Search

In this article we examine the book El estudio de la naturaleza en la escuela by the Danish pedagogue Vilhelm Rasmussen (1869–1939), published by Editorial Labor in Barcelona in 1933, and its influence on the pedagogical standpoint of Margarita Comas Camps (1892–1972). Comas, who translated the book into Spanish, was a member of the group of educators of trainee teachers that spearheaded the project for the renewal of science teaching during the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939). In line with the pedagogical principles and ideas of the New School and Nature Study movements, Rasmussen – science writer, social democratic politician, atheist and Darwinist – proposed replacement of the textbook and the memorisation of concepts in natural science classes, by observation, dialogue and drawing, as well as studies of the relationships between living things in their natural environment through outdoor excursions and the use of aquaria and terraria in the classroom. We analyse Comas's Spanish translation of Nature study in the school published in England in 1929 from the Danish original of 1909, as well as Rasmussen's pedagogical proposals that Comas included in Contribución a la metodología de las ciencias naturales (1937), the last of her books to be published prior to her exile in England. In Rasmussen, an author from a country geographically and culturally distant from Spain, Comas found an outstanding reference for the teaching of natural sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the application of the Problem Solving method on the learning outcomes of Natural Sciences in class V SDN 1 Kawo. The type of research used by researchers in this study is the type of Quasi Experimental Design. The research method used is experimental research. In this study, there were two class groups, namely the experimental class and the control class. The experimental class is a class that is given treatment in the form of Problem Solving methods while the control class is a class that uses conventional methods. Based on the results of data analysis and discussion entitled the influence of problem solving models on science lessons, ecosystem material on the learning outcomes of grade V students of SDN 1 Kawo, there are t test results and it is known that the average pre-test is 18.21 after a post-test of 21.00 so that the increase is 2.79. Furthermore, based on the t test, a calculated value of 15.694 was obtained. The t value of the table with df 32 at a significant level of 5% is 2.037. Therefore t count> ttableOr (15.694 > 2.037) and the significance value is smaller than 0.05 (0.00 < 0.05) so that it can be stated that there is a significant increase in the learning outcomes score of experimental group students or those given learning with the Problem Solving model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine whether and how teachers' major fields in college affect students' achievement, exploiting within-student variation across subfields in natural science (i.e. physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth science). Using middle-school students' data from the TIMSS and controlling for student-teacher fixed effects, we find that teachers improve students' achievement in subfields of natural sciences correspond to their college majors. Teaching practices explain about half of the effect, mostly accounted for by teachers' preparation for teaching science topics. The results are robust to potential endogenous matching between students and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay places Wollstonecraft’s late novel Maria; or, The Wrongs of Woman (1798) in conversation with Rousseau’s thought on natural education in Emile (1762). In both texts, aesthetic sensibility is a foundation of religious belief and a crucial feature of a program of natural education that aims at freedom. Education falters, however, as Rousseau’s student and Wollstonecraft’s heroine are consigned to exile by a prejudiced society. Though Rousseau and Wollstonecraft make strong claims for the moral and liberating possibilities of aesthetic sensibility, they differ in their interpretation of exile. Wollstonecraft rewrites Rousseau’s portrait of the self-sufficient exile to highlight her outcast heroine’s estrangement from the vital forces that animate life and the mind. Natural education fails in Wrongs of Woman because the cultivation of sensibility remains separate from the work of reforming the social structures that discredit women’s reason. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural history includes the period from the formation of the Earth to recent times and all the changes it has gone through throughout this vast period. The biggest challenge in understanding natural history is the age of the Earth. Even though natural history is quite difficult to understand, pre-service science teachers are expected to be knowledgeable about this matter to a fundamental degree. Therefore, this study aims to determine the knowledge levels of secandary school students and pre-service science teachers on some natural history topics and compare compare these two groups in this context. To conduct such research in which a qualitativenatured case study design was used, the data obtained through 15 open-ended questions were analyzed through content analysis. As a result, percentages of correct answers regarding the time perception component were quite low both for secaondary students and pre-service science teachers. While both groups were close in the component of the transformation of the Earth, it was founden that students answered more questions correctly. As expected, pre-service teachers correctly answered more questions regarding the component of diversity of living things than the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textbooks are essential for natural science university education. However, recent evidence indicates that their design may not be ideal for learning, whereas narratives might overcome the associated limitations. This study compares transfer performance and involved learning mechanisms upon learning scientific concepts either provided in an expository text alone, embedded in a historical narrative, or as expository text prefaced with the historical background. Participants