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ISSN 1648-3898 Journal of Baltic Science Education, No.1, 2002-02-20; pp. 25-35.
NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION AT BASIC SCHOOL: SOME DIDACTIC
ASPECTS
Vincentas Lamanauskas
Šiauliai University, Department of Science Didactics, Lithuania
Abstract. Some aspects of Natural Science Education at Lithuania’s Basic School are being researched in the
article. It is being introduced a part of the survey “Situation and peculiarities of Natural Science Education at
Basic School”, that took place in 2000/01 and was addressed to the essential didactic features. Particular
attention is being paid to the analysis of the views and opinions of the teachers of Natural Science Education.
Also, the view of teachers to the structure of Natural Science subjects, teaching methods, standardization and
other questions, connected with Basic School, is being analyzed in the article.
Key words: Natural Science Education, Basic School, Teaching Process.
Urgency
The problems of Natural Science Education were exceptionally pressing and actively examined
in the last decade of the 20th century (Bunderson D., 1996; Anderson T., 1996; Gedrovics J., 2001).
Regular researches on this subject are held by The International Association for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement. 44 countries took part in the TIMSS workshop in 1996. Preliminary jobs
have started on a broader scale of the research in the PISA (Program for International Student
Assessment). It will be carried out by OECD. Unusually a great deal of attention is being paid to
Natural Science Education in the countries of the North. In autumn 1997, a conference of Council of
Ministers of countries of the North was held in Bergen (Norway). It looked into the questions of
Natural Science Education in this region. Scientific conferences of countries of the North named
“Natural Sciences at school” take place every three years. For example, in June, 1999, the 6th
symposium of countries of the North, discussing questions of Natural Science Education was
organized in Finland (the 7th is supposed to happen in Norway, in 2002). In September 7-14, a
convention of higher schools lecturers of countries of the North took place in Greenland, where much
attention was also paid to Natural Science Education. In October 3-6, 2000, an international
symposium was arranged in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where tendencies of Natural Science
Education were also actively analyzed (Science and Education on the Threshold of the 3rd
Millennium). The latter workshop paid great attention to the problems of education scope of the so
called “East”. By the way, the same year the second international scientific conference “Science and
Teacher Training” took place in Daugpilis (Latvia). In March 21- 23, 2001 the third international
scientific conference “Science and Teacher Training” took place in Riga. In March 15-18, 2001 the
29th congress of NERA (Nordic Educational Research Association) of countries of the North took
place in Sweden. Not a much attention has been paid to teaching Natural Sciences at school.
Of late years concern over falling education in the sphere of Natural Science Education is
being expressed in Lithuania as well as in foreign countries. Different surveys (5, 7, 8, 10) show, that
pupils poorly know animate and inanimate nature after graduating secondary school. Also, their
modern, true world’s image of natural science is not formed. Holistic understanding of natural
phenomena is insufficient. Systematic point of view is missed when analyzing natural phenomena.
The bases of systematic thinking are weak. It is obvious even in the U.S., that there is a big part of the
environment that is completely lost becoming acquainted with science, mathematics or technical
matters next to the one of progress of science and perfect representatives of it (Goodstein, D., 2001).
A rhetorical question is formulated by D.Goodstein: how can the same system produce scientific
elites and illiterates? Not without reason the prestigious U.S. organization AAAS (American
Association for the Advancement of Science) made ready a project, that is called the Project 2061.
The aim of this project is literacy of Natural Science for all Americans’/ (AAAS, 1989).
Problems of Natural Science Education in Lithuania in 1990-2000 have being researched and
analyzed not actively enough. The lack of methodological substantiation, search of new conceptions
and theories is being evidently felt.
The goal of the article is analysis of some didactic aspects of Natural Science Education at
Basic School presenting results of the research.
Tasks of the research:
1. Giving proof of Natural Science Education problems in the new century.
2. Analysis of views, regulations and estimation of natural science teachers discussing the questions
of natural science education at Basic School.
