Papers

Date: 2013.11.25

Posted by Nurcan Ertuğrul (Turkey)

Message: This research declares clearly the circumstances of Chemistry Teachers in the Czech Republic. The negative effects of the curriculum on the teacher’s teaching process and also other aspects are focused on.

If one looks at the negative effects of the curriculum on the Chemistry teachers, it is obvious to see that the prescribed schedule is confining the teacher’s ability to teach efficiently. It forces them to follow a certain route which also de-motivates teachers to apply new teaching styles and methods.

Also the point of using technology in the classroom is touched on. ICT- which is inevitable nowadays- plays an important role as new teaching method. The author gives no information about practical teaching methods but signifies the importance of ICT in teaching and also tackles the gap between visual opportunities at the student’s home and the traditional teaching at school. Another aspect is the use of 3-dimensional videos about chemical structures in the classroom as a supportive visual material and the recording of the own teaching process for a better self-evaluation for teachers.

These five articles are reviewed by the writers:
I. The importance of using ICT-Technologies in the classroom.
II. The use of various types of videos suchlike 3-dimensional videos in order to develop and support the teaching process
III. The use of some kind of portable laboratories in classrooms which facilitates the experimental procedure. The articles IV and V are more or less critics which do not contain specific information.

In conclusion, the paper gives information about the status of teachers, their opportunities in teaching new methods, the usage of ICT and other technological devices in classrooms. It is not possible to say that this paper is offering new methods or strategies in teaching with technological devices but gives some basic ideas how to start using them.

Date: 2013.06.20

Posted by Dominique Lambert (Belgium)

Message: This paper outlines the situation of post – graduate education of school Chemistry teachers in the Czech Republic.
It summarizes the research carried out in five other studies in the Czech Republic reporting that “teachers must teach what has to be taught according to curriculum and don’t have enough space to try extremely new methods and procedures”
The five studies analyzed have the aim to “give the illustrative example trying to put boring science into more interesting way”.
In my opinion the most important part of the paper is the first paragraph entitled “Actual trends in chemistry teaching: Past, present and perspectives”.
I want to underline this part because is important at first to spread information about the actual situation related to the chemistry education.
This paragraph has moreover the added value of introduce the ICT has a necessary support to education in schools.
The paper speaks about the inclusion of the information and communication technologies (ICT) like a new and different approach in the science education.
The article also promoting the idea that not only facilities but also methodological support and inspiration is needed to be given, in order to motivate not only students to study, but also teachers to teach Chemistry in the Secondary Vocational Schools of Czech Republic.
The paper doesn’t specifically speak about the competences that teachers should develop to use ICT but the authors indicate that use of information and communication technologies has become an organic component of modern teaching and allows a significant discovery of new knowledge and a shift in perception of the current theories.

Date: 2013.06.16

Posted by Anna Pitto (Italy)

Message: The paper could be interesting from the point of view of teaching and training education in Czech Republic, but authors reviewed five papers separately and I cannot find a main subject in this paper.
In the first part of paper, it suggests the use of ICT technologies for teaching chemistry but without practical examples for that application.
In the second part of the paper, even if it could be too much technical, it suggests some studies to realize 3D videos about chemical structures.
In the last part of the paper, it suggests to film oneself teachers during their training education, as a tool to better evaluate their work.
The unique part of the paper that doesn’t talk about new technologies, suggests the employ of portable laboratories and virtual experiments to provide for secondaries schools lack of time and lack of financial resources and regain the students’ lack of motivation but especially teachers’ lack of motivation.
The paper generically affirms that teachers have to be trained about computer science and about the softwares used for teaching.

Date: 2013.06.05

Posted by Maria Pramukova (Slovakia)

Message: This paper outlines the situation of Teacher Training in Czech Republic. What is for me a surprise is that after so long time we were together in one country with same education system and teachers preparing system situation is now not the same in Czech republic and Slovakia. In Czech republic the general interest is low and the teachers are not trained frequently and the existing curriculum confines the applicability of new concepts and ideas. Five articles are reviewed by the authors. Some of the articles raise interesting points.
The following key-suggestions are made per article :
1) use of computer information and communication technologies in teaching Chemistry., that means authors indicate that use of ICT (information and communication technologies) has become organic component of the modern teaching and allows a significant discovery of new knowledge, principles, and a shift in perception of the current theories.
2) development and use of stereoscopic material, for example 3D videos. Related issues are criticized. This article is about the gap between the visual technology students are exposed to at home versus traditional approaches used to teach chemistry in school. A possible solution to this is the development of stereoscopic materials that would encourage students’ interest in the study of chemistry.
3) use of portable labs and experiments in the so called, secondary vocational schools. These are characterized by complete lack of traditional experimental facilities.
Articles four and five are criticized but no specific information can be deduced. Hence, the reader should follow the links and read the corresponding references separately. Especially article four raises the point that newly qualified teachers are unable to deal with discipline issues in the classroom and teach the content of the lesson. I think it is unfair to apply this to all newly qualified teachers as some manage this impeccably. Nevertheless I am aware that in the beginning and throughout a teaching career there can be challenging times.
For me is very important that in the current paper, it is mentioned that not only facilities but also methodological support and inspiration is needed to be given, in order to motivate not only students to study, but also teachers to teach Chemistry in the Secondary Vocational Schools of Czech Republic.

