Gamtamokslinis ugdymas / Natural Science Education

4-5

Authors: Lyudmila Korozhneva

Need of the organization of research activity is explained by orientation of education to development of the identity of the pupil, his informative and creative abilities and acquisition of experience of independent activity in various areas of the environment. The essence of research activity consists in the organization of independent, search, creative activity of pupils for studying of problems new to them.

15-22

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas, Rita Makarskaitė-Petkevičienė

Biotechnology has made remarkable progress in recent years, and caused a revolution in different sciences. It is obvious, that the advance of modern biotechnology will have a great influence on the world. On the other hand, some ethical problems have emerged. The arguments about ethical and social impacts of biotechnology made clear that not only getting basic knowledge about biotechnology and genetic engineering, also ethical and social issues must be thought in the schools, because the level of knowledge and the attitudes of new generation is very important for the society, and for the future of our world. It is obvious, that students should know about modern biotechnologies more. So, in this study it is tried to determine the university students’ knowledge towards biotech-nology. This research is carried out in January, 2008. Sample was made by students of two universities of Lithuania in total 287 respondents. In sample students of biological and non biological programs are selected. Our research was conducted in educational faculties mainly where a strong female bias in Lithuania historically exists, it was impossible to adjust the female to male ratio more accurately. The age of students ranged from 18 to 29 years (M = 20.41 years, SD = 1.45). A 16-item Likert-type Biotech-nology Knowledge Questionnaire (BKQ) was used to examine students’ knowledge in biotechnology. The results have shown that students do not have sufficient knowledge about biotechnology. Knowledge of students in the field of biotechnologies is very weak and inconsistent. Knowledge mismatch to modern achievements of a science in the given area. The answers given to the statements do not differ significantly between the biology students and the students who do not take any biology courses (non-biology programms). This result shows that education at the university level does not focus enough on biotechnology and its implications. In the opinion of researchers university students need to learn more facts and issues related to modern biotechnology. Also we need to find some approaches to improve non-biology students knowledge about biotechnology.

28-35

Authors: Onutė Gervienė, Aistė Florentina Kantautienė

New possibilities for a teacher as well as a student occur when modern informative technologies are used during the lessons. This phenomenon has become logical and inevitable. Physics, Chemistry and Biology are taught as separate subjects at our school as it is in all educational institutions, but there is no doubt that they have much in common: conception, methodological principles, the way the practical problems are solved. That is why we look forward for a deeper content integration of the subjects of natural sciences. Aim of the project: To share personal experience in the process of education while teaching Natural sciences, to link the content of the subjects with the usage of technology and problems of Healthy living. In the course of teaching natural sciences and integrating Healthy living into them we faced the problem of the lack of teaching material about healthy living. This fact inspired us to diversify the lessons adding more topics on healthy living. In order to achieve the result it was settled to create an attractive teaching computer training appliance for the students and teachers as a means to help to prepare for the lessons, self-education, additional work so as it would be possible to improve students’ knowledge in learning healthy living. Besides, the community members are going to be informed and motivated more lively to take care of health and protect the environment, to develop the ability to live healthy and share personal experience about the process of integration using informative technologies. It stimulated us to create electronic HEALTHY LIVING training appliance as a help to teach Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

43-50

Authors: Rita Štaupienė

After analyzing the possibilities of Moodle surroundings, there was a biology course established for the students of the 9-12th classes, called „From the cell to the organism“. There was also prepared a theoretical material for studying, as well as illustrations, models and examples, individual tasks and tests based on the Lithuanian common programmes of secondary schools and educational standards. The distant course of biology in virtual surroundings is meant to cause an interest in learning process, understanding and enriching the knowledge, as well as self educating and achieving high results. It may be used by biology teachers, explaining the new material, revising and summarizing. Analyzing the course material students may choose the appropriate time and study individually enriching their knowledge and doing individual tasks consulting the teacher. Individual learning allows students to choose individual learning speed and time and be undependable from the other students in a group. Integrating and connecting the basics of several subjects, the possibility of enriching students’ abilities to learn and develop their skills gets higher and the learning process becomes more attractive with the possibility to use various methods of teaching and learning. The aim of distant learning course is to involve students into learning process, using different ways of understanding, improving their abilities to use their knowledge solving the given tasks, communicating and co-operating. The program is directed towards the sphere of problem solving and application of knowledge.

