Teaching the subject of the electron transport chain is one of the most challenging aspects of the chemistry curriculum at the high school level. This article presents an educational program called "Electron Transport Chain" which consists of 14 visual animations including a biochemistry quiz. The program was created in the Adobe Flash CS3 Professional animation program and is designed for high school chemistry students. Our goal is to develop educational materials that facilitate the comprehension of this complex subject through dynamic animations which show the course of the electron transport chain and simultaneously explain its nature. We record the process of the electron transport chain, including connections with oxidative phosphorylation, in such a way as to minimize the occurrence of discrepancies in interpretation. The educational program was evaluated in high schools through the administration of a questionnaire, which contained 12 openedended items and which required participants to evaluate the graphics of the animations, chemical content, student preferences, and its suitability for high school biochemistry teaching. V C 2015 by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43(4):294-299, 2015.Keywords: computers in research and teaching; high school; using multimedia in the classroom; using simulation and internet resources for teaching

Background Studies comparing the effect of dynamic and static visualization suggest a predominantly positive effect of dynamic visualization. However, the results of individual comparisons are highly heterogeneous. In this study, we assess whether dynamic visualization (3D models and animations) used in the experimental group has a stronger positive influence on the intrinsic motivation and learning outcomes of science students (Biology, Chemistry and Geology) than static visualization used in the control group, and whether selected variables (students’ gender, age, educational level, learning domain, and teacher personality) significantly affect the results. Results This study was conducted in 2019 with a sample of 565 students from Czech middle (aged 11–15 years) and high (aged 15–19 years) schools using the following research tools: Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and knowledge tests. The results show that using 3D models and animations in the teaching process significantly increased the students’ intrinsic motivation for learning natural sciences (more specifically, its components (1) interest, (2) effort to actively participate in the educational process, (3) perceived competence and (4) understanding the usefulness of the subject matter), with a mean Hedges’ g = 0.38. In addition, students in the experimental group reached a significantly higher level of Chemistry knowledge than their peers in the control group. Furthermore, by moderator analysis, we identified three moderator variables, namely student age, instructional domain and teacher personality. These variables significantly affect intrinsic motivation in different ways. The strongest positive effect of dynamic visualizations was found among students aged 11–13, whereas the weakest positive effect was identified among students aged 14–16. Regarding instructional domain animations and 3D models, the strongest positive effect is found in Chemistry (g = 0.74) and Biology (g = 0.72), whereas the positive impact on Geology is significantly weaker (g = 0.45). Teacher personality was found to be a major moderator in student motivation, with significant differences (g = 0.40—1.24). Teachers’ attitude towards modern technology plays an important role concerning this effect. Conclusions Based on these findings, we conclude that 3D models and animations have a positive effect on students and that teachers should include these visual aids in their lessons. For this reason, teachers are encouraged to implement these dynamic visual aids in their lessons regardless of their beliefs, and to get an adequate support in the process of implementation if necessary.

For a successful transition towards sustainability, people need information and knowledge to understand the complex interconnectedness of social, natural, and social-natural systems. In order for people to be able to take a position on a number of environmental and social issues, and make decisions arising from these challenges, they need to use environmental literacy. We have come up with a tool to answer the question of how students access information about new environmental topics in the media, and how they transform it into environmental knowledge. Almost 400 students from seven Czech universities took part in a combined knowledge test and context questionnaire on microplastics (information based on the previous analysis of selected major web media). More than a third of students tested identified mass media as their main source of knowledge. Most students, however, already had some simple partial knowledge about the topic—the level of commonly discussed information that students remember and then just reproduce. Our statistically evaluated results may help teachers improve the quality of their instruction, curriculum, and subsequently students’ achievement and environmental civic competencies. The results present original findings complementing international research on the role of education and mass media in environmental sustainability knowledge.

Our contribution provides information about an educational program called “Photosynthesis in Dynamic Animations”. This program was created in Adobe flash and is designed for high school chemistry students.