Date: 2013.05.30

Posted by Krasimira Tomeva (Bulgaria)

Message: Today's information society requires new teaching models in schools. This imposes the establishment of a new branch in the area of didactics - technology of education, related to the application of new resources for teaching, mainly the use of computers. Traditional methods and approaches do not succeed to raise the interest of and have impact on most students. One of the ways to raise the interest of students in studying Chemistry is to involve them in the development of 3D molecule models. It can be successfully applied in the classroom. By preparing stereoscopic materials of different substances, students can get aware of their structure.
The publication views problems that some teachers come across: teachers in secondary vocational schools which are not chemistry-oriented and young teachers. The problems of the latter are related to the lack of methodological experience and keeping the discipline in the classroom. The former need some methodological support as well, mainly in terms of students' motivation and improvement of the effectiveness of lessons. The authors propose to use two motivation tools - portable labs and virtual experiments.
The non-traditional approaches for teaching/learning chemistry, described in the publication, can be applied in Bulgarian schools, but only in those schools where the required equipment is available. Since these schools are not many, the application of this approach is very limited.
ICT-related problems are also presented. It is said that ICT can be used for preparing lessons, teaching and knowledge assessment. The invasion of ICT in education requires certain competence on behalf of teachers - they should know and master different types of hardware and software in order to apply ICT in their work. The article proposes an interesting way for improving the pedagogical diagnostics: in order to have immediate feedback which does not disturb the work of the teachers and does not interrupt the delicate social environment in the classroom, video recordings of the lessons are analyzed rather than directly observed lessons. They provide information for specific pedagogical situations. This methodology is intended mainly for students - future teachers.

Date: 2013.05.16

Posted by Charizanos Panagiotis (Greece)

Message: 1)Why is this paper relevant?
This paper highlights the issue of post – graduate education of school Chemistry teachers in the Czech Republic.
It reports that “teachers must teach what has to be taught according to curriculum and don’t have enough space to try extremely new methods and procedures”
In this way, the paper above includes a review of five articles that “give us the illustrative example trying to put boring science into more interesting way”.

2)Which parts of this paper underline relevant issues for chemistry teachers?
The paper authors indicate that use of ICT (information and communication technologies) has become organic component of the modern teaching and allows a significant discovery of new knowledge, principles, and a shift in perception of the current theories.

3)Does the paper suggest and encourage to experience different approaches and methods for teaching and learning chemistry?
In the current paper, it is mentioned that not only facilities but also methodological support and inspiration is needed to be given, in order to motivate not only students to study, but also teachers to teach Chemistry in the Secondary Vocational Schools of Czech Republic.

4)Does the paper underline the competences that teachers should develop to use ICT in order to enhance students' interest and learning for chemistry?
According to the current paper, Science teacher must control not only taught discipline but also the foundations of computer science, supplemented by user knowledge of applied software. Basic ICT knowledge is very important and necessary to the teacher of nowadays.
In another article included in the paper, the application of 3D videos in modern teaching is investigated. Due to the popularity of 3D videos, it has been decided to find out if some as a suitable motivating element in teaching chemistry, it can help out on displaying structures of various substances or organization.

5)Are present in the paper recent findings in the field of chemistry that can be used for the teaching at upper secondary school?
A new branch begins to grow over individual field didactics - technology of education. This new momentum supported by serious research work should pave the way for latest technologies and their models to teaching. So according to this paper, video analysis would be an effective method to encourage and improve teachers’ effectiveness, as much as new technology applications in the teaching procedure. This teaching video analysis will offer valuable results and provide significant help to teachers and researchers.

Date: 2013.05.10

Posted by Nikolopoulos Dimitrios (Greece)

Message: This paper from the very beginning, outlines the situation of Teacher Training in Czech Republic. The situation is not promising and the general interest is low. The teachers are not trained frequently and the existing curriculum confines the applicability of new concepts and ideas.
Five articles are reviewed by the authors.
The following key-suggestions are made per article :
1) use of computer information and communication technologies in teaching Chemistry.
2) development and use of stereoscopic material, for example 3D videos. Related issues are criticized.
3) use of portable labs and experiments in the so called, secondary vocational schools. These are characterized by complete lack of traditional experimental facilities.
Articles four and five are criticized but no specific information can be deduced. Hence, the reader should follow the links and read the corresponding references separately.
Concluding, the article provides scattered information summarized already in abstract

Date: 2013.05.07

Posted by Mairead Glynn (Ireland)

Message: The abstract of this article alludes to ‘the current situation on teacher’s training in the Czech Republic.’ However the main body of this article does not address this issue in any substantial manner, rather it summarises the research carried out in five other studies in the Czech Republic.
Some of the articles raise interesting points. However as I was unable to access the publications in English I could not read the article in depth. This is understandable as the research for each publication was carried out in the Czech Republic.
Article two discusses the gap between the visual technology students are exposed to at home versus traditional approaches used to teach chemistry in school. A possible solution to this is the development of stereoscopic materials that would encourage students’ interest in the study of chemistry. The article attempts to highlight an issue regarding the preferred ratio of distance of the camera lens to the target. It is not clear however what this issue is, the article states that “there is a preferred ratio of 1:20 but for chemical objects the ratios in the range of 1:12 and 1:8 are applicable”.
Article four raises the point that newly qualified teachers are unable to deal with discipline issues in the classroom and teach the content of the lesson. I think it is unfair to apply this to all newly qualified teachers as some manage this impeccably. Nevertheless I am aware that in the beginning and throughout a teaching career there can be challenging times. The proposed aid of a text book with ‘good examples and concrete solutions’ would be of use during teacher training and in practice.
What is clear from reading this article is it has been translated into English. Aside from the sometimes clumsy wording, many key concepts are not expressed clearly and there is scope for ambiguity in some of its key findings. This article does not address the issues proposed in the title and abstract in any progressive or meaningful way.