Turinys / Contents

COVER

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Cover page, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2008, GU/NSE

CONTENTS

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Contents, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2008, GU/NSE

SOME FEATURES OF TODAY`S SCIENCE EDUCATION

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Recently, the issues of science education have been exhaustively discussed. The questions of science education are debated at all levels. The today‘s situation in science education area puts forward set of problems to be indispensably solved. In this editorial such problematic aspects as qualification of science teachers, modernisation of system of preparation of science teachers in a context of the theory of constructivism, improvement of material resources of schools etc. Are shortly presented. It is stated that more attention it is necessary to give to school science textbooks and their effective usage in educational process. For example, in February 2007 an International Meeting of IOSTE on „Critical Analysis of School Science Textbook“ was organized in Hammamet (Tunisia). A lot of empirical results dealing with the analysis of syllabuses and science textbooks were presented during the meeting. In Lithuania there are also some actual problems connected with school science textbooks, for example methodological level, quality of teaching /learning content, didactically well-founded visualisation etc. Such questions as scientific literacy, e-literacy, illiteracy, interests and motivation in science, quality of science education process at primary school level are the burning issues.

COMPUTER BASED VISUALIZATION TEACHING CHEMISTRY: ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF VISUALIZATION TOOLS AND OBJECTS

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Background There are lot of books that teachers use in teaching process, but books are still unable to represent difficult view and to enclose 3D features of object. To reduce this lack of information proceeding there can be used computer visualisation in the classrooms. Computer technologies can be essential tools for scientific teachers because of the extensive possibilities to show 3D representations. The teachers do not feel competent in knowledge of modern technology that is why they rarely use them in teaching processes. Clear computer based visualization helps students to understand difficult concepts and this leads to comprehension in science education. The more concepts and laws of nature they will now the more qualitative scientific education will be. The article is grounded on visual thinking and genetic structural model of intellect theories. According to these theories all things, if it is possible, should be visualised, because later it helps to create right mental models and perfect comprehension of objects. This research pretends to enclose computer based visualization tools and the mostly visualised objects in chemistry for the reason teachers could use them in chemistry lessons. The subject of research – the practice of possibilities of computer based visualization tools and objects in chemistry Aim – to enclose practice of possibilities of computer based visualization tools and objects in chemistry The research tasks: • To categorize tools of computer based visualization; • To analyze the practice of possibilities of categorized computer based visualization tools teaching chemistry; • To analyze - which objects are the mostly visualized teaching chemistry Methods. Scientific literature analysis, systemic structural analysis, reflection Results and conclusion: • All computer based visualization tools are important because of clear visualization and possibility to see very small objects. • Computer programs are designed for concrete theme; it may be proportion to plans of chemistry education. They are interactive; there are possibilities to subscribe them by internet. It must be installed to the personal computer. Internet programs are significant because of possibility to use them free having internet and installing needful software. Mostly all programs are verbalized in English language; this circumstances the good chemistry teachers’ knowledge of English language. Pupils can use them independently for self – education, to deepen general knowledge of chemistry. • Molecules and their structures are the most visualized objects in chemistry education; it means that molecules are one of the most difficultly perceivable concepts. It is recommended to use visualization tools teaching about molecules.

THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF A PRESCHOOL INSTITUTION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COGNITIVE COMPETENCY OF STUDENTS

