Development of
Science
Competences

Basic information: :

Management partner: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics UM

Partners: Faculty of Education UM, Faculty of Education UL, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology UL, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics UL, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology UL, Biotechnical Faculty UL  

Participants include: FAMNIT UP, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering UL, Faculty of Arts UM, many primary and secondary schools and kindergartens  

The purpose of the project: Develop professional bases and test them in schools to improve science literacy.  

Duration: 1.10.2008 - 31.12.2011  

The value of the project amounts to € 1,665,000.00.   

The importance of the project:

Obtained European funds confirm that the development of the teaching of science subjects (biology, physics, chemistry) is important. It also stresses the importance of university study programmes that educate teachers of Science and technical subjects. Such education is neglected  because of inadequate funding of those courses. While Europe highlights the importance of the education of good teachers in the scientific field, Slovenian universities recognize that the course does not result financially and somewhere may be already thinking of their cancellation. Despite the difficult financial situation, however, FNM will not cancel these programmes, contrary the declaration to the project shows that in the addition of new nonpedagocial programmes it will continue to educate the high-quality teachers as well.

Estimated results of the project:

• elements of new science didactics
• didactic materials / models, ready for a certain scientific discipline and quarterly period specified by the school vertical 
• examination of the materials / models in school
• workshops for teacher training practitioners
• participation of experts at international conferences
• promotion projects for the popularisation of science among young people

Participants:

Partners:

• Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, http://www.pfmb.uni-mb.si/
• Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, http://www.pef.uni-lj.si/
• Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana http://www.fkkt.uni-lj.si
• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, http://www.fmf.uni-lj.si/si/
• Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Ljubljana,  http://www.ntf.uni-lj.si/
• Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, http://www.bf.uni-lj.si/
  

Teachers in elementary schools (ES), secondary schools (SS), and kindergartens:

• Avguštin Jelka
• Benko Dragomir
• Bernad Daniel
• Bezjak Romana
• Brecl Jožica
• Briški Darko
• Cvar Sanja
• Čepin Silva
• Česnik-Vončina Irena
• Črešnik Martina
• Čuješ Romana
• Dimec Robert
• Dobnik Repnik Mojca
• Forjan Matej
• Golmajer Neda
• Grubelnik Lidija
• Hajdinjak Zdravka
• Holnthaner Zorec
• Hromc Felicita
• Jančič Jasmina
• Jauk Senka
• Keuc Zdenka
• Kocijančič Saša
• Križaj Marjeta
• Kunc Magdalena
• Lipovnik Samo
• Marhl Andrej
• Mravljak Jakica
• Novak Jasna
• Osrajnik Damjan
• Pačnik Milena
• Poljanšek Marjanca
• Popič Hedvika
• Pregl Davorka
• Sekolonik Peter
• Slak Karmen
• Stiplovšek Milenko
• Stopar Katja
• Štefl Tanja
• Štukl Maja
• Tancer Mladen
• Tavčar Ročenovič Diana
• Vidmar Karmen
• Vilar Alenka
• Zanjkovič Samo
• Žic Jasna
• Žigart Marko

A more detailed description of competences

European Commission recommends that Member States develop the proposal of key competences for all as a part of their lifelong learning strategies, including strategies to achieve universal literacy, and use the 'Key Competences for Lifelong Learning - European Reference Framework (hereinafter referred to as "CFR") as a reference tool in order to provide:

• initial education and training offers all young people the means to develop the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life, and which forms a basis for further learning and working life;
• appropriate proposal for those young people who, due to educational disadvantages caused by personal, social, cultural and economic circumstances, need particular support to fulfill their educational potential;
• for adults to be able to develop and update their key competences throughout their lives with the particular focus on target groups identified as priorities in national, regional and / or local context, for example, for those individuals who must update their knowledge;
• appropriate infrastructure for continuing education and training of adults, including teachers and trainers, examination procedures, and evaluation measures to ensure equal access to lifelong learning and the labor market, and support for learners that recognizes the different needs and competences of adults;
• that the coherence of adult education and training to individual citizens is achieved through close links with employment and social policy, cultural policy, innovation policy and other
• 30.12.2006 Sl Official Journal of the European Union L 394/11 policies affecting young people and through collaboration with social partners and other stakeholders;