4

Authors: Iwona Maciejowska

Exploring the laws of nature is a fascinating field of study for any child. Unfortunately when growing up, this spontaneous curiosity of the world is replaced by the necessity to memorize many facts, names, and terms which are in many cases abstract or concern the microscopic level that is not seen with the naked eye. Even though it is widely encouraged to reject encyclopaedic study and to focus on problem-solving, in many schools the former model of education is still prevalent. As a result, students are able to discuss a plant taxonomy in detail, but they are not able to recognize trees in the park, they can recite the physical properties of many substances, but they cannot individually forecast whether, in the event of fire, it is better to crawl or jump from chair to chair, they know chemical names of hydrocarbons but cannot see that it is not appropriate to keep milk products in a plastic bottle used for mineral water. It is one of the problems that require constant efforts to be taken by chemistry didactic theoreticians and its practitioners as well. The second important problem is the lack of subject integration in countries where different fields of science (chemistry, biology, earth sciences) are not taught as one subject. In our chemistry lessons we teach students that oxygen does not dilute in water (oxygen collection from thermal decomposition of KMnO4 above water) and in our biology lessons we discuss the adaptation of organisms to breath oxygen diluted in water (gills). In our physics lessons we warn against touching electrical devices with wet hands, because water is a electrical conductor, and in our chemistry lessons students learn that water does not conduct electricity, contrary to electrolyte solutions. This is why it is necessary to work closely in inter-disciplinary teams. I think that everyone will contribute to taking up collective research topics, developing didactical materials for teachers, allowing knowledge integration and the application of scholastic knowledge to everyday life and also developing problem-solving skills. GU/NSE provides the possibility to present works that are highly theoretical as well as works that are more practical to a wider group of recipients. Now the only thing left to be done is to draw conclusions from the first ones and solutions from the second ones into educational practice.

13-20

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

A human being as biosocial essence is tightly interrelated with nature and society. In the history of relations between human and nature it appeared in different forms and levels – a human being as a child, brother and the lord of it. Qualitatively new relations between the human being and nature must be established in the 21st century. Ecological problems, the expiration of natural resources, urbanization and other major aspects of modern life require a new approach to the relations between the human being and nature. The levels of relations between the human being and nature have always remained different: first, as a child of nature (a primitive man or a child glorifying nature), then as a brother of nature (little understanding nature and communicating with it) and finally, the human being as the lord of nature (trying to rule and change nature). In the 19th and 20th centuries the latter attitude was clearly reflected by natural science positivism, Marxism, technocratic utilitarianism and many other conceptions that preach the use of nature, the reconstruction of natural environment, consumerism with nature. In the 20th century the development of countries overmuch polarized towards technical, manufacturing and consumables enlargement determined a global ecological crisis. Modern science is actively looking for effective ways to solve ecological problems. The scores of the current ecological situation are being revealed. One of the most important reasons of the current situation is the factor that modern human beings have lost spiritual relations with environment. Mainly, the ecological crisis is being described as the crisis of the human itself including his consciousness, thinking, cultural environment and moral. The tendency that is prevailing today shows nature being qualified as a technocratic, urban, pragmatic value, a technological object which is employed in the process of progress. The following propositions can be specified: • Effective natural science education require conformable psychological substantiation; • Interaction with Nature varies and is specific within different periods of life; • The mission of the teacher is to wisely manage a developing process of “true” interaction with nature; • At all levels of the system of natural science education /aspects of the content of education and practical activity/ must continuously be accomplished the comprehension of the unity of living and inanimate nature; • Formation of the personal responsibility of young generation for future our planet /state of environment/- one of the priority tasks in the sphere science and technology education; • The content of science and technology education must include the analysis of reasons and consequences of contradictions in the system "nature-man- society". All our relations with nature turn out to be problematic. Formation of harmonic relations between nature and mankind becomes an important goal. It is obvious that in any activity one cannot exclusively rely on knowledge and mind, because these are not absolute values. It is understood that we cannot become the rulers over nature. A sphere of natural science developing is very wide, complicated and diversed, thus it requires a new point of view and common efforts of professionals from various areas. Rising global problems are general trouble all of us because there isn't any problem isolated from one another. The solution of them is possible when problems are being thoroughnessly analysed closely linking its interpendention.

