Good practices
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 Working Group:Science through digital learningCountry:Czech RepublicLanguages:Czech, EnglishAge of students (target group/s):6-12, 13-14, 15-18Links, resources:http://www.otevrena-veda.cz/sys/...https://khanovaskola.cz/ Contact person information:Bara Semerakova This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. “As a part of my lesson on the Universe, I showed a video that presents celestial objects in their real sizes. Students were amazed how big the Sun is and that something even bigger exists. There are situations when explanation does not work; visualisation is much better.” (primary school teacher) Not many videos and visualisation are available in the Czech language. The only bigger source of educative videos in Czech is Khan Academy. Examples of sources used by teachers Khan Academy The US concept introduced in the Czech Republic in 2013. Almost 2,000 videos are available in its Czech version www.khanovaskola.cz with 30,000 visitors per month. The videos are usually under 10 minutes long and the content is explained in a simple and attractive way. They present mainly Physics and Mathematics topics and cover the whole Czech curriculum of the two subjects. As far as we know, in the Czech Republic, videos are not used for the flipped classroom approach as it is common in English speaking countries. Documents by Czech TV Several documents available online free of charge such as “Date with Physics” or “Michael's experiments”. Methodical Portal RVP The Czech portal RVP (www.RVP.cz) provides online space for teachers to share and discuss their experience, inspiration and lessons. It contains a database with animations of physical and chemical experiments, which cannot be done in the class e.g.: Physical animations – http://www.animfyzika.wz.cz/ Physical Java applets – http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14cz/index.html Videos showing world under the microscope – http://mikrosvet.mimoni.cz/ Open Science Animations made by the Czech Academy of Science explain 10 scientific questions in an attractive way, e.g. how the Universe was created or How a nuclear power plant works. See the link: http://www.otevrena-veda.cz/sys/blocks/video-archive-nezkreslena-veda.jsp?channel=videogalerie/nezkreslena-veda How things are done (Jak se to dela) Videos available at www.jaksetodela.cz present manufacturing processes that cannot be shown in the class.Strong points and opportunities:• Using audiovisual aids is not costly – it is easy to use visual aids with basic equipment (lack of funds to purchase modern aids was marked as a problem by 75% of teachers in questionnaires) • Khan Academy has many benefits compared to a common lesson, such as the possibility to pause the video, or watch it again at any time. Thanks to a different approach to the topic and a different speaker, the videos are more attractive to students. The database of the lectures created by Czech authors is growing. • We do not have any evaluation of Khan Academy impact on learning in Czech classrooms. However, there is an evidence from US classrooms that students enjoy to learn through video lectures and that it increases their interest in science. • Students in general reflect positively on using technologies in lessons. According to both students and teachers, it is stimulating and makes the lessons more attractive.Limitations:• To find a proper and good quality animation or any other aids may take a long time. There are not many databases or portals where teachers would find easily what they need. Teachers mostly browse on internet. • Mixed quality of aids from internet. There is no guarantee that the content is explained correctly and unbiasedly. • Students may get bored if the same aids are used too often by teachers. It is advised to alter the visual aids with hands-on activities or any other methods that ensure a diversity of teaching in the class.Added value with regards to the 3 topics of the MASS project:• Apart from the fact that videos and animations are fun for students, teachers mostly highlighted the effect of showing “what you cannot experience in real” as the added value. • Visual aids communicate the content by sound and image. That is why more types of learners can be engaged compared to using a text or a lecture.Any prerequisites needed:None | ||
Teaching materials
MASS project intends to identify, analyze, evaluate and disseminate practical tools and methods in teaching science which will effectively lead to arise students' motivation and acquire higher level of basic skills in science. We will explore what happens in science lessons at schools and increase the knowledge of good practice in teaching science in three research areas: Science for Digital Learners, Early Inquiry and Low achievers in Science (See more: Main topics).
Main project activities include:
1. Identification of the national examples of good practices
The initial phase of the project is to analyze the strengths, weaknesses and potential in the particular area of science education method in each partner country. It will include identification of good practices on raising students motivation for science on the national level. Examples identified will be collected in the online database.
See more: Good practices repository
2. Development of pilot teaching materials and testing phase
Findings from the research phase of the project will form the ground for development of the pilot version of educational materials in each Working Group.
Piloting stage of the project, with the involvement of target group, will raise the quality and exploitability of the products.
3. Development of the final version of teaching materials
Final version of educational products will be developed after summing up the piloting phase. They will be available in each partner language. The final project results will bring a change at the classroom level. Teachers will be aware of the key factor for motivation of their students to learn science. They will use a wide range of methods effectively and appropriately to the learning needs and preferences of their students. More teachers will be confident and successful in use such of methods. They will make teaching science more relevant and accessible to students.
Final products will be widely presented and disseminated during the Open Conference III in the middle of 2016.
Pilot materials
To help teachers to become empowered, skillful and self-confident, we work on:
- Study (recommendations)
- Examples of good practices
- Module of teacher training
- Hands-on lessons / tutorials
for Digital Learners, Early Inquiry and Low Achievers in Science.
If you want to help us to improve these materials by taking part in piloting, please contact leader of each Working Group:
Leonie de Vries (Digital Learners), e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lenka Pachmanova (Early Inquiry), e mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Daiga Kalnina (Low Achievers), e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or the MASS project partner in your country:
Czech Republic, TEREZA Educational Center
Lenka Pachmanova e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cyprus, Cyprus Center for Environmental Research and Education (CY.C.E.R.E.)
Chrisis Kleovoulou, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Estonia, Estonian Physical Society
Kaido Reivelt, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Germany, University of Cologne Geographical Institute
Astrid Hensel, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Greece, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Thalia Mavrakou, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Latvia, Children's Environmental School
Inese Liepina, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Netherlands, SME Advies
Bregje van den Brand, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Poland, UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Centre
Elżbieta Wołoszyńska-Wiśniewska, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.