Physics

Improvement of the development of natural science competences in teaching and learning physics topics through the educational vertical, from pre-school level to the end of secondary school, may be viewed as strengthening of generic competences from physical point as well as by enforced development of competences characteristic for physics, which are listed in various international projects in the educational area. In the cooperation with teachers, this task can be achieved with the choice of appropriate physics topics in accordance with curriculum, and also by using suitable didactic strategies. Besides the cognitive aspect the development of right skills and views must be considered. In physics, we mention in particular the significance of school experiments and research projects, the use of information-communication technologies and interdisciplinarity, particularly the connection of physics with mathematics, technics and other natural sciences. We strongly recommend the introduction of modern physical discoveries and interdisciplinary topics in the lessons, e.g., those which are connected with sustainable development: new possibilities of energy sources, novel materials with excellent mechanical and other physical properties, new techonogical applications that are indicated by recent achievements in physics, etc.

Biology

Finding the answer to the question how to improve the learning effects is as old as teaching itself. While in the past the knowldege that had been transferred from father/mother to son/daughter, was transmitted in an unaltered way to their grandchildren, is nowadays the fundamental question, how to teach people to work properly in situations that were unknown during the time of their education.

Undoubtedly, it is a great challenge for biology teachers, who want to teach their students in the spirit of competences, defined as: to be in possession of knowledge, skills and standpoints, because the teachers have to face requests to which their ancestors would be amazed at.

The quantity of knowledge, one should be in command of, is increasing every day and new knowledge does not only complement the existent knowledge, but it also changes it fundamentally.

Schools were pervaded by new informational technology and teachers, which do not use it in classes, are becoming extinctive specialty. Moreover, pedagogical doctrines, which demand from a teacher the knowldege that specical pedagogues used to possess, are changing. At the same time the knowledge society expects from a teacher to prepare the students for external assessment and to equip them with knowledge that should enable them successful working performance at changable jobs. And not to forget, the teacher should stimulate positive attitude towards his/her subject.

Within the project ''Development of science competences'', we are well aware that changes are not going to be made easily. This is why we intend to concentrate on these themes:

• The development of activities and contents which in harmony with other teachers accelerate the development of students' generic competences. Our attention will be focused on finding the strategies and methods of problem solving and research work.
• The inclusion of methods of work, which trustees are biology teachers, while others would have difficulties perfoming them, such as: field work and laboratory work by including organisms.
• The treating of living beings, especially humans, because biology is a study of life and interference of key theories such as evolution, which explain their origin and development.
• To strive for the fomation of positive values towards animate and inanimate nature as well as to foster human attitude towards people.

In collaboration with experts and practicians, we anticipate to prepare materials and strategies which could be included in classes as a part of the doctrine of biology teaching also by those, who were not a part of the project. And in case of any mistake, our descendants would at least friendly acknowledge our honourable trial.

Chemistry

The development of competences is a very demanding process, which requires graduality and systematics. It does not begin by introducing chemistry as a compulsory subject, but it is of crucial importance that we develop as much competences as possible in all levels of our school system. Our main objective is above all connecting facts and developing the ability to use them in real life situations as well as by connecting the knowledge. We lay special emphasis on introducing contemporary educational strategies, especially those appropriate for natural science, such as: project work, empirical learning, collaborative learning and the introduction of ECT (educational communicative technology), where students/pupils are involved in the process of acquiring knowledge and developing scientific way of thinking. Vertical upgrade in the development of key science competences, especially the process knowledge or scientific procedures from preschool to the end of grammar school will also be very important and will be achieved by the collaboration of individual groups of our project.

 The aim is to offer such way of acquiring knowledge and didactic materials for students and teachers, which are connected with the actual use of this knowledge in everyday life. By doing so, we can expect better education, concsiousness and the competences of the youth and consecutively of all Slovene population about the necessity of sustainable development, where science competences play a main role.