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Evaluation of Czech non-chemical vocational school chemistry textbooks’ text difficulty

100%

Rusek M. , Vosyková L.

Chemistry-Didactics-Ecology-Metrology

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2021

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tom R. 26, NR 1-2

99--108

EN

The paper follows the first author’s continuous work on chemistry textbook analysis. In the previous paper published in CERP, attention was given to the procedure and results for analysing text-difficulty in lower-secondary chemistry textbooks in Czechia. In this paper, attention was given to non-chemical vocational school chemistry textbooks. They are intended for the most numerous group of upper-secondary students. The goal of the study was to assess the to what extent could students read the textbook texts on their own with appropriate understanding. Therefore, only the textual component was evaluated. The same method (Nestler-Prucha-Pluskal) as in the previous paper was used to analyse the textbooks’ text-difficulty (readability). The results show there are two books which are suitable for students’ own learning. However, there are four textbooks which contain text of high difficulty, including too many scientific terms that they are suitable as teacher’s guide through terms rather than student’s textbooks. The analysis may serve teachers with their textbook choice as well as researchers who operate in the same field who can easily adopt the methodology and compare results.

2

Evaluating experimental activities in Czech chemistry textbooks: A critical analysis

100%

Špísová K. , Rusek M.

Chemistry-Didactics-Ecology-Metrology

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2023

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tom R. 28, NR 1-2

93--104

EN

This study analysed the nature and integration of experimental activities in Czech lower-secondary chemistry textbooks which are currently in use. Focusing on four dominant textbook series (published since 1990’s), and one recently (2019) published and certified, it investigated the offered types of student activities, their cognitive demands, placement in the educational process, and inquiry levels. The findings reveal two distinct groups of textbooks based on the quantity of experimental activities. Some textbooks align with traditional teaching methods, emphasising teacher-led demonstrations, while others attempt a balance between safety concerns and student engagement. However, a general lack of focus on higher-order cognitive skills and inadequate scaffolding for scientific process skills development was found. The results showed future research should investigate the impact of experimental activities on student outcomes, highlighting the need for more modern approaches in chemistry education.

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Lower-secondary school chemistry textbooks’ didactic equipment

80%

Rusek M. , Vojíř K. , Šubová Š.

Chemistry-Didactics-Ecology-Metrology

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2020

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tom R. 25, NR 1-2

69--77

EN

Textbooks’ fundamental influence on teaching is caused not only by their subject matter, but also by their didactic elaboration. Textbooks’ individual functions are fulfilled through incorporated structural elements. Their pool is referred to as the didactic equipment of the textbook and represents qualities of the textbook through the options it gives to its users. The presented overview of lower-secondary chemistry textbooks’ didactic equipment included 7 series of currently available textbooks. Results of the analysis serve not only as a possible guide for chemistry teachers’ textbook selection, but they also provide insight into the current state to authors of textbooks and other didactic materials. Chemistry textbooks for lower-secondary schools achieve relatively high didactic equipment (75-92 %). The best equipped are the series of textbooks published after the current state curriculum introduction (by publishing houses Fraus and Nova Skola). Surprisingly, however, the most recently published textbooks by the Taktik publishing house showed the lowest didactic equipment.

4

Experiments safety - the state of art at schools in Czechia

80%

Rusek M. , Sakhnini S. , Bílek M.

Chemistry-Didactics-Ecology-Metrology

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2022

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tom R. 27, NR 1-2

153--163

EN

Chemistry experiments have been an issue of vivid discussion for more than fifty years now. Though there are many who hold a stand-offish position, there is a general notion chemistry experiments inherently belong to chemistry instruction. In this study, attention was given first to the frequency that Czech teachers at both lower and upper-secondary schools use experiments, demonstrations, laboratory work etc. A random, generalisable sample of 354 teachers filled in a questionnaire. The results showed experiments are used only seldom at lower-secondary schools and lyceums, more frequently at grammar schools, yet just “at least once a month”. Safety showed as one of the barriers. The teachers expressed general knowledge about a norm which covers the topic, however in their further responses they expressed a lack of awareness of the compounds their students are allowed to work with. These findings are a call for measures such as: developing a database of well-described procedures including safety regulation remarks or a simplified, easy to follow list of up-to-date regulations.

5

Conditions for experimental activities at elementary and high schools from chemistry teachers’ point of view

70%

Rusek M. , Chroustová K. , Bílek M. , Skřehot P. A. , Hon Z.

Chemistry-Didactics-Ecology-Metrology

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2020

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tom R. 25, NR 1-2

93--100

EN

School experiments represent a necessary means of subject-matter presentation in chemistry education and are important for chemical (scientific) thinking. Despite being a focus of several texts, a complex view on the experimental activity in chemistry education in Czechia is missing. The results of a questionnaire survey among 466 lower-secondary, lyceum and grammar school teachers focused on types of conducted experiments, their frequency, the place they are conducted. The most frequently used chemicals and sources of inspiration are presented in the paper. The results show that despite experiments’ significant role in education, its occurrence is rather seldom and teacher’s demonstrations prevail over students’ experiments. The list of the most often used chemicals suggests the experiments are mostly focused on inorganic chemistry. These results open further questions regarding occupational safety at schools as an important factor which could also be the reason for such a low representation of experiments in Czech chemistry education.