMTAMOKSLINIS UGDYMAS BENDROJO LAVINIMO MOKYKLOJE-2008 XIV nacionalinės mokslinės-praktinės konferencijos straipsnių rinkinys, Utena, 2008 m. balandžio mėn. 25–26 d. *** NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION AT A GENERAL SCHOOL-2008 Proceedings of the Fourteenth National Scientific-Practical Conference, Utena, 25–26 April, 2008

9-12

Authors: Nerutė Augustonytė

Environmental studies in a basic school is an essential part of the education necessary for better preparing students for independent life. The world of nature is all-in-one, that is why educating students one cannot teach only some particular environmental subjects. Environmental school programs are created to help the schools doing practical environmental activities, encourage school communities to take an active part in them, develop students’creativity. Environmental schools is an ideal program realizing a place of agenda in 21 schools. Here are seven steps how to become an environmental school: 1. Establish the school’s environmental committee; 2. Audit the school’s environment; 3. Create and realize the plan action; 4. Do the evaluation of the work; 5. Integrate environmental studies into the learning process; 6. Involve the school’s community; 7. Create the environmental statute-book. Every years the Intarnational Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) award the schools successfully working in the field of environment. Pasvalys Levens basic school has been participating in the program for 3 years (since 2005). For the environmental work the school has been awarded with the International Green flags twice.

17-20

Authors: Irina Barabanova

Modern school is made of constant changes, experiments, approbation of various teaching methods and forms. There is a constant change of educational content and educational process. These changes are determined by the development of science, society and the need for information and communication technologies, therefore the requirements for the teacher and school itself are increasing. The appearance of information and communication technologies appropriately is supposed to change the methods of teaching and education, as the existing methods do not substitute the needs of new generation neither in their content nor in their dynamism. Work at school is a content creation. Biology is very interesting and dynamic science. The biology teacher has to be the first who leads his students and make the first step. The possibilities of using IT in contemporary school. The success of the lesson where IT is used depends upon the wish of the teacher to enliven the lesson and increase students wish to study. This is possible preparing the presentation of 5–8 minutes introducing the material of the lesson. According to the didactics of the biology students are able to concentrate their attention up to several minutes. Therefore it is necessary to change the activities in the lesson. Due to new information and communication technologies it is possible to present the bigger natural variety. The material is prepared by the teacher or students themselves using the internet. Such educational material might be more extended talking in the terms of time. IT allows showing the natural processes dynamically. Computer technologies are useful preparing practical works. Conclusions: 1. Information and communication technologies used in biology lessons allow using the time of the lesson efficiently. 2. IT helps to broaden the horizon of students and increases their wish for knowledge. 3. The motivation of students is increased by using the appropriate educational material. 4. The newest information and communication technologies help to imbibe the concepts of biology easier and also to see the biological processes dynamically. 5. IT makes biology more attractive and perceivable.

27-39

Authors: Ramunė Burškaitienė

Just recently children became the subjects of law and gained some rights. Such volatile attitude towards a child, as a human who has the birthrights and is the citizen of the state, is proclaimed in a lot of different documents (Prokopčik, 2000). As it is stated in the document of “Programming child‘s rights“ (2002), everyone has to contribute to the education process, so has a child. „The free“ education releases the child from the adults‘ dependence and makes opening for the changes of adults‘ creed, habits and priorities while changing the trend of general education: education “going from a schoolmaster“ into education “going from a child“. The integration of the different things into the integral teaching/ learning process is a difficult task raised to the teacher. Besides, this process is much more complicated than the traditional way of teaching. This research aimed at revealing the integration possibilities on the basis of the analysis of child‘s rights teaching and Natural Science education contents in the aspect of “the free“ education. The methodology of the research: the analysis of the documents which regulate LR education and protection of children‘s rights, the analysis of scientific sources of information, the comparative analysis, systematic and content analysis. After summarizing the results of the research, it can be stated that success of Natural Science education and child‘s rights teaching/ learning integration depends upon teacher‘s trust in child, his free interaction with surroundings because exactly in these lessons children ventilate the themes related with the understanding of civil duty, people‘s intercultural and international relations, the use and urgency of the social security. With the view of the equal relationship between the teacher and the child, it is not enough to know/ to learn/ to get to know with the documents which regulate the human rights. Human rights and duties have to become the priority of the whole school community.

