Gamtamokslinis ugdymas / Natural Science Education

4-6

Authors: Eleonora Melnik

Integral-differential style in the understanding of the system of genetic interconnections and dependency between nature and society is considered to be innovative and is use by natural sciences as well as liberal arts, but in school education it is developed rather slowly. We can see the decrease of interest of young people to natural sciences. There are natural questions: Should the teachers nowadays foster the increase of interest to natural sciences among school children? Does the contemporary society need specialists in the sphere of environment: physicist, chemist, astronomers, physiologists and others? Perhaps to many of them specialties of natural science sphere seem to be not demanded in the society? We would also like to know the opinion of the teachers and university professors concerning the peculiarities of natural science education of young people in different educational systems. We are interested in your opinion about the selection of the educational content as well as about different techniques and educational methods used by specialists. Is there any considerable shift of interest among the teachers towards techniques of natural sciences education aimed precisely at young people? How is this phenomena connected with the new generation of standards and task-books in school education? We hope that mentioned above aspects of the system of natural science education will evoke understanding and response among the specialists and point out the necessity of their discussion in our journal.

16-28

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas, Dalia Augienė

The formation of scientific research activity (SRA) abilities in comprehensive school is undoub-tedly, a very important sphere that has not received a proper attention yet. Current teaching and learning process has changed, in fact, from the point of view of paradigm – subjects taught are becoming a means of the realization of learners’ needs and interests. Scientific research activity is not an entertainment but responsible, thorough work requiring a lot of self-independence. During such an activity pupils’ analytical thinking gets stronger, information searching and using abilities are formed, they learn how to analyze gathered material, prepare reports, make research presentations and so on. The research was carried out between January and April, 2010. The method of the research was survey in written form (questionnaire). On the whole, 380 questionnaires were acknowledged acceptable. The article deals with Natural science and Mathematics teachers’ opinion about the situation of scientific research activity in comprehensive school. A factor analysis was performed in order to find out the structure of 41 items. The main aim of the factor analysis is to reduce the number of variables. Two methods were applied in order to evaluate whether the data set was appropriate for the factor analysis: Bartlett`s Test of Sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy test value is 0.844. Bartlett's Test of Sphericity tests the null hypothesis that the correlation matrix is an identity matrix. In this case approx. Chi-Square value is 3921.835 and p<0.000. These results clearly show that data can be used for factor analysis. The eight factors were extracted based on the Eigen Value Statistics (with the real value more than one). Also the significance (popularity) indexes (SI) and standards deviations (SD) for each factor were calculated. 1. Interest in scientific research activity (SI=0.67; SD=0.17). 2. Ignoring the scientific research activities (SI=0.59; SD=0.21). 3. Adverse (unfavourable) conditions of carrying out of scientific research activity (SI=0.43; SD=0.23). 4. Fragmentary of scientific research activity (SI=0.65; SD=0.20). 5. Adverse (unfavourable) material conditions of scientific research activity (SI=0.65; SD=0.20). 6. Lack qualification (competence) of teachers (SI=0.70; SD=0.25). 7. Employment (busyness) of learners and teachers (SI=0.68; SD=0.21). 8. Influence of the educational environment on scientific research activity (SI=0.76; SD=0.19). However, we need to emphasize, that significance indexes are relatively not high, though higher than 0.50. All these factors accounts for 47.00% of variance. There are 9 statements under the first factor, 6 statements under the 2nd factor, 5 statements under the 3rd factor, 4 statements under the 4th factor, 6 sta-tements under the 5th factor, 3 statements under the 6th factor, 4 statements under the 7th factor and 3 sta-tements under the 8th factor. The first factor forms 7.56% of total variance, the second factor constitutes 7.17% of total variance, the third factor forms 6.00% of total variance, the fourth factor forms 5.92% of total variance, the fifth factor constitutes 5.81% of total variance, the sixth factor forms 5.28% of total variance, the seventh forms 5.05% of total variance and the last one (eighth factor) constitutes 4.17% of total variance. It was found that in the teaching of scientific research activities the cooperation methods are used. It was found that in general the most favourable to SRA are biology and chemistry teachers, and the less favourable - teachers of geography. It was also found that highly significant factor in the development of scientific research activity is the educational environment.

35-43

Authors: Violeta Šlekienė, Loreta Ragulienė

Formation of concepts and their correlation with mental activity has been an object of concern for philosophers, psychologists and educators. Selecting the most efficient way of concept formation, knowledge of various methods, their advantages and disadvantages, conditions of their successful application, peculiarities of the comprehension process is necessary. This article deals with the didactical principles of concept formation in physics. The main stages of formation and development concepts of physics have been analysed: a definite sensual perception, distinction of basic general features of the observed objects of a class, abstraction of a concept, specification and consolidation of basic features of concept, definition of relations with other concepts, application of a concept, generalisation and specification. It has been stated in this article, that the quality of concept formation depends on the ways how the basic features of a concept are detailed and consolidated, relations with other concepts are revealed, how the concept is applied solving tasks of various types, i.e., how the process of concept expansion has been organised. Concept comprehension is not a single act of the definition memorisation but a long-term process. Aiming at pupils’ conscious comprehension of scientific concepts, their ability to apply them in definite situations it is essential to organise the process of their formation in the right way and to manage it. Teachers should realise, that definition memorising does not mean concept formation, quality of concept comprehension mainly depends on the ways its basic features are being detailed and consolidated, correlation with other concepts is being disclosed, the concept is being applied solving the tasks of various character, i.e. how the process of concept expansion is being organised.