32-37

Authors: Małgorzata Krzeczkowska

A need to combine school knowledge with everyday life knowledge, skill of understanding of natural world already exists during lessons of science nature at elementary school. To show to pupils, which information, news, skills are particularly important, useful and indispensable for far education, revision lessons be led. Teachers know that these lessons play an important role in process of teaching. All exercises should have definite content-related and didactic value. Taking into account the natural children’s knowledge, the amazing curiosity of world, spontaneity, passion for asking, teachers should prepare exercises in a proper way. Child’s creative abilities from literary, artistic, theatrical ones and its actual knowledge should be also used to prepare some selected activities.

45-50

Authors: Daina Možeika, Dagnija Cēdere

It can be observed that student’s interest in chemistry has a tendency to decrease in the schools of Latvia. As information technologies in the world develop possibilities to use computer and Internet in everyday life are increasing. Internet is becoming an integral part of daily life not only for adults, but also for school children. It should be mentioned, that appropriate information technology equipment is lacking in many natural science classrooms of schools in Latvia. Schools are trying to solve these situations by equipping chemistry classrooms with at least one computer and projector. Therefore, teachers have a chance to obtain skills for working with IT. The use of Internet and IT is stimulating factor to raise students’ interest in chemistry, therefore a method was developed which is based on enhancing students’ interest in chemistry by using Internet and IT at home. Under students’ extracurricular activities students search for information about a chemistry topic in Internet and prepare a presentation on it. Student’s attention and thoughts are concentrated on chemistry at full scale. The obtained information, impressions and memories are long term and enable to maintain interest in students. The students’ finished work is evoking interest in chemistry and a motivated attitude is formed against the subject, accomplished work and mainly against oneself. The method takes into consideration individual personal traits and expressions of students. Since the self-dependant work of students is fulfilling educational and developmental function it is also recommended to be used for teaching other school subjects.

4

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

QUALITY OF NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION OF YOUNG GENERATION - THE PRIORITY DIRECTION OF MODERN EDUCATION Scientists and practicians need to understand that the higher natural-science education, aims not only to train experts in the field of natural sciences – biology, geology, geography, physics, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, etc., but to provide to all university graduates an adequate education in the particular field of knowledge.

17-26

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas, Margarita Vilkonienė, Rytis Vilkonis

The problematics of Information and Communication Technologies is undoubtedly important area in modern education. The world rapidly changes and technical potentiality is constantly growing. The digital revolution is making life easier for people in both directions work and leisure time. A question if we can support an idea that modern ICT helps with the educational process is not explicit? Obviously, ICT improvement leads to applying them in different areas of our life. On the one hand, the educational environment of ICT implementation plays a major role. Possessing modern ICT cannot be the only factor as in order to improve the educational process we need to know the ways of using them i.e. it should not be a matter of fashion. On the other hand, ICT (audiovisual, computer, interactive etc.) themselves are the objects of thorough investigations. So, an international scientific project ARiSE could be the best example (http://www.arise-project.org). Seven institutions from five European countries including Germany, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Romania and Malta are the participants of the event. The coordinator of the project is Fraunhofer-Institut IAIS (Fraunhofer Institut Intelligente Analyse – und Informationssysteme, Sankt Augustin, Germany) (http://www.iais.fraunhofer.de/). The main objective of the ARiSE Project is to test the pedagogical effectiveness of introducing augmented reality (AR) into the classroom and creating remote collaboration between classes around AR display systems. Also, the important task is to develop a pedagogical reasoning of the given augmented reality technology in school environments.In this article the first conceptual ideas on this question are presented.