3. Carrying out analysis of monographic opinions of natural subjects’ teachers with respect to
developing programs, student books and workbooks.
4. Making conclusions and statistic analysis of the research data.
The method of the research and a characteristic of the respondents
The research is carried out using a special questionnaire. The nominal and ranking scales are
being used in the questionnaire. It covered the following main spheres:
1. Professional competence of natural subjects’ teachers.
2. Didactic aspects of Natural Science Education at Basic School.
3. Resources of Natural Science Education (visual, technical and other teaching material and
literature, etc.) at Basic School.
4. Demographic indexes.
Peculiarities of Natural Science Education were analyzed after estimating the sample of 362
Lithuanian teachers. The research “The state and peculiarities of Natural Science Education at Basic
School” took place in 2000/2001. Results of the research, connected with didactic aspects of Natural
Science Education at Basic School are presented in the article (sphere 2). The sample was made using
a seriated (bunch) principle. The teachers working at schools of different regions in Lithuania
(districts) got into the researching sample. The following numbers of participants of the research can
be provided: 18,5% of respondents represented schools situated on the countryside, 23% of those
were teachers from district centers and 57,7% - from the biggest Lithuanian towns (Vilnius, Kaunas,
Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Panevėžys). Distribution of respondents according to the previous experience
of teaching and the rank of qualification is presented in the tables 1 and 2.
Table 1
Distribution of respondents according to the previous experience of teaching
Previous experience Absolute frequency N Relative frequency %
0 – 5 years 37 10,2
6 – 10 years 75 20.7
11 – 15 years 62 17,1
16 – 20 years 45 12,4
21 – 25 years 42 11,6
25 years and more 101 27,9
Total 362 100,0
Table 2
Distribution of respondents according to the rank of qualification
Rank Absolute frequency N Relative frequency %
Teachers 52 14,4
Senior teachers 196 54,1
Teachers methodologists 76 21,0
Teachers experts 38 10,5
Total 362 100,0
Following the appraisals of the presented results in the above tables, the preliminary
conclusion, that the least of the young teachers having a period of the previous experience less than 5
years are working at school, can be done. The most predominating rank of qualification is that of a
senior teacher.
Although the profession of a natural science teacher, to our mind, is “sufficiently fits for
men”, 92,3% of the women teachers and only 7,7% of those of the men participated in the research.
That shows us being Lithuanian school a “womanlike” one once again. We think that the latter fact
influences on natural pupils’ motivation and personal interest in relating their future with natural
science subjects a great deal.
The most part of the respondents (62,4%) have graduated the Pedagogical University of
Vilnius (earlier the Pedagogical Institute of Vilnius), 24,6% - Vilnius University, 9,7% - the
University of Šiauliai (earlier the Pedagogical Institute of Šiauliai) and 3,3% - different educational
institutions having non- pedagogical type.
To edit the results the SSPS statistic package has been used. The criterion of χ2 has been put
into practice for examination of hypotheses and Spearmen’s coefficient of correlation has been used
to point out connections existing among indications.
Results of the research
There is little publications in the literature of Lithuanian education where Natural Science
Education research should be presented. As a matter of fact, there are no exhaustive and
representable research to be done during the period of 1999-2000. In the literature of foreign
countries there are not a few publications analyzing different pedagogic, didactic, methodic, etc.
aspects of Natural Science Education at general school. Notably much attention is being granted to
the problems of integrated Natural Science Education (Pigdon K., 1993; Woolley M., 1993; Eric
V.Tsang, 1997; Gedrovics J. & Wareborn, 1999 and others). Our research, carried out in 1997, lets us
affirm that questions connected with Natural Science Education in Lithuania are very urgent
(Lamanauskas V., 2000). The task of modern pedagogy in Lithuania is to analyze purposes, tasks and
content of Natural Science Education and to examine peculiarities of methods and teaching
technologies involving other questions as well. On the basis of research the process of Natural
Science Education can be improved successfully and effectively enough in all stages of Lithuanian
general school including primary, basic and secondary schools.
