Renata Holubová - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Renata Holubová
Journal of physics. Conference series, Feb 1, 2024
The International Journal of Learning: Annual Review, 2007
Book Publisher International (a part of SCIENCEDOMAIN International), Feb 22, 2021
Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the ma... more Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. Physics is an experimental science and laboratory work is the most important way how to verify the theoretical concepts. Students so as researchers must have an opportunity to judge their ideas. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented.
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2017
One of the research areas of Physics education is the study of the educational process. Investiga... more One of the research areas of Physics education is the study of the educational process. Investigations in this area are aimed for example on the teaching and learning process and its results. The conception of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is discussed – it is one possible approach to the preparation of the curriculum and the focus on the educational process at basic and secondary schools. At schools in the Czech Republic STEM is much more realized by the application of interdisciplinary relations between subjects Physics-Nature-Technique. In both conceptions the aim is to support pupils’ creativity, critical thinking, cross-curricular links. In this context the possibility of using Fermi problems in teaching Physics was discussed (as an interdisciplinary and constructivist activity). The aim of our research was the analysis of Fermi problems solving strategies, the ability of pupils to solve Fermi problems. The outcome of our analysis was to find out methods and teach...
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2019
Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the ma... more Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented. 1. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the quality of teaching natural sciences, especially physics, is at the very edge of public interest. Examining the current trends in education we can conclude that the holder of the first place is the STEM concept-a combination of natural sciences, mathematics, and techniques. According to this concept, an integral part of education is students' preparation for their employment on the labor market, especially in the professions linked with technology. Following from that, there is also an increased emphasis put on the practical activities of students during teaching hours, in our case, in teaching physics. Therefore, we consider physical experiment being a critical educational tool. The importance of experiments in physics is discussed in domestic and foreign literature. Students' practical activities are also related to the results of PISA and TIMSS international surveys considering students' success in solving individual types of problems. 1 Curricular Documents in the Czech Republic-The Framework Educational Programs state the general requirements for students in the field of practical activities. In the Framework for secondary schools, for the educational area called "Man and Nature" is stated: "to lead students for carrying out systematic and objective observations, measurements and experiments (particular of a laboratory character) according to their own or a team plan or project, for elaborating an interpretation of the acquired data and finding connections between them; for using modern technology resources during the cognitive activity of Science". If we have a look at the expected students' outputs we can see that only in the topic "Physical quantities and their measurements" it is explicitly stated that "a student measures the selected physical quantities by the appropriate methods, elaborates and evaluates the results of the measurements." Similarly, students' competences are also characterized in the case of the Framework for grammar schools. 2 Research on nature and activities of such educational disciplines of the "Man and Nature" educational field as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography enable students to understand the laws of natural processes more deeply, and thus to recognize the usefulness of science and its application in practical life. It should be emphasized that, studying nature through specific cognitive methods, students could also acquire important skills. It is above all to develop skills systematically, observe, make experiments and measure objectively and thoroughly, create and verify hypotheses on the nature of the observed natural phenomena, analyze the results of this verification, and draw conclusions basing on them. Students learn to study the causes of natural processes, their contexts and relationships
Universal Journal of Educational Research, Oct 1, 2015
The main issue of this paper is the discussion around the question "How can we teach and motivate... more The main issue of this paper is the discussion around the question "How can we teach and motivate the why-generation learners and the generation Z learners?". The aim of our project was to find out teaching and learning methods that teachers and learners can use in 21st century classroom. Strategies how to engage gen Y and gen Z learners in the learning process should be found. During our research various methods were used: problem based learning, project based learning, team work, inquiry based learning, interdisciplinary approach, experiments-from very simple and low cost experiments to computer based experiments and remote laboratories. It was found out, that generation Y so as gen Z learners can be motivated by various instructional methods based on their own activity. Their own doing seemed to be more important for them than learning itself. It is necessary to use educational materials including charts, graphic presentations, cartoons. Also it was found out that a very useful tool for our students can be the mind mapping. Mind maps and concept maps are not common during students instruction at secondary and high schools in the Czech republic. We prepared a set of concept maps on the basis of high school physics textbooks, from mechanics, molecular physics, via electricity and magnetism to optics, and nuclear physics. In this paper the outcomes of our project will be presented so as some examples of interdisciplinary modules that have been prepared-"real-world" physics modules with everyday life problems that can be integrated into the high school curriculum physics (physics in the kitchen, crime scene investigation, environmental physics), non-traditional experiments, properties of non-Newtonian liquids (experiments with dilatant fluids, oobleck, the suspension of starch, the Weissenberg effect, Barus effect, the Kaye effect), modern physics-nanotechnology (cooperation with the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials-a faculty establishment). The findings of this project are incorporated into the subject "Didactics of Physics" in the undergraduate physics teacher study programme at the Faculty of Science.
