Question

Discuss need and importance of environmental studies at primary stage of schooling

Answer 1

3.2.2. Four primary schools belonging to the Maribor region of the Board of Education were selected for the direct systematic classroom observations of the Environmental Studies and Natural and Social Sciences. Two schools started introducing the nine-year primary school programme in the academic year 1999/2000 while the other two schools carry out the programme of the eight-year primary school programme. A class of the first year pupils was selected in each school. The research included eight primary school teachers and two nursery nurses.

Classroom observations were performed in February, April and May in the academic year 1999/2000 according to three common thematic clusters: Celebrations, Garden and Meadow. Each cluster lasted for three 45-minute lessons. The audio and videorecorded materials amounted to 18 hours for each of the subjects.

The final year students and the graduate students of the Department for Junior Primary School Programme helped us with the direct classroom observations. They had been trained for this task for a longer period of time. Several students were involved in some aspects of the lessons in order to achieve a greater data objectivity.

Technical equipment was yet another means for classroom observations. A cassette player was used during all classroom observations. A video camera was used to record only one lesson at each school.

3.2.3. Regarding the pupils' feelings during the lessons the sample contained all four classes of selected schools. 286 pupils were involved in the ES and 269 in the NNS.

3.2.4. All the teachers and nursery nurses who were teaching the first year pupils in the nine year primary school programme in the academic year 1999/2000 (128) were included in the sample of examining the teacher's and nursery nurse's attitude towards the Environmental Studies. However, the data processing involved only 39,8%
4.1 Evaluation and comparison of teaching aims in the national curriculum

The main finding was that there exist differences in both curriculums which depend mainly on the various starting points of the values and different strategic plans of both curriculums. The teaching aims of the Environmental Studies are focused more antropocentrically. They are written on all three levels (general, periodic and operational). Their cognitive component is emphasised. However, the aims of the natural science field are more central. The teaching aims of the Natural and Social Sciences are inclined more sociocentrally. They are written only on the general level. Their educational component is emphasised and the focal points are the aims of the social science field.

4.2 Evaluation and comparison of teaching aims in the detailed curriculum of teachers' plans

The differences between the two subjects can be seen in the planning of teaching aims according to their written records, in the definition of their temporal realization, in the number of recorded aims and considering the correlations with other subjects, as well as the analysed detailed curriculums and teaching plans. However, there are no significant differences in the written records of teaching aims in their dominant extent and dominant taxonomic levels of cognitive teaching aims (knowledge).

It can therefore be said that although there is a different approach in the curriculum planning of the Environmental Studies, the teachers and nursery nurses are confronted with the following specific problems when designing teaching aims: their operation, determining their basic extent and their variety.

In the table below is the data gathered by means of systematic observations of lessons of both subjects.

4.3 Do the lessons of the Environmental Studies differ from the lessons of the Natural and Social Sciences regarding the affirmation of pupils' grouping?


From the statistic point of view there is a significant difference between the Environmental Studies and the Natural and Social Sciences regarding the dominant grouping of pupils. Group work was the most dominant grouping during the Environmental Studies and whole-class grouping during the Natural and Social Sciences.

4.4 Do the lessons of the Environmental Studies in the first year differ from the lessons of Natural and Social Sciences based on the general use of teaching methods?


Table 2 The number and the structural percentage of lessons of the dominant teaching methods.

From the statistic point of view there is also a significant difference between the Environmental Studies and the Natural and Social Sciences regarding the dominant teaching method.

Laboratory-experimental teaching method was the most dominant teaching method while teaching the Environmental Studies and verbally-textual teaching method while teaching the Natural and Social
Table 3 Types of activities pupils participate in during the Environmental Studies and the Natural and Social Sciences