Very often the teachers of natural subjects at basic school emphasize lack of knowledge of
natural science education at primary school. It is clear enough, that primary school plays a very
important role in the whole system of general education and here obtained propedeutic natural
science education is very important. Basically, natural science preparation at primary school is being
realized as a course of “World’s Cognition”, that consists of two conditionally marked parts:
1. A child and nature.
2. A child and the social environment.
The component of social raising predominates in this course. Cognition of nature takes less than
50%. Extra activities based on cognition of nature slightly influence pupils’ education of natural
science at primary school. Estimation results of natural subjects’ teachers certifying pupils’ natural
science education at primary school are being presented in the table 3.
Table 3
Estimation of pupils’ natural science education obtained at primary school (N%)
Estimation level N %
Sufficient 144 39,8
Partly sufficient 172 47,5
Insufficient 46 12,7
Total 362 100,0
As we can see from the above table, only 39,8% of natural subjects' teachers think that
sufficient natural science education is being certified at primary school. 12,7% of them find it being
insufficient. Such estimation depends on the teachers’ previous experience of teaching (χ2=57,20
df=6, p<0,05). Natural science education at primary school is estimated the most insufficiently by the
teachers having the lowest rank of qualification. The teachers methodologists and experts estimate
natural science education at primary school the most sufficiently. The estimation also depends on the
teachers’ previous experience of teaching (χ2=120,30, df=10, p<0,05). The most critical (natural
science education at primary school is estimated as insufficient one) are the teachers whose previous
experience of teaching at school is less than 5 years. As a rule, these teachers have also the lowest
rank of qualification.
A very important didactic component of teaching process is the structure of natural science
subjects at school. At the moment, in Lithuania classes from 1 to 10 can be referred as Basic school.
In the 5th and 6th year of teaching the integrated (inseparable different spheres of natural science)
natural science course “Nature and the Human” is being taught. Physics as an independent course is
being started to teach in the seventh form, chemistry – in the eight form and geography – in the sixth
one. The course of biology in the seventh and eighth forms is partly integrated. But in the ninth form
the most part of attention is being paid to the Human’s biology, in the tenth form – to ecology. As a
matter of fact, the courses of biology (including the Human’s biology), chemistry and physics taught
in the ninth and tenth forms can be described as generalizing ones. These two forms is a starting level
of educational profiling (Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos Bendrosios programos, 1997). Such
structure has formed since 1995 – 96. Results about teachers’ estimation of the latter are being
presented in the table 4.
Table 4
The structure of natural subjects at basic school according to the teachers’ point of view (N%)
Level of estimation N %
Suitable structure 75 20,7
Partly suitable structure 278 76,8
Unsuitable structure 92,5
Total 362 100,0
Only 20,7% of the teachers think that such structure is suitable and have no reproofs. 76,8%
of the respondents think that this kind of arrangement is a partly suitable one and possible to be
improved.
An urgent didactic task is standardization of natural science education. The projects of
standards of natural science education for the basic school were arranged in Lithuania in 1997
(Bendrojo išsilavinimo standartai…, 1997). They define knowledge, abilities and regulations of value
that should have pupils after basic school graduation. The standards are being presented using three
levels: a minimal one, describing pupils’ achievements necessary for favorable response, the main
one, establishing basic literacy of natural science, and the higher level that points out outstandingly
good accomplishments. Different opinions exist when being discussed the projects of standards. The
teachers of natural science at basic school estimate them as follows (table 5).
Table 5
The standards of natural science education at basic school according to the teachers’ point of view (N%)
Level of estimation N %
Properly prepared 57 15,7
Preparation is partly proper 278 76,8
Improperly prepared 14 3,9
Having no acquaintance 13 3,6
76,8% of the teachers think that the standards of education were prepared in inappropriate
way and almost 4% of the respondents are completely unfamiliar with those. The standards vary
when being estimated by the teachers of different subjects. Statistically important variations among
different subjects teachers’ estimation are established. The most benevolently (properly prepared) the
standards are being estimated by the teachers of physics and biology, the most unfavorably – by those
of chemistry (χ2=70,72 df=12, p<0,05). The standards as properly prepared were estimated by
37,5% of physicists, 16,4% of biologists and 9,5% of chemists.
