Relevant initiatives

Date: 2015.03.20

Posted by Maria Fabanova (Slovakia)

I am chemistry teacher on secondary school and for me is this web page very interesting because shows new approaches in laboratory exercises with lot very interesting education materials focused on laboratory exercises. This is very useful for me and especially for my students because we have really big problem with students motivation and laboratory exercises are one of the most important tool to motivate students and show chemistry as attractive topic for your everyday life. I will use many of this educational materials in my chemistry teaching.

Date: 2015.03.12

Posted by Katarína Javorová (Slovakia)

• Why is the project (selected initiative) important?
• Will an initiative/project provide outputs that can help to overcome lack of students´ motivation to study science?
• Do you plan to test given outputs (with your students)?
Teacher:
- The main aim of the Project Chemistry - I know, I can, I understand, realized by Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in the years 2010-2013, was to make teaching of the chemistry more attractive, to raise the level of competences among students, to enhance their skills and to provide students with the possibilities to learn about the newest scientific knowledge and its practical usage. The output of the project is the big amount of the demonstrations of realized educational activities, a lot of quality educational materials focused on the laboratory exercises. In the mentioned publications chemistry teachers can find well or less known examples of the laboratory exercises. There is a similar project on the Slovakia realized by The University of Constantin Philosopher in Nitra called Primas.
- The outcomes of the project are instructions to interesting lab exercises. Lab exercises can be very motivating for pupils, if they are done in a quality, interesting way including chemistry knowledge and using cross-curriculum information from other subjects.
- Yes, I plan to study in detail published educational materials, to translate them into Slovak (since they are in Polish). And of course I will implement some of the interesting activities to my lesson.
• What do you think are the possibilities of the selected project to be successful in increasing students' interest in studying science subjects?

Student:
Pupils are very happy to do lab exercises; they are curious and love to explore phenomena. If pupils do something with enthusiasm, there is a big chance that they will understand it better and will be willing to learn about it more. The name of the project Chemistry – I know, I can, I understand itself is apt and declares the intention and main aim of the project.

Date: 2015.03.07

Posted by Monika (Polska)

Individual realization of a chemical experiment is a basis for understanding and memorizing chemistry. Unfortunately in many schools equipment chemical labs are missing. That's why opening this kind of institution is totally reasonable. Catalog of classes for sure can be uses many times. Very interesting initiatie.

Date: 2015.02.24

Posted by Daina Priede (Latvia)

This initiative helps students to realize the link between theoretical knowledge in chemistry and the practical activities in real laboratory. That motivates students to acquire theoretical basis of subject during the practical work. I'll try to use this initiative in my teacher's practice.