EVALUATION DESIGN
VPU
Internal Deliverable
Work Package 6
October 2009
Part 1 – Realization of training packages based on problem-based teaching of science
subjects on the basis of interdisciplinary integration
1.1. Realization of training packages at university level.
1.2. Realization of training packages at school of general education.
Part 2 – Evaluation of training packages based on problem-based teaching of science
subjects on the basis of interdisciplinary integration
2.1. The meaning of an expert method.
2.2. Quantitative analysis (interview using questionnaires).
Conclusions
References
Part 1 – Realization of training packages based on problem-based teaching of science
subjects on the basis of interdisciplinary integration
1.1. Realization of training packages at the university level.
Realization of the training packages will be carried out at Vilnius Pedagogical University from
autumn of 2010. Student-teachers will be acquainted with the contents of General Programs
(2008) and school textbooks during lectures and seminars of biology, chemistry and physics
didactics. Students will be taught to use interdisciplinary relationships and to implement
problem-based teaching when working with 7–10th grade pupils.
Student-teachers will be taught how to create problematical situations (practical or theoretical)
during lessons of biology, chemistry and physics, as these subjects are not currently integrated at
the 7–10th grades. There is a need to supplement the contents of a specific subject with the
contents of other science subjects. The students will be taught how to formulate problems, to
create plans of their solution, to organize the solution itself and evaluate the results obtained.
Activities of student-teachers during lectures of didactics will be organized according to the
methodology of problem-based teaching suggested by M. Foldevi (1995) as follows:
Phase
The 1st
The 2nd
The 3rd
The 4th
The 5th
The 6th
The 7th
The 8th
The 9th
Content
The presentation of a problem scenario. Unknown concepts and terminology are
clarified.
Preparation of a group plan. Situation of a problem is analyzed, and studentteachers try to find answers to questions.
Hypothesis for solving the problem is formulated. Students try to find some
explanations of the problem‘s scenario.
“Brainstorming”. Every member of a team expresses his own opinion and ideas.
They are noted, evaluated and pooled.
Definition of a problem. Students define the problem from the obtained
information, ideas and opinions
Learning aims. Student-teachers define the aims and tasks of problem solution.
Deepening knowledge. Students work independently, study literary sources and
try to find answers to questions that arise during this period.
Discussions and careful research of knowledge. Student-teachers work in
groups, discuss, exchange knowledge and information, choose, systematize and
integrate knowledge.
Application of knowledge acquired in practice. It is intended to use new
information to solve a specific problem.
Evaluation of every phase is carried out during learning. Students are asked to evaluate every
phase using questionnaires. Activity of students, their creativeness and progress will be
evaluated in every phase mentioned above using an observation method. Accumulative
evaluation will be used: points, gathered in every phase, will be summarized and transformed
into 10-grade scale.
1.2. Realization of training packages at a school of general education.
The VPU team plans to start using problem-based teaching on the basis of interdisciplinary
integration during science lessons from the autumn of 2010. The implementation will be done at
“Daukantas” gymnasium located in Vilnius, as this school has very close cooperation with VPU.
Teachers of science subjects working at the gymnasium will be acquainted with the training
packages prepared by VPU team during a one day seminar.
Presentation of training packages for other science teachers is planned during two national
practical conferences organized by VPU together with associations of science teachers that will
be held in October-November, 2010.
Part 2 – Evaluation of training packages based on problem-based teaching of science
subjects on the basis of interdisciplinary integration
2.1. The meaning of an expert method.
The expert method is an interview of specially selected groups of people having specific
knowledge and experience. This method is useful in educational studies and it helps to evaluate
teaching programs, peculiarities of education system in addition to other things (Bitinas, 2006).
Selection of experts is a very important aspect of this method influencing the results obtained.
Three experts (specialists of biology, chemistry and physics) have been chosen who work in the
expert board under the control of Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science (order of the
Minister of Education and Science of Lithuania, 2005/09/30, ISAK-1962) for the verification of
the prepared teaching packages. The selected experts will be interviewed individually. Semistructured interviews will be used to obtain their opinions on the packages prepared. Each
interview will be recorded and content analysis of each protocol will performed using qualitative
data analysis program KOKYBIS (available from http://www.ef.su.lt). Training packages will be
corrected according the constructive suggestions of the experts.
