NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION PROCESS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: ORGANISATION AND IMPROVEMENT ASPECTS

Abstract

Natural science education in primary school is not only important, but it is also problematic. The importance, first of all, lies in the fact, that natural science education is an inseparable part of general education. Natural science education involves various components - ecological, environmental, healthy lifestyle, harmonious development and other. Experimental- research activity is especially important. Effective all component integration into education process in primary classes remains problematic. This is actual not only in Lithuania. It is obvious, that in order to understand natural science education peculiarities working with the younger age children, exhaustive research are necessary and on their basis modelled, adjusted and developed natural science education in primary school. Only qualitative natural science education, acquired in primary school, can guarantee proper continuation of natural science education in basic and secondary school. Research aim is to analyse primary school teachers’ position on natural science education question, i.e., to ascertain how teachers value personal preparation according to major natural science education fields, what natural science education improvement ways they discern, and what activity ways in natural science education process they like best. The research is quantitative, pilot, of limited amount. The research was carried out between January and February 2018. Working primary school teachers from various Lithuanian primary schools participated in the research. Totally, there were 60 teachers (all women) from more than 25 schools. The carried-out research allows asserting, that primary school teachers’ professional preparation in natural science education sphere remains actual. Practical work organisation is considered the most appropriate activity. Individual students’ differences are tried to be satisfied and considered the least by the teachers. Though teachers tend to demonstrate various experiments (16.0%), research activity is not prevalent (2.3%). A similar situation is observed speaking about technology involvement in education process. Teacher preparation to organise and realise natural science education in primary school is basically valued positively, however, it is diverse. The best preparation is fixated in biology science spheres (e.g., “Green plants” /PI=0.83, SD=0.22/, “People and other animals” /PI=0.80, SD=0.21/, “Life (vital) processes” /PI=0.73, SD=0.21/ and other). The weakest preparation is fixated in physics science fields (e.g., “Electricity (electrical) phenomena” /PI=0.55, SD=0.26/, “Forces and movement” /PI=0.56, SD=0.25/, “Light and sound” /PI=0.57, SD=0.26/ and other). The preparation in chemistry science field is considered average e.g., “Substance changes” /PI=0.64, SD=0.24/, “Substance mixture separation” /PI=0.61, SD=0.23/ and other). Preparation in scientific research field is also valued as average (PI=0.63, SD=0.18) (PI – preparation index). Respondents consider resources/equipment the most important way of natural science education process improvement. Teacher professional improvement possibilities are considered the least important way of improvement. Lessons based on research (or other educational activities) are not considered a very important way of natural science education improvement. More exhaustive research are necessary in future for analysing primary school teacher natural science competence problems, also seeking to better understand experimental-research activity organisation peculiarities in education process. Keywords: pilot research, primary school, professional improvement, science education.