@article {170,
	title = {LATVIAN STUDENTS{\textquoteright} UNDERSTANDING OF SUBSTANCE CHANGES: LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH 1998 {\textendash} 2008},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {8},
	year = {2009},
	month = {August/2009},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {79-87 },
	abstract = {One of the general problems in science education for different students at comprehensive school is understanding the nature of physical and chemical changes. Without a clear picture of the fundamental differences on sub micro level, it is not possible in the future to follow general rules of chemical reactions between substances, as well as to understand the use of different materials in everyday life.
Students of the grades 9 and 11 were asked to fill in a special questionnaire, in which questions about real physical and chemical changes from students{\textquoteright} daily life were included. The results testify that the knowledge and understanding of the essence of chemical reactions has slightly increased in Latvia, although the general results show that understanding of the nature of phase transitions and chemical reactions is still insufficient, especially at the grade 9 levels.},
	keywords = {longitudinal research, physical and chemical changes, understanding},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2014/987-1404739639.pdf},
	author = {Janis Gedrovics and Dagnija Cedere and Daina Mozeika}
}
@article {153,
	title = {STUDENTS{\textquoteright} MOTIVATIONAL ORIENTATIONS AND CAREER CHOICE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION IN FINLAND AND LATVIA},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {7},
	year = {2008},
	month = {August/2008},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {86-102},
	abstract = {This paper examines lower secondary school students{\textquoteright} motivational orientations on the characteristics of science and technology occupations. The survey data of 9th grade students were collected in spring 2003, in Finland from 75 schools (3626 students) and in Latvia from 39 schools (1065 students). An exploratory factor analysis was used to describe the students{\textquoteright} orientations towards the characteristics of or activities typical to occupations. The multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used for the simultaneous analysis of Finnish and Latvian data and the factorial invariance across the two separate data was confirmed. The factors were named: Personally meaningful, Leadership, Craft, Nature, Innovation, and Social orientation. Characteristics related especially to Personally meaningful orientation, and also to Innovation and Social orientations appeared most important for choice of future occupations. Boys, on the average, were much more oriented towards conventional technology than girls, whereas girls had much stronger Personally meaningful, Nature, and Social orientations than boys reflecting traditional role models. },
	keywords = {career choice, comparative study, motivation, science and technology education},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2014/987-1404719696.pdf},
	author = {Jari Lavonen and Janis Gedrovics and Reijo Byman and Veijo Meisalo and Kalle Juuti and Anna Uitto}
}
@article {130,
	title = {INTEREST IN SCIENCE AS THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL SCIENCE STUDIES OR - AWAKEN THE INTEREST, DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN IT!},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {6},
	year = {2007},
	month = {August/2007},
	type = {Editorial},
	chapter = {4},
	abstract = {Dear readers!