Teaching subjects of natural sciences is specific. Original teaching methods and forms are
being put into practice in the process of Natural Science Education. We tried to disclose what method
of teaching is the most appropriate for the teachers of natural science subjects.
Table 6
The most appropriate method in teaching subjects of natural science (N%)
The method of teaching N %
Sensualistic 00,0
Empiric 14 3,9
Rational 56 15,5
Logical – algorithmic 59 16,3
Problematic 228 63,0
Euristic 51,4
Total 362 100,0
As you can see from the above table, the most appropriate way of teaching is a problematic
one. Even 63,0% of the teachers think it seems to be the best.
The content of Natural Science Education reflects on the student books and the workbooks. The
main principles, rules, etc. of content of Natural Science Education are being conveyed in the
programs and the teacher books. It is important that the student books and the workbooks used at
school satisfied the programs of Natural Science Education. The teachers’ estimations show that
virtually the student books and the workbooks satisfy the programs of Natural Science Education
(table 7).
Table 7
Accordance of content of the student books and the workbooks to the programs of Natural Science
Education (N%)
Estimation object Estimation level N %
Satisfy 154 42,5
Partly satisfy 206 56,9
Student books
Don’t satisfy 20,6
Satisfy 114 31,5
Partly satisfy 245 67,7
Workbooks
Don’t satisfy 30,8
The tendency, that the workbooks meet the requirements of Natural Science Education
programs less benevolently than those of the student books, is very noticeable but virtually these
estimations are not interrelated (χ2=407,07 df=4; p<0,05; Spearman’s coefficient of correlation is
0,67). It shows the estimations being connected very closely. The teachers, estimating the student
books as ones meeting the programs, consider the workbooks similarly as well. But, according to the
teachers’ point of view, the content of Natural Science Education that is reviewed in the programs, is
insufficiently related with reality (table 8).
Table 8
Estimation of connections of content of Natural Science Education with reality that is defined in the
programs (N%)
Estimation level N %
Related 79 21,8
Partly related 270 74,6
Not related 13 3,6
Only 21,8% of the teachers see the content of Natural Science Education and reality related
considerably.
The 21st century produces new qualified projects of Natural Science Education. One of them is
successive and systematic ecologically based education. This area is an integral one, joining into one
complex different fields of Natural Science Education. The General Instructions /Programms/ of
Lithuania’s general school emphasize that these questions should be discussed at basic school
sufficiently enough. The strategy and program of acts of ecological education of the environment of
the Republic of Lithuania, ratified by the Government of Lithuania in 1998, require to be interested in
this sphere more exhaustively (Lietuvos Respublikos visuomenės…, 1998). The task is hardly
achieved. According to the teachers’ point of view, the discussing sphere is being performed
insufficiently at basic school in the present content of Natural Science Education (table 9).
Table 9
Indication of ecological and environmental problems at basic school in the content of Natural Science
Education (N%)
Estimation level N %
Sufficient 109 30,1
Partly sufficient 210 58,0
Insufficient 43 11,9
As we can see from the table 9, only 30,1% of the teachers have favorable responses. They
suppose the ecological – environmental questions being performed sufficiently well in the content of
educational process.
To accomplish Natural Science Education effectively, new information is exclusively
important. The results, pointing out the most frequent sources when searching for the latest
information connected with Natural Science Education, put on the table 10.
Table 10
The most frequent sources used searching for the latest information by teachers of natural science
Information source %
Books 48,1
Newspapers, magazines, other kinds of press 27,1
Television 12,8
Internet 11,5
Others (courses, colleagues’ experience, etc.) 0,5
It is possible to affirm that still the main source of information is books. Television provides
not much information. Actually, the commercial TV channels, which are broadcasting their programs
in Lithuania, do not pay attention to the now discussing topic. Only 11,5% of natural science teachers
obtain the latest information about different aspects of the subject using the Internet. The difference is
notably high at schools on the countryside and in the small villages, where, actually, opportunities of
using the Internet almost lost.
