Academic literature on the topic 'Developing natural - science competence in future primary school teachers'

Schoolchildren’s natural science competence development is inseparable from teachers’ natural science competence, the integral part of which are subject, didactic and managerial abilities. Competence (es) acquisition during the studies at university is not a final process. Competence improvement, enrichment continues during the whole period of active pedagogical work. In the months of January-February 2018, a qualitative, limited amount research was carried out. 60 primary school teachers from more than 25 Lithuanian schools participated in the research. Research data were analysed using a content analysis method. Research results revealed that most primary school teachers value their knowledge in natural science field as sufficient. Teachers accentuate that their competences are proper and emphasize their lifelike and long work experience importance. Part of the teachers accentuate constant natural science education subject knowledge renewal. Only a small part of teachers notice that they lack knowledge in natural science field. Research result analysis showed that most of primary school teachers develop natural science competence independently using various information sources. A big part of teachers develop natural science competence participating in formal specially organised activities. Not a small part of teachers accentuate practical natural science competence development. Research results revealed that most primary school teachers give average evaluation to their competence in teaching natural science (world cognition). Only a small part of teachers attribute a high value to this competence of theirs. Research result analysis showed that primary school teachers teaching students natural sciences (world cognition), encounter various problems. The bigger part of teachers experience problems, related to the teaching process: lack of devices, low students’ teaching motivation, teaching content shortcomings. A big part of teachers teaching natural science subjects (world cognition) experience social – organisational problems: a lack of time, unfavourable conditions, a lack of support. Teacher opinion analysis of what needs to be changed /improved in natural science primary school teacher training/preparation revealed that the biggest part of teachers offer to improve future teachers’ practical abilities/skills. Part of teachers offer to better develop special competences, related to natural science education, to improve material supply of the study process. Keywords: content analysis, primary school, science education, subject knowledge.

At the present stage of the development of Kazakhstani higher education in the context of the transition to the updated content of education, the problem of future primary school teachers’ professional training is relevant. It is not enough to identify the problems in the training of future specialists in the field of primary education in order to list the competencies that a graduate should master. It is reasonable to consider the model of the predicted result as a system of interrelated components. In this regard, this study aims to identify and substantiate the structural components of the professional competence of primary school teachers. The main methods of studying this problem are comparative and model methods, which allow to to take account of various research approaches for understanding the structure of teachers’ professional competence. The results of the study indicate the process of developing analytical, diagnostic, and prognostic professional actions make up the structure of the professional competence of an elementary school teacher, other important characteristics of the teachers’ professional development, such as communicative, are also being successfully improved, which also confirms the integrative basis of the structure of professional competence.

The article characterizes and experimentally substantiates the criteria, indicators and levels of methodical competence of future teachers; illustrated by didactic means propaedeutic training of students for the instructional activities in primary school. The influence of metaprofessional (universal) instrumental competences formed by future teachers at Nature Science lectures on the unconscious, on the intuitive level, through the "insight", their acquisition of the methodological experience is proved.