were 163 undergraduate natural science students. We randomly assigned students to one of the three conditions and used a Bayesian modeling approach to compare the prior knowledge-dependent transfer performance upon instruction. Additionally, we investigated the impact of the different conditions on affective and cognitive mechanisms. Results indicate that students with lower prior knowledge benefit most from narrative-embedded content. Students with higher prior knowledge profited if narratives were used as preparation for follow-up expository instruction. Self-efficacy and cognitive load measures were positively related to the narrative conditions and partly mediated learning from narrative instruction. The study conceptualized and offers support for using narratives as preparation for future learning for enhancing transfer performance in university natural science education, additionally highlighting when and why narratives might support learning. [Display omitted] • Prior knowledge influences which instruction is most effective for learning. • Historical narratives aid transfer performance most for low-knowledge students. • Narrative prior to expository instruction benefits knowledgeable students most. • Learning with a narrative positively impacted self-efficacy and cognitive load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated interaction and discourse during teacher classroom practices in the Senior Phase Natural Sciences in some rural schools positioned in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The research method employed was a qualitative interpretative multiple case study design. Two schools were selected, and one Natural Science teacher from each school participated in this study. Classroom observations and interviews were used to collect data from Senior phase Natural Sciences teachers. Natural sciences teachers were interviewed in their schools and observed during classroom practice. The findings of the study show that the type of discourse observed from Natural Sciences teachers was authoritative discourse and the pattern of discourse employed was Initiation Response Evaluation. Teacher questioning was used to develop the lesson and evaluate learner understanding. Teachers used an interactive-authoritative communicative approach during their lesson presentations. The consequences of the approaches the teachers use limit the opportunities for learners to interact amongst themselves and the subject content. It is recommended that besides focusing on subject matter knowledge during continuous development programs, there is a need to focus on interactions and discourse. Furthermore, there is a need to conduct further studies on a large scale so that a suitable intervention program can be designed for in-service teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Connectedness to nature (C2N) shows a positive relationship with many factors supporting children's health, wellbeing, and development. In addition, C2N has been shown to have a positive relationship with learning about and caring for nature. Despite a long history of outdoor education in early childhood settings in Sweden, C2N is not a concept that early childhood professionals widely use. In this study, we aimed at investigating whether early childhood educators perceived C2N as a valuable idea for their professional efforts. Further, the possible relationship between early science learning and C2N was explored. Specifically, Swedish preschool teachers' view on how natural science teaching as part of the Swedish National Curriculum for Preschool could promote children's connectedness to nature. Teachers from two preschools participated in a connectedness to nature workshop and subsequently reflected on their teaching in a questionnaire and during two follow-up discussions. The data reveals a broad set of content regarding natural science teaching and connectedness to nature in the preschool setting. Results indicate that teachers focus on children's interests, participation, and collaboration in their work with children. Further, results indicate educators perceive their role as someone exploring nature together with children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study describes an innovative methodology for teaching natural and mathematical sciences in the context of distance learning using modern technological solutions and based on the concepts of active social learning that involves constructivist, problem-oriented, project and research approaches. The proposed methodology was tested on 80 students enrolled in two training courses in [BLINDED] University and [BLINDED] University, respectively: Mathematics Teaching in the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) context and Molecular Biology. The psychological safety of the proposed pedagogical methodology was investigated by assessing the level of psychological well-being of the participants in the educational process using the Scale of psychological well-being questionnaire developed by C. D. Ryff that was adapted to the educational context. The results of the study showed that the proposed pedagogical methodology was safe in relation to the life of students. It generally improved their perception of learning and themselves in the role of its participants, promoted positive self-esteem in group learning contacts, and, by developing learning involvement and interest through the Clil technology, qualitatively contributed to the achievement of educational progress by each student. The developed innovative methodology for teaching natural and mathematical sciences can be used as a pedagogical model for developing effective training courses. The demonstrated assessment of the level of psychological well-being adapted to the educational context can serve as a basis for the development of motivational learning strategies that support students in crisis learning conditions during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview of information about the squirrel as one of the most notable symbol species is presented. This species is associated with a huge amount of etymological, folklore, historical, symbolic, environmental and research knowledge, initiatives, and research. That is why the squirrel has become one of the symbol species chosen by the Ukrainian