35-39

Authors: Laima Railienė

The majority of Lithuanian and foreign scientists of education analyse the structure and stages of education process, factors which cause this process. Many of them have developed the models of teaching process which are based on their research work and educational working experience. Teaching process is related to the methods used in education, the form of education and its vicissitudes. The how teaching process will be modelled and will be used methods of education and self-training, what will be the cooperation among students in gaining geographical knowledge, what influence in gaining that knowledge will make the factors of the environment, the more effective teaching process and self-training will be, the geographical competence will be gained by students easier. The article will focus on the modelling of teaching process during the lesson, the relation between the teaching process and the method of teaching.

46-51

Authors: Natalya Demeshkant

The formation of harmonic relations between nature and a society implies upbringing of the community members as well as adoption of the behavior patterns with emphasis on a modern ecological outlook. Therefore we have introduced methods of exploration and promotion of different levels of the student’s ecological outlook. The experiment included seminars, discussions, surveys, and ecological education of both students and instructors of the Ukrainian Agricultural Universities.

60-69

Authors: Elena Vasilevskaya

Ways of laboratory synthesis of solid inorganic substances by analogy to the processes in the nature are considered. Techniques of synthesis of inorganic compounds in gels as a result of reactions with the counter or unilateral diffusion, sold in conditions of school chemical laboratory are resulted. It is shown, that the offered techniques can be used at the organization of design activity of pupils, and also at carrying out of the integrated lessons. The contents of lessons in chemistry-geography on a theme "Mineralization and structure of minerals" and in chemistry-biology on a theme "Crystallization of inorganic salts in alive organisms" is considered. It is shown, that modeling of natural processes serves in laboratory conditions means of formation of representations about material unity of the world surrounding us.

4

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

Editorial

14-23

Authors: Margarita Vilkonienė

Natural Science education is becoming one of the most important branches of the educational content in Lithuanian Comprehensive School , whereas the content of these disciplines has special importance for the development of the informational society and for the rise and nurturance of the scientific potential. It, surely, gives possibilities for students to develop their self-expression and forms positive interaction relations with nature. If we want to make Natural Science the underlying aspect of the education, it is necessary to have a few fundamental ideas helping achieve the aims. The weak fundamental principles and ideas in the educational system become situations when todays education doesn‘t supply demands of the modern life. The aim of this research is to describe the expression of the philosophical ideas in todays and future practise of Natural Science education. The research was done applying the analysis of the educational documents and the resourses of scientific information as well as comparative analysis and systematic analysis. The research showed that in the different educational stages not many topics related with the philosophical aspects of person‘s life are regulated, though at the primary educational stages (because of the subject integration) conditions are quite favourable. In the upper grades when resumptive courses of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Geography are taught there is not much space for the philosophical aspects left . At this stage subjects are hardly realised as the integrated parts of the undivided holistic world. Such situation becomes a setback trying to educate qualitatively. That‘s why the reach to re-create united and systematic attitude to the World, to the Human in the world and to the human‘s life in the modern world becomes particularly relevant. Today the close relation between pedagogics and philosophy becomes a necessity. Discussing the Natural Sciences Education prospects, achieving sufficient natural science literacy, it‘s worth regarding to the requirements of the Natural Sciences programs and education standards and to use these philosophical trends in which the objects of interest are in some ways related with communication and information technologies: postmodernism, hermeneutics, constructionism and reconstructionism.