Teacher's abilities to understand the benefits and use of media literacy play an important role in dealing with children as digital natives. Media literacy education can be an instrument through the use of blended-learning websites to address the challenges of education in the 21st century and learning solutions during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aims to figure the teacher's perspective in understanding media literacy as an instrument for implementing blended-learning in early-childhood classes. Using a qualitative approach, this study combines two types of data. Data collection involved kindergarten teachers, six people as informants who attended the interviews and twenty-six participants who filled out questionnaires. Typological data analysis was used for qualitative data as well as simple statistical analysis to calculate the percentage of teacher perspectives on questionnaires collected the pandemic. The findings show five categories from the teacher's perspective. First, about the ability to carry out website-based blended-learning and the use of technology in classrooms and distance learning is still low. It must be transformed into more creative and innovative one. Encouraging teacher awareness of the importance of media literacy education for teachers as a more effective integrated learning approach, especially in rural or remote areas, to be the second finding. Third, national action is needed to change from traditional to blended-learning culture. Fourth, the high need for strong environmental support, such as related-party policies and competency training is the most important finding in this study. Finally, the need for an increase in the ease of access to technology use from all related parties, because the biggest impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is on ECE, which is closely related to the perspective of teachers on technology. The research implication demands increase in technology systems and connections between educators, parents, institutional managers, and education policy holders, for ECE services in urban areas for disadvantaged children, and all children in rural or remote areas. Keywords: Blended Learning, Early Childhood Classroom, Media Literacy Education References Aktay, S. (2009). The ISTE national educational technology standards and prospective primary school teachers in Turkey. International Journal of Learning, 16(9), 127–138. https://doi.org/10.18848/1447-9494/cgp/v16i09/46607 Arke, E. T., & Primack, B. A. (2009). Quantifying media literacy: Development, reliability, and validity of a new measure. Educational Media International, 46(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523980902780958 Briquet-Duhazé, S. (2019). Websites Consulted by Future Primary Level Schoolteachers in France: Differences between Students and Trainees. American Journal of Educational Research, 7(7), 471–481. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-7-7-6 Bryan, A., & Volchenkova, K. N. (2016). Blended Learning: Definition, Models, Implications for Higher Education. Bulletin of the South Ural State University Series “Education. Education Sciences,” 8(2), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.14529/ped160204 Cappello, G. (2019). Media Literacy in I taly . The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118978238.ieml0155 Chan, E. Y. M. (2019). Blended learning dilemma: Teacher education in the confucian heritage culture. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 44(1), 36–51. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2018v44n1.3 Cherner, T. S., & Curry, K. (2019). Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Teach Media Literacy: A Response to “Fake News.” Journal of Media Literacy Education, 11(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.23860/jmle-2019-11-1-1 Cheung, C. K., & Xu, W. (2016). Integrating Media Literacy Education into the School Curriculum in China: A Case Study of a Primary School. Media Literacy Education in China, 1–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0045-4 Chou, A. Y., & Chou, D. C. (2011). Course Management Systems and Blended Learning: An Innovative Learning Approach. Decision Sciences Journal OfInnovative Education, 9(3), 463–484. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4609.2011.00325.x Crawford, R. (2017). Rethinking teaching and learning pedagogy for education in the twenty-first century: blended learning in music education. Music Education Research, 19(2), 195–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2016.1202223 de Abreu, B. (2010). Changing technology: empowering students through media literacy education. New Horizons in Education, 58(3), 26. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ966657.pdf Domine, V. (2011). Building 21st-Century Teachers: An Intentional Pedagogy of Media Literacy Education. Action in Teacher Education, 33(2), 194–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/01626620.2011.569457 Friesem, E., & Friesem, Y. (2019). Media Literacy Education in the Era of Post-Truth: Paradigm Crisis. In Handbook of Research on Media Literacy Research and Applications Across Disciplines. IGI Global. Huguet, A., Kavanagh, J., Baker, G., & Blumenthal, M. (2019). Exploring Media Literacy Education as a Tool for Mitigating Truth Decay. In Exploring Media Literacy Education as a Tool for Mitigating Truth Decay. https://doi.org/10.7249/rr3050 Kalogiannakis, M., & Papadakis, S. (2019). Evaluating pre-service kindergarten teachers’ intention to adopt and use tablets into teaching practice for natural sciences. International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 13(1), 113–127. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMLO.2019.096479 Kennedy, A. B., Schenkelberg, M., Moyer, C., Pate, R., & Saunders, R. P. (2017). Process evaluation of a preschool physical activity intervention using web-based delivery. Evaluation and Program Planning, 60, 24–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.08.022 Kupiainen, R. (2019). Media Literacy in F inland . The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118978238.ieml0147 Liene, V. (2016). Media Literacy as a Tool in the Agency Empowerment Process. Acta Paedagogica Vilnensia, 58–70. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.15388/ActPaed.2016.37 Livingstone, S. (2013). Media Literacy and the Challenge of New Information and Communication Technologies. The Communication Review, 7(March), 86. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10714420490280152 Papadakis, S. (2018). Evaluating pre-service teachers’ acceptance of mobile devices with regards to their age and gender: A case study in Greece. International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 12(4), 336–352. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMLO.2018.095130 Papadakis, S., & Kalogiannakis, M. (2017). Mobile educational applications for children. What educators and parents need to know. International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 11(2), 1. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijmlo.2017.10003925 Papadakis, S., Kalogiannakis, M., & Zaranis, N. (2017). Designing and creating an educational app rubric for preschool teachers. Education and Information Technologies, 22(6), 3147–3165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9579-0 Papadakis, S., Vaiopoulou, J., Kalogiannakis, M., & Stamovlasis, D. (2020). Developing and exploring an evaluation tool for educational apps (E.T.E.A.) targeting kindergarten children. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(10), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104201 Rasheed, R. A., Kamsin, A., & Abdullah, N. A. (2020). Challenges in the online component of blended learning: A systematic review. Computers and Education, 144(March 2019), 103701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103701 Rasi, P., Vuojärvi, H., & Ruokamo, H. (2019). Media Literacy for All Ages. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 11(2), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.23860/jmle-2019-11-2-1 Redmond, T. (2015). Media Literacy Is Common Sense: Bridging Common Core Standards with the Media Experiences of Digital Learners: Findings from a Case Study Highlight the Benefits of an Integrated Model of Literacy, Thereby Illustrating the Relevance and Accessibility of Me. Middle School Journal, 46(3), 10–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2015.11461910 Sabirova, E. G., Fedorova, T. V., & Sandalova, N. N. (2019). Features and advantages of using websites in teaching mathematics (Interactive educational platform UCHI.ru). Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(5). https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/108367 Schmidt, H. C. (2019). Media Literacy in Communication Education. The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118978238.ieml0126 Ustun, A. B., & Tracey, M. W. (2020). An effective way of designing blended learning: A three phase design-based research approach. Education and Information Technologies, 25(3), 1529–1552. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-09999-9 Valtonen, T., Tedre, M., Mäkitalo, Ka., & Vartiainen, H. (2019). Media Literacy Education in the Age of Machine Learning. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 11(2), 20–36. https://doi.org/10.23860/jmle-2019-11-2-2 Wan, G., & Gut, D. M. (2008). Media use by Chinese and U.S. secondary students: Implications for media literacy education. Theory into Practice, 47(3), 178–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802153783 Wu, J. H., Tennyson, R. D., & Hsia, T. L. (2010). A study of student satisfaction in a blended e-learning system environment. Computers and Education, 55(1), 155–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.12.012 Yuen, A. H. K. (2011). Exploring Teaching Approaches in Blended Learning. Research & Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 6(1), 3–23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229000574 Zhang, K., & Bonk, C. J. (2019). Addressing diverse learner preferences and intelligences with emerging technologies: Matching models to online opportunities. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 53(9), 1689–1699. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004 Zhang, L., Zhang, H., & Wang, K. (2020). Media Literacy Education and Curriculum Integration: A Literature Review. International Journal of Contemporary Education, 3(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.11114/ijce.v3i1.4769