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2022
The International Journal of Learning: Annual Review, 2008
International journal for innovation education and research, Jul 31, 2018
The aim of this paper is to present the outcomes of the project that is solved at the Faculty of ... more The aim of this paper is to present the outcomes of the project that is solved at the Faculty of Science in Olomouc, Czech Republic. One of the key activities of the project is to interconnect more closely the pre-graduate teacher training with the practice at schools and the cooperation with teachers of various secondary schools. Video hospitalizations of lessons are provided. Lessons realized by experienced teachers are compared with lessons realized by university students (pre-service teachers). The lessons are analyzed and reflected. Particular examples of the comparison of various physics lessons will be presented, crucial problems in these two types of lessons will be discussed.
Forenzní vědy, právo, kriminalistika, 2022
Příspěvek shrnuje základní informace o fyzikální podstatě bezdotykového měření teploty-termovize.... more Příspěvek shrnuje základní informace o fyzikální podstatě bezdotykového měření teploty-termovize. Jsou diskutovány základní parametry, které ovlivňují vznik termogramu. Článek je doplněn praktickými ukázkami měření pomocí termokamery FLIR E30.
Physics Education, 2017
The aim of the paper is the presentation of an interdisciplinary topic that allows applying conte... more The aim of the paper is the presentation of an interdisciplinary topic that allows applying content knowledge in physics, mathematics and biology in real life environment. Students use to play games and view crime scenes but in common they have little knowledge about the science used during crime scene investigation. In this paper the science background of blood spatter analysis is presented—the physics of non-Newtonian fluids, the biology of blood and mathematics—the measurement and calculation of the angle of inpact, the relationship between height and spatter diameter. This topic was choosen according to the analysis of interviews with secondary and high school learners realized at four schools in Moravia, Czech Republic. The topic can be taught at secondary schools so as at a higher level at high schools. Hands-on activities are included. The teaching strategy supports group work. The appropriateness and reasonableness of the topic was checked in the real teaching process and the activities have had a positive feedback.
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2021
Education in the 21st century requires a new design of educational programs for all types and lev... more Education in the 21st century requires a new design of educational programs for all types and levels of schools. The pre-graduate physics teacher education faces new requirements from the learning school environment. Now we need to answer the key question, if our university is able to prepare students for their further practice at schools. This paper will present the outcomes of our research aimed at the pedagogical content knowledge of the pre-graduate science teachers. The main goal of the research was to compare the competences of experienced practical teachers and students specialized in teaching during their contiguous teaching practice. Based on the research results the evaluation of the science teacher education program at the Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, was realized.