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The Relevance of the Research. In the general programmes/curricula and the Standards of Education of the School of General Education of Lithuania (2003) it is stated that “preschool, primary and basic child education is considered as one of the most important priorities of contemporary education policy, as the basis for lifelong learning”. Contemporary preschool education regulations are an aspiration to help a child to acquire competencies necessary for everyday life and successful education/self-education at school, the basis of which is the sum total of already possessed value attitudes, gained abilities and skills, and experience. It is not enough to call child’s competencies an aspiration – it is important to attempt to “measure” them, and it is what has been emphasized in the present work. The importance of one of the competencies – the cognitive competency – is emphasized in Preschool Education Standards (2003). The straightest way to the development of child’s cognitive competency is the formation of natural environment in a preschool institution. Cognitive psychology considers permanent investigation of environment as one of the most important factors of the development of child personality. In contemporary reformed nursery school the investigation activity, its importance, significance, functionality, relations between natural environment and the cognitive competency is little or almost not investigated area. The object of research - the importance of natural environment for the development of the cognitive competency. The aim of research - to analyze what kind of importance natural environment of a preschool institution has for the development of the cognitive competency. The Methodology. J. A. Comenius, J. J. Rousseau, J. H. Pestalozzi suggested naturality/nature as the example or means to cognize and investigate the world. In order to collect the data about the importance of natural environment for the development of the cognitive competency, in the work the reference has been made to J. Bruner’s theory of cognitive development. In modern cognitive conception of learning it is stated that only by investigating cognitive processes we may better perceive the behaviour of a person himself/herself. For the evolution of the development of cognition natural environment is important and closest to a child because there sensory abilities may develop. Results of research. Educators of preschool educational institutions positively evaluate value of a natural environment for formation of the cognitive competence. On the other hand it is not the main limiting factor. Experts understand essence and value of updating and formation of natural environment in preschool education institutions. Change of a situation is interfered by poor material resources, the low competence of preschool educators (teachers) in the field of natural science education, inadequate programs and standards. 68 percent of experts consider, that it is very important to establish close communications with a following level of education – primary and basic (lower secondary) school. In opinion of 59 percent of experts it is very important constant improvement of professional competence (skills) of teachers of preschool education. Half of experts (50%) recognize that virtual, instead of the natural environment today prevails. It is established, that in opinion of the majority of experts (72, 7%) the natural environment of preschool education institutions is artificial and limited.

STUDENTS – BE ACTIVE! OUTLINES OF CHEMISTRY LESSONS AT SECONDARY SCHOOL

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Employers, career advisors and subsequently some education authorities emphasize the im-portance of the development of a wide range of transferable skills during school and university educa-tion. In order to develop these skills it is not enough just to expose students to a lecture or to a set of laboratory exercises in which they closely follow instructions provided by the teacher. It is necessary to implement problem solving or so-called “active methods” to achieve the aim. Some outlines of lessons that composed of different methods encouraging students to be active are presented.

SMALL PARTICLES WITH LARGE PERSPECTIVES: III. HOW TO COMBINE?

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The closing article of the series is concerned with the problems of the creation of nanostructures with more or less sophisticated architecture. If the nanoparticles themselves are mainly of academic interest, their assemblies can be used as the working elements of future devices. Such assemblies perform completely new and unexpected properties, which can not be treated as the simple sum of the their constituent particles. Nanoparticles can be organized into the assembly by various ways – by means of electrostatic, capillary, Van-der-Vaalce and other interactions. Of the special interest is the self-assembly, being known as an attribute of the living matter, but possible in the more primitive form in the inorganic systems, as it is demonstrated with the examples of chemical assemblage and template synthesis. The role of the biomolecules and effects of biospecific recognition in the nanostructures formation is discussed, as well as the possibilities to arrange nanoparticles in the desired order using the atomic-force microscopes.

EXTENSION OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION

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The exploratory activities from the early age are very important because then the stages of knowledge grow and develop, and also the basic elements of the discursive thinking appear together with them. According to V. Lamanauskas (2004), it is important to include every child from the very beginning into the active action of the nature study, and to evoke the desire to find, to know and to explore. The teachers of Lithuania conceive the importance of the exploratory activities and, according to the inventory of standards of pre-school teaching, have produced the programmes. Such programmes allow the individual teaching and apply principle and technologies of teaching (learning) to the chosen basis of teaching philosophy. The Pakruojis kindergarten “Saulute” seriously noticed the importance of peculiarities of the region and using the integrate opportunities in the nature teaching. The planning performs in view of the age of children, their needs, peculiarities of the group, selecting toys, methods, range of the material, etc. According to the environment, the planning of all teaching process performs: activities for all group, for small groups of the children and individual activities. The teaching process includes the principle of humaneness, integration, individual, the creation of the environment, the planning and the organisation of the teaching process. “The room of the nature” is an integrate axis that guarantees the natural teaching. Its tools are mobile, informative, different and numerous. In the “room” there are a lot of material about plants, animals and nature, games, corners of the light, the sand and relax, the library, the Internet, etc. Teachers organise the educational projects that show the peculiarities of the region; use the integrate activities with art, mental development and etc. It is important to collaborate with the school because common studies help to find the teaching (learning) gaps. In the article there is a project of the kindergarten “room” with activities of the nature study for one year. The equipment of the separate “nature room” guarantees wider, more creative, more informative space for the development of children`s understanding about the nature.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TEACHER

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On the eve of the glorious 80th anniversary, Rita Makarskaitė-Petkevičienė, Associate Professor of Vilnius Pedagogical University, talks to Professor Elena Šapokienė

END

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End page, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2008, GU/NSE