On 15 December 2017 and 26 January 2018, “Research Days” were organized at the Department of Chemistry.
Within the Research Days at the Department of Chemistry organized by the SGS project, the levels of students’ study of the sixth year of Hlučín Gymnasium were surveyed. At each research day, 9 assignments were prepared. The students were divided into three groups, each group solving 3 tasks. Pupils in groups worked in pairs for each task for 60 minutes. A total of 28 secondary school students and 6 assistant graduates from the universities were involved in the activity. Tasks were focused on substance analysis, pH determination using universal papers and natural indicators, separation methods, Vernier sensor application in simple experiments.
Based on an oral interview with present students and a teacher (feedback in the form of self-assessing questionnaires) students were enthusiastic, motivated and inspired to learn chemistry.
Analysis of completed worksheets identified the causes of problems related to solving research problems. Problems solving research problems:
- students have not yet met the research tasks
- lessons at school do not involve practical lessons
- students do not know the terms used in tasks
- students can not link theory to practice
- inability to equip inter-subject relations
- lack of laboratory glass knowledge
- inability to ask questions
- inability to solve Problems
- inability to navigate in motivational texts
- inability to schedule work
- students can not explain the essence of observed phenomena
- students can not write the results of their observations
During the Research Days, we are gradually trying to eliminate the problems. We give feedback to students immediately after the task has been resolved. Improvements have been noted in some groups when dealing with similar tasks.The event was supported by the project “Researched-oriented teaching as a means for the development of pupils’ natural literacy” (SGS03/PřF/2017-2018).
