Comparison of knowledge of pupils from 6th, 7th and 8th classes about arthropods using systematic and ecological natural history at selected schools
Abstract
The content of the project presents the results of a pilot testing of a didactic test, which provides an overview of the knowledge of pupils in 6th, 7th and 8th classes, taking into account the different approach to teaching biology. The content of the didactic test is focused on the most numerous animal strain arthropods.
In the Czech Republic it is currently possible to follow several approaches to teaching biology. The most commonly used are systematic and ecological approach in the educational area Man and Nature - Natural Science / Biology at the second stage of primary schools and at lower secondary schools.
Both approaches have different pros and cons and it can be assumed that these differences may be reflected in pupils' knowledge. In the case of a systematic approach, the selected group of invertebrates (arthropods) is taught in the 6th class and in the case of the ecological approach is taught in the 6th and 7th classes according to individual ecosystems (forest, field, water, meadow, human settlements), and therefore pupils encounter the substance repeatedly.
The aim of testing was to find out the level of knowledge of pupils in individual grades about arthropods. Another aim was to find out if the level of knowledge about arthropods is influenced by a different approach in science teaching.
Pilot testing of knowledge was performed on pupils in 6th, 7th and 8th classes at the beginning of the school year 2019/2020. The pilot didactic test was applied at three primary schools and one lower grammar school, i.e. to approximately 342 respondents in Prague and the Central Bohemian Region.
The obtained data were statistically processed and evaluated.