46-50

Authors: Irina Ivanova

Adaptive chemistry teaching – is the chemistry teaching, taking into account the individual characteristics of students (predominating modalities, information processing styles, different levels of knowledge), as much as possible adapting for them educational process. Stages of adaptive chemistry teaching are: 1. Diagnosing predominating modalities, information processing styles and level of students’ chemical knowledge etc. 2.Studying new material (in the form of frontal or group work in view of dominating modalities, information processing styles and levels of knowledge). 3. Monitoring of the quality of learning new material. 4. Correction of knowledge (getting rid of mistakes and gaps in knowledge, application of studying material, generalization and systematization of knowledge). 5. Inspection and self–appreciation. According to the above–mentioned modalities and information processing styles, we selected the most preferable methods and means of adaptive chemistry teaching. Our system will make it possible to achieve steady quality of chemistry education of students.

53-56

Authors: Birutė Katryna Krivickienė

Human spiritual values determine his relation with nature. Human ecological culture and values depend on his attitude to the world, how he communicates with an environment. Knowledge about beauty and harmony of nature takes an important role developing pupils’ values and moral. Knowledge of nature is based on lessons of various subjects and out-of-school activities. At this point of view lessons of biology, art, literature and music are especially valuable. Often children harm frogs, kick and torture them. It is necessary to know, that amphibias are very important part of nature link. We can hear the alarm – the amphibias are dying in all over the world because they can’t manage with changing environment and pollution. I chose a topic for the Art lesson “A frog – The Queen of a Meadow”. I decided to stimulate at least the respect for this cold blooded animal. The goals of this lesson were to awake a respect for amphibias, to introduce with their structure, to teach to represent experienced impressions and feelings with art measures. I brought a frog to the class. Pupils were exited about this live example. They draw a frog coming near it and exploring its eyes, how many fingers it had, what was the position of limbs. Teacher’s task is to extend the sphere of pupils’ respect and love by involving animals and plants, forests and rivers. The purpose of ecological education is a strong moral: respect and responsibility for the life, acceptable behavior and lifestyle. As every other education what upholds admitted moral standards ecological education is a very important factor of fight against criminality. Without a contact with the nature we can not educate a child. Even Plato said “Punish the child who killed a bug because this is the beginning of a murder”.

66-69

Authors: Elona Činikienė, Loreta Levanauskienė

The purpose of the project is to reveal peculiarities of ecological education at preschool institution and introduce the project „The nature is one of the most powerful elements of education“. The preschool age is extremely important for becoming a person as well as being sociable. Rapid physical growth, intensive development of psychical functions influence child‘s sensitivity and vulnerability. It is necessary to say that during this preschool age basics of child‘s personality are formed and they rarely change later. The nature is inexaustible reservoir of psychic and physical perfection. Anywise, children come into contact with nature. Particularly interesting and diversified world of nature awakes life interest and curiosity of child, as well as gives incentives to play, work or create something artistic. However, child does not properly understand some things while communicating with nature independently. Besides, positive relationship with flora, fauna or inanimate nature is not always formed too. Moreover, ecological education can be determined as child‘s physical features training. Forming skills how to protect nature is also very important procedure during the education process. For this reason, the relationship between child and nature should be organized purposefully. What is more, this relationship should be consistently managed in order to apply eco-logical knowledge in practise in elder preschool age. The purpose of the project is to reveal peculia-rities of ecological education during the process of environment recognition in elder preschool age.

