@article {1214, title = {CRISES OF THE WORLD, CRISES OF THE SCIENCE EDUCATION? LET{\textasciiacute}S TAKE A CRISIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY!}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {21}, year = {2022}, month = {October/2022}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Editorial}, chapter = {744-746}, abstract = {The world faces several crises in the last years. There have been more active conflicts presently than at any time since 1945. More than 82 million refugees must live away from their homes. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and caused economic and social disruption, whose further consequences related to human health and further aspects of well-being can be only estimated so far. Many countries are fighting climate change for a long time and this {\textquotedblleft}fight{\textquotedblright} has been disrupted by unprecedented energy crises that changes our energy goals from day to day. We are surrounded by uncertainty and worries about the future which rises of populist forces even in the democratic part of the world. So, there is no doubt that we are living through challenging times. There are many strategies for coping with these challenges, one of them is acceptance. It allows us to see reality in the present moment and to move forward. But still, there will likely be many options to choose. We believe that science education is (can become) a means for explaining possibilities and our chances. At least in some of the above crises. And sustainable development indicators with good narratives can be effective educational and information tools bringing evidence about changes in the society and environment (Janou{\v s}kov{\'a} et al., 2022).}, keywords = {Ecological Footprint, energy crises, scientific thinking, sustainable development}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/22.21.744 }, url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2022/987-1667236403.pdf}, author = {Svatava Janou{\v s}kov{\'a} and Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {1216, title = {DIFFERENCES IN CHEMISTRY TEACHERS{\textquoteright} ACCEPTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE ACCORDING TO THEIR USER TYPE: AN APPLICATION OF EXTENDED UTAUT MODEL}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {21}, year = {2022}, month = {October/2022}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {762-787}, abstract = {In this research, a model to determine chemistry teachers{\textquoteright} acceptance of educational software in secondary education is proposed. The model extends the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. Data were collected from 556 Czech chemistry teachers and analysed using structural equation modelling. With respect to the significant differences among technology users and various types of nonusers, the research model for each user group was tested too. The results showed significant differences in the individual models for each group of technology user. In the model for {\textquoteleft}current users{\textquoteright} of educational software, the influence of facilitating conditions on current users{\textquoteright} use of educational software behavioural intention is stressed. In addition, non-planning users{\textquoteright} behavioural intention seems to be influenced by their personal innovativeness in IT, social influence, and performance expectancy. Behavioural intention and attitude towards using educational software affect each of the tested models, with attitudes being an even stronger predictor of educational software usage than behavioural intention. The models contribute to the understanding of teachers{\textquoteright} acceptance of educational software, which can be utilized in both pre- and in-service teacher training, considering technology mastery a necessary teacher competence.}, keywords = {chemistry teachers{\textquoteright} motivation, educational software use, secondary education, technology acceptance}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/22.21.762}, url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2022/987-1667236618.pdf}, author = {Kate{\v r}ina Chroustov{\'a} and Andrej {\v S}orgo and Martin B{\'\i}lek and Martin Rusek} } @article {874, title = {WHO IS AND SHOULD BE A SCIENCE TEACHER}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {19}, year = {2020}, chapter = {520-522}, abstract = {Who is and should be a Science teacher like? This seemingly multiple-time answered ques-tion, however, has not been clearly answered yet; moreover, in this case, a multi-alternative an-swer is required. Ideas of an optimal characteristic of Science teacher should be defined in context of their main activity. Two alternatives are under the focus; the apparent discrepancy which has been solved in some legal documents, and the state which is frequently not unambiguous in practice. }, keywords = {general education, personal development, science teacher, teaching qualification}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/20.19.520}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2020/987-1597214072.pdf}, author = {Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {682, title = {INTERCULTURAL LEARNING: CHALLENGES FOR CURRENT SCIENCE EDUCATION}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {17}, year = {2018}, month = {August/2018}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Editorial}, chapter = {532-534}, abstract = {In the time of curricular reforms across the Europe another chance appeared towards increasing learners{\textasciiacute} interest in science education, particularly in relation to the future job selection in the field of natural sciences and technology. New challenge penetrating through all above mentioned {\textquotedblleft}ways{\textquotedblright} and {\textquotedblleft}problems{\textquotedblright} of science education is intercultural aspect, intercultural teaching and learning in science education. In the educational reality we can find recently different contributions to implementation of intercultural context into curriculum, but maths and science education is not frequently included. The ambience to fill this gap has the current project from framework Erasmus+ with acronym IncluSMe. The acronym means {\textquotedblleft}Intercultural Learning in Mathematics and Science Initial Teacher Education{\textquotedblright} and project activities focus on increasing the quality of the initial teacher{\textquoteright}s education of prospective mathematics and science teachers by including intercultural learning into their curricula: Prospective mathematics and science teachers need to learn how to cope with language barriers, culturally different pre-concepts about science and highly varying proficiencies of students (immigrants including) to be prepared to tackle the challenges of their future profession (IncluSMe Project, 2016).