Database of Publications

Date: 2014.05.20

Posted by Luiza Wężyk (Poland)

Message: The paper presents an environmental science laboratory course developed at the Science Education Laboratory of the Faculty of Primary Education, University of Athens. It deals with the trendy problem of air pollution. There is a need for further improvement of the pre-service elementary teachers’ knowledge in this topic. The document starts with an introduction to the subject, presenting many aspects of teaching about pollutions, taking into account a kind, a scale and some local specificity. The authors present many activities which support the learning process.

Next, the authors mention main research questions which have to be raised in the context of teachers\' knowledge about air pollution. The questions, following answers and their analysis are the most interesting part of the work. The analysis evaluates the course in an objective manner and it is a template how we can get to know a real value of various methods of teaching. So the work is very relevant in terms of aims of Chemistry is All Around Project Network. The discussion about results and teaching implications are very inspiring. Results show that there is still space for improvement in pre-service elementary teachers\' knowledge. The authors point out a possible cause of low environmental knowledge as the existence of misconceptions in school textbooks. I think the reason can be common in many EU countries.

I strongly recommend the paper to chemistry teachers and experts in long-term teaching.

Date: 2013.11.25

Posted by Erdem Çakır (Turkey)

Message: This publication illustrates the design, application and assessment of an environmental science “Air Pollution Course” germinated at the University of Athens which has the goal of enhancing elementary teacher’s comprehension of the matter. The paper informs that environmental science attaches science to daily life and puts emphasis on how it is interdisciplinary in terms of its teaching in the classroom, incorporating the social concept of environmental education, incorporating geography and incorporating ICT. This essay is mainly based on the important role which teachers must have in the improvement towards a sustainable society, since one of the privileges of ecological education is to comprehend the fact that individual responsibility and to make the information widespread among the pupils. For this reason, training pre-service teachers in Environmental Science rises the possibility of them becoming socially active individuals, environmentally sensitive, scientifically and technologically literate and well placed to provide pupils with the information and the set of evaluations essential to take part in the protection and enhancement of the environment. According to the teachers, what is crucial one is to comprehend the fact that ecological education is different from the environmental pollution. Making sure that their pupils comprehend the ongoing relationship between the different sorts of ecological circumstances beside the process, analysis, syntheses and summary of knowledge.
Ecological education had better carry a positive foundation which is capable of animating wish and supply solutions. Ecological education had better have the qualities both amusing and logical. When we show too much information about a technical or mechanical topic, if the students aren’t prepared to the topic, it can result in a disaster. It can cause many negative results because it will lower the interest and enthusiasm of the student to learn much more information about ecology. If we focus on such things too much such as catastrophes and deformation of environment, the students will definitely feel unhappy and depressed.

Date: 2013.11.25

Posted by Abdullah Anıl Hoşbaş (Turkey)

Message: A well organized and particularized report about ICT in education. The report tells us that the European Commission is applying several politics in order to raise the usage of modern technology in classrooms.
The Digital Agenda which was accepted by the European Commission in 2010 and also adopted by 28 European countries, provides public services (eGovernment), media literacy (eLearning) and also ultrafast broadband access. The eLearning portal supports the areas: Social and civil competences, cultural awareness and entrepreneurship, foreign languages and learning in general.
In some countries, ICT is taught by professional teachers whilst in others no specialist ICT personnel are hired. An international survey shows that 29% of school principals have difficulties to hire specialist ICT teachers.
Some investigations have shown that nearly all teenagers and individuals up to the age of 24 use computers and the internet. So, it is necessary that schools provide technology to the students but generally it is the case that a lot of schools have a lack of technical support. For a full performance of teaching ICT, enough technological devices should be in esse, for students and even for the teachers. Not only the technical support but also the support of specialists is a crux. In other words, there is a need of professional staff management.
Another fact is the collaboration between school and parents. ICT can be used to inform parents about school grades, penalization and other information. ICT can also be used among teachers to share information, teaching materials and sharing experiences. Discussions among teachers in the Cyber World suchlike in blogs, forums and other portals lead to improving and developing teaching abilities and styles. There are also centrally promoted online sources available for teachers in Europe which contains supportive materials in teaching ICT and teaching with ICT.

Date: 2013.07.02

Posted by Maria Smrekova (Slovakia)