74-77

Authors: Ina Kytrienė, Janina Morkevičienė

Our school has been taking part in the programme of Ecological schools for four years. We have been trying to interest our students in ecological problems. We have taught how to sort out waste, we have stimulates our students to use an ecological vehicle – bicycle. Students made Christmas trees from paper, bags, waste. Students have learn to apply their knowledge and abilities to solve every day problems. We have involved our students families into our ecological projects.

82-86

Authors: Rita Nekrošienė

Importance of environmental education is more and more often stressed. Educational paths must be considered one of the main means of this sphere, as they could help to harmonize the relationship between nature and society. Babrungas community of families „Tėviškė“ in cooperation with various environmental and scientific institutions, botanical gardens implemented some projects. One of the aim of such projects was to create Nature cognitive path in Jodėnai village. The young people of the community participated in environmental educational programme „Green School“, in summer camp „Natural science lessons in grange“ and others. All these activities have a positive influence for environmental knowledge of the children.

93-98

Authors: Danutė Plytnykienė

Pre-school children are interested in everything starting with one’s surroundings; moreover, they are amazed by natural phenomena, flora and fauna. While studying nature children learn to concentrate, sense, absorb, solve problems and develop critical thinking skills. Observation, experiments, tests and research comprise an active practise during which children get the basic knowledge about nature, learn how to adapt to changing environment, become more flexible and learn the basics of ecological culture. Pre-school children sense in an ensemble way. When children observe objects and phenomenon in their environment, they recognise them, connect them altogether, solve problems using their experience and choose problem-solving ways that they already know or think of new methods. Children study while experimenting in nature, they can predict the outcomes of experiments, they get more experienced, they create and test various ways of experiments. Researching helps children to intellectualise, express their ideas, cooperate, express and share their experience. The first picture shows the amplitude of a child’s performance. Every child performs in an individual way and it depends on a child’s personality, interests, likings and experience. The second picture presents the environment that stimulates nature study. It is based on basic didactic principles. The third picture illustrates the development of nature study.

107-111

Authors: Laima Railienė

Training process is organized with the help of lesson and a non lesson, school and after school forms. The unit of this process is a lesson. Didactic lesson‘s unit is closer connected with the main teaching activities. Teaching methods are one of the main pedagogical – both theory and practice – questions that are being discussed. Method, as a means of creation, can be expressed by other terms – style, fashion, genre, direction. Such method meaning is closer to a pedagogical reality – everybody works similarity, but in a different way. Nowadays teaching method is more often counted with the training system, style, technology emphasizing its total. Teaching methods are increasing. One of such teaching methods is school debates, which can be used successfully in natural science teaching. They teach students to cooperate, to analyze the theme deeply and versatily, to think independently, to discuss or check up their knowledge in practice. There are very similar topics in physics, chemistry, geography and biology subjects school programs, so it is possible to analyze them using integration and debates.

113-118

Authors: Laimutė Salickaitė-Bunikienė, Andrej Rožkov, Justinas Teišerskas, Ana Diadiūra, Irena Stankevičienė

The text describes different approaches to integrate information technologies (IT) into the teaching process of chemistry in the secondary school in order to raise teachers’ competence and students’ motivation. The project MuseumsScouts – a part of Socrates Comenius 2.1 program – as well as the software EVOLUTION – an essential tool of the project – are introduced. The educological idea of the project in the context of the active involvement of museums is discussed. Museums serve as a database of valuable and easily accessible information. EVOLUTION represents an environment to create multimedia (including video, animation, audio) presentations as a result of a team work of teachers and students. Presentations are virtually intercombined under the topic of water preservation or other relevant subject. Presentations are accessible via internet with passwords, thus, enabling teacher to supervise the presentation creation process being conducted in any appropriate distant place. Presentations are introduced to classes during lessons or the informal learning. Authors analyze possible results of the integration of IT into chemistry classes as an innovative way to improve the teaching process at secondary schools.