DIDFYZ 2019: Formation of the Natural Science Image of the World in the 21st Century, 2019
Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the ma... more Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented. 1. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the quality of teaching natural sciences, especially physics, is at the very edge of public interest. Examining the current trends in education we can conclude that the holder of the first place is the STEM concept-a combination of natural sciences, mathematics, and techniques. According to this concept, an integral part of education is students' preparation for their employment on the labor market, especially in the professions linked with technology. Following from that, there is also an increased emphasis put on the practical activities of students during teaching hours, in our case, in teaching physics. Therefore, we consider physical experiment being a critical educational tool. The importance of experiments in physics is discussed in domestic and foreign literature. Students' practical activities are also related to the results of PISA and TIMSS international surveys considering students' success in solving individual types of problems. 1 Curricular Documents in the Czech Republic-The Framework Educational Programs state the general requirements for students in the field of practical activities. In the Framework for secondary schools, for the educational area called "Man and Nature" is stated: "to lead students for carrying out systematic and objective observations, measurements and experiments (particular of a laboratory character) according to their own or a team plan or project, for elaborating an interpretation of the acquired data and finding connections between them; for using modern technology resources during the cognitive activity of Science". If we have a look at the expected students' outputs we can see that only in the topic "Physical quantities and their measurements" it is explicitly stated that "a student measures the selected physical quantities by the appropriate methods, elaborates and evaluates the results of the measurements." Similarly, students' competences are also characterized in the case of the Framework for grammar schools. 2 Research on nature and activities of such educational disciplines of the "Man and Nature" educational field as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography enable students to understand the laws of natural processes more deeply, and thus to recognize the usefulness of science and its application in practical life. It should be emphasized that, studying nature through specific cognitive methods, students could also acquire important skills. It is above all to develop skills systematically, observe, make experiments and measure objectively and thoroughly, create and verify hypotheses on the nature of the observed natural phenomena, analyze the results of this verification, and draw conclusions basing on them. Students learn to study the causes of natural processes, their contexts and relationships
Vyd. 1. Pod názvem: Seminární materiál projektu Učíme fyziku moderně, Další vzdělávání učitelů fy... more Vyd. 1. Pod názvem: Seminární materiál projektu Učíme fyziku moderně, Další vzdělávání učitelů fyziky Olomouckého kraje, Slovanské gymnázium Olomouc 120 výt.
International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, Dec 3, 2023
The paper deals with the problem of physics education at high schools and problems that universit... more The paper deals with the problem of physics education at high schools and problems that university students have in the first year of their study. Physics is a core subject in STEM education (STEM-science, technology, engineering, mathematics). The aim of the research was focused on parts of the physics curriculum that are difficult to teach and learn (concepts heat, temperature, density). Our research was provided in 2019-2022 at high schools (grammar schools) in the Czech Republic and in 2020-2022 at universities as part of the project Bridge2Teach solution. The goal of the research was to answer two questions: 1. What are the critical places in the study program of the subject physics at high schools? 2. Can bridging courses at universities be helpful for pre-service science teacher students to overcome gaps in knowledge during the first term of the studies? The findings of this study are discussed in this manuscript. Examples of ways to prepare study materials for high school students are given.
The paper presents results of the research of new effective teaching methods in physics and scien... more The paper presents results of the research of new effective teaching methods in physics and science. It is found out that it is necessary to educate pre-service teachers in approaches stressing the importance of the own activity of students, in competences how to create an interdisciplinary project. Project-based physics teaching and learning seems to be one of the most effective methods for teaching science for understanding. It is necessary to provide in-service teachers instruction (seminars) and prepare sample projects with proposals how to develop, run and evaluate interdisciplinary projects. Projects are important "real-world" physics modules, modern physics and everyday life problems can be integrated into the high school curriculum. Examples of projects that were worked out are presented. (Contains 5 figures and 4 tables.)
American Journal of Educational Research, 2015
Environmental education is a part of the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education in t... more Environmental education is a part of the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education in the Czech Republic and is supported all over the world. The goal of our activity was the use of models in environmental education. Our attention was focused on the knowledge about one of the environmental problems due to global warming-the properties of the Gulf Stream, and its improvement. The Gulf Stream is one of the most famous sea currents and, in connection with the problems of global warming, also much discussed. The aim of the project was to prepare a simple flow model of the Gulf Stream. In the first part of the paper the impact of environmental education is mentioned. In the second part the model of the Gulf Stream is described. The model is the starting point for the discussion and further reading about the ocean and atmosphere transport of heat. The key points of the discussed problems are the impact of the Gulf Stream, and the slowing down of the Gulf Stream. It is thought that gen Y are the best educated generation in environmental problems. But most information Millennials get from TV, Internet, newspapers, and sometimes the information are questionable and insufficient. This model will help the learners get deeper knowledge of heat transport.