When, ten years ago, together with colleagues from Link{\"o}ping University we, as part of the Visby project in Sweden, analysed the reasons behind students{\textquoteright} motivation to become science teachers, we took it as almost a surprise that for 75\% of those students the reason was that they had always been interested in science. The second most popular answer was - I like working with people/ children. Certainly, evaluating those answers from a time distance, it seems {\textendash} there was nothing to be so surprised about. Interest is and always has been a driving force for human mind and activities. And, from our personal experience, we know how difficult it is to do a boring job. Though, for adults, their sense of duty also plays a certain role.
But let us bear in mind also how often pupils and adults say {\textendash} this or that is interesting but is not for me. It seems that today this sentence very often refers to science sphere {\textendash} there are so many pupils finding this field of great interest but never considering it as their future career. Certainly, not everyone should become a scientist or an engineer, however, a scientifically well-grounded approach to problems, including those of social character, is a quality one can acquire through understanding of the scientific regularities.
This summer several significant scientific events took place in Europe, such as: the 6th IOSTE Symposium for Central and Eastern Europe ({\v S}iauliai, Lithuania), ESERA (European Science Education Research Association) conference in Malm{\"o} (Sweden) and others. Pupils{\textquoteright} interest in science, promoting and developing it, even not being the guideline of science didactics right now, is and will always be one of the basic issues for scientists and researchers to focus on. This same issue was discussed also at the above mentioned conferences. The latest research of the ROSE project shows that those pupils who take interest in science themselves and believe that it should be studied by everyone very well understand how school science can form their future careers. They also more often see their future connected with environment protection, which is evidently due to them having more successfully acquired science at school and having better understood the modern environmental problems.
However, raising interest in science is not an easy task in the globalized world of today. There are many things around us so much easier to acquire than good knowledge and solid skills in science subjects! And sometimes we: science teachers and university professors, take an approach that is too academic as, during our school years, profound academic knowledge or even science for science seemed the very peak of the teaching/learning process. And we found that interesting {\textendash} it was our future!
This is why today, when the latest issue of Journal of Baltic Science Education is published, this event, in our region, coinciding symbolically with the beginning of a new academic year in universities and schools of all levels, I would like to wish every science teacher and natural science researcher {\textendash} do not lose the enthusiasm about science you possessed as pupils, develop it, and, creatively changed, pass it on to your students and pupils!
Science for science, but, first of all {\textendash} science for human!},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2014/987-1404287861.pdf},
	author = {Janis Gedrovics}
}
@article {107,
	title = {REGIONAL AND GROUP DIFFERENCES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE PROJECT ROSE IN LATVIA},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {5},
	year = {2006},
	month = {March/2006},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {38-49},
	abstract = {Analysis of regional diferences and group differeces (gender, language of instruction) based on International Project ROSE was carried out. Conclusions based on coefficient Cohen{\textquoteright}s d and T-test for Independet samples justify remarkable diferences between the eastern part of Latvia called Latgale and the capital city Riga. It can be concluded that interest in natural sciences and its various themes in this field depend on the person, either a male or a female, firstly, and the language of instruction in school, secondly.
At the same time the language{\textquoteright} factor matters not exactly as the language itself, but it is dependent on the traditions in up-bringing in the family which form sound attitude to natural sciences and technology in general. Students with Russian as language of instruction are much more eager to explore themes in the field of natural sciences. 
The obtained results in Latvia are similar to the results in other countries. The shortage of regional data in other countries is an obstacle to carry out the reginal comparison on an international scale.},
	keywords = {comparative research, group differences, language of instruction, regional differences},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2014/987-1404214271.pdf},
	author = {Janis Gedrovics}
}
@article {110,
	title = {SCIENCE SUBJECTS CHOICE AS A CRITERION OF STUDENTS{\textquoteright} ATTITUDES TO SCIENCE},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {5},
	year = {2006},
	month = {March/2006},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {74-85},
	abstract = {The attitudes of lower and upper secondary school students (the 9-11th forms, aged 15-17, boys and girls separately) toward natural sciences were investigated by using an inquiry method in Sweden, Finland and Latvia during 1998-2005. Results of this study show, that positive attitudes have decreased from 1998 to 2005 at the 9th form both in Latvia and in Sweden. In Finland, an increase among boys, who recognize subjects of the natural circle (except for General Science) as necessary, was observed. The number of positive answers of the Finnish girls was, however, in 2005 much smaller than in 1998. 
In a special investigation in Latvia was shown, that generally the least interest in the Natural subjects is observed among the 11th formers. 
The findings of this study indicate increased quantity of the respondents denying the importance of natural sciences as a whole, as well as overt difference between boys and girls in estimations of the importance of natural sciences.},
	keywords = {attitude to science, differences, gender, natural subjects, survey},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2014/987-1404214474.pdf},