Message: This publication presents the design, implementation and evaluation of an environmental science ‘Air Pollution Course’ developed at the University of Athens, which aims to increase elementary teachers’ understanding of the subject. The paper explains that environmental science connects science to everyday life and underlines how it is interdisciplinary in its teaching in the classroom; incorporating the social concept of environmental education, incorporating geography and incorporating ICT.This paper is basically about the significant role which teachers have to play in the development towards a sustainable society because one of the priorities of ecological education is to understand that individual responsibility and to spread the knowledge among students. From this reason training pre-service teachers in Environmental Science increases the possibility of them becoming socially active citizens, environmentally sensitive, scientifically and technologically literate and well positioned to present students with the knowledge and the set of values necessary to participate in the protection and improvement of the environment.
For the teachers is important to understand that ecological education is more than environmental pollution. It is more important for them to be sure that their students understand the existing relationships between the various forms of ecological situations, as well as the processing, analysis, synthesis and summary of information. 78 pre-service elementary teachers in their 3rd year of studies attending the University of Athens Primary Education Department participated in the research project in 2008/2009. Pre and post questionnaire tests were carried out; 5 questions before the first lesson and again 30 days after the last lesson. This ‘Air Pollution Course’ designed by the University of Athens was an innovative course combining both experimental study and the use of ICT software
The results shows that the course did improve pre-service elementary teachers’ correct use of terms and accuracy in scientific descriptions, the pre-service teachers could refer to concrete forms of air pollution and were able to name specific pollutants

Date: 2013.05.30

Posted by Genoveva Ilieva (Bulgaria)

Message: The most important task of present ecological education is to build conscientious attitude to nature in students - the environment and the planet, as well as to develop ecological thinking and behaviour towards everyday life. Each person has to comprehend and accept the responsibility for their way of living and the way in which the individual life influences the planet. One of the priorities of ecological education is to understand that individual responsibility and to spread the knowledge among students. Therefore it should be inspired by some principles of \"Serious Ecology\", based on the idea that \"human beings are part of nature and they are not superior. Each life on Earth has its own vital role\". For all educators it is important to comprehend that ecological education is more than environmental pollution. It is more important for them to be sure that their students understand the existing relationships between the various forms of ecological situations, as well as the processing, analysis, synthesis and summary of information. Ecological education should be both interesting and rational. It should be directed to both the \"heart\" and the \"mind\". Presenting too much technical information when the students are not ready to perceive it, can lead to very negative results since it may flag the interest and enthusiasm of students to study ecology.
Ecological education should have a positive foundation which can inspire hope and provide solutions. If we focus too much on ecological catastrophes and deterioration of the environmental conditions, students may feel depressed and discouraged. The cooperation between Ecology teachers working with students at different age from one school and other types of schools and the community can be very useful. Joint projects could be developed. In this way ecological education will go beyond the classroom and will be spread in the community thus bringing positive effects to all people involved, as well as to their common environment.
This model provides activities that involve students and make them make decisions and solve problems. The information given in the publication can be used only by teacher or can be given to students in the form of a brochure.

Date: 2013.05.22

Posted by Michelle Starr (Ireland)

Message: This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of an environmental science ‘Air Pollution Course’ developed at the University of Athens, Faculty of Primary Education which aims to increase elementary teachers’ understanding of the subject. This paper is of relevance internationally for the introduction of environmental science into the primary and second level science education syllabus, as air pollution is a world-wide problem and action to control it should be a priority. The paper explains that environmental science connects science to everyday life and highlights how it is interdisciplinary in its teaching in the classroom; incorporating the social concept of environmental education, incorporating geography and incorporating ICT.
This paper highlights the significant role which teachers have to play in the development towards a sustainable society (WCED 1987); training pre-service teachers in Environmental Science increases the possibility of them becoming socially active citizens, environmentally sensitive, scientifically and technologically literate and well positioned to present students with the knowledge and the set of values necessary to participate in the protection and improvement of the environment.
The air pollution course researched is well detailed and the paper illustrates how the activities in the course incorporate the development of laboratory apparatus skills using sensors and dataloggers, data collection skills, ICT skills in the use of various simulations; smog and weather conditions on air pollution, acid rain study on the environment, greenhouse effect, and the ozone layer depletion.
The research carried out investigates the impact of the course on preservice elementary teachers’ understanding regarding atmospheric pollution, the impact of weather on air pollutant concentrations over big cities, the definition of the ‘ozone hole’, the greenhouse effect and its relationship with forms of atmospheric pollution.
78 pre-service elementary teachers in their 3rd year of studies attending the University of Athens Primary Education Department participated in the research project in 2008/2009. Pre and post questionnaire tests were carried out; 5 questions before the first lesson and again 30 days after the last lesson.
Two significant aspects emerge from the findings. Participation in the course is encouraging for pre-service elementary teachers’ education, as they record a general improvement on their answers on air pollution. However misconceptions of air pollution still exists and lack of true understanding remains low. The data shows that the course did improve pre-service elementary teachers’ correct use of terms and accuracy in scientific descriptions, the pre-service teachers could refer to concrete forms of air pollution and were able to name specific pollutants. Nevertheless, results show that further improvement in pre-service elementary teachers’ knowledge of air pollution is needed.
Overall the ‘Air Pollution Course’ designed by the University of Athens was an innovative course combining both experimental study and the use of ICT software. The researchers concluded in order to achieve better conceptual understanding of air pollution further research should be designed and implemented with more time allocated for training, and student-centered methodologies should be adopted, and a distinction among global environmental atmospheric problems, causes and consequences should be emphasized. The findings reinforce the importance of comprehensive training for the conceptual understanding of science as in this case the environmental science topic air pollution.