Gamtamokslinis ugdymas / Natural Science Education

4-6

Authors: Eleonora Melnik

The scientific journal “Natural Science Education” discusses important questions and problems which, anyway, concern needs of improvement of quality of education in the field of natural sciences, involvement of school students and youth to receiving this knowledge. Unfortunately, in practice, of the pedagogical activity, teachers began to use more often virtual reality – information and communication technologies which open large opportunities for school education. At such approach as psychologists specify, the nature and its various components are alienated, move away from the person, are formalized. There is a process of removal of the person by nature, and its objects became simpler to be considered in the form of movies. So, it is very important to provide training of children directly into the nature. One of the numerous functions of nature reservations is educational work. It is necessary to discuss more actively possibilities of effective teaching of children in nature reservations.

14-24

Authors: Solange Locatelli, Agnaldo Arroio

This paper reports a metavisual strategy proposed for 11 high school students. The investigation consisted of ascertaining to what extent the metavisual strategy can be effective in rebuilding their previous ideas. The investigated topic consists in understanding concepts in electrochemistry involved in the initial interaction of copper (II) ions with iron atoms. For this activity was proposed to students to draw the microscopic representation of this chemical interaction and then compare their drawing with a representation presented in the study. This activity was videotaped; data were collected from their statements and transcribed for subsequent analysis. The findings seem to show that the metavisual strategy may enable the reconstruction of ideas by students, leading them to a better understanding of the phenomenon studied and could contribute towards improving learning in electrochemistry.

32-38

Authors: Irena Čerčikienė, Jolanta Jurkevičiūtė, Dalė Židonytė

Currently in mass media and advertising we often hear about the importance of living water in human daily life. You may ask, “What is living water? Is it really living? Is it alkali-ne?” The importance of water to the human body can be determined by the oxidation – reduction potential (ORP) – a parameter characterizing the ability of the matter to give and connect electrons, which can be measured not only in water but also in food and in the air. Solutions, which contain negative ORP value (e.g. alkaline ionized water), are characterized by reduction features and have the ability to neutralize free radicals and stop the signs of aging. Solutions containing positive ORP value have oxidative properties, which are typical for the alkaline ionized water, which has bactericidal properties. Thus, the ionized water has two parameters: its pH and oxidation – reduction potential, which make it different from the ordinary water. Ionized water, like the raw, unprocessed food, is considered to be the body rejuvenating agent. The basic principle, which should be followed, is to consume food and water, which contain the lowest possible negative ORP. The authors provide the research results, although, it is known that most of water tests are difficult to reproduce due to objective reasons, as water, with the gases dissolved in it, represents a very complicated balanced oxidation – reduction system. Oxidation reduction potentials of drinking and mineral water, as well as other beverages, have been studied, and the dynamics of these parameters in ionized water over time has been determined.

44-52

Authors: Eleonora L. Melnik, Alla Y. Gudym

In the process of new personal consciousness formation it is very important to under-stand the necessity of development of new public conception of the environment as a common sphere of society and nature, which means understanding the significance of sustainable development of nature and society. Extracurricular environmental education implemented in the “Vodlozersky” National park helps to promote environmental knowledge of native region and fosters development of knowledge and skills for living and working in the environment. The content of educational programmes was divided into separate topics: “Avi-fauna of Vedlozero islands”, “Predators on the swamp”, “Vodlozero lichens”, “Mushroom hunting”, “Green pharmacy” and others. As an example, we suggest one of the lessons devoted to “Avifauna of Velikostrov Island” from the topic “Avifauna of Vedlozero islands”. It took much time for schoolchildren to get the skills in birds’ identification. Teachers and schoolchildren analyzed everything they saw and heard, made conclusions, wrote down their observations. As a result of fieldwork the expedition participants have managed to learn to recognize different kinds of birds in the nature of the National park. Schoolchildren expressed special interest while getting to know the life of invertebrates of the water reservoir: “Microcosmos in a drop of water”. The integrative approach lied in combination of methods of Japanese paper art of Origami used to represent generalized image of a bird. With the help of natural materials such as dry grass, flowers, branches, soil, moss, stones, etc. schoolchildren constructed the models of biocenosis. They created a meadow and semi-aquatic lake world. In biocenosis models birds and plants made of paper were settled in their natural habitats. In painting the images of nature schoolchildren were offered to use natural materials: pollen from plants, flower petals, sand and stones. Students also showed interest to such lessons as “Epics of Vedlozero” and “Ethnography and Toponymy of Vedlozero”. On the territory of the National park there are special “marks” of the ancient ethnic group of population – vodlozery. These are commemorative trees – Karsikko. Students got to know about their origin and significance for vedlozery from conversation with the teacher on ecological trail. Knowledge acquired on these lessons allowed schoolchildren to express their creativity in making dolls – spirits of the wood and lake. To generalize knowledge about nature students of the expedition camp made a trip along the ecological trail with the length of 1420 meters. The trail lied on the landscape consisting of different biocenosis: meadows, a sector of old forest, swamp. Walking along the trail they got acquainted with new representatives of flora and fauna – forest ants, poisonous and medical plants of swamp and forest. On one of the swamp sectors there was found carnivorous plant - (Drosera rotundifolia L). Having caught small dipterous insects students managed to feed this plant and observe the process of food capturing. Experience of ecological expedition camps organization allowed teachers and scientists for the first time to realize the work with children with special needs in the wild nature. As children had vision problems of different severity the teachers developed special educational programmes for them which included maximum use of their hearing, smell and touching. It was important to teach the children to identify the sounds of nature: voice of birds, insects, rustle of grass and reeds. But they also had the trips to the world of nature. They learnt to iden-tify different kinds of plants – to feel them (touching the plants with their hands and face, palming), to recognize and remember the smell of spicy plants. For kids with mild form of visual pathology teachers tried to use all senses in working in nature but for a short period of time. Analysis of comments left by children by the end of expedition shows that they prefer communication with each other to communication with nature. In accordance with the goals set by the specialists of the National park it is necessary to implement practical lessons in nature involving schoolchildren into them in more active forms. Integration of scientific, artistic, aesthetic and humanitarian knowledge into a coherent whole for cognition of nature will allow develop sustainable motivation for nature protection among children in the future. The primary educational experience of National park specialists in working with disabled children showed that such children may have unlimited possibilities to communicate with nature.