29-33

Authors: Rita Nekrošienė

Some facilities of education activities in south Germany botanical gardens and parks are presented in this article. Research was carried out in Munchen-Nymphenburg, Alpengarten Schachen and Augsburg botanical gardens, Munchen zoological garden, Munchen city parks (in the Museum of Man and Nature). The role of botanic gardens is as an advocate for the maintenance of biodiversity and therefore botanic gardens need to reorient their education programmes and incorporate a vision for a more socially and environmentally sustainable future. Botanic and zoo gardens can use a variety of techniques to convey these messages from guided tours, cultural activities and exhibitions to interpret signs and media such as the internet, radio, television and newspapers. Botanic gardens should develop and promote these institutions as centers for environmental education to schools and develop child-friendly policies and train staff in these policies, conduct regular audits to ensure that the gardens is 'child friendly' e. g. access points, eating areas, storage areas, activity/play areas. The subject areas covered by the Museum of Man and Nature are: the history of the earth and its forms of life, biodiversity, man’s place within the natural world, man’s role in shaping the natural world. The Museum presents an interesting and entertaining approach to natural science, in line with modern educational theory. Authentic natural objects, reproductions, models, interactive exhibits and audio-visual programs are employed to create a lively and stimulating setting. The section “Natural history playtime” successfully combines traditional and modern exhibits and appeals to young and old alike. Attractive exhibits and a convenient location make the Museum of Man and Nature a worthwhile destination for visitors of all ages. The official educational mission of this Museum “… to instruct and inform humans about themselves, their environment and about the threats to nature posed by technical civilization”.

40-45

Authors: Laimutė Salickaitė-Bunikienė, Irena Stankevičienė, Erika Pudžiuvelytė

In this article the relationship between formal and informal teaching of students is investigated in brief. The activities of an informal teaching institution, the correspondence school for young chemists „Pažinimas“ are described. Students study in this school in sessions for two years. Study camps are organized in the summer, and important environmental topics are included: permanent effects of chemical and thermic pollution on the ecosystems of lakes, genomic research, genetically modified organisms and food products, the diversity of fauna and problems created by people, radioactivity and the surroundings, the problems posed by Ignalina NS region's radioactive pollution etc.

53-58

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

This article is the review of the scientific monograph entitled "Pedagogical orientation of younger school children in an environment: methodological outlines" (author – dr. Eleonora Melnik). The book consists of four chapters. In the first chapter philosophical aspects of mutual relations of the human with an environment are analysed. The system approach to understanding of the development of attitudes of the human with an environment is opened. In the second chapter of the book the interdisciplinary aspect of a problem of mutual relations of the human with an environment is analysed. In the third chapter psychological and pedagogical aspects of understanding of attitudes of the human with an environment are analysed. Composition and structure of an environment of the modern human being is presented in the fourth chapter. It is emphasized, that it is very important to create the new teaching materials developed on the basis of the author's theory of mutual relations of children with an environment. The methodological basis of construction of the pedagogical orientation of children in an environment are the leading positions of philosophy based on the dialectic unity of the human and the nature. The fourth chapter of the monograph is devoted to an environment as the scientific and pedagogical phenomenon. Here the analysis of definitions of an environment in modern sciences is very valuable, author's interpretation of different concepts is given. Despite of some critical remarks - the monograph is unequivocally useful to readers. Is worthy also that fact, that the author in every possible way aspires to embody the ideas in a school practice.

4

Authors: Martin Bílek

Integrated instruction, integration in education, education from the point of integrated view – these and other topics are being discussed together with creating curricula and have influenced school education in numerous countries. They are connected either to the pursuit of finding undifferentiated view on the nature, or to the reduction of lessons in curricula in the framework of Ministry of Education economical measures.

16-23

Authors: Jūratė Česnavičienė, Vida Gudžinskienė

The aim of this work was to investigate peculiarities of the life style of younger teenagers, main factors influencing their life style, and integration of the content of health promotion into educational system. This paper deals with education of 5th–8th form school learners in the field of health promotion. The analysis of health promotion in lessons of different subjects taught in secondary schools is presented. The research was conducted in 2003–2006 in various secondary schools all over Lithuania. The method of anonymous questionnaire was applied. The research involved school learners of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th forms: 545 boys and 731 girls. The total sample of school learners involved in the research was 1276. According to the opinion of teenagers, their life style is mostly influenced by the life style of their parents and family. The biggest attention to the health promotion is paid during lessons of natural sciences, physical culture and technologies. Most frequently school learners study problems of healthy nourishment, communication and interaction, drug and smoking prevention. More than a third of the respondents indicated absence of issues related to the mental health, stress management, sexual compulsion and tooth care. More than half of the school learners indicated lack of discussions related with prevention of heart diseases, cancer, and allergies. Most frequently, health promotion–related problems are integrated into all disciplines thought at school. Applying this model, teachers of all subjects are responsible for implementation of the programme and school learners can promptly get answers to relevant questions. However, the main imperfection of this method is difficulties in co-ordination of the programme implementation. There frequently occur cases when the same topic (e.g., healthy nourishment) is analysed during the lessons of several subjects (e. g., biology, technology, foreign language), whereas some important problems, requiring special knowledge of a teacher (e. g., stress management, sexual education) are usually neglected. Successful implementation of the health promotion programme can be achieved employing an integrated educational model and a specially appointed person can administer co-ordination of teachers of different study subjects.

