Gamtamokslinis ugdymas / Natural Science Education

60-64

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

Natural science and technology education is an inseparable part of general education. It is obvious, that this process embraces a rather wide group of people, according to the age – from the birth till the completion of general education. It is a very important period, during which a certain natural science and technology education is acquired. It might seem that rather many scientific, methodical, didactic and other articles, books have been written, analyzing NSTE problems. On the other hand, NSTE process continues, (has to be continued) further on. Of course, speaking about university and other level studies, a further education is different both according to the size and length and the other parameters. Though natural science and technology education is reformed in Lithuania, however, the results are not very pleasing. An urgent task remains for the whole educational community, how to achieve that natural science and technology subjects were attractive to the pupils that they tried to relate their future career with natural sciences and technology. It is understandable, that only school is not capable to solve that complex task. The situation is determined by the country’s common political-economic and, of course, social situation. However, properly organised natural science and technology education in comprehensive school can significantly change the situation. So, I think, and I hope, that natural science and technology education professionals, researchers, teachers, practitioners not only perceive science and technology education "resetting" meaning and necessity, but also will stay in continuous search of rational methods in the field of education change and innovation.

75-86

Authors: Violeta Šlekienė, Loreta Ragulienė, Vincentas Lamanauskas

One of the natural science education aims is to help students understand what is going on in nature, how and why? In other words, how natural phenomena function. Quite often, going deeper into natural phenomena, seeking to cognise them, we split the cognition process itself into separate spheres or parts. In this case we have separate teaching/learning subjects, such as Biology, Physics, Chemistry and other. It is understandable in itself, in order to sufficiently exhaustively perceive and understand the analysed spheres. On the other hand, it is equally important to integrally perceive the phenomena and/ or processes going on in nature. In the second part of the 20th century, the developing synergetics states, that everything in nature is integrally interrelated. Education science and practice constantly search for the ways how to realise transdisciplinarity in natural science education process. Integrated education programmes are created and improved and the other teaching/learning devices. However, integrated natural science education content is the only one from the system elements. Integral and transdisciplinary should be the process itself. One of the ways to realise such process is Natural science and Maths teachers’ cooperation. In this analysis, relationship realisation didactic possibilities between the subjects of Natural science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and Maths are analysed, analysing heat transfer model. Giving one lesson example, Natural science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and Maths subject relationship realisation didactic possibilities are revealed in the presented analysis. Specimen scenario of the heat exchange research Water containing a clay jug is presented. The pupils, having performed the experiment in Natural science lessons, draw the graphs of temperature and humidity change in time, integrally analyse the results obtained during the experiment. For the result analysis they apply Mathematics knowledge about dependent and independent variables, remember how the relationship between two variables is expressed by graphs. The lesson’s structural parts are presented: discussion of theoretical material, explanation of practical work meaning and experiment procedure, the experiment and the task performance, discussion of the obtained results and their meaningfulness will enable natural science teachers to give a lesson about heat transfer, using integration possibilities. The research is carried out during implementation of the international project „Materials for Teaching Together: Science and Mathematics Teachers collaborating for better results“. Number of the contract: 539242-LLP-1-2013-1-AT-COMENIUS-CMP/.

95-103

Authors: Eleonora L., Melnik, Alla Y. Gudym

The article analyses the processes of transformation that have taken place over the past decade in environmental education; it also contains philosophical views and ideas on the problem of human interaction with nature. The article underlines necessity of developing a new mindset for the successful existence of humans and the environment in a changing world. The National Park "Vodlozersky" provides environmental education for the local population and visitors to the park. Worldview concept of V.S. Stepin is accepted as a foundation of environmental education in the park, which based on prognostic features of philosophical knowledge in the evolving culture of the society. This concept states that any change in the cultural life of the society determines the changes in relationships with the environment. The cultural life of the inhabitants of Vodlozerie has always been connected with nature. Old traditions as relict programs continue existing in the park. Involvement of youth in various activities for the conservation of nature and traditions of the region acted as a basis for the development of several forms for the future modern program that will ensure reproduction of the variety of activities that are vital for the population with its peculiarities and which are demanded nowadays. Environmental education is carried out in several directions: • Family, morals and manners of the population living in the park. As a rule, these are situational activities, which are based on household customs and traditions that are used by adults; children also get acquainted with them in the course of life and assimilate observed actions or words; • Implementation of the system of the work of the staff of the park's environmental department, who together with the teachers and school staff in the Kuganavolok House of Culture (the main town of the park) maintain and develop traditions of the region, organizing thematic festivals, summer natural and cultural expeditions, trips with children, etc. Festival "Otzhinaha" is very popular among the population. In terms of importance it serves as a "bridge" between the old traditions of the population of Vodlozero and their modern life; • Work with the creative teams. Folk Band "Toive" of Petrozavodsk State University and the expeditions of students of St. Petersburg State Art and Industry Academy named after A.L. Stieglitz became part of the cultural life of Vodlozero Park. Many years of creative activity of these groups in the park are regarded as one of the trends of contemporary sub cultural program, which is capable to ensure the reproduction of forms and kinds of life-sustaining activities of the population of the region under modern circumstances, maintaining its specificity. In this context, we can speak about the phenomenon of sublimation of past traditions of Vodlozerie population and their transition to a new level with the help of modern forms - art objects, representing nature and the world by various means from the standpoint of the real spiritual inner world of youth demanded nowadays. The interaction of art and environmental activities of youth groups, art groups and individuals involved in communication, preservation and promotion of the park, nature, as well as its cultural heritage, act as the foundation for the development of modern programs, reproducing new activities of the park population.

112-117

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

This year, on April 24th-25th, the 21st National Scientific Practical Conference “Natural science education in a comprehensive school - 2015” took place. This time the participants of the conference gathered at Lazdijai district, Veisiejai gymnasium. The conference was organized by the scientific methodological centre “Scientia Educologica”, and the most important conference partners were - Veisiejai gymnasium and the weekly “Žaliasis pasaulis”. Traditionally, on the first day of the conference two plenary reports were made. Prof.dr. Vincentas Lamanauskas presented a report on the achieved results of the International project “MaT²SMc, Materials for Teaching Together: Science and Mathematics Teachers collaborating for better results”. There are prepared 33 integrated natural science education topics. The material will be presented in the project internet café http://www.mat2smc-project.eu/index.asp?lang=en. Lithuanian Educology University associate professor Rita Makarskaitė-Petkevičienė spoke about the importance of learning in nature. Speaking about primary class pupils’ natural science education, the speaker emphasized, that more possibilities should be made for the pupils to learn world cognition in natural surroundings, because this is the way to their better natural science competence. The colleagues from St. Petersburg made a historical report in which they discussed the questions of chemistry teaching methodology history in Russia. In the afternoon the work went on in two sections. In the first section the reports were mostly devoted to pre-school, primary and general natural science education problems. This year, the same way as every year, conference article collection was prepared and published. It is worth to mention, that since 2013 this publication has been serial. Totally13 articles are published in this year edition, in which various natural science problems are discussed. One can dare assert that a certain conference ideology has been formed already. On the one hand, conference is a nice connection “bridge” between academic and pedagogical (teacher) communities. Teachers share their experience, raise important problems, find out certain new information and so on. So, 21st national conference is a history already. As always, not everything was successfully recorded, not all interesting questions discussed. One has to believe, that natural science education movement will continue and develop. 22nd conference is expected to take place in Jonava, in April, 2016.