Academic literature on the topic 'System of natural - science training for future primary school teachers'

The article describes the issues of preparing future primary school teachers for new professional competencies. The article describes the need to prepare future teachers for the formation and consolidation of skills of the XXI century in the system of 4K. The individual content of skills and features of training in accordance with the model of 4K. According to the updated educational program, the reasons and expected results of the introduction of the natural science subject in the primary level are presented. The possibility of a natural science subject in primary classes in the formation of a wide range of skills is shown. Science lessons have a great potential for mastering the skills of group 4K, based on the basis of integration education. In the organization of the course "methods of teaching natural science in primary classes" students are offered the most effective forms of innovative teaching methods: "Fishbone", "smart 6 hats", "Zigzak", "SCAMPER", which have been tested. Each of them is characterized and confirmed by methods that allow to improve the skills of the group of 4K, necessary for the professional activities of future 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.

This paper describes a training proposal for future teachers in the design, management, and use of school gardens as an educational resource. During the 2020/2021 academic year, future teachers in the 4th grade of Primary Education (last year of the University Degree) received theoretical-practical classes to develop teaching-learning activities in the area of Sciences that they implemented in a Primary school. This training proposal and the research activities designed and implemented in the school garden by future teachers were analysed using three criteria: curricular contents covered, competency richness and structure and content. From the training programme implemented, we highlight an increase in the motivation of students towards learning to use this resource; because it is learned “in situ” in the school garden, it is possible to carry out outdoor work, sharing natural resources through cooperative work and improving relationships. Regarding the design of activities proposed by the future teachers, there is a predominance of the use of observation and classification processes and a deficit of other scientific competences, which implies the need for greater specific initial training on school gardens.

This paper describes a training proposal for future teachers in the design, management, and use of school gardens as an educational resource. During the 2020/2021 academic year, future teachers in the 4th grade of Primary Education (last year of the University Degree) received theoretical-practical classes to develop teaching-learning activities in the area of Sciences that they implemented in a Primary school. This training proposal and the research activities designed and implemented in the school garden by future teachers were analysed using three criteria: curricular contents covered, competency richness and structure and content. From the training programme implemented, we highlight an increase in the motivation of students towards learning to use this resource; because it is learned “in situ” in the school garden, it is possible to carry out outdoor work, sharing natural resources through cooperative work and improving relationships. Regarding the design of activities proposed by the future teachers, there is a predominance of the use of observation and classification processes and a deficit of other scientific competences, which implies the need for greater specific initial training on school gardens.

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. 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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.

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 study addresses to the modern praxeological approach of professional training of future primary school teachers on the research results application of modern neuroscience. The essence of praxeology as a science and praxeological approach in pedagogical activity is considered. The expediency of praxeological orientation during the professional training of future primary school teachers is substantiated. Theoretical bases of neurosciences studies in the system of pedagogical education and neuropedagogy formation are also considered. Based on the neuromyths spread, the problem of obtaining neuroscientific knowledge by future teachers in the context of praxeological orientation is actualized, which will significantly help to orient the latter to effective and efficient professional activity. The key structural components of the author’s model of primary school teacher’s training using a praxeological approach in the context of modern neuroscience are proposed and described in the study. The key theoretical provisions of the motivational and target component, organizational and procedural, semantic, operational and technological, diagnostic and effective components of the specified model are generalized. The theoretical provisions of modern neuroscience are detailed, which are the basis of the semantic component of the model. The purpose and tasks of the author’s course “Modern neuroscience in the education system” are determined, which is the basis of the content component of the model of training future primary school teachers. Perspective directions of future scientific studies are outlined - research of biological and neural feedback in educational activity.

The current innovations in the system of education demand the high level of readiness, abilities to changes, rapid adjustment, and adaptation to new educational conditions. The article reveals and analyzes basic pedagogical conditions of the primary school teachers’ training for the development of students’ creative potential. It was found out that the basic pedagogical conditions of the primary school teachers’ training for the development of students’ creative potential are providing motivation for teachers to develop students’ creative potential; purposeful filling of the content of primary school teachers' training with a creative component in order to improve professional teachers’ competence about the development of students’ creative potential; organization of educational and methodological support for teachers. The article proves that the structure of readiness of future primary school teachers to the development of students’ creative potential consists of components that are closely related, criteria and factors that make dynamic integrity and have level characteristics. The structure of readiness of future primary school teachers to the development of students’ creative potential includes motivational, procedural and resulting components. Substantiated by the author tools for evaluation of readiness of future primary school teachers to the development of students’ creative potential made it possible to understand the content and the relationship among the criteria (motivational and value, activity and creative, professional and evaluation), relevant indicators of the specified readiness (the formation of the teacher's internal motives for professional development and value orientations; the degree of creative solution of educational tasks and creative approach to pedagogical activity with primary school students; professional readiness for pedagogical activity and readiness for professional self-development). The result of the primary school teachers’ training is readiness for the development of primary school students’ creative potential, the specifics of which are the motivation of future teachers to master the professional knowledge, skills and abilities to develop students' creative potential, mastering the necessary creative abilities and a high level of professional competence.

In the conditions of anthropogenic pressure on the environment and aggravation of environmental problems, a need to rethink and review the content of professional training of preschool education specialists arises. Being participants in the educational process, teachers are leading generators of environmental literacy among the youth. Therefore, the issue of environmental competence formation as a necessary component of professional training of preschool education specialists is relevant and requires further coverage. In the curriculum for BA students of 012 «Preschool education» Programme Subject Area at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academic discipline Fundamentals of Natural Science and Methodology of introducing children to nature is a compulsory course. The discipline aims to develop environmental competence which is an integral component of professional training of preschool education specialists, who are to be competitive in the labour market, work on self-improvement and have a nature-centred worldview. We suggest the following ways of environmental competence development: to develop a system of integrated knowledge about nature based on the scientific worldview, learning, cognitive and environmental activity; to develop skills and abilities to use pedagogically appropriate means, methods and forms of organizing nature-learning activities with preschoolers; to develop creativity and ability to apply it together with scientific, pedagogical and psychological knowledge while familiarizing children with nature; to develop a socially active individual who cares about the environment and carefully uses natural resources. To this end, within the given academic discipline, we use the following innovative training techniques: problem-based learning, research work, interactive learning methods (fishbone diagram, cluster analysis, brainstorming), games, modelling, projects etc. It is advisable to form professional environmental competence through environmentalization of the learning process in higher education institutions. For this purpose, we suggest including the discipline Education for Sustainable Development to the curriculum of 012 «Preschool education» students. Such discipline is to contribute to the systematic generalization of environmental and pedagogical experience and to form the ability to professionally apply theoretical knowledge in the educational process while fostering an attitude of care towards nature and environmental lifestyle among preschoolers. Training of preschool education specialists is practically oriented and thus implemented through teaching practice and apprenticeships. It is practical training that continues to form the environmental competence of future preschool education specialists through the consolidation of certain moral principles and views, as well as the feeling of responsibility for one’s actions. Here, it is important to involve students in the organization of environmental events of different kinds: workshops, excursions etc. We believe that the solution of key education development issues and creating appropriate conditions for providing high-quality educational services should be based on cooperation between higher education institutions and pre-school education institutions. To this end, it is necessary to make regular updates to the curricula, taking into account current problems and providing for introducing natural science component and innovative educational techniques to the process of professional training of preschool education specialists. After all, highquality education is a necessary condition for preserving the environment and ensuring sustainable development of the society.