American Journal of Educational Research, Jan 23, 2015
The main issue of this study is the analysis around strategies how to engage generation Y learner... more The main issue of this study is the analysis around strategies how to engage generation Y learners. The aim of the study was to find out the contribution of various teaching and learning methods that teachers and learners can use in the twenty-first-century classroom. This study is a continuation of the previous research provided in 2010. During the study various methods were used: problem based learning, project based learning, team work, inquiry based learning, interdisciplinary approach, experiments-from very simple and low cost experiments to computer based experiments and remote laboratories. It was found out that generation Y learners can be motivated by various instructional methods based on their own activity. Their own doing seemed to be more important for them than learning itself. It is then more than useful to use educational materials including charts, graphic presentations and cartoons. The main goal of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of the use of mind maps and concept maps, which are not common during students' instruction at secondary and high schools in the Czech Republic. A set of concept maps on the basis of high school physics textbooks was prepared.
Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2020
The paper deals with the issue of early termination of university studies and summarizes the resu... more The paper deals with the issue of early termination of university studies and summarizes the results of an international survey on the existence of bridging courses for high school graduates entering the 1st year of science studies. The introduction describes the current situation at universities and technical colleges, and points out a number of factors that cause early termination. Based on the analysis of student failures in the first year of undergraduate study of teacher training in science and mathematics, a research survey was conducted in the Czech Republic in cooperation with universities in Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania and Italy. The aim of the research was to describe and analyze the current state of the so-called bridging courses for students of natural sciences and to verify other possibilities of implementing these courses at participating universities. Within the survey, the method of qualitative research was used, and an induction procedure with the following phases ...
Online Submission, Feb 1, 2013
The question "how to improve the interest of students to study physics" has been discussed in the... more The question "how to improve the interest of students to study physics" has been discussed in the author's previous papers too. Within the framework of the project, the author prepared various new interdisciplinary projects to demonstrate how inventions in physics are used in everyday life. Now, about one year later, the author found out that students were most addressed with the modules physics and crime scene investigation physics in the kitchen, as usually with non-traditional simple experiments. The aim of this paper is to introduce the modules and discuss possible reasons of this situation.
Journal of physics. Conference series, Feb 1, 2024
The International Journal of Learning: Annual Review, 2007
Book Publisher International (a part of SCIENCEDOMAIN International), Feb 22, 2021
Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the ma... more Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. Physics is an experimental science and laboratory work is the most important way how to verify the theoretical concepts. Students so as researchers must have an opportunity to judge their ideas. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented.
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2017
One of the research areas of Physics education is the study of the educational process. Investiga... more One of the research areas of Physics education is the study of the educational process. Investigations in this area are aimed for example on the teaching and learning process and its results. The conception of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is discussed – it is one possible approach to the preparation of the curriculum and the focus on the educational process at basic and secondary schools. At schools in the Czech Republic STEM is much more realized by the application of interdisciplinary relations between subjects Physics-Nature-Technique. In both conceptions the aim is to support pupils’ creativity, critical thinking, cross-curricular links. In this context the possibility of using Fermi problems in teaching Physics was discussed (as an interdisciplinary and constructivist activity). The aim of our research was the analysis of Fermi problems solving strategies, the ability of pupils to solve Fermi problems. The outcome of our analysis was to find out methods and teach...
