Journal of Baltic Science Education

3

Authors: Andris Broks

Editorial, JBSE, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002

19-30

Authors: Eve Kikas, Triin Hannust, Hele Kanter

The investigation was aimed to study the influence of age and experimental teaching conditions on the learning of the concepts of the earth and gravity. 47 kindergarteners (age 60-69 months) and 56 first graders (age 85-95 months) were assigned into three groups: model-based, verbal-individual teaching and control groups. Three topics, aimed to treat children’s preliminary notions and to change children’s entrenched beliefs, were covered in teaching: the spherical shape of the earth; gravity; the relativity of up-down direction. The results showed that both 5- and 7-years-old children’s astronomy knowledge was improved due to teaching, regarding of which teaching method was used; however, the condition x age interaction was not significant. Difficulties that occurred during learning and their sources are discussed and conclusions for education are drawn.

40-49

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

Natural Science education is important for all stages of the human’s ontogenesis. Besides, it carries a diverse and specific character throughout different age periods. Therefore, the opinion, that primary school doesn’t play a significant role guarantying Natural Science technological literacy, arises as the wrong one. On the contrary, most of the researches indicate that this stage of Natural Science education is of great importance. Moreover, the situation discloses that Natural Science education at primary school is indispensable and the most complicated one. The gaps in knowledge of the discussing subject left within this period of education can be hardly restored in the future. It has been accepted that the 21st century should be called a century of modern biology. And it concerns not intellect only. Moral issues, such as respect for nature and harmony with it, have become very important. Finally, the human should understand his inability of becoming the Lord of Nature. Thus, Natural Science Education should somehow support this idea. Theoretical analysis allows to maintain existing various typologies of motivation. 307 primary school teachers and 257 students have participated in the research. The research indicates that the practical type of motivation of interaction with nature predominates among the primary school teachers and students while the esthetic type of motivation is in the second place. The cognitive type of motivation appears as the weakest one.

59-66

Authors: Andrejs Geske, Andris Kangro

The article deals with the two largest international comparative studies in science, the first cycles of which took place in the last years of the previous century and which go on today as well - IEA TIMSS (Trends in Mathematics and Science Study) and OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). The average achievements of Latvia’s students in science in each of the studies are different but the general situation of science education in Latvia is satisfactory and corresponding to our economic situation. We support the opinion that improving of Latvia’s economics and correct developing of the country’s educational system will advance students’ achievements. At the same time there are several spheres, which need immediate improvement. Especially, it concerns our students’ skills to apply the knowledge gained in science lessons to real life situations.

75-81

Authors: Miia Rannikmäe

The paper describes the effectiveness of the intervention training and draws attention to the most important factors to be considered in developing service programmes for the promotion of STL teaching skills. STL is taken to mean developing the ability to creatively utilise sound science knowledge in everyday life to solve problems, make decisions and improve the quality of life. The STL study was divided into three phases: teaching based on STL materials supplied to teachers, a six month active involvement through workshops where teachers developed and tried out their own STL materials and a follow up allowing the application of the skills acquired during the intervention. STL materials were defined as materials, of social issue, based, student-centred decision-making, and/or problem-solving units, within curriculum topics (Holbrook&Rannikmäe, 1997). Altogether, 45 science teachers and 1163 students were involved in the study. As a result of the 6 months intervention period it was found that the major factor illustrating effectiveness of a teacher developed STL materials was their ownership of STL teaching, expressed in terms of the ability to develop consequence maps. The structure of the consequence maps was used to distinguish three categories of teachers: subject learning activity based, with dominance on facts and concepts; sequenced activity based, with emphasis on process skills; social issue based, including problem-solving and decision-making strategies. Data collected 10 months after the intervention had indicated the need for re-categorisation of teachers, because the extent of the teacher change was not sustained and ownership of STL decreased. Three new categories were found based on teacher’s perception of relevance of science education: motivational relevance, skills relevance and social relevance. The effectiveness of the intervention programme was obvious: teachers who acknowledged the need for teaching social skills in conjunction with science concepts and process skills, continued to embed these ideas into their teaching ten months after the intervention. The sustained change was illustrated by phenomenographical outcome space (Marton, 1981).