Theriological Society in the cycle of annual actions "Years of Mammals". Therefore, this review is largely related to the events devoted to the Year of the Squirrel 2020 in Ukraine. Among the already traditional measures aimed at disseminating knowledge, the cycle "21 most famous facts" is presented: a collection of important information about the squirrel, its biological and behavioural characteristics, and its role in human society. Information on the use of squirrels in symbols—images on coats of arms of different cities, mentions in folklore, the use of images in other areas—is also considered. Information on the colour forms of this rodent is also given, which can be distinguished by acquaintance with squirrels common in Ukraine. Research and projects on squirrels conducted in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, including the preparation of scientific and student works, school projects and photo galleries, are noted separately. Information on the etymology and synonyms of the Ukrainian common name of the squirrel and the areas of their use are presented. The squirrel as a symbol species of 2020 in the activity of the Ukrainian Theriological Society was chosen as a symbol for the logo of the 27th Theriological School organised in Zalishchyky (the school was postponed due to the Covid pandemic). According to the established tradition, a gallery of images of the squirrel sent to the Council of the Society by Ukrainian colleagues was prepared, and the most interesting ones reflecting the plasticity of the species and the variability of its colouration are presented in this review. A photograph of the squirrel is placed on the cover of the current volume of the journal Theriologia Ukrainica (Vol. 20), and the volume itself contains two scientific articles on this species.

The main aim of this paper was to analyze how medicinal gardens in secondary schools can improve teaching-learning processes in rural settings. The sample comprised 179 students (69.3% girls) from a rural public secondary school in the province of Huila (Colombia). The age of the participants ranged from 15 to 17 years with a mean of 15.86 years (SD = 0.86). Seeking school motivation strategies for rural students from a rural institution in the municipality of Guadalupe, teachers of the natural sciences designed didactic-pedagogical alternatives employing situated learning that would allow them to contribute to solving school problems and environmental issues affecting rural areas. The environmental phenomena included the loss of fertile soils and the harmful effects of the use of agrochemicals. Medicinal gardens together with situated learning activities proved a useful teaching tool in formal rural educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay offers numerous ideas on how to integrate science and history into classroom pedagogy in a way that acknowledges the contributions of women and other groups underrepresented in science by highlighting the cultural and political contexts in which science developed rather than by adding token individuals to a history of science still largely defined by the achievements of a few great men. It details how students in a General Education class co-taught by a botanist and a historian of science at the Evergreen State College not only gained skills in field botany and vegetation analysis but also became more informed about how modern scientific disciplines took shape. Recognizing that race, class, and gender have played a role in how science developed, the students' understanding of the complicated legacy of scientific inquiry gave them tools to be more rigorous in their thinking about scientific practice. This interdisciplinary approach, so crucial in fostering inclusivity in scientific disciplines, also promoted a deeper engagement with historical inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new model of Polish education was designed by the Komisja Edukacji Narodowej (KEN). The Commission, established in 1773, was the first ministry of education in Europe. It dealt not only with problems related to the learning–teaching process, but also promoted scientific development. The present analysis is an attempt at examining the process of implementation of the Enlightenment-based education system in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the second half of the eighteenth century. The main research objective is to answer the question whether the education reform introduced by the KEN could have a long-lasting influence on the education system in Central and Eastern Europe. The authors work on the thesis that the reform was possible due to the pope's decision to dissolve the Society of Jesus, whose property was a sine qua non of the education reform, as it provided the reformers with funds necessary to introduce changes. The author raises the question whether qualifications of the scholars working there at that time were suitable to conduct research in the field of natural-mathematical sciences. This was necessary to educate a highly-qualified, "technical" elite of the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Slovakia, no relevant information is available about the scientific literacy levels achieved by secondary school students. Purpose: The objective of the research was to identify the levels of scientific literacy among students in the last year of grammar school and examine to what extent this determined the subject chosen for a school-leaving exam, which is related to a student's personal preferences, as well as to the student's profile and preparation for university education. Sample: The research sample consisted of 221 students from 17 grammar schools located in various regions of Slovakia. Design and methods: To identify the level of scientific literacy, we applied the Test of Scientific Literacy Skills. Results: The students achieved the lowest success rate in the skill focused on the identification of the research design elements and its strengths and weaknesses. A comparably low success rate was also observed in the skill focused on the justification of the conclusions based on quantitative data. Other difficulties were identified in the field of understanding the basics of statistics, thus indicating an insufficient level of mathematical literacy of the students