	author = {Janis Gedrovics and Ingvar W{\"a}reborn and Eila Jeronen}
}
@article {101,
	title = {NATURE SCIENCE NOT ONLY FOR SCIENTISTS},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {4},
	year = {2005},
	month = {October/2005},
	type = {Review article},
	chapter = {81},
	abstract = {During the last decades interest in humanities has dominated the social sciences. As a result, natural science has been neglected, in spite of it being critical to the understanding of the causation of all the disasters occurring in different parts of the world. It is becoming more difficult to select students in science study programmes because there are fewer opportunities for such students due to the economics of globalization trends.
{\textquotedblleft}Natural science only for scientists!{\textquotedblright} is the common view of the society. Opinion polls reveal little interest in chemistry, physics and biology. On the other hand, other viewpoints in public debates point out the importance of natural science studies in national curricula, since it is already part and parcel of general education. Also, many students are eager to take it up as an optional course.
Professor Svein Sj{\o}berg from the Oslo University (Norway), the well-known contemporary specialist in science didactics, is an ardent supporter of this viewpoint. His recently published book Naturfag som allmenndannelse: En kritisk fagdidaktikk [Natural Science as General Education: a Critical Didactic] has been reissued not only in Norway (Gyldendal Akademisk, 2004), but also published in Sweden (Studentlitteratur, 2000) as well as reissued by Studentlitteratur in 2005. In early 2005, a translation of this book appeared in Denmark (Klim, 2005) during the 8th Nordic Symposium Nature Science at School.
What is the driving interest for this book being republished several times? It is most likely due to the author{\textquoteright}s thorough insight into natural sciences. Being a physicist, he considers science from the social and intercultural aspects. Prof. S. Sj{\o}berg has given four arguments for the necessity of natural science studies in the curriculum of secondary schools: economics, democracy, culture and usefulness.
The author examines the concept of Scientific Literacy through scientific illiteracy and the interdisciplinary link between nature studies and technology. Also, gender differences are analysed from the natural science point of view. These issues relate to science didactics and the author bridges the gap with pedagogic principles.
Each issue addresses specific local problems for each particular country. The latest editions contain a chapter about the author{\textquoteright}s own Project ROSE (The Relevance of Science Education) and survey results from Norway, Denmark and Sweden. Up to now such results were published mainly in various conference proceedings. We highly appreciate the chapters now available for larger audiences.
Science didactics specialists like Poul V. Thomson and Henrik Busch (Denmark), Helge Str{\"o}mdahl, Anders Jidesj{\"o} and Magnus Oscarsson (Sweden) assisted in compiling chapters on Danish and Swedish issues.
The author admits that his goal was to assess natural science and culture critically, emphasizing its uniqueness and peculiarities and its importance in schools and society. He also wished to start a debate on the role of natural science in general education and, at the same time, to motivate students and teachers alike.
In my opinion the author has achieved his aims, although, individuals may choose to differ. I hope that the book will be translated in the other major European languages: English, German, French, or perhaps even in Russian or one of the Baltic languages?},
	keywords = {baltic languages, european languages, humanities, social sciences},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2020/987-1579196557.pdf},
	author = {Janis Gedrovics}
}
@article {63,
	title = {DEAR READERS AND WRITERS!},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {3},
	year = {2004},
	month = {March/2003},
	type = {Editorial},
	chapter = {4},
	abstract = {This is the fifth number of Journal of Baltic Science Education and it marks the beginning of the third year of its publication. We have been planning to publish two numbers this year, as we have always been doing before. The editorial board is expecting  the journal to become increasingly interesting, multidimensional and helpful to all of its readers: researchers, students, teachers, and graduate students.
A two-year experience has proved relevance of the journal. 27 scientific works have been published. In addition, it not only offers scientists from Baltic States the possibility to present their researches and ideas but also helps to make contacts with researchers in other countries. The journal is open from this point of view, and we expect a lively interest from the scientific community. It is worth mentioning here that the journal has been included in the EBSCO database and is now available to all of its readers. Similarly, it has been included in the special list of quotable international publications by Latvian Science Academy which has certified to its scientific significance.},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2016/987-1482419090.pdf},
	author = {Janis Gedrovics}
}
@article {65,
	title = {SENIOR PUPILS{\textquoteright} VIEWS AND APPROACH TO NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA AND LATVIA},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {3},
	year = {2004},
	month = {March/2003},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {13-23},
	abstract = {The global tendency is obvious: interest in science is on the decrease, the number of pupils choosing university science curriculums has been constantly declining, and scientific knowledge in society (especially among young people) is inadequate. In our opinion, humanity verges on social cataclysms owing to inadequate natural science education as well as on insufficient and often improper knowledge of nature and human. Natural sciences give us most fundamental knowledge about the world of nature. Encouragement of young people{\textquoteright}s interest in science is the essential scientific problem. As educational paradigms are being altered we must search for new quality approaches to teaching chemistry and other science subjects.