The most important teachers’ ideas about improving Natural Science Education at school are
being produced in the table 10.
Table 11
The most important ideas of teachers about improving Natural Science Education
With respect to the
educational programs
With respect to the student
books
With respect to the workbooks
”Much time is required for
practice”; ”Clear inter-
subjectivistic integration is
necessary”; “The programs of
different subjects are poorly
interrelated”; “Contribution of
the teachers-practitioner
compiling the programs should
be more influential”; “Poor
material conditions prevent
from fulfilling tasks and aims
foreseen in the program”;
“Lack of specific character in
the programs.”
“Less theory”; “There is only
formal news in the student books
for the forms 5 and 6. The
absence of material for education
about understanding of nature is
being felt”; “The units of
measurement should be unified in
the student books of physics and
chemistry”;
“The student books vary too
often”; “Translated student books
are not suitable”; “The latest
student books of chemistry are
extremely difficult to
understand”; “The content of the
student books must be
integrated”;
“Some student books have
hygienic inadequacy: they are
difficult, format is not suitable,
etc.”
“The workbooks are expensive and
not all pupils can obtain them”;
“The tasks should be arranged
according to the seasons of the
year”; “The workbook have to
satisfy the content of the student
book really well”; “The workbooks
are often being adapted not paying
attention to the standards”; “The
tasks have to be differentiated
according to the levels and separate
courses in the workbooks”; “The
workbooks shouldn’t be published
separately and practice should be
presented in the student books.”
Conclusions
1. The teachers of natural science estimate proposed natural science education at primary school
rather critically. The young teachers, whose experience of teaching is less than a period of 5 years,
are the most critical.
2. The teachers of physics and biology estimate the standards of Natural Science Education the most
benevolently and the teachers of chemistry are the most unfavorable with the present situation.
3. The teachers of natural sciences prefer a problematic way of teaching (63% of respondents).
4. The analysis of teachers’ estimations shows that the student books and the workbooks of the latest
editions used at basic school virtually satisfy the requirements of Natural Science Education
programs.
5. The most important source of the latest information about natural science for the teachers is books.
The Internet is still poorly used by the teachers of natural science. Only 11,5% of the teachers the
most frequently find the latest information when using the Internet.
6. According to the teachers, ecological and environmental problems at basic school in the content of
Natural Science Education revealed insufficiently well.
References
AAAS /Science for all Americans – A Project 2061 Report on Literacy Goals in Science,
Mathematics and Technology The American Association for the Advancement of Science/ (1989).
New York.
Bendrojo išsilavinimo standartai I-X klasės /Projektas 2/. (1997). Vilnius: Leidybos centras.
Bunderson Eileen, D., & Anderson, T. (1996). Preservice Elementary Teachers' Attitudes
Towards Their Past Experience With Science Fairs. School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 96(7),
p.371-377.
Gedrovics, J., & Wäreborn, I. (1999). Integrationssträvanden inom naturvetenskaplig
undervisning. Nordisk Pedagogik, Vol 19, Nr. 2, 130-137.
Gedrovics, J., & Lamanauskas, V. (2001). Science Education for Prospective Pre-School and
Primary School Teachers: Students Attitude. Science and Teacher Training: III-rd International
Scientific Conference (p.44). Riga.
Goodstein, D. (2001). Science Education Paradox. Technology Review, Vol. 104 Issue 7, p.90.
Lamanauskas, V. (1998). Integrated natural sciences teaching by applying didactic
differentiation (Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation). Vilnius: Vilnius Pedagogical University
Publishing House.
Lamanauskas, V. (1999). Tendencies of Pupils Natural Science News Development. In:
Changing Education in a Changing Society (pp. 173-179). Klaipėda, ATEE Spring University.