31-39

Authors: Hanna Gulinska

The key to teach effectively and efficiently is to combine various elements of representation and visualization, work interactively and make connections between the learner’s emotions, images and sensations. A good example of how these principles are applied to teaching is a Polish chemistry coursebook Ciekawa Chemia (The Absorbing Chemistry). The coursebook includes a set of CDs which contain multimedia lessons supported with animations, simulations of processes and chemical phenomena, dynamic and three-dimensional models of elements and compounds, tests and tasks aimed at solving problems as well as film sequences presenting for instance chemical experiments. Thanks to these films, the learner can see particular elements of a given experiment in detail, analyse interrelations between them and memorize how the experiment is carried out as the films can be played repeatedly. Such a way of presenting chemical experiments can help both those teachers and learners who, for various reasons, cannot carry out certain experiments themselves, as well as those seeking inspiration for carrying out new experiments, and most of all those looking for proper didactic tools to explain difficult questions. It seems worth mentioning that the experiments presented on the CDs can be carried out safely and economically. Their visualizations allow to create images of experiments in the learner’s mind which, though cannot replace carrying out experiments in reality but may well constitute a valuable educational tool.

54-61

Authors: Janis Butins

The rapid progress of science and technologies continuously influences our living conditions. It makes us to change ourselves. The new problems which require new solutions appear. Along with the growth of information amount there is a necessity to develop teaching and learning process using different teaching methods and forms. Ecological problems and problems which deal with nature protection grow and it requires the teaching and learning process to be connected with natural processes even more. To know the nature better, students need to be more in natural environment. That is why I offer to pay attention to those teaching forms which have a direct contact with nature, for example, paths of information. With a help of information paths students are able to learn to know the nature, historical and cultural facts and values, they develop their social skills. Information paths make students’ health better and promote a positive attitude towards nature and humankind. There are several cognitive trails described (in the park, school yard, school corridor and classroom, in a natural mildness in a city territory, in a suburb). To know the cognitive trail as a method practically eight cognitive trails were made and gone through together with pupils. They were: a cognitive trail of the right bank of the Daugava called „Daugava Stream”, a dendrologic cognitive trail „City Path” made by the social organization „Green Crow”, a cognitive trail in the classroom called „Variety of Buds”, a cognitive trail in the classroom „Kinds of Roots”, a cognitive trail in the classroom called „Sprout Conversions”, a cognitive trail in the corridor called „Kinds of Boles and Leaves”, a cognitive trail in the school yard called „School Yard”, a cognitive trail in mildness of Riga city called „Vakarbulli”. Each of these cognitive trails were different in their location and theme. Such difference has been chosen to carry out a more detailed study and to try out more teaching methods during the research. Cognitive interest of pupils is developed by cognitive trails. The mental outlook is broadened, pupils learn to observe things in connections and interactions, they strengthen their theoretical knowledge by practice. A cognitive trail is not an end in itself, but its aim is to help to acquire knowledge in school subjects better, to develop skills. The advantage of a cognitive trail is that a direct perception is used. During the work in cognitive trails it was possible to notice students being positive towards each other. All students participated and were active in work, although it was known that some of them did not like biology as a subject and it was not interesting for them. It is possible to conclude that the use of new and interesting teaching methods helps to develop an interest in learning. The information path does not just give new information but it is enjoyable for students, it makes them feel enthusiastic and it creates positive emotions in the learning process. It could be called ‘a short way towards the understanding of nature in people’s mind and hearts’.