in the abovementioned field. By contrast, the highest success rate was achieved in the skill focused on the correct application of the scientific results for social purposes. Conclusions: At the end of secondary school studies, the scientific literacy among Slovak students is at the average level. No differences were observed in terms of gender. In terms of the subjects chosen by the students for their school-leaving exams, we observed that those students who took a school-leaving exam in Biology or Chemistry achieved significantly better results in the test. By contrast, the students who reported on Geography and Civics as the subject of their school-leaving exam achieved significantly worse results in the test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)–based nature of science (NOS) teaching on pre-service science teachers' (PSTs) NOS views. The study is grounded by conceptual change and experiential learning theory. It is also framed by the teacher professional knowledge and skill (TPK&S) PCK model. This is an exploratory case study of PSTs' developments during a 14-week course to teach about NOS. Each participant's views of NOS and changes on these views were investigated as a multiple comparative case study. Thirty-nine PSTs participated. Multiple data collection includes open-ended questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, lesson plans, and reflective essays. Questionnaire responses and interview transcriptions were analyzed using the NOS views continuum scale. The remaining data including lesson plans and reflective essays were analyzed using content analysis. According to the analyses, most of the PSTs started the course with naive views about the NOS aspects at the beginning of the study. After attending the PCK-based NOS instruction, almost all of the PSTs dramatically developed their understandings of NOS, and they maintained their informed views a year later. The results of show that PCK-based NOS teaching was very effective and successful for improving PSTs' NOS understandings and maintaining these views in the long term. The findings have the potential to translate as practical advice for teachers, science educators, and future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature is moving more and more to the centre of educational reflections thanks to the upheavals of the nineteenth century. While one reflect on the modes of human progress and the fact that fear and optimism complement each other, nature is perceived as the ultimate source of truth and therefore the ideal means to educate new generations. The idea of a necessary return to nature is increasing. The turning point of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is characterised by the development of naturist movements in Europe. Their leaders quickly formalised complete educational projects and tried to establish and enforce them. This article is based on the analysis of a corpus of naturist and educational publications from the period concerned. Its challenge is to highlight the diversity and originality of naturist educational programmes, in order to better appreciate their influence within the education community. Focusing on the case of France, this study does not neglect an international perspective because of the importance of cultural circulation. It will be demonstrated that naturist ideas have had a major influence on the new education movement and in outdoor schools. Naturist considerations and practices are also diffused in the public schools of France, under the Popular Front in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thought on nature education plays an important role in both Eastern and Western history of educational thoughts. However, the rich thought on nature education in Pre-Qin Taoism in China was little-known in Western academia. Chuang Tzu was the co-founder and one of the main representative figures of Pre-Qin Taoism philosophy and nature education. This study will reveal the core contents of Chuang Tzu's thought on nature education mainly based on the analysis of Chuang Tzu. For Chuang Tzu, the aim of education is the individual's inner freedom. And in order to realise it, this study reveals, is not to learn knowledge or morals from somebody but to recognise the Way of Nature. The basic rules and methods of education are following the Way of Nature. But Chuang Tzu's understandings on nature and nature education are different from Rousseau. For Chuang Tzu, one may get real freedom only if he can find a way to reconcile with nature, society, and himself. These opinions may be very meaningful for today's education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Excursions in natural sciences education are justified in the current school system and within the scope of subject focus. The research aimed to observe the immediate impact of demonstration of the human dissection and excursion on the formation of ideas of students about the human body systems. METHODS: The experiment involved the first Slovak demonstration of a real human autopsy for students of the Biology Teaching Department (PdF TU in Trnava). Concepts of the structure of the human body were analyzed before and after experimental impact by a projective technique. The evaluation included the representation, description, and abundance of organs in the view of various systems. The subject of the research were also the questions focused on the use of illustrative procedures and tools in the educational process. RESULTS: Significant statistical differences were found in the group affected by human autopsy in understanding of the digestive, urinary, and locomotor systems. Conversely, the skin, endocrine glands, and lymphatic system were the least represented by the experimental groups. CONCLUSION: Considering the presented results, using different organizational forms and aids (real and virtual) is essential for bringing a positive educational effect on the studied problem (Tab. 1, Fig. 5, Ref. 20). Text in PDF www.elis.sk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education is moving toward increased online and blended learning formats; however, finding useful resources for such teaching can be challenging. One useful device for integrating multimedia in online and blended teaching is the open video repository (OVR), which principally provides freely accessible curated videos and also often suggestions for applying these videos to student learning. From a review of leading online sources in the social and natural sciences, this article describes the foundational OVR environment and acts as an initial guide for those interested in using OVRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific literacy is considered a crucial part of learners' basic capacities. In primary schools, scientific literacy is generally cultivated through the implementation of a natural science curriculum, in which botany is an essential course. To enhance learning effectiveness, learning activities that involve observing specific plants and carried out in outdoor learning environments have been widely adopted in instructional design. Augmented reality (AR) technology can provide views of the real-world environment simulated by a computer in connection with a target learning object. Hence, AR-based learning material was employed in this study to provide multifaceted views of plants being studied, thereby enhancing the learning experience. To validate the effectiveness of this approach, 54 third-grade students were recruited as participants in a plant observation activity that involved various learning materials. Their learning outcomes when using AR were measured according to Bloom's cognitive levels, showing the degree of learning achievement for different stages. According to the results, students in the experimental group observing the plants through AR had significantly greater comprehension compared with those in the control group, with respect to conceptual analysis and identification of leaf arrangement. The findings suggest that compared with the traditional learning approach involving plant observation, AR-based learning material could significantly enhance students' higher-level cognitive capabilities, enabling them to more effectively scaffold knowledge about target plants in the observational learning activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-literacy (knowledge of natural history, and direct observation of the natural world and the organisms it contains) is critical to a holistic understanding of biology. Many undergraduate biology students lack this knowledge and experience, often because of a lack of engagement with the environmental science curriculum. The effectiveness of service learning is well established, but few examples of service-learning projects in the context of natural history education have been published. We describe how we used best practices for the development of a field-based service-learning project in a college-level natural history course. The project was built around established learning goals and was conducted through a partnership with a local state park. Students worked in groups to conduct bird biodiversity surveys and prepared a printed bird-watching guide, which was presented to park staff. The project was linked to a series of assignments intended to maximize academic and personal growth, including a project plan, progress report, and reflection paper. Students reported increased engagement in the course curriculum and an increased sense of the relevance of the course content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the views of natural science teachers on their culture of collaboration and learning as a continuous professional development approach. It included the support received from their school leadership. The data were collected in a large province in South Africa by means of interviews and a questionnaire. Findings indicate contradictory results between interviews and questionnaires. The interviews reveal that many of the teachers did not collaborate with their colleagues while in the questionnaires they claim that they did. Also evident is that though some teachers do collaborate, the culture of learning is not formalised and not frequent. Further, there were shortfalls regarding the support provided by the school leadership. Thus, the author argues that collaboration has the potential to provide teachers with opportunities for professional growth within a school environment, thereby ultimately increasing their confidence in their teaching abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The logical-thinking ability is one of the important competencies of 21st century that should be empowered. It is one of the aspects in a cognitive science domain that has not been implemented effectively in teaching and learning. Then, this study aimed to analyzed the influence of generative learning model to enhance students' logical-thinking ability. This study was also conducted by using a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The sample was chosen by using simple random sampling technique. This study involved two classes which had 67 participants consisting of 34 students in Class VIII.9 as an experimental group and 33 students in Class VIII.7 as a control group. The researcher used the instrument of logical-thinking ability formulated in the form of multiple choice tests with five alternative answers that had been tested for its validity and reliability. The analysis of data employed t-test using SPSS 21. The result indicated that the t-count > t-table (2.44 > 1.99) and p-value = 0.017 (p <0.05). It could be concluded that the application of generative learning model resulted in a significant influence on students' logical-thinking ability. The result of the analysis could be used by the schools for evaluating the quality of natural science learning to encourage students' logical-thinking ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Web-based informatics tools such as eBird, iNaturalist, and NatureAtlas that allow anyone to find and share occurrences and observations of organisms in nature could readily be integrated with the time-honored specimen collection and field journaling components of taxon-based natural history courses. We find, however, that fewer than 2% of such courses have used any such tool. Consequently, the far majority of students receive no formal exposure to the 21st-century technologies and concepts that are transforming the data landscapes of the very fields the courses should be preparing them to enter. We conducted a seven-year, empirical assessment