Journal of Baltic Science Education

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, JBSE, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2004

5-14

Authors: Eila Jeronen

Since 1990 the Finnish society, the school system and the teacher education have strongly changed. The aim of the article is to discuss what kind geographical and biological teacher education has been and how it is nowadays in the University of Oulu. The study reported here is a qualitative case study. The resultant data is based on reflective diaries written by 74 student teachers in 1998-2003. The data was analysed by using inductive and deductive content analysis methods. According to the student teachers, the programme of the geographical and biological teacher education in the University of Oulu creates a good basement for the development of teacher identity and for acting as a teacher.

22-33

Authors: Jan Schoultz, Glenn Hultman

With this paper we want to discuss possibilities and problems for pupils to learn science. Exploratory studies have been carried in science classrooms. The science lesson exists in a context of its own but classroom interaction reveals parallel discourses and many research studies show that pupils have great difficulties to move from an everyday discourse into a science discourse and to acquire the special language of science and the special ways of seeing the world.

52-59

Authors: Dogan Tozoglu, Musavver D. Tozoglu, Ahmet Gurses, Cetin Dogar

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions toward essay versus multiplechoice exams. Fifty students from a science education department participated in this study. Overall studentrating data revealed that students showed significantly (p<0.001) more favorable attitudes towards multiple choice test format compared to essay type formats in terms of the most critical dimensions assessed. These findings suggest that student perceptions should be taken into consideration while planning and constructing classroom testing. Suggestions for future research and implications for having students’ perceptions are also discussed.

69-75

Authors: Anne Laius, Miia Rannikmäe

For any paradigm change, and certainly for reflecting on STL (scientific and technological literacy) ideas, it is essential for teachers to be involved in professional development. One form of professional development that was used to promote STL teaching was to guide teachers, through workshops, to create their own teaching materials, based on the STL philosophy. The current research was carried out during the 2002 school year with teachers of science subjects and their 9th grade students in different Estonian schools. The experimental schools were divided into three groups (3 schools per each): in Group 1, one teacher participated, in Group 2 two teachers participated and in Group 3 three teachers participated in the courses and taught the same students, at the same time, in different science classes. The experimental teachers enrolled in the 8-month STL teaching intervention study and in the course of that their students were exposed to an 8-week STL teaching module. The results of creativity tests, undertaken before and after the intervention study, showed, that the students’ creativity mean changes during the 8-week STL teaching module, depended upon the number of teachers. Of importance is that the collaboration of two or three teachers can significantly more increase the creativity f students – a further aim of the STL teaching approach.

80

Authors: Editorial Board

End page, JBSE, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2004

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, Vol. 3, No. 1, JBSE

5-12

Authors: Ellen K. Henriksen, Carl Angell, Jari Lavonen, Anders Isnes

Questionnaire data from Norway and Finland were compared to explore the factors that influence upper secondary school students' choice of subjects (notably physics). Results indicate that personal and emotional factors (interest, abilities), but also practical factors (entrance requirements, usefulness) are keywords for students' choice. Although both Finnish and Norwegian students claim to base their educational choice mainly on personal interest and ability, there is a tendency for Norwegians to be relatively more influenced by background and Finns to be more influenced by the educational system (teachers, entrance requirements). These differences are discussed in light of educational policy and sociological theory.

24-33

Authors: Eila Jeronen

The article aims to interpret professional development of teachers, focusing specifically on the development of professional conceptions of student teachers in an Initial Teacher Education during their final school practice period in Biology and Geography. The study is a qualitative case study. The resultant data is based on reflective diaries and teaching practice reports written by the student teachers, and on recordings and videotapes from supervision meetings and lessons. The data was analysed by using inductive and deductive content analysis methods. According to the student teachers, their awareness of themselves as teachers and of teaching of Biology and Geography developed. At the beginning, they reflected their status, whereas at the end they considered the work of a teacher as a whole and what kind of teachers they want to be.

34-42

Authors: Jari Lavonen, Veijo Meisalo, Kalle Juuti

The Finnish LUMA Joint National Action (1996–2002) and related action, organised by the National Board of Education are introduced in general. A number of professional development projects for science teachers have been run through the Department of Applied Sciences of Education at the University of Helsinki in the context of the LUMA programme. Properties that made these projects successful are discussed and compared to previous research on how educational innovations are adopted for general use.

49-57

Authors: Aira Bartuseviča, Dagnija Cēdere

A new contemporary teaching/learning model of chemistry in basic school in Latvia is proposed and discussed in the paper. Society’s needs, contemporary demands and sustainable development are driving forces of the model. A meaningful mode of chemical thinking, a careful and understanding attitude towards environmental processes, and skills and attitudes useful for practical life result from the application of the mentioned model. The model, together with accompanying didactical material – student’s laboratory workbook, teacher’s guide and students’ worksheets, was tested in several basic schools of Latvia.