123-128

Authors: Ramunė Vėželytė

While travelling one gets acquainted with the surrounding world, finds places unseen before. In travels and trips we discover unknown and most secret parts of our soul. Our soul invites us to be curious, to pry, to look for new things and to poke around asking numerous questions. Trips give us capacities of noticing, admiring, analysing, recognising, enjoying, marvelling and making an attitude of mind. Within the period of 2007–2008, I have created and at present I am implementing the preschool children group project “The World of Nature in Child’s Artistic Self–expression”. Trips are among the priorities of the project. As an educator’s aim is not only to create proper conditions for children to be curious but also to be active within the nature (i. e. to observe, wonder, analyse, experiment and search actively for information on the surroundings), it is important that the personal experience should be immediately expressed on the sheet of paper. The aim of the trips involved in the project is to make children to observe, discover and express by artistic means the relations between the human beings, the nature and the surrounding urban area. In this article I present a most successfully efficient component of the project – the excursion to Belmontas stud farm of police horses. At that day children were observing horses, were touching and stroking them. The children also discussed, studied horses and spoke to the horse–handlers. Then the children also had an opportunity to watch the horse riders ‘training in the drill–hall. In conclusion it should be said that children living in urban areas get the largest proportion of knowledge about animals from literature, TV, movies and other means of media. Therefore, the trips and excursions make an essential influence on their knowledge of live nature, art, observation, active attitude and communication.

131-142

Authors: Margarita Vilkonienė, Vincentas Lamanauskas

Recently, competencies have become a priority area of discussions. Acquiring appropriate competencies in higher school is a guarantee of successful pedagogical work. Therefore, accurate defining of competencies as well as their content and structure is very important. It should be taken into consideration that the majority of competencies gained during studies at university level will be developed in comprehensive schools i.e. achieving competencies is not a finalized process as it lasts long – the whole time of active pedagogical activities. For example, such teachers’ strengths as the ability to individualize educational content, the ability to teach how to learn and communicate with other people, the ability to purposefully apply the learning strategy and different methods in the teaching / learning process for collaboration purposes, the ability to apply varying methods evaluating students’ achievements and progress in the educational process etc. are absolutely crucial points. The content of competencies revealed that the experts from different countries highlighted the same elements of competencies using various methods of combining them into certain units. The content of individual competencies includes components that in terms of semantics reach the notional framework of other competencies. Science teacher’s competence to be a teacher should be confirmed by his / her gained knowledge, developed abilities and formed value-based orientation. These are the main points to be considered discussing competencies necessary for teachers of sciences. A summary of the findings of the carried out research reveals the possibility of modeling a list of competencies of an ideal science teacher organizing the educational process on the basis of the principles of constructivistic teaching / learning. It is clear that complete unification will hardly be reached; moreover, the latter project is not aimed at achieving these objectives. This principled and weighty question should be seriously considered in common European space. Such a need directly reflects the problems of today’s school. Novelties and financial support are received and information communication technologies should improve students’ abilities in schools; however, research carried out at national and international level in different countries show that not all learners improve their results. The tendency that the results achieved by the teachers using modern technologies in the classroom are worse can be noticed. The teachers of sciences are not always effective users of ICT as they frequently feel lack of competencies in this field. Nevertheless, students’ involvement in sciences is tendentiously decreasing (in the classes of upper-secondary school in particular), there is shortage of attractive science teaching and learning material etc. based on reality-based problems and ICT. Therefore, a baseless thing is an over-focus on teacher’s competencies linked with modern ICT. In this case, researcher’s competence remains one of the most important points. The ability to plan, organize and conduct various investigations involving students is certainly one of the most important competencies. Natural sciences have been, are and carry on staying an experimental area. The process of science education, which is too much theoretical and remote from reality, determined the situation that the interest in sciences and technologies reached a very low level in developed countries.