2.2. Quantitative analysis (interview using questionnaires).
VPU team plans to study the attitude of student-teachers on the use of interdisciplinary
relationships while teaching science subjects at general education school.
Furthermore, in-service science teachers will be interviewed about the training packages and the
experience of implementing problem-based teaching while teaching science subjects.
This will be carried out according to the following plan:
1. Preparation of a research instrument – semi-structured interview questionnaire.
2. The analysis of questionnaire contents in the group of researchers.
3. The formation of a focus group of teachers having expert qualification representing
different science subjects (biology, chemistry and physics).
4. Interview of experts. The formation of interview protocols.
5. The analysis of the obtained data using content analysis.
Two objective groups will be formed for the quantitative analysis. Both groups will be
acquainted with the training packages during training seminars (see activities presented in 1.1.
and 1.2.):
The first group – 100 students (future teachers) studying science subjects (biology,
chemistry and physics) at VPU.
The second group – 50–100 teachers of science subjects.
The aim of the interview is to clarify the implementation of interdisciplinary relationships in
educational practice of science subjects. Respondents will be asked similar questions:
What is the ratio between integrated and non-integrated teaching in educational practice
of science subjects at 7–10th grades?
What are the main themes taught using interdisciplinary relationships?
What are the main factors encouraging/limiting usage of interdisciplinary
relationships?
What is the role of interdisciplinary relationships in educational practice?
What are the teaching methods helping to realize interdisciplinary relationships?
Is a suitable socio-pedagogical environment for the implementation of problembased teaching created at your school?
How it is possible to realize interdisciplinary relationships using active teaching
methods?
What are the active methods usually realizing interdisciplinary relationships?
What are the necessary means of improvement of realization of interdisciplinary
relationships?
To evaluate the statistical significance of the differences between the respondents’ groups, the
rates will be calculated and non-parametrical hypotheses will be checked. Differences between
answers of individual groups will be tested by χ2 test. Factors of realization of interdisciplinary
relationships using active teaching methods will be studied with the help of correlation analysis.
The calculations will be performed using the statistical analysis package SPSS 13.
Subjective factors influencing the study of student-teachers will be considered (e.g. gender,
motivation towards speciality, plans for future development, plans and motivation to continue
pedagogical activities, experience with active teaching methods. Similar subjective factors
influencing the study of science teachers will be analyzed as well. Data obtained from the
questionnaires will be imported into the SPSS 13 program and correlation analysis will be
performed.
The VPU team will try to clarify the situation of interdisciplinary relationships during the
analysis of data. We plan to improve our training packages according to the realized problems
related to the implementation of problem-based teaching.
Conclusions
VPU team plans to prepare a review of national and foreign literature sources on application
of inquiry-based methods during teaching of science subjects.
Plan of the literature review:
- Understanding of the inquiry-based methods;
-The use of the inquiry-based methods during science lessons in Lithuanian schools of
general education;
- Reflection of the application of the inquiry-based methods in the context of national and
international survey;
- Reflection of application of the inquiry-based methods in school teachers’ publications;
-Application of the inquiry-based methods and teaching science in scientific works of
Lithuanian educators.
We plan to continue to improve the draft of the literature review that has already been presented,
paying special attention to publications of foreign authors. This literature review will be used in
our future scientific work, and preparation of scientific publications. It will be distributed among
science teachers as well, and that will be done during seminars and national scientific-practical
conference that will be held in VPU in autumn of 2010.
The VPU team plans to analyze the contents of science subjects taught at 7–10th grades
(General Programs, textbooks) and prepare three teaching packages (biology, chemistry and
physics) for the realization of interdisciplinary relationships using problem-based teaching
(preparation of the training packages are the main deliverables of VPU in WP5). The contents of
teaching packages will be verified using expert method.
We plan to improve teaching of didactics of science subjects at VPU itself, adopting the prