Journal of Baltic Science Education

339

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, JBSE, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2020

344-355

Authors: Dilek Sultan Acarli

The aim of present research was to examine the effects of interdisciplinary teaching approach on teaching the topic of proteins. In the research, unequal control group model- one of the quasi-experimental research designs was used. The experimental group included 16 students (8 female and 8 male) whereas the control group included 14 students (6 female and 8 male) in this research- which was conducted with the participation of the 12th grade students. A lesson plan in which the topic of proteins was taught in interdisciplinary approach was prepared as the tool of application. A concept map prepared by the researcher and a 5-point Likert type of question were used in collected the data. The data collection tool was given to both the experimental group and the control group as a pre-test and post-test. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, a non-parametric method- was used in comparing the participants’ scores in the pre-test and post-test of concept map and Likert type question. As a result, it was found that the application of interdisciplinary teaching conducted in the experimental group had caused differences in students’ associating the concepts in biology and chemistry available in the topic of proteins and in their perceptions of their skills in this respect.

374-387

Authors: Fu-Pei Hsieh, Yun-An Chen, Jeng-Fung Hung, Chun-Yen Tsai

This research sought to improve students' science reading comprehension ability and marine ecological conservation learning interest through the implementation of an inquiry-based learning course. A Triggered situational interest-Reading-Inquiry-Presentation (TRIP) model was proposed to guide the course design. The quasi-experimental design was adopted in this research. Experimental teaching activities were conducted with two classes of second graders (50 students in total) in southern Taiwan. One class served as the experimental group, and the other served as the comparison group. The Science Reading Comprehension Test (SRCT) and Marine Ecology Conservation Learning Interest Scale (MECLIS) were used as instruments. Data were analyzed using the Johnson-Neyman Technique, analysis of covariance, and qualitative analysis. The results showed that the students with lower pre-test scores on the SRCT in the experimental group had better scores on the post-test than those in the comparison group, while the students in both groups with higher pre-test scores on the SRCT had no difference in their post-test scores. Furthermore, the experimental group students had better MECLIS scores than the comparison group students, and the difference had a moderate effect size. Overall, this research suggests that the TRIP model may assist science teachers in designing science reading courses.

401-414

Authors: David González-Gómez, Jin Su Jeong, Florentina Cañada-Cañada

Online formative assessment is still challenging although it is getting an increased attention as a significant tool for diagnosing and analysing students’ motivation and achievement in various education domains. This research examines the effects of an online formative assessment tool (OFAT) about science motivation and achievement in second-year students’ university education during four consecutive academic years, 2014 to 2018. A research on the basis of a randomized experimental design was conducted that assigned groups used an OFAT along with various assessments that students participated. A total of 311 students enrolled in the subject take part in the research, respectively 94, 89, 59 and 71 students. Particularly, the OFAT is offering feedback from students, feedback from lecturers and adaptive assignments. Here, data contained student motivation survey data, standardized achievement pre- and post-test data and students’ log records. The results of multiple tier analyses exposed positive effects about students’ motivation and achievement. Based on usage measurements, students’ intensity offers the positive effects about students’ motivation and achievement. Furthermore, along with overall students’ improved performance, the effects of high-performing students’ achievement were higher. Therefore, the results acquired meaningfully contribute to recover main drawbacks and difficulties of traditional science learning programs.

429-453

Authors: Iuliana Lazar, Georgeta Panisoara, Ion-Ovidiu Panisoara

This research aimed to contribute to the overall understanding of pre-service teachers’ acceptance of the Digital Storytelling (DS) tool. The primary associations of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) were tested in the academic years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 for statistical significance when the effects of the pre-service training teachers' digital age and status were controlled. Data from 296 pre-service teachers, from second and third study year, majority women considered vulnerable group were collected. The factor analysis and invariance tests on basic TAM were performed. The results revealed that DS tool usage intention was a function of perceived usefulness and ease of use. This research established the TAM applicability with the control variables addition to model the DS tool acceptance by pre-service teachers, as didactic material for natural sciences and technology education. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance were confirmed across both cross-temporal and cross-sectorial groups. Perceived ease of use of DS has strongly influenced both usefulness (β=.571, t=11.958, p<.0001) and intention to use of DS (β=.763, t=19.914, p<.0001), under the influences of the control variables. The outcomes contributed to the general understanding of DS pre-service teachers’ adoption relevant for natural sciences and technology education and for recognition of vulnerable category behavior.

467-483

Authors: Georgios Tsaparlis

This work analyses students’ failure in the 2019 Nationwide Chemistry Examination in Greece, which concerns secondary education graduates, competing for admission to higher education Greek institutions. The distinction of thinking skills into higher and lower order (HOTS and LOTS) is used as a theoretical tool for this analysis. The examination included several questions that contained HOTS elements that had been unusual in previous examinations. This led to a decrease in overall student performance but better discrimination between outstanding and good students. Based on two samples of examination papers, corresponding to very similar subsets of the student population, the 2018 and 2019 examinations are compared, and the individual 2019 questions are evaluated. It was found that section B of the 2019 examination paper (which included contexts unfamiliar to the students, and for which, a large effect size between 2018 and 2019 was calculated) may have caused the large drop. An important link is established between the 2019 low performance and the HOTS and LOTS features of the questions, and the role or non-role of algorithmic calculations is examined. In addition, the critical opinions of chemistry teachers are provided, with a consensus emerging in favour of connecting chemistry with everyday life.

499-513

Authors: Ivana Sotáková, Mária Ganajová, Mária Babinčáková

The research aim was to identify the effect of revising the thematic unit “Changes in Chemical Reactions” using IBSE (based on confirmation inquiry) in the 8th grade of secondary school. This thematic unit is taught in chemistry lessons in the 2nd term of the 7th grade. A set of activities verified by a piece of pilot research was used to implement IBSE based on confirmation inquiry using the 5E Educational Model. The research was performed in ten Slovak secondary schools during the 1st term of the 2017/2018 school year. This research employed the quasi-experimental methodology involving pre-test–post-test two-group design. The research sample consisted of 292 8th grade students. They were divided randomly into a control (n=149) and experimental (n=143) group, and the intervention took place during 10 lessons. Cognitive tests based on the revised Bloom's taxonomy were used to measure students’ knowledge and skills before and after revision. The results indicate that using IBSE (based on confirmation inquiry) in the revision phase is more effective than teaching without using IBSE in terms of developing conceptual understanding. It affects the lower and higher cognitive processes (understanding, application, and analysis) and stimulates learning mainly in students with lower academic performance.