148-154

Authors: Janis Gedrovics, Gunita Praulite, Janis Butins

An understanding of ergonomics is incorporating into the school practice and together with it increased attention is being turned to such terms as work safety and labor protection. At the same time great focus is put on such basic categories of ergonomics as efforts and work and concepts connected with it such as working environment, working posture and so forth. To obtain the relevant knowledge on these issues in a more successful way a range of experimental options taken from natural sciences’ subjects as physics and biology are offered, especially options from the course of anatomy and human physiology. The experiments discussed in the article are simple and in principle available for any reader and are also accepted by students with interest. As these experiments in general are derived from the courses of anatomy and human physiology they can be used in two ways – directly in the lessons of human physiology and also in extracurricular activities of interest groups as well as like a method for project activities a.o. If the above mentioned natural science experiments are combined with explanations and descriptions on ergonomic aspects of work in general, not only the view of students would broaden but they would also obtain some skills in organizing their working environment. And that in its turn would enhance the socialization process of students which is one of the main aims in the teaching of youth.

160-164

Authors: Vera Kapranova, Natalia Sukhankina

In present time chemistry is take up a central academic discipline in the natural science. Recognized the enormous practical meaningfulness of chemistry in the creation new materials and technologies, it necessary permanently underline cognitive and cultural role chemical science in contemporary civilization. Science and education are interconnected narrowly. This is expressed in science textbooks on separate chemical discipline. Graduating students of the university able to work as in science so in education sphere, technology or in administration sphere. The most effective reports multilevel education model of chemical education: general training of admission basic courses, special training courses and strictly specialized courses in type of independent scientific work.

169-173

Authors: Aivars Krons

Methods of visual physics education and thesis are discussed in this manuscript. Specific elements of visual education, development and implementation methods are mentioned as well. The concepts of visual physics, models, its methods of teaching and presentation, and their interrelations are emphasized. Some educational problems in physics in Latvia are mentioned as well. The structure is implemented using visual physics course navigation methods.

179-187

Authors: Todar Lakhvich, Olha Leganykova, Volga Traunikava

Various aspects of implementation of formal-logic schemes in the framework of continuous science (i.a. chemistry) education are discussed. The special attention is given to psychological acceptability of such kind of modeling for different stages of Science education, in particular for pre- and primary school. The study is based on new highly effective educational technology (Condensed Visualization Technology - CVT) which introduces chemistry information within the academic process in condensed form. The latter interconnects with modeling and visualization techniques. The basic unit of CVT includes condensed theoretical part based on the original technology: successive introduction of condensed chemical information according to following: formal-logic schemes Formal-abstract chemical schemes  Formal-subject chemical schemesBasic Chemistry Information. We consider CVT formalization is acceptable both for high school and University students, and finally for primary school pupils, and psychologically the latter corresponds the “commix”-type of mentality familiar to recent generation. Authors consider, that psycho -physiological and socio-cultural adaptation of pupils can be provided, by institutional vertical interaction between different educational levels which should imply the system of semantic subunits for chemical language which correspond the formulae and some other formal-logic schemes. The latter form a propaedeutic background followed by successive study of systematic Chemistry courses.

192-195

Authors: Eduard Zlotnikov

In this resume we have considered the possibilities to form propaedeutical experimental chemistry competence of the future chemistry teacher in the process of teaching in pedagogical high school in the context of special laboratory practice "Introduction to chemical experimental activity". The main objectives of propaedeutical training: forming of competence in equipping of school chemistry laboratory; mastering of theoretical basic foundations of chemical experiment; training of chemical experimental competences of the future chemistry teacher in the field of school chemical experiment; incorporation in organization work of laboratory assistant in the chemistry laboratory; adjustment of organization and conducting abilities of practical chemistry lessons provided by chemistry syllabuses for secondary general education school. There are nine modules in the table of contents: introduction; structure and equipment of chemistry laboratory in the secondary school; laboratory equipment of chemistry laboratory; chemical agents and its purposes; technique of the main laboratory procedures; preparation of the equipment for chemical experiment to the lessons; practical chemistry lessons for secondary school students; working with projecting equipment, computer techniques and machine-computing techniques in school chemistry laboratory; organization of laboratory assistant’s work in the chemistry laboratory.