Lamanauskas, V. (1999). Certain Aspects of Humanisation of Natural Science Education. In:
Gerd-Bodo Reinert & Irena Musteikienė (Hrsg.), Litauische Gesprache zur Padagogik. Humanismus-
Demokratie-Erziehung (pp. 169-172). Frankfurt an Main, Peter Lang.
Lamanauskas, V. (2000). The Issue of Natural Sciences Literacy of Teachers. In: Наука и
образование на пороге 3 тысячелетия-The Science and Education on the Threshold of the 3rd
Millennium (International Congress)(Vol. 2, pp. 63-65). Minsk.
Lamanauskas, V. (2000). Integruotas gamtos mokslų dalykų mokymas: nuomonės ir
požiūriai. Pedagogika, 47, 68-76.
Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos Bendrosios programos (1997). Vilnius: Leidybos
centras.
Lietuvos Respublikos visuomenės aplinkosauginio švietimo strategija ir veiksmų programa.
(1998). Vilnius: AAM Leidybos biuras.
Pigdon, K., & Wooley, M. (1993). The Big Picture: Integrating Children's Learning.
Portsmouth: Heinemann.
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Резюме
ЕСТЕСТВЕННОНАУЧНОЕ ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ В ОСНОВНОЙ ШКОЛЕ:
НЕКОТОРЫЕ ДИДАКТИЧЕСКИЕ АСПЕКТЫ
Винцентас Ламанаускас
Естественнонаучное образование одна из самых важных областей в реформируемой
общеобразовательной школе Литвы. Приоритет естественнонаучного образования разумеется
сам собой, т. к. эта область включает в себя весь спектр самовыражения учащихся, а также их
взаимоотношения с природой. Нельзя утверждать, что в Литве не было теоретического
обсуждения проблемы естественнонаучного образования, однако, это не стало ярко
выраженной тенденцией. Интегрирование учебного содержания и учебной деятельности в
преподовании естественнонаучных предметов на второй ступени общеобразовательной школы
– актуальная дидактическая задача. Вопросы интегрированного обучения естественнонаучных
дисциплин должны рассматриваться комплексно: система ценностей личности, теоретические
знания личности, практические умения личности. В учебных программах должна проявляться
не только интеграция содержания, но и интеграция учебного процесса.
Проводя исследование, мы руководствовались двумя предпосылками: 1) исследования
содержания развития обобщающего характера и изменений процесса часто не приносят
желаемого результата, если не получается оперативная и исчерпывающая возвратная
информация; 2) индикаторы мнений (в данном случае учителей) являются очень важными при
оценке изменений и процесса содержания развития и предвидения возможности
совершенствования. При организации исследования использовалась анкета опросов - мнений
и оценок (экспертное исследование). В исследовании приняло участие 362 педагога
естественных предметов.
Основные выводы:
1. Учителя естественники приоритет отдает проблемному способу обучения (63%).
2. Основной источник новейшей естественнонаучной информации – книги. Только 11,5%
учителей пользуется Интернетом для получения информации.
3. Учителя естественники критически относяться к естественнонаучному образованию в
начальной школе. Особенно критически относяться молодые учителя, со стажом работы в
школе до 5 лет.
4. Положительно оцениваеть образовательные стандарты учителя физики и биологии, а
учителя химии неблагосклонны к ним.
5. 58,0 % учителей считает, что экологические проблемы от части хорошо отражены в
содержании естественнонаучного образования основной школы.
Ключевые слова: естественнонаучное образование, основная школа, процесс обучения.
Received 20 December 2001; accepted 10 January 2002.
Vincentas Lamanauskas
Doctor of Social Science, Associate Professor at Siauliai University /Lithuania/,
Faculty of Education, Science Education Research Center,
Visinskio Street 25,
LT-5400 Siauliai, Lithuania;
Phone: +370 1 595752,
E-mail: vincentas@osf.su.lt ; gamtamokslinis@one.lt
http://www.su.lt/lt/part600/pedfak/laman.htm
© Scientific Methodical Center “Scientia Educologica”, Lithuania, 2002