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2019
Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the ma... more Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented. 1. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the quality of teaching natural sciences, especially physics, is at the very edge of public interest. Examining the current trends in education we can conclude that the holder of the first place is the STEM concept-a combination of natural sciences, mathematics, and techniques. According to this concept, an integral part of education is students' preparation for their employment on the labor market, especially in the professions linked with technology. Following from that, there is also an increased emphasis put on the practical activities of students during teaching hours, in our case, in teaching physics. Therefore, we consider physical experiment being a critical educational tool. The importance of experiments in physics is discussed in domestic and foreign literature. Students' practical activities are also related to the results of PISA and TIMSS international surveys considering students' success in solving individual types of problems. 1 Curricular Documents in the Czech Republic-The Framework Educational Programs state the general requirements for students in the field of practical activities. In the Framework for secondary schools, for the educational area called "Man and Nature" is stated: "to lead students for carrying out systematic and objective observations, measurements and experiments (particular of a laboratory character) according to their own or a team plan or project, for elaborating an interpretation of the acquired data and finding connections between them; for using modern technology resources during the cognitive activity of Science". If we have a look at the expected students' outputs we can see that only in the topic "Physical quantities and their measurements" it is explicitly stated that "a student measures the selected physical quantities by the appropriate methods, elaborates and evaluates the results of the measurements." Similarly, students' competences are also characterized in the case of the Framework for grammar schools. 2 Research on nature and activities of such educational disciplines of the "Man and Nature" educational field as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography enable students to understand the laws of natural processes more deeply, and thus to recognize the usefulness of science and its application in practical life. It should be emphasized that, studying nature through specific cognitive methods, students could also acquire important skills. It is above all to develop skills systematically, observe, make experiments and measure objectively and thoroughly, create and verify hypotheses on the nature of the observed natural phenomena, analyze the results of this verification, and draw conclusions basing on them. Students learn to study the causes of natural processes, their contexts and relationships
Universal Journal of Educational Research, Oct 1, 2015
The main issue of this paper is the discussion around the question "How can we teach and motivate... more The main issue of this paper is the discussion around the question "How can we teach and motivate the why-generation learners and the generation Z learners?". The aim of our project was to find out teaching and learning methods that teachers and learners can use in 21st century classroom. Strategies how to engage gen Y and gen Z learners in the learning process should be found. During our research various methods were used: problem based learning, project based learning, team work, inquiry based learning, interdisciplinary approach, experiments-from very simple and low cost experiments to computer based experiments and remote laboratories. It was found out, that generation Y so as gen Z learners can be motivated by various instructional methods based on their own activity. Their own doing seemed to be more important for them than learning itself. It is necessary to use educational materials including charts, graphic presentations, cartoons. Also it was found out that a very useful tool for our students can be the mind mapping. Mind maps and concept maps are not common during students instruction at secondary and high schools in the Czech republic. We prepared a set of concept maps on the basis of high school physics textbooks, from mechanics, molecular physics, via electricity and magnetism to optics, and nuclear physics. In this paper the outcomes of our project will be presented so as some examples of interdisciplinary modules that have been prepared-"real-world" physics modules with everyday life problems that can be integrated into the high school curriculum physics (physics in the kitchen, crime scene investigation, environmental physics), non-traditional experiments, properties of non-Newtonian liquids (experiments with dilatant fluids, oobleck, the suspension of starch, the Weissenberg effect, Barus effect, the Kaye effect), modern physics-nanotechnology (cooperation with the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials-a faculty establishment). The findings of this project are incorporated into the subject "Didactics of Physics" in the undergraduate physics teacher study programme at the Faculty of Science.
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2022
The International Journal of Learning: Annual Review, 2008
International journal for innovation education and research, Jul 31, 2018
The aim of this paper is to present the outcomes of the project that is solved at the Faculty of ... more The aim of this paper is to present the outcomes of the project that is solved at the Faculty of Science in Olomouc, Czech Republic. One of the key activities of the project is to interconnect more closely the pre-graduate teacher training with the practice at schools and the cooperation with teachers of various secondary schools. Video hospitalizations of lessons are provided. Lessons realized by experienced teachers are compared with lessons realized by university students (pre-service teachers). The lessons are analyzed and reflected. Particular examples of the comparison of various physics lessons will be presented, crucial problems in these two types of lessons will be discussed.
Forenzní vědy, právo, kriminalistika, 2022
Příspěvek shrnuje základní informace o fyzikální podstatě bezdotykového měření teploty-termovize.... more Příspěvek shrnuje základní informace o fyzikální podstatě bezdotykového měření teploty-termovize. Jsou diskutovány základní parametry, které ovlivňují vznik termogramu. Článek je doplněn praktickými ukázkami měření pomocí termokamery FLIR E30.
Physics Education, 2017
The aim of the paper is the presentation of an interdisciplinary topic that allows applying conte... more The aim of the paper is the presentation of an interdisciplinary topic that allows applying content knowledge in physics, mathematics and biology in real life environment. Students use to play games and view crime scenes but in common they have little knowledge about the science used during crime scene investigation. In this paper the science background of blood spatter analysis is presented—the physics of non-Newtonian fluids, the biology of blood and mathematics—the measurement and calculation of the angle of inpact, the relationship between height and spatter diameter. This topic was choosen according to the analysis of interviews with secondary and high school learners realized at four schools in Moravia, Czech Republic. The topic can be taught at secondary schools so as at a higher level at high schools. Hands-on activities are included. The teaching strategy supports group work. The appropriateness and reasonableness of the topic was checked in the real teaching process and the activities have had a positive feedback.