of the integration of such technology with coursework, and our results reveal why recognizing and correcting this shortcoming is critical. Our data indicate that such technology can enhance student engagement and student perception of learning, and that its broader integration with coursework could be a boon to regional and global efforts to document and conserve biodiversity. We conclude that the academic community is missing a tremendous opportunity to better engage future biologists and potential citizen-scientists in a critically important, emergent paradigm in biodiversity informatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portuguese schools hold important collections, most organised in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This scientific heritage, however, is still to be discovered. This article focuses on the creation, development, and role of natural history collections in Portuguese secondary schools, between the second half of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, that is, before and after the introduction of laboratory-based teaching in science education. Material culture is thus used to expand the current narrative of science teaching in Portugal, by tracking these kinds of collections. Contrary to the current view on science teaching in Portuguese secondary education, in this article I argue that by focusing on collections, and more generally on the material culture of secondary schools, a new picture emerges that contradicts the traditional discourse emphasising the scarcity of appropriate school buildings, infrastructure, and equipment. A brief overview of the current state of Portuguese natural history teaching collections is also provided, drawing attention to their vulnerability, given the absence of a general policy or guidelines orienting its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the successful factors of the curriculum 2013 implementation is the availability of appropriate and relevant teaching materials. Teaching materials can be textbooks, interactive videos, virtual labs, maket and so on. Unfortunately, there are still found many materials that are less in accordance with the curriculum of 2013. Therefore it should be developed a more appropriate teaching materials, one of them is a natural sciences module with reflective learning journal. The development of natural sciences modulewas done with research that aims to develop and analyze the effectiveness of natural sciences modulewith reflective learning journals. This research was an R&D research using development research procedure according to Thiagarajanthat known as 4D (define, design, develop and dessiminate). The data collection was done by test and non-test technique. Instrument that used in non test technique are interview guides, product validation sheet, students' response sheet to the readability of science nature modul with reflective learning journal., meanwhile the instrumen that used in test technique is essay question with reporting-interpretative skills's indicators. The results showed that the leligibility of the natural sciences module with reflective learning journal was categorized as approriate and effective to improve student's reporting-interpretative skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims at investigating teachers', principals', and school supervisors' views of scientific methods of natural science subjects at public elementary schools. Within a survey research method, the sample of the current study consisted of 135 teachers, 119 principals, and 116 supervisors drawn from public elementary schools in Yogyakarta, and seven regencies in the Central Java Province. The instruments developed by researchers were validated through expert's judgements. Findings showed that the teachers', principals', and school supervisors' views could be used for developing a learning continuum of "natural science" subjects in Grades 1 - 4. This continuum purposing to measure scientific methods of "natural science" subjects was constructed via a blue print of confirmatory tests using convergent and divergent patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of transdisciplinary approach to promote learners' interest in the acquisition of natural science at school provides new opportunities for a complex explanation of the phenomenon and improving the quality of the process of learning. The aim of the study is to explore the learners' cognitive interest, personal participation and the approaches chosen by teachers from the perspective of transdisciplinary approach. The study characterises students' subjective evaluations of their personal participation and cognitive interest in the subjects of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and the approaches used by teachers. The participants were 9th grade students from 17 Latvian schools (536 respondents) with the average age of 15.3 (SD=0.63). The results of the study showed that students' evaluations concerning their personal participation in the process of learning were contradictory. They devote little of their free time to the acquisition of science subjects. As to teachers' activity, a variety of teaching approaches are used. According to students' subjective evaluations, the constructivist learning approach corresponds to the trends of sustainable education, whereas the overall context in which the development of learners' cognitive interest in the acquisition of natural science subjects takes place at school highlights issues concerning the sustainable development of the system and the prospects of using the transdisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contents of eighth and ninth grade textbooks on the natural sciences, published in Colombia during the years from 2000 to 2010, are analyzed in this article. They can be interpreted as scientific racism within the framework of science teaching, the context, and cultural diversity and difference. The results discussed in this article are part of a doctoral dissertation entitled "Scientific Racism in School Textbooks on the Natural Sciences in Colombia". A qualitative methodology was used, and content analysis was the methodological design. Scientific racism was apparent in 14 of the 30 texts analyzed, due to legitimizing the biological concept of human