}, keywords = {communicative environment, educational reality, intercultural teaching, science education}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/18.17.532}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2017/987-1533708323.pdf}, author = {Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {585, title = {ADOPTION OF ICT INNOVATIONS BY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS WITHIN CHEMISTRY EDUCATION}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {16}, year = {2017}, month = {August/2017}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {510-523}, abstract = {This research is focused on secondary school chemistry teachers{\textquoteright} (N=276) and chemistry pre-service teachers{\textquoteright} (N=159) attitudes towards the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education. A questionnaire constructed upon Rogers{\textquoteright} theory of diffusion of innovation was used. Based on the answers, the respondents were grouped according to their innovativeness {\textendash} into types of innovation adopters. Analysis of the participants{\textquoteright} responses to the statements in the questionnaire suggests that neither gender nor their teaching experience influence their innovativeness. The respondents mostly tend to hold a pragmatic view, accept the role of ICT in education. However, they need proof to decide whether to adopt it in their teaching practice. As the respondents could leave their contact information, it is possible to further focus on particular groups of innovation adopters, to observe their lessons, analyse their approach and mainly influence and support those groups, which maintain a {\textquotedblleft}role model{\textquotedblright} position and trigger diffusion of innovations.}, keywords = {chemistry education, diffusion of innovations, ICT, pre-service teachers{\textquoteright} attitudes, teachers{\textquoteright} attitudes}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/17.16.510}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2017/987-1503904959.pdf}, author = {Martin Rusek and Dagmar St{\'a}rkov{\'a} and Vlastimil Chytr{\'y} and Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {619, title = {VALIDATION OF THEORETICAL CONSTRUCTS TOWARD SUITABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE FOR CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN USERS AND NONUSERS}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {16}, year = {2017}, month = {December/2017}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {873-897}, abstract = {The aim of this research was to empirically validate constructs for evaluation of teachers{\textquoteright} attitudes toward usage of educational software in chemistry teaching. Questionnaire with items transformed from UTAUT (Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology) and other technology acceptance theories were filled in by 556 Czech chemistry teachers. All constructs passed recommended .7 thresholds of Cronbach{\textquoteright}s alpha so they can be used in acceptability researches before and after introduction of educational software or building models. However, analyses of effect sizes show that there are not only differences between users and all nonusers generally, but also prove differences between various types of nonusers. Nonusers were established as a) those who had used educational software and abandoned it; b) those who do not use educational software, but are planning to use it in the future, and c) those who do not use educational software and have no intentions to use it. An unexpected finding reveals that differences among subgroups of nonusers can be even larger than between users and nonusers, especially the group c) is an outstanding group. Consequently, factors and their influence on the acceptance and use of educational software in chemistry teaching should be explored for each group separately.}, keywords = {chemistry education, education software, technology acceptance}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/17.16.873}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2017/987-1513970871.pdf}, author = {Kate{\v r}ina Chroustov{\'a} and Martin B{\'\i}lek and Andrej {\v S}orgo} } @article {526, title = {LEARNING STYLE AS A FACTOR INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION AT LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOLS}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {15}, year = {2016}, month = {October/2016}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {588{\textendash}601}, abstract = {The IBSE has become a rather frequently applied strategy of directing learning activities in teaching science subjects. However, results of the IBSE effectiveness are not clear. A more detailed analysis is required which will reflect learners{\textasciiacute} individual characteristics. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to discover what the effectiveness of IBSE reflecting individual learning style is. The learning style categorization followed the Honey and Mumford{\textasciiacute}s variation on the Kolb{\textasciiacute}s system. The IBSE effectiveness was detected by the didactic test consisting of 15 PISA-style tasks. The research was conducted in the sample of 332 learners who were exposed to IBSE for five months. Their knowledge was tested before, immediately after and four months after the IBSE approach was applied in lessons. The collected data were processed by ANOVA and Tukey HSD test. The results show that the highest short-term results were reached with learners preferring concrete sensing; the highest long-term results were reached with those of active processing of information. This finding might be caused by better use of metacognition and acquiring such individual metacognitive strategies which learners apply at utilization of information. Further on, the IBSE should focus on mechanisms of fixing the acquired knowledge.}, keywords = {educational practice, identification of learning results, inquiry-based science education, learning styles, quantitative research}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/16.15.588}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2016/987-1482502186.pdf}, author = {Ji{\v r}{\'\i} {\v S}koda and Pavel Doul{\'\i}k and Martin B{\'\i}lek and Ivana {\v S}imonov{\'a}} } @article {489, title = {QUESTION FOR CURRENT SCIENCE EDUCATION: VIRTUAL OR REAL?}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {15}, year = {2016}, month = {April/2016}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Editorial}, chapter = {136{\textendash}139}, abstract = {The feasible real experiments should not be in any way eliminated from school laboratory practice. This is the permanent starting point of all approaches to natural science curricula, and it is still in force. The real living environment makes us face more and more items of the virtual environment, worlds, mediated by infinite possibilities of computer networks. The mediated perception through virtual images has become (thanks to the massive spread of information technologies) the major cognitive channel of school age pupils. Direct utilization of information from an objectively existing reality is steadily superseded and replaced by virtual information. Six years ago we asked on the first pages of JBSE Nr. 1 (Bilek, 2010): How to blend an effective and meaningful application of real, indirect and simulative observation, measuring and experimenting according to didactic principles? Do we have to answer now or do we know directions where can we find the answer?}, keywords = {future career, human knowledge, natural science curricula, real experiments, science education}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/16.15.137}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2016/987-1481916626.pdf}, author = {Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {472, title = {THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INQUIRY BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION IN RELATION TO THE LEARNERS{\textasciiacute} MOTIVATION TYPES}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {14}, year = {2015}, month = {December/2015}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {791{\textendash}803}, abstract = {The study presents the results of the quantitative research focusing on the effectiveness of the inquiry based science education (IBSE) in correlation to motivation types of learners. Reflecting the fact that the learning results are impacted by the inner motivation, the main aim of the research was to find out whether there are differences in IBSE effectiveness in four motivation types - explorers, directors, coordinators, and accurators. The IBSE approach was applied for the period of five months to 395 fifteen-year-old learners of Czech lower secondary schools. The IBSE effectiveness was tested before the instruction (pre-test), immediately after it (post-test1) and four months later (post-test2). The results of four motivation types were compared. Directors reached the best results in post-test1; explorers in post-test2; accurators{\textasciiacute} results were the worst of all. These findings show that the IBSE cannot be applied as a universal method; teachers should adjust its exploitation to learners{\textquoteright} individual particularities.}, keywords = {educational practice, inquiry-based science education, learners{\textquoteright} motivation types, quantitative research, testing}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/15.14.791}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2016/987-1479544335.pdf}, author = {Ji{\v r}{\'\i} {\v S}koda and Pavel Doul{\'\i}k and Martin B{\'\i}lek and Ivana {\v S}imonov{\'a}} } @article {452, title = {TERTIARY ECONOMY AND MANAGERIAL STUDY FIELDS AND ISSUES OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AIMED AT DATABASE SYSTEMS}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {14}, year = {2015}, month = {August/2015}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {535{\textendash}555}, abstract = {Currently science education is understood not only as education in mathematics, physics and chemistry, but also as an education in informatics. To analyze the current state of informatics education within the tertiary economy and managerial study fields was the aim of the research, the purpose of which was to support curricula innovation in the relevant study programmes and to bring their content closer to the demands and needs of the labour market. An original feature of the research has been the fact that it has been based on students{\textquoteleft} points of view. The research sample consisted of students of the concerned study programmes in the Slovak and Czech Republic. The paper presents methodology of the carried out questionnaire survey and main findings related to the data recorded at items focused on database systems and technologies. The obtained data related to the respondents{\textquoteleft} opinions and the assessments of the selected learning topics taught within their study programmes and the importance of these topics for the respondents{\textquoteleft} professional career were processed according to the factors of the country, gender and field of the study. The results showed a significant dependence of the respondents{\textquoteleft} answers on their field of the study independently on their gender and the country in which they took their study.