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2021
Education in the 21st century requires a new design of educational programs for all types and lev... more Education in the 21st century requires a new design of educational programs for all types and levels of schools. The pre-graduate physics teacher education faces new requirements from the learning school environment. Now we need to answer the key question, if our university is able to prepare students for their further practice at schools. This paper will present the outcomes of our research aimed at the pedagogical content knowledge of the pre-graduate science teachers. The main goal of the research was to compare the competences of experienced practical teachers and students specialized in teaching during their contiguous teaching practice. Based on the research results the evaluation of the science teacher education program at the Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, was realized.
DIDFYZ 2019: Formation of the Natural Science Image of the World in the 21st Century, 2019
Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the ma... more Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented. 1. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the quality of teaching natural sciences, especially physics, is at the very edge of public interest. Examining the current trends in education we can conclude that the holder of the first place is the STEM concept-a combination of natural sciences, mathematics, and techniques. According to this concept, an integral part of education is students' preparation for their employment on the labor market, especially in the professions linked with technology. Following from that, there is also an increased emphasis put on the practical activities of students during teaching hours, in our case, in teaching physics. Therefore, we consider physical experiment being a critical educational tool. The importance of experiments in physics is discussed in domestic and foreign literature. Students' practical activities are also related to the results of PISA and TIMSS international surveys considering students' success in solving individual types of problems. 1 Curricular Documents in the Czech Republic-The Framework Educational Programs state the general requirements for students in the field of practical activities. In the Framework for secondary schools, for the educational area called "Man and Nature" is stated: "to lead students for carrying out systematic and objective observations, measurements and experiments (particular of a laboratory character) according to their own or a team plan or project, for elaborating an interpretation of the acquired data and finding connections between them; for using modern technology resources during the cognitive activity of Science". If we have a look at the expected students' outputs we can see that only in the topic "Physical quantities and their measurements" it is explicitly stated that "a student measures the selected physical quantities by the appropriate methods, elaborates and evaluates the results of the measurements." Similarly, students' competences are also characterized in the case of the Framework for grammar schools. 2 Research on nature and activities of such educational disciplines of the "Man and Nature" educational field as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography enable students to understand the laws of natural processes more deeply, and thus to recognize the usefulness of science and its application in practical life. It should be emphasized that, studying nature through specific cognitive methods, students could also acquire important skills. It is above all to develop skills systematically, observe, make experiments and measure objectively and thoroughly, create and verify hypotheses on the nature of the observed natural phenomena, analyze the results of this verification, and draw conclusions basing on them. Students learn to study the causes of natural processes, their contexts and relationships
Vyd. 1. Pod názvem: Seminární materiál projektu Učíme fyziku moderně, Další vzdělávání učitelů fy... more Vyd. 1. Pod názvem: Seminární materiál projektu Učíme fyziku moderně, Další vzdělávání učitelů fyziky Olomouckého kraje, Slovanské gymnázium Olomouc 120 výt.
International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, Dec 3, 2023
The paper deals with the problem of physics education at high schools and problems that universit... more The paper deals with the problem of physics education at high schools and problems that university students have in the first year of their study. Physics is a core subject in STEM education (STEM-science, technology, engineering, mathematics). The aim of the research was focused on parts of the physics curriculum that are difficult to teach and learn (concepts heat, temperature, density). Our research was provided in 2019-2022 at high schools (grammar schools) in the Czech Republic and in 2020-2022 at universities as part of the project Bridge2Teach solution. The goal of the research was to answer two questions: 1. What are the critical places in the study program of the subject physics at high schools? 2. Can bridging courses at universities be helpful for pre-service science teacher students to overcome gaps in knowledge during the first term of the studies? The findings of this study are discussed in this manuscript. Examples of ways to prepare study materials for high school students are given.