The purpose of the article: to process diagnostic methods for the level of communicative and organizational abilities of future teachers. Methodical tools for the study of communicative competence of students, are directed at determining the power structures that ensure the success of professional activities of future professionals and the possibility of practical implementation of the acquired knowledge and personal qualities. The article substantiates the methodological tools of research of communicative competence of students, which is aimed at determining the properties that ensure the success of professional activities of future professionals and the possibility of practical implementation of the acquired knowledge and personal qualities. It is emphasized that communicative competence is a demonstrated area of successful communicative activity based on acquired values and strategies of language communication, supported by language skills and abilities, and communicative competence is defined in modern science as an integrative personal resource that ensures successful communication. It is determined that to identify the manifestation of the level of communicativeness of teachers it is necessary to diagnose communicative and organizational abilities, the ability to communicative self-control and the diagnosis of empathic abilities. The results of diagnosing communication and organizational skills are presented. It is emphasized that the lowest level of formation of future primary school teachers is found in such quality as empathic abilities. It is proposed to introduce specialized courses aimed at developing professionally significant communicative and organizational skills of future teachers on the basis of communicative practices, project activities, development of reflexive abilities, development of self-education skills, etc. as areas of solving problems of improving communicative competence. It is concluded that diagnostics is primarily a process of analysis, which allows to identify a system of rules, guided by which people organize their interaction, to understand which rules promote and which hinder the successful implementation of communicative interaction. Diagnosis of the level of formation of communicative qualities of future professionals is an integral part of the system of monitoring the quality of education in higher education institutions.

The flipped learning has a lot of advantages in university teaching, especially in the era of information technology explosion and in response to the current Covid-19 pandemic. Designing integrated natural science topics (DINST) is an important competence of elementary school teachers in creating an attractive teaching topic with interdisciplinary integration. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of applying the flipped learning in developing DINST competence compared to applying the traditional teaching model for prospective elementary teachers. The article used a quasi-experimental method. The 86 fourth-year pre-service elementary teachers were divided into two groups in which the experimental group was applied the flipped learning and the control group was done by traditional teaching. This research was conducted in a 7-week course in the semester I (2020 – 21) through the Module of “Scientific Discovery Activities Organization” at one public university of Education in Vietnam. The article has identified the process of organizing teaching to develop DINST competence for future elementary teachers. Pre- and post- tests were designed and applied on both groups. A questionnaire to collect information on the experimental group's learning attitude was also carried out, which helps to further explain our research results. Descriptive statistics and quantitative data analysis were performed on SPSS. The research results have shown that applying the flipped learning has contributed to the development of DINST competence for prospective elementary teachers better than teaching in the traditional way. The research has contributed to proving the positive role of the flipped learning in developing the future Elementary teachers’ competence to integrated teaching and showed that this model can be widely applied in Vietnam's teacher training institutions

The relevance of the study is based on the development of algorithmic methodological and mathematical literacy of future primary school teachers, the use of knowledge, practical skills and abilities acquired at universities in real professional activities, in everyday life. In this regard, this article is aimed at determining the dynamics of the development of algorithmic methodological and mathematical literacy of the future teacher through exercises of various content and directions. The main bases of research on the development of algorithmic, methodological and mathematical literacy of the future teacher of primary education were taken as systematic, operational, anthropological, axiological and competence. Systematic platform for the development of literacy on the basis of a systematic position in teaching methodological and mathematical materials were considered. The research included algorithmic literacy of 68 new students, a survey of 3rd year students 38 3rd year students and 38 primary school teachers. The essence and methods of teaching exercises aimed at developing literacy were revealed. The materials of the article are practical assistance to young teachers of pedagogical higher educational institutions of specialties 6B013 – Pedagogy and methods of primary education, pedagogical colleges and schools. Keywords: algorithmic methodological and mathematical literacy; functional literacy; algorithmic literacy; mathematical literacy; methodological literacy; exercises aimed at developing literacy.

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.

The article focuses on the designing of disciplines, based on the competence and activity approach to the content and methods of training of future teachers in the research psycho-pedagogical master’s program. Particular attention is paid to the creation of problematic situations, in which research master students find themselves in the position of supervisors examining the educational activity. The authors provide examples of how students perform expert-analytical tasks based on analysis of training activities developed in the theory of developmental education by Davydov scholar school. There are samples of test items to assess how students have learned the content of the discipline, as well as to determine their ability and willingness to perform professional activities. These tasks were performed by master students as well as developing training teachers in elementary school and secondary school teachers. Testing the «Design and research of learning activities in the science lessons in secondary school» course allows us pre argue that psycho-pedagogical research master program allows to train future research training specialist using professional tasks related to expertise and design of training activities. Master students reach an acceptable level of competence for the performing the expert-analytical tasks. We propose to discuss if natural-scientific training of master students is one of the conditions for full cooperation between future research training specialist and teachers in order to improve the education of adolescents in the field of natural sciences.

School, particularly primary school, plays a special and unique role in education. It joins teachers and students together, in order to show children and youths the complex reality of the world. Educational processes implemented in the following institution can reflect knowledge transmission or can be based on transaction models. Education is stimulating, experimental and exploratory as it guides students to the world of forming questions, searching for answers and developing conclusions. Unfortunately, this model is rather uncommon in Polish primary schools. This publication presents how experimenting, used by teachers, could introduce 7-year-old students in the first grade of primary school, into the world of knowledge and natural science competence. It also shows how experimenting affects the level of students’ education and natural science competence. The research aimed for describing methods of experimenting with first grade students in science education as well as explaining the connection between applying experiments in science education and students’ level of skills and knowledge. The research used a method of pedagogical experiment - quasi-experimental testing based on initial and final measurement using practical tests. The study included 307 primary school first-graders. The studies have established that there are dependencies between experimenting in science education as well as knowledge and skills level among the first grade primary school students, taking into account subjects’ gender. At the end, conclusions were also drawn regarding the possibilities for more extensive use of experimentation in Polish schools.

This study describes a research focused on primary teachers’ evaluation of their students’ digital literacy as a basic competence in the structure of natural science literacy of research and comprehension competence. With the term, primary teachers we mean teachers of first three grades of compulsory school. The comparison of basic computer skills between Generation Z and Generation Alpha revealed, contrary to expectations, a very small progress. The consequence of this circumstance are the problems associated with the implementation of natural science curricular goals in digital environments of remote teaching in school closure period. A questionnaire given to 176 primary teachers, revealed which digital learning environments could be chosen for science lessons and which curricular goals could/could not be achieved with this level of Generation Alpha students’ digital literacy competence. The results showed that the digital environment is more problematic and unfavorable for Generation Alpha in the field of natural science, as teachers showed a higher frequency of avoiding natural science goals than social science content. Keywords: distance learning environment, generation Alpha, natural science digital literacy competence, natural science education

Primary school teachers’ science competence remains a highly relevant theoretical and practical problem. Although the general curricula and educational standards of Lithuanian general education school set quite high requirements for the process of primary school science education, the science competence of teachers raises reasonable concerns. It has to be stated that in university primary education study programmes, insufficient attention is paid to the natural science component. This leads to a possible lack of preparation for pre-service primary school teachers in science education. A pilot study conducted at the beginning of 2020, in which 107 students from two Lithuanian universities participated, showed that their scientific knowledge was poor and insufficient. Particularly weak was subject knowledge from the field “Nature research”, and also knowledge related to animate and inanimate nature. An assumption can be made that science literacy of pre-service primary education teachers is not sufficiently developed at university, which is one of the factors limiting the quality of children’s science education. There are probably two main reasons for this situation: insufficient science education in general education schools, and insufficient training of students in the field of science education for pre-service primary school teachers. Keywords: quantitative research, pilot research, pre-service teachers, science content knowledge, university students