Efficiency of various chemistry study methods in primary school

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to create/select those chemistry teaching and learning techniques which would enable the acquisition of permanent and applicable knowledge related to ‘Nonmetals and their compounds' in primary school, as well as to examine the efficiency of the selected techniques. First the study targets were defined, and then the method was selected including the tasks for students, i.e. the activities aimed at acquiring knowledge and skills defined in the targets. Bearing in mind different provisional aspects in our schools two approaches were accepted for the realization of the contents: one which could be realized in the existing provisional conditions, and another which requires better provision of teaching aids. What both approaches have in common is that learning is based on the results of experimenting. In the former approach (Approach A) ready knowledge was transmitted to students by discussions, various texts and demonstrational experiments. The latter approach (Approach B) was characterized by students' learning via individual research, independent experimenting and problem solving. The results of the final test showed that the students of the B group were more successful in identifying and explaining the essential changes in the experiments. Furthermore, a larger number of students in this group discovered relations between substance properties, how they can be made, and what possible reactions with other substances there may be.

Cilj ovog rada jeste kreiranje/izbor metoda nastave i učenja hemije koje omogućavaju dolaženje do trajnih i primenljivih znanja iz teme "Nemetali i njihova jedinjenja" u osnovnoj školi i ispitivanje efikasnosti tih metoda. Najpre su definisani ciljevi učenja teme, a onda je izvršen izbor metoda rada, osmišljeni su zadaci za učenike, odnosno aktivnosti koje vode formiranju znanja i sposobnosti preciziranih u ciljevima. Imajući u vidu opremljenost naših škola, koncipirana su dva pristupa realizaciji sadržaja. Jedan koji bi mogao da se ostvari u okviru postojećih uslova u školama i drugi koji zahteva bolju opremljenost škole. Zajedničko za oba pristupa jeste učenje zasnovano na rezultatima ogleda. Prema prvom pristupu (pristup A) učenicima se prenose gotova znanja kroz razgovor, različite tekstove i demonstracione oglede. Drugi pristup (pristup B) karakteriše učenje kroz istraživanje, samostalni eksperimentalni rad i rešavanje problema. Rezultati završnog testiranja pokazali su da su učenici B-grupe bili uspešniji u uočavanju bitnih promena u ogledima i njihovom objašnjavanju. Takođe, veći broj ovih učenika povezivao je svojstva supstanci sa načinom njihovog dobijanja i sa mogućim reakcijama sa drugim supstancama.