Innovations in the Improved Curriculum Content of the Competence Approach:a Case Study in Latvia

Andersone, Rudite

doi:10.22616/reep.2020.025

Cited by 14 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…(3) experimental learning, focussing on the process of discovery, is connected with the development of students' inquiry skills that are developed through practical activities, experimenting, modelling and searching for regularities; (4) discussion-based teaching: involvement in discussions and other activities for making socially responsible decisions (Andersone, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in STEM Teaching and Learning within the Context of National Education Reform

Birziņa¹,

Pīgozne²,

Lapina³

et al. 2021

Rural Environment. Education. Personality (REEP)

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STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education nowadays is considered priority. To implement it successfully, students must acquire not only STEM “hard” skills, but also “soft” skills, therefore the choice of teaching/learning methods is essential. Problem-based (PrBL) and projectbased learning (PjBL) aim both at the acquisition of science content using real life examples and the improvement of IT skills, critical thinking, decision-making, civil responsibility and cooperation skills. The aim of the research is to find out the use of PrBL and PjBL in the teaching/ learning of STEM in the context of national reform of Latvia. The design of mixed methods was used in the research. The correlative research was performed using QuestionPro e-platform and surveyed 128 STEM teachers and 257 secondary school students to collect quantitative data. As Latvia now is implementing the education reform, the case study for qualitative and quantitative analysis has been carried out using the AQUAD data processing programme and researching the secondary education biology basic course curriculum. This research identified that it was advisable to use practical cases, real everyday examples and project work that would increase students’ interest in science subjects to enable them to solve problems creatively by integrating the content of all STEM subjects. The biology curriculum mainly stresses students’ reproductive than productive work with information, the development of critical thinking by participating in discussions and cooperating, while not enough attention was paid to the use of problem solving in the teaching/ learning process and the implementation of the interdisciplinary project. The use of sensors, practical laboratory works and field study as specific methods of biology are little represented in the curriculum, which is a serious disadvantage. This means that the basic curriculum of biology in the context of national education reform is more oriented to the acquisition of transversal skills, not the development of competent science literacy.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in STEM Teaching and Learning within the Context of National Education Reform

Birziņa¹,

Pīgozne²,

Lapina³

et al. 2021

Rural Environment. Education. Personality (REEP)

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“…Integration of science subjects largely is based on the research elements (Moore et al, 2015). Skills -to analyze, evaluate, and solve problems connected with practical life require complex knowledge from Grade 9 students, including also the skill to solve mathematical tasks (Andersone, 2020). Mathematics is not an easy subject for everyone, but a good teacher will find a way how to help the learner to succeed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…National education reform has been implemented in Latvia since 2020. Regarding the science domain, it takes place in four aspects: the promotion of cooperation in the acquisition of the teaching/learning content, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a platform for developing reasoning and problem solving, experiential learning, which focuses on the process of discovery, and discussion-based teaching, which situates knowledge in the political and cultural context (Andersone, 2020).…”

Section: Research Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospective Pre-School Teachers’ Views on Stem Learning in Grade 9: The Principle of Continuity in Education

Cēdere

Jurgena

Birziņa

et al. 2022

PEC

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The life quality of society and the stability of national economy is largely connected with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The complex character of STEM education demands informed teaching/learning strategies in order to make the 21st century youth interested in learning. The aim of the research was to find out the views of prospective pre-school teachers on Grade 9 students’ STEM learning, thus addressing the topical principle of continuity in education. A survey of 261 prospective pre-school teachers of the University of Latvia was performed. The obtained results show that in general the prospective pre-school teachers have some notion about the level of teaching/learning requirements in Grade 9 of the basic school, the integration of STEM and teaching/learning strategies. They acknowledge cognitive interest, inquiry-based learning and the importance of STEM knowledge and skills in the national development as significant, but little value is given to the exploration of nature in out-of-school time and to the importance of mathematical skills. More experienced respondents assess STEM learning higher. The given research raises the issue of the principle of continuity in education and gives a possibility to understand better the needs of prospective teachers in order to improve teacher education programs at the University. Keywords: cognitive interest, continuity of education, prospective pre-school teachers, STEM learning

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“…Based on the innovative aspects (Andersone, 2020;National reforms..., 2020;Skola 2030Skola , 2019, the system of criteria and indicators was designed (Figure 3). The developed system of criteria and indicators was used for describing the factors, incorporating the teaching/learning methods and transversal skills used in STEM education.…”

Section: Figure 2 Students' Profilementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The national education reform is implemented to introduce innovations in the science domain in four aspects: (1) the promotion of the content acquisition through teachers' mutual collaboration in teaching interdisciplinary themes; (2) the use of ICT as a platform for problem solving, emphasizing the engineer technical thinking; (3) learning through doing, performing practical activities, exploring, experimenting, modelling and searching for regularities; (4) engagement in discussions and other activities for making socially responsible decisions (Andersone, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Students’ Readiness for STEM Learning within the Context of National Education Reform

Birziņa¹,

Pīgozne²,

Cēdere³

2021

Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2021

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STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education nowadays becomes more and more topical; however, students’ performance in these subjects is rather low and only a small part of them decide to study these sciences therefore it is important to rouse students’ interest in these subjects already at school. It is important to acquire not only the knowledge of the subject but also the transversal skills, thus, the organization of the teaching/learning process becomes more significant. Schools of Latvia start implementing the teaching/learning content and approach that correspond to the new standards of basic and general secondary education, which incorporates four innovative aspects in the science domain: the promotion of the content acquisition through teachers’ reciprocal collaboration; the use of ICT (Information Communication Technologies) as a platform for engineering technological solutions; learning through doing and engagement in discussions and other activities for making socially responsible decisions. The aim of the study is to find out students’ readiness to learn STEM in the context of innovative approaches of the national education reform. To reach the aim, the research question was set – to what extent and in which way are students ready to learn STEM? Using the QuestionPro e-platform, 257 students of Latvian general comprehensive schools were surveyed and the meta-analysis of factors of thematically respective selected questions was performed. The obtained empirical results were compared with the four aspects of the innovative approach pertaining to the education reform in the science domain. The study resulted in isolating main four factors: the course of the teaching/learning process, the feedback, the use of ICT and technologies little used in the acquisition STEM. The found factors comprised all the innovations of the science domain put forward by the national education reform, which means that students already at the pre-reform stage are ready to acquire STEM subjects in an innovative way.

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Innovations in the Improved Curriculum Content of the Competence Approach:a Case Study in Latvia

Cited by 14 publications

References 6 publications

Trends in STEM Teaching and Learning within the Context of National Education Reform

Trends in STEM Teaching and Learning within the Context of National Education Reform

Prospective Pre-School Teachers’ Views on Stem Learning in Grade 9: The Principle of Continuity in Education

Students’ Readiness for STEM Learning within the Context of National Education Reform

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