races, using racist biological representations and naturalizing eugenics through the contents of genetics, evolution, taxonomy, human populations and biodiversity, with genetic content being the most frequent. The specific contents with manifestations of scientific racism are those related to inheritance and hereditary characteristics, the human genome, the species and variability, natural selection, adaptations, cultural biodiversity and demographic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aim to assess and analyse the extent of motivation and learning styles between students of natural science and social science. This study was carried out by survey research method using online questionnaire. The sample consists of 320 students from Faculty of Education in University of Jember and Sebelas Maret University. The questionnaire used to measure students learning motivation, was the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ) and inventory of learning styles (ILS), was used to measure student learning styles. Data gathered were analysed descriptively and inferentially using the SPSS package. Result from the descriptive analysis found that there is a significant difference between science and social science students in learning motivation and learning styles. There was also a positive relation between learning motivation and learning styles. The results of this study give useful information for improving the teaching and learning process of teachers and students, because the effective teaching and learning requires flexibility, creativity and responsibility in order to provide an instructional environment to respond to the learner's individual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the pedagogical achievements of Aleksander Yakovlevich Herd (1841 - 1888) is presented. Aleksander Herd is the most talented pedagogue of the second half of the 19th century and one of the brightest figures in the history of school natural sciences. He worked out the system of teaching natural sciences at school, paying attention to its educational importance, and he connected the methods of teaching with the content of subjects. He was the first who criticized the dogmatic method of A. Luben, a German educator, and he was also the first of Russian educators who tried to introduce the idea of historical development of nature into the curricula and textbooks of Russia in the 19th century. Aleksander Herd advocated the use of the evolutionally biological direction in teaching natural sciences. He worked out the methods of teaching the course of inanimate nature for junior pupils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the researcher developed new innovation in natural sciences learning of elementary school by implementing augmented reality technology. The method that used in this research was research and development method based on Borg and Gall theory which consists often stages: 1) research and information collecting, 2) planning, 3) develop preliminary for more product, 4) preliminary field testing, 5) main product revision, 6) main field testing, 7) operational product revision, 8) operational field testing, 9) final product revision, 10) dissemination and implementation. The result of this research is learning media of natural sciences learning in elementary school by utilizing augmented reality technology. Based on the implementation of experiment, it is obtained the data that learning process using augmented reality which is developed can improve the students' learning achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaponics is not only a forward-looking technology but it has also been proposed as a tool for teaching natural sciences at all school levels, from primary school to university. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become a widely accepted method of evaluating the environmental impact of products and services. In this context, the aims of this paper were:1) to create a low-price AP system for possible use as didactic tool using recovered material; 2) to evaluate the environmental impact of a micro AP model (1.5 m 2 ) through LCA analysis; 3) to verify whether this micro AP model is representative of full-scale AP systems (>50 m 2 ) in terms of water quality and water consumption. Both, the water quality and the average daily water consumption of our system were in line with data reported in literature for larger aquaponics. LCA shows that materials and energy flows linked to the system management practices and energy consumption principally contribute to environmental impacts. The cumulative annual energy demand of micro aquaponic system was 1040.5 kWh; assuming that this system was built for a class of 25 students, the energy consumption of the learning activity using the proposed micro aquaponic system would be 41.6 kWh student −1 year −1 . The results showed that the micro aquaponic system reliably mimics a full-scale unit and that it is a teaching tool with a relatively low environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key distinction of the present-day school education in natural sciences is linked to a need of building the environmental literacy within the environmental protection competence in a systematic fashion in order to ensure sustainable development of the society. Pedagogical framework for environmental literacy building through natural science education was developed and experimentally verified. This framework integrates learning, playing, labor and social activities by the students aimed at environmental protection on the basis of a systematic activitybased approach; facilitation of research potential and reflexive nature of environmental protection project-based work by the students; development of a range of environmental protection assignments tailored to the age of students; launching collaborative methodological and educational efforts of teachers and educators in the establishments providing supplementary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the researcher developed new innovation in natural sciences learning of elementary school by implementing augmented reality technology. The method that used in this research was research and development method based on Borg and Gall theory which consists of ten stages: 1) research and