72

Authors: Editorial Board

End page, Vol. 3, No. 1, JBSE

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, Vol. 2, No. 2, JBSE

5-11

Authors: Aira Bartuseviča, Dagnija Cēdere

The attitude of an individual to various phenomena, the environment among them, to great extent depends on understanding these issues. The world experience with eco-team activities as a means of building environmental understanding has already been known for more than a decade. Alongside with the foreign experience, this article gives an insight in the process of eco-team formation in the Baltics, especially in Latvia. The first results allow us to look upon eco-teams as a new and ambitious pedagogical strategy that is a good incentive to introduce the environmental education as a school subject to build a comprehensive and caring attitude towards the nature and the processes inside it.

21-27

Authors: Peter van Marion

Integrated science courses in grade 1-11 in the Norwegian school system include biology, chemistry, physics and earth science. The arguments used for integrated science are of scientific, pedagogical and practical nature. Between 1993 and 1997 primary and lower secondary education went through a comprehensive reform process and a new science curriculum was introduced. Until 1997 science in primary schools was not a separate subject, but part of an integrated subject including social studies. The reform of primary education resulted in re-establishment of science as a separate school subject. Another revision of the curricula of all school subjects will take place within a few years. The revision should pay special attention to the problem of overloaded science courses, not allowing for enough time for practical work, and to the need for a more coherent science curriculum for all stages from grade 1 to 13.

38-48

Authors: Ryszard M. Janiuk

Science education becomes more and more important in contemporary society. Its effects depend mainly on teachers. No wonder that in many countries the problem of science teachers’ education becomes of significant importance. This article presents topical problems connected with education and improvement of science teachers in Poland. First of all, there will be characterized the ways leading to obtain qualifications for doing teacher’s job, the regulations and important factors affecting the course and results of science teachers’ education. Then after discussing main principles governing science teachers’ education, their practical application will be presented based on the example of chemistry teachers’ education at M.C. Skłodowska University.

62-69

Authors: Laima Railienė

Geography is a system of sciences which contains about 900 science branches. Geography links spheres of the natural and social knowledge, assuring our integrated perseption of the world. Recently, scientists attached great importance to geographical researches of society, therefore, geography is considered to be a social science in many parts of the world. But geography is a science about surroundings by its nature. Geography as a school subject differs from geography as a science. Though recently geography as a subject has acquired a social aspect, but nature geography dominates in its program. Intersubject integration with natural sciencies as biology, chemistry and physics has a great importance in analysing it. The knowledge of these sciencies is necessary in analysing social geography, too. Good organization of training process has got great influence on successful memorizing of geographical knowledge. For this purpose, there are used different types of geography lessons, class and non class activity models, which were created for the better quality of training process, therefore, they are used to deepen and consolidate knowledge of students’ learning.

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, Vol. 2, No. 1, JBSE

12-20

Authors: Palmira Pečiuliauskienė, Alfonsas Rimeika

The article submits the results of research that pursued to establish a number of ecological tasks on physics in the textbooks of natural science education and to collate the preconditions of ecological education of school tasks on physics in the integrated natural science textbooks and non-integrated textbooks on physics of different countries. To fulfil the research, the following methods such as the analysis of literature, the quantitative analysis of the content of textbooks, the statistical analysis of empirical data have been applied. When examining integrated and non-integrated textbooks of different countries, it has been established that the average of ecological tasks varies from 7% in the non-integrated textbooks and up to 12% in the integrated ones. Comparing integrated and non-integrated textbooks of the same class the deviation of comparative rates of ecological tasks varies from statistically irrelevant to statistically absolute. The cases of statistically relevant deviation are fractionally prevailing. The examined non-integrated textbooks on physics and integrated natural science textbooks, including the Lithuanian ones, do not basically differentiate evaluating the element of ecological tasks that comprise students’ preconditions of ecological education.

28-35

Authors: Paul Pace

The paper initially highlights the main principles and methods of environmental education and the opportunities and challenges it offers to a fragmentary curriculum structure with special reference to science curricula in Malta. The results of a survey about teachers' attitudes about environmental education are then analysed in relation to the possibility of promoting environmental education as a cross-curricular unifying theme. The paper proposes specific guidelines for the development of science curricula that are both interdisciplinary and socially relevant.

44-55

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

The natural science education is one of the most important areas of general education which includes education of all children` ages. Trying to satisfy requirements of the society and all learners it is necessary to modernize the preparation of natural science teachers. Natural sciences are of great importance in helping students to form conception of world based on the knowledge of modern nature research, emphasizing the character of link between nature and society, as well as between nature and culture. Natural sciences education can be characterised by a variety of content provisions, forms and methods of teaching/learning, and practical activities. All these are expected to make the process more effective to widen intellectual knowledge and skills of students, to provide conditions for students activities, to develop students reasoning skills, to influence their aesthetical outlooks etc. The aim of the article is to discuss some relevant questions on natural science education in Lithuanian comprehensive school which are of a philosophical – pedagogical character and observes the issues of teachers’ natural science literacy and integral education (teaching).

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).