@article {182, title = {NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE TIME OF VIRTUAL WORLDS}, journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education}, volume = {9}, year = {2010}, month = {March/2010}, type = {Editorial}, chapter = {4-5 }, abstract = {Implementation of ICT to the process of instruction does not mean eliminating real school experiments from school laboratory practice. Real living environment makes us face more and more items of virtual environment, worlds, mediated by infinite possibilities of computer networks. The mediated perception through virtual images has become an important cognitive channel for pupils. Real information from the existing reality is steadily replaced by virtual information. Is the remote (by computer network mediated) and virtual (by computer simulated) experiment able to meet requirements of the best school laboratory practice? How to blend an effective and meaningful application of real, indirect and simulative observation, measuring and experimenting according to didactic principles? Reaching the above mentioned targets in science education is classified to be progress in so called science literacy. Virtual environment supported by ICT is penetrating both human and school life. All kinds of our activities can be supported by technologies. According to Marshall McLuhan (1964) it can be said {\textquotedblleft}...technologies are enhancing our senses...{\textquotedblright} and they can support our understanding of nature and improving our being. In our opinion, the necessity to research this field, especially in situations where the initial relation to natural science and technical subjects is formed, is currently very topical and desirable (B{\'\i}lek and Skalick{\'a}, 2009).}, keywords = {research project, science education, virtual information}, issn = {1648-3898}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2014/987-1404740764.pdf}, author = {Martin Bilek} }