Článek představuje výsledky položkové analýzy oborových testů z chemie zadávanýchpro účely přijímacího řízení na Přírodovědecké fakultě Univerzity Karlovy v letech2016 až 2019. Cílem položkové analýzy, která byla zaměřena na úlohy z obecné chemie,bylo odhalit úlohy, které byly pro uchazeče o studium nejvíce obtížné a úlohynecitlivé tedy takové úlohy, které nedostatečně rozlišovaly úspěšné uchazeče od uchazečůneúspěšných. Obtížné úlohy byly identifikovány na základě vypočtení indexuobtížnosti. Necitlivé úlohy byly stanoveny na základě výpočtu koeficientů ULI(1/2)a RIR. Výsledky položkové analýzy odhalily, že pro uchazeče obtížným tématem je stavovárovnice ideálního plynu. Dále byla odhalena čtyři témata, která obsahovala alespoňjednu obtížnou úlohu (výpočet pH, elektronová konfigurace, iontový součin vodya elektrolýza). Necitlivé úlohy byly detekovány u třech témat (tepelný rozklad látky,rychlostní rovnice a chemické rovnováhy). Necitlivost úlohy často souvisela s vysokýmpočtem kroků nutných k jejímu úspěšnému vyřešení.

This article presents an analysis based on the principles of (international) comparativepedagogy focusing on the study of the similarities and differences in subject-specific competences,educational content, and teaching strategies and methods. The analysis focuseson the field of chemistry, specifically the intended curriculum of the abovementioned countries for the level of lower secondary education. Three parameters were monitored and compared: the number of hours allocated for the teaching of chemistry, of all science subjects from the 6th to 9th grades, the educational content of the subject of chemistry and the teaching strategies discussed and/or recommended for the teaching of natural sciences. Analysis has shown that chemistry is taught for the same length of time, but chemistry topics in Slovenia and Estonia are also taught within the subject Natural Sciences in the 7th grade. The expected outcomes are comparable in all countries, but Czech outcomes are grouped into broad topic areas with few outcomes. The expected outcomes from other countries are specified in much more detail. The recommended teaching methods are most closely described in the Slovenian curriculum, which also contains extensive didactic recommendations for individual subjects.

Článek představuje výsledky položkové analýzy oborových testů z chemie zadávaných pro účely přijímacího řízení na Přírodovědecké fakultě Univerzity Karlovy v letech 2016 až 2019 a navazuje na dříve publikované články zaměřené na obecnou a anorganickou chemii. Cílem zkoumání byla identifikace nejvíce obtížných úloh pro uchazeče o studium a rovněž necitlivých úloh, tj. takových, které nedostatečně rozlišovaly úspěšné uchazeče od uchazečů neúspěšných. Obtížné úlohy byly identifikovány na základě vypočtení indexu obtížnosti. Necitlivé úlohy byly stanoveny na základě výpočtu koeficientů ULI(1/2) a RIR.Výsledky položkové analýzy odhalily, že v rámci organické chemie a biochemie byly pro uchazeče obtížné úlohy ze čtyř okruhů (reakce v organické chemii, konstituce látek a izomerie, klasifikace organických látek, enzymy). Necitlivé úlohy byly detekovány u sedmi témat, která obsahovala alespoň jednu necitlivou položku (např. kyselost a zásaditost organických látek, vzorce v biochemii, biochemické reakce, . . . ). Necitlivost úlohy často souvisela s vysokým počtem kroků nutných k jejímu úspěšnému vyřešení.

During the one-year pedagogical experiment, the released teaching tasks from PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) assessment were systematically used in the 9th grade. The pupils in a control group used a commercial workbook. The results in the initial and final test showed that the pupils from the experimental group statistically significantly improved in most of the tested cognitive levels.  We can state that the use of released PISA-type teaching tasks in the chemistry teaching has led pupils to scientific literacy development and that these teaching tasks represent a suitable tool for chemistry teaching. Based on the one-year use of teaching tasks in five different schools, recommendations for their effective use in teaching were made.