The paper presents results of the research of new effective teaching methods in physics and scien... more The paper presents results of the research of new effective teaching methods in physics and science. It is found out that it is necessary to educate pre-service teachers in approaches stressing the importance of the own activity of students, in competences how to create an interdisciplinary project. Project-based physics teaching and learning seems to be one of the most effective methods for teaching science for understanding. It is necessary to provide in-service teachers instruction (seminars) and prepare sample projects with proposals how to develop, run and evaluate interdisciplinary projects. Projects are important "real-world" physics modules, modern physics and everyday life problems can be integrated into the high school curriculum. Examples of projects that were worked out are presented. (Contains 5 figures and 4 tables.)
American Journal of Educational Research, 2015
Environmental education is a part of the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education in t... more Environmental education is a part of the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education in the Czech Republic and is supported all over the world. The goal of our activity was the use of models in environmental education. Our attention was focused on the knowledge about one of the environmental problems due to global warming-the properties of the Gulf Stream, and its improvement. The Gulf Stream is one of the most famous sea currents and, in connection with the problems of global warming, also much discussed. The aim of the project was to prepare a simple flow model of the Gulf Stream. In the first part of the paper the impact of environmental education is mentioned. In the second part the model of the Gulf Stream is described. The model is the starting point for the discussion and further reading about the ocean and atmosphere transport of heat. The key points of the discussed problems are the impact of the Gulf Stream, and the slowing down of the Gulf Stream. It is thought that gen Y are the best educated generation in environmental problems. But most information Millennials get from TV, Internet, newspapers, and sometimes the information are questionable and insufficient. This model will help the learners get deeper knowledge of heat transport.
American Journal of Educational Research, Jan 23, 2015
The main issue of this study is the analysis around strategies how to engage generation Y learner... more The main issue of this study is the analysis around strategies how to engage generation Y learners. The aim of the study was to find out the contribution of various teaching and learning methods that teachers and learners can use in the twenty-first-century classroom. This study is a continuation of the previous research provided in 2010. During the study various methods were used: problem based learning, project based learning, team work, inquiry based learning, interdisciplinary approach, experiments-from very simple and low cost experiments to computer based experiments and remote laboratories. It was found out that generation Y learners can be motivated by various instructional methods based on their own activity. Their own doing seemed to be more important for them than learning itself. It is then more than useful to use educational materials including charts, graphic presentations and cartoons. The main goal of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of the use of mind maps and concept maps, which are not common during students' instruction at secondary and high schools in the Czech Republic. A set of concept maps on the basis of high school physics textbooks was prepared.
Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2020
The paper deals with the issue of early termination of university studies and summarizes the resu... more The paper deals with the issue of early termination of university studies and summarizes the results of an international survey on the existence of bridging courses for high school graduates entering the 1st year of science studies. The introduction describes the current situation at universities and technical colleges, and points out a number of factors that cause early termination. Based on the analysis of student failures in the first year of undergraduate study of teacher training in science and mathematics, a research survey was conducted in the Czech Republic in cooperation with universities in Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania and Italy. The aim of the research was to describe and analyze the current state of the so-called bridging courses for students of natural sciences and to verify other possibilities of implementing these courses at participating universities. Within the survey, the method of qualitative research was used, and an induction procedure with the following phases ...
Online Submission, Feb 1, 2013
The question "how to improve the interest of students to study physics" has been discussed in the... more The question "how to improve the interest of students to study physics" has been discussed in the author's previous papers too. Within the framework of the project, the author prepared various new interdisciplinary projects to demonstrate how inventions in physics are used in everyday life. Now, about one year later, the author found out that students were most addressed with the modules physics and crime scene investigation physics in the kitchen, as usually with non-traditional simple experiments. The aim of this paper is to introduce the modules and discuss possible reasons of this situation.
Forensics and Physics, 2022
This book offers the reader a view of the science behind crime scene investigations.... more This book offers the reader a view of the science behind crime scene investigations. It demonstrates the connection between forensic science and the natural sciences, especially physics. Because forensic scientists need to have a basic knowledge of natural sciences, the text details the basic physics needed to understand the findings of the crime scene. It also presents examples of research outcomes provided in the context of trasology trace analysis, and will appeal to forensic science and criminology students, as well as high school learners and the general reader interested in forensics.