}, keywords = {Computer Literacy, curricula innovation, evaluation methodologies, science education, tertiary education}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/15.14.535}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2016/987-1479498507.pdf}, author = {J{\'a}n Z{\'a}horec and Alena Ha{\v s}kov{\'a} and Michal Munk and Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {367, title = {IMPACT OF MULTIMEDIA ASSISTED TEACHING ON STUDENT ATTITUDES TO SCIENCE SUBJECTS}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {13}, year = {2014}, month = {June/2014}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {361{\textendash}380 }, abstract = {During the last decades, multimedia assisted teaching has expanded to all types and levels of schools. The authors dealt with a question whether there is a possibility through the application of multimedia teaching materials in the natural science school subjects to eliminate students{\textquoteright} negative attitudes to these subjects. To answer this question, a research was carried out in which the attention was paid to possibilities to eliminate students{\textquoteleft} negative attitudes to physics as the most unpopular school subject. The authors show how various aspects of students{\textquoteleft} opinion on physics can be changed due to the use of animations and interactive simulations of the physical phenomena in the teaching process. For the pedagogical intervention two kinds of multimedia teaching materials were used. The difference between them was in the level of their interactivity. Within the research students{\textquoteleft} attitudes to physics through the given explored aspects were assessed twice, once before the multimedia teaching material pedagogical intervention and the second time after it. As the research results show, although it is possible to certain rate to eliminate students{\textquoteleft} negative attitudes to physics, this possible elimination depends also on the level of the intractivity of the used multimedia teaching materials.}, keywords = {change of the attitudes, multimedia assisted teaching, negative attitudes to school subjects, teaching physics}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/14.13.361}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2015/987-1437679232.pdf}, author = {J{\'a}n Z{\'a}horec and Alena Ha{\v s}kov{\'a} and Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {338, title = {DIDACTIC ANALYSIS OF THE WEB ACID-BASE TITRATION SIMULATIONS APPLIED IN PRE-GRADUATE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS EDUCATION}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {12}, year = {2013}, month = {December/2013}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {829-839}, abstract = {The wide development of the information and communication technologies provides conditions for using various digital learning objects in education. In Chemistry learning and teaching computer simulations are used for increasing clearness in Chemistry lessons and for supporting experimental activities in laboratory work. For this analysis the topic of acid-base titration was chosen. The research sample included educational simulations of acid-base titration available free on the Internet. In total 35 educational simulations of acid-base titration were found and used for didactic analysis with following research questions: What can be learned from educational simulations of acid-base titration? and How can didactic analysis of different kinds of simulation help to teacher and learner? In the research results of didactic analysis of 35 examples of acid-base titration simulators are presented. Resulting from the analysis we find three different types of educational simulations of acid-base titration with a specific use in Chemistry lessons: (1) simulations of experiments; (2) generators of titration curves according to the user{\textquoteright}s choice; (3) presentations of one titration. The summary of all analysed simulations and proposals of their educational applications is available from the web site http://titrace.wz.cz.}, keywords = {acid-base titration, chemistry instruction, didactic analysis, educational simulation}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/13.12.829}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2015/987-1425811736.pdf}, author = {Veronika Machkov{\'a} and Martin B{\'\i}lek} } @article {292, title = {RESULTS OF PISA AND EVALUATION OF COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {12}, year = {2013}, month = {June/2013}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {234-248}, abstract = {In the PISA scientific literacy monitoring carried out in 2006 and 2009 Slovak students achieved results below the OECD average scores while Czech students achieved significantly better results. Following the PISA results there was carried out a research aimed at evaluation of the current state of computer science education/informatics teaching at an upper secondary school level in both countries and moreover also in Belgium. In all three concerned countries a lack of textbooks of an appropriate quality was identified as a main weakness. Further identified weaknesses were: in Slovakia a problem of a lack of tasks attractive for students, in the Czech Republic a weak attractiveness of the teacher{\textquoteright}s presentation of new material for students and identically to Belgium a lack of engagement of students in tasks solved in class. Positively evaluated was: in Slovakia attractiveness of the curriculum and methods of new material presentation by teachers, and in the Czech Republic and Belgium clarity of the teacher{\textquoteright}s presentation of new curriculum.}, keywords = {current state of computer science education, evaluation of informatics teaching, international comparison, monitoring of students{\textquoteleft} scientific literacy, strengths and weaknesses of informatics teaching}, issn = {1648-3898}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/13.12.234 }, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2015/987-1425758806.pdf}, author = {J{\'a}n Z{\'a}horec and Alena Ha{\v s}kov{\'a} and Michal Munk and Martin B{\'\i}lek} }