RESULTS OF MEASUREMENTS OF STUDENTS’ BASIC SKILLS TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODELS IN THE PROCESS OF BIOLOGY LEARNING

Abstract

A new State Standard of lower and upper secondary education (hereinafter – State Standard), adopted in 2011, in part of lower secondary education is implemented from September the 1st, 2013. It defines the main directions of education development in Ukraine in the coming years. State Standard will help to create the conditions for effective teaching and development of students and is based on competent and activative approaches. Competent approach will strengthen students’ key and subject competencies, which include, in particular, biological competence. Implementation of competent and activative approaches into biology teaching provides the formation of knowledge about the properties of living systems, the processes of life and functioning of the live systems on different levels, strategy of responsible human behavior in the biosphere and technosphere. It increases mental skill development activities, based on interdisciplinary competences and used in training and everyday life. In biology learning a leading role plays cognitive activity aimed at mastering the techniques of scientific knowledge, which is realized through the use of modeling phenomena, objects and processes of nature. Simulation plays an important role in scientific knowledge, but it does not have the corresponding application in teaching practice. Particularly important is the use of different models of the processes and phenomena in the study of general biological laws, which are offered to study in the 9th grade of secondary school according to the new State Standard of lower and upper secondary education. Familiarization with various models (text, graphics, mathematical, spatial, and virtual, created using information technology), construction, use, analysis of the properties and limitations of such models, conducting model experiments are the basis for the learning of theoretical principles in modern biology. Working with models is a means of overcoming the contradiction between scientific knowledge and everyday concepts, and method of interdisciplinary competencies forming. In philosophical significance, using simulations in teaching biology has affected the daily life of students: the formation of the active skills of models analysis (used in media, literature and art, advertising) is offered. The author analyzes results of measuring students’ basic skills to work with different types models. Students assessment was performed in schools of Kyiv and Kyiv region. During the assessment different ability of students to work with certain types of models was detected: higher for verbal and symbolic patterns and significantly lower – for graphics and mathematical models. No significant difference was demonstrated between the groups of students during biology studying. Only when working with real models “strong” students showed significantly better results than others. Also, there was no significant difference caused by gender: boys and girls performed tasks test at about the same level. Some distinctions were found by the comparative analysis of classes with different specialization. Analysis underlying the ability of students to work with different types of models is the basis for developing and implementation blocks of models in the process of biology learning. In particular the test results helped to identify types of models, required special attention in its development (real, graphical and mathematical models).