The research, which involved 350 senior pupils from Latvia and 762 from Lithuania, analyzes present-day situation in natural science education. We tried to analyze the factors that cause the interest in natural sciences to decline: inadequate content of teaching, issues related to teachers{\textquoteleft} competence, general attitude of society to natural sciences etc.

Thus, we may conclude that:  

{\textperiodcentered}        the respondents positively evaluate natural science background, although their arguments differ. A part of them suppose that the knowledge acquired in basic school is sufficient. The others assume that natural science knowledge will not be necessary in the future. The pragmatic aspect is very clear. Quite a few pupils do not relate their future profession with natural sciences, and therefore believe that obtained information is fully enough;

{\textperiodcentered}        the respondents, obviously, are self-critical of already received natural science background at basic school. The role of a teacher, his/her competence and ability to engage pupils are highly relevant. An important point is to catch the moment when a pupils is {\textquotedblleft}misunderstanding something{\textquotedblright}. Systematically growing gaps of knowledge negatively influence a learner{\textquoteright}s approach to natural sciences in general. Then s/he is out of conceit, sees nothing important to learn, many things become uninteresting. A crucial aspect is a very small amount of practical, experimental works of natural history. An educational process of natural sciences is clearly theoretic. It should be stressed that natural sciences are mainly experimental. Therefore, experimentation has to be included into the educational process;

{\textperiodcentered}        the respondents{\textquoteright} approach to the future intentions is determined by public social-economic tendencies. Evidently, that rich life in the future is related to social, humanitarian and technological sciences.},
	keywords = {interest in science, natural science education, upper secondary school},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2016/987-1482419315.pdf},
	author = {Vincentas Lamanauskas and Janis Gedrovics and Jekabs Raipulis}
}
@article {53,
	title = {ENVIRONMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH COURSE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL AS AN EXAMPLE FOR ENLARGED SCIENCE TEACHING},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {2},
	year = {2003},
	month = {March/2003},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {36 - 43},
	abstract = {One of the problems of Latvian educational system is teaching students to take care of their health themselves in the view of their professional career. It is necessary to choose a profession that is not only interesting, but also correspond to the person{\textquoteright}s state of health. The factors of a harmful job can create a risk to the person{\textquoteright}s health. In Latvia young people actually aren{\textquoteright}t acquainted with the problems and harmful professional factors which can arise in the professional life in the future. This is why it is so important to include the course of Environment and occupational health in the secondary school teaching programs.

The results of the students{\textquoteright} questionnaire indicated their knowledge of professional health being incomplete. Individual discussions with students have shown that students don{\textquoteright}t pay much attention to the issue of work environment of their future profession and that their attitude to the problem is not serious. At the same time it was ascertained that the state of health of a number of students may restrict their professional choice.

It was worked out the course Environment and occupational health and analysed a possibility of including the topics of the course in other science subjects such as biology, chemistry and physics. Such a course is a good example for enlarged science education at Upper secondary school level that makes science education more attractive.},
	keywords = {environment, occupational health, science education},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2017/987-1503927870.pdf},
	author = {Juris Porozovs and Janis Gedrovics}
}
