Gamtamokslinis ugdymas / Natural Science Education

4-8

Authors: Eleonora Melnik

Problems of ecological education of school students exist and therefore among active part of teachers and experts in the field of environmental protection, there is a search of such methods and ways of education which could promote more active involvement of youth in the process of the world cognition. The modern idea of the new environment and the human as genetically determined integrity, in public consciousness of the younger generation, is for the present in a formation stage. Development of a new style of the relations of human being with the nature is based not only on the interrelation of various knowledge, but also is guided by certain instructions, norms, examples of behaviour and activity, various beliefs implanted in modern society. Thus, the ecological view of the nature is a sublimated and conscious way of the person who passed from an understanding of the general world order through awareness of the features of real time to the specifics of the present, in the future.

23-34

Authors: Violeta Šlekienė, Loreta Ragulienė

Science education is based on knowledge of natural sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy. One of the main tasks of natural science education – to be able to discover the connection between the natural science subjects, and to understand the nature processes and phenomena. Interdisciplinary science education emphasizes in general programs of basic and secondary education. Educational practice and research shows that not all science subjects’ teachers are equally prepared to use interdisciplinarity in their lessons. This analysis focuses on the searching of interdisciplinary links by experimentally exploring the phenomenon of photosynthesis. The process of photosynthesis was selected as one of the most important phenomena of nature, known and understandable for all students at different levels. In order to reveal and highlight the essential integration links of photosynthesis three stages research (an experimental exploring of photosynthesis, a semi-structured interview survey, graph-tree drawing) was carried out. Graph-tree of photosynthesis revealed as content of physics, chemistry and biology subjects are linked by integrative relations. Quite wide and deep interdisciplinary links of photosynthesis process was discerned: knowledge of each subject needed in order to properly understand and master the process of photosynthesis was shown; the main components of photosynthesis process were excluded and aspects of the development of the concept have been provided.

42-55

Authors: Edson Rodrigues Santana, Agnaldo Arroio

This analysis highlights the relevance of the nature of science (NoS) approach in a community of practice (CoP) with the use of film resources. This approach was created to develop a training course for science teachers who teach in basic education. The course took place in 2012 at the Faculty of Education at the University of São Paulo. The results show significant participation and involvement of teachers with both the theme of the nature of science and the interest growing in it for teaching purposes. The data acquisition was performed with the recording and transcription of the involvement of five teachers.

4-6

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

It is obvious, that collaboration plays an increasing role among science and mathematics teachers. It is quite useful if different ideas on science and mathematics teaching are shared among teachers. Teachers have better opportunities to experience collaboration. The collaborative process supports the transdisciplinarity of science and mathematics teaching. Teachers are able to develop an understanding of how mathematics and science concepts can be taught in creative, playful and effective way. The project MaT²SMc is implemented in the frame of EU Lifelong Learning Programme. The main idea of the project is to find a way to increase students' motivation to learn in the key subjects mathematics and science. From one side, mathematics teachers should understand that there is a meaningful and realistic context to use mathematics. From the other side, science teachers should understand that the mathematics competences required for more effective science teaching and learning. In such a context the collaboration of science and mathematics teachers is very relevant. Currently it is obvious that mathematics and natural science teachers‘ collaboration on integration purposes at school is limited by some factors. Collaboration of mathematics and natural science teachers should be expanded, for this purpose, it is necessary to create all necessary conditions and didactic providing (support). It is obvious, that collaboration of mathematics and science teachers is important for improvement of quality of natural science education.

17-22

Authors: Daiva Saladžiuvienė, Vaida Bureikienė

Does learning more about trees teaches a child to preserve them better? Lithuania is a land of forests. We simply cannot imagine our lives without trees and grasslands. They play a huge role in our lives and they are vital to nature in general. The experience of an educator, being able to observe children‘s day-to-day activities, has proven that the relationship between a nowadays child and nature is quite problematic. Not only do they not know much about it, sometimes they can become harmful to nature. Children like to play in a meadow, pick flowers, but sometimes they also like to violate trees and litter. Parents don‘t always have time to tell their children about environmental protection, so they leave it to the teachers. The main goal of this project was to give children knowledge about nature, the damage people can cause upon it and, most importantly, induce children‘s love towards the world around them and a desire to cherish nature. The project continued for 4 weeks in a pre-school group (age 6-7). In the course of this project we conversed, read children literature about nature, children made rules, created little books about trees, solved crosswords, searched encyclopedias, performed experiments and took photographs of various objects outdoors. We also visited a museum of Vilnius forests and an oak grove in Dūkštai, where children picked garbage, planted seeds and had a chance to create freely. The theme of our project proved itself to be quite relevant – children gained more knowledge about the nature and understood the harm people can cause on our environment.

32-41

Authors: Urška Godler

The pupils at the Hruševec Šentjur primary school learned the German language by using iPads, applications and online interactive exercises. They learned about rooms in the house, furniture, equipment and prepositions. The goals were: to learn German words together with their articles, use prepositions and describe a house or apartment and a room, which was the final and most desired goal. All the pupils were actively engaged and motivated and managed to achieve all the set goals.

48-52

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

This review is devoted to the 20th national scientific practical conference „Natural Science Education in a Comprehensive School – 2014“. It is obvious, that this conference is devoted to topical issues of natural science education. Every year teachers from different schools of Lithuania, and also the teachers and scientists from different foreign countries attending the conference. The first national conference “Natural science education in comprehensive school” took place in Upyte, Panevezys district, Antanas Belazaras basic school. At that time, the organisers did not have a clear vision concerning the future of that conference, because that was the time when Lithuanian education “construction” was going on. The beginning was very hard – there were no finances, no support. However, there was a clear perception – this is necessary, this is important. The years passed. The second conference took place in 1996, the third in1997… and now we have 2014. Owing to colleagues and like-minded people, this conference is up to now. The 20th national scientific practical conference took place. What is more, it “grew up” – both quantitatively and qualitatively. During the mentioned period, various natural science subject, primary class teachers, pre-school education, non-formal education specialists, education managers, high school teachers, scientists and so on took part in the conference. We were learning from each other. It is obvious, that natural science and technological education success and effectiveness are determined not only by current and newly written textbooks, computers and other modern technologies, renovated school material basis, but, first of all, by education managers’ and organisers’ attitude and understanding. Equally the same understanding should also get stronger in natural science subject teachers’ consciousness. I hope, that conferences contribute significantly to this, and all participating in them, carry out a noble mission – develop natural science and technological education movement not only in Lithuania, but also outside its borders. Time is ruthless, memory is not all-powerful. We must save the memory and future education activities’ reference point. Twenty years is a certain epoch, during which a lot of changes occurred in the field of natural science and technological education. Some of the changes were that gave good results, the others – poor. However, all this is experience. A man is great and powerful in his mind; however, very often of a poor soul. He does not lack willingness and possibilities to create, however, at the same time he does not lack the willingness to destroy what has been created. Nature scientists’ worry is absolutely grounded. Today, it is not only natural education that is discussed about. It is more and more often discussed in a very broad context: natural science – technological – noospheric education. Therefore, a personal responsibility falls on us, natural science education specialists, for natural science education system creation and development. This is our primary responsibility and duty.

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.