information collecting, 2) planning, 3) develop preliminary form of product, 4) preliminary field testing, 5) main product revision, 6) main field testing, 7) operational product revision, 8) operational field testing, 9) final product revision, 10) dissemination and implementation. The result of this research is learning media of natural sciences learning in elementary school by utilizing augmented reality technology. Based on the implementation of experiment, it is obtained the data that learning process using augmented reality which is developed can optimize the students' learning result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most important branches of science, natural science studies have never lost their currency. The purpose of this study is to examine the development process of Augmented Reality contents which were developed using a design-based research method with the purpose of using it in teaching of natural science topics and to look into student evaluations. In the study which employed design-based research model, developed contents were applied, analysed and re-designed with students constantly. The study group of the research consisted of forty 7th grade students at a private college in 2016-2017 fall semester. Augmented reality contents developed for science teaching were evaluated by teachers and students as effective. According to the teacher and student opinions, it was concluded that augmented reality contents of science teaching developed during designbased research process was nice, easily applicable and useful. It can be said that while developing educative materials for students, applying design-based research model and paying attention to material design principles secures the effectiveness of the developed material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

this paper is an introduction to the Studium issue De Hogere Burger School: onderwijs en emancipatie (the Higher Burger School: education and emancipation). Besides introducing the papers of this issue, we provide a historiographic outline of this form of education, which was founded in 1863 and played an important role in the emancipation of the Dutch middle classes. the Higher Burger School is also reknowned for its role in the rise of the Dutch natural sciences. In the course of the twentieth century this school gradually became regarded as outdated. In 1968 it was replaced by new forms of secondary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a literature review of research journals in science teaching in Latin America and the Caribbean with the aim of identifying, describing and characterizing the main lines of research. The documentary basis is made up of 15 scientific journals and 490 papers that report work in educational research. From the abstracts of the papers it was possible to identify the problems addressed, which were grouped into five dimensions: learning science, teaching science, the science curriculum, science teachers and students of science teaching. The results show that teaching and learning science is the main problem addressed by most studies conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the history of the Renaissance study of "Naturalis Historia" or "Natural History" by Pliny the Elder. In 1517 Bishop Richard Fox lectured on the work at Oxford University, in 1520 Oxford bookseller John Dorne was selling the Latin work, parts of the work made their way into 16th century English grammar school education, and in the 1560s the work was being translated into English.

This case study explores the plight of some farm schoolteachers in a school district in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa and their feelings of neglect in the new democratic society. Through interviews and a teaching observation analysis, this article focuses on five teachers and discusses resource and infrastructure challenges, lack of vision and educational value, lack of parental involvement and role models. It is concluded that farm schools are still neglected, and it is thus imperative that the new educational policies should be implemented fairly across the various types of schools existing in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is clearly anticipated that Nanotechnology plays an important role in the technological development of the actual period, introducing higher performance materials, intelligent systems and new methods of production, with significant impact for all the societal aspects. What is happening in the present can be considered as the beginning of a revolution based on the human ability to work on the same scale as nature. In this respect, secondary education has to consider the area of Nanoscience / Nanotechnology as a special chapter in the process of educating the young generation, taking into account that it involves a multidisciplinary natural Science education, providing concepts met also in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. This paper underlines some aspects of the non-formal activities carried out by the young students to know general concepts about nanomaterials and their industrial applications, together with the introduction of Responsible Research and Innovation dimensions. The activities were organized using the discovery-based learning method, so that students participated actively in debates, bringing arguments on their claims. The groups of students were also involved in investigating or solving community problems, introducing several solutions based on the exploitation of some typical nano-products. The problems were tried to be solved through group discussion, with proposals for alternative solutions, by motivating the choice of the final solution. All the illustrated activities were part of a special Unit dedicated to Industrial Applications of Nanomaterials, designed in the frame of the EU FP7 project entitled: "IRRESISTIBLE - Including Responsible Research and Innovation in Cutting Edge Science and Inquiry-based Science Education to Improve Teacher's Ability of Bridging Learning Environments". At the same time, the carried out activities contributed to the formation of conscious and responsible attitudes toward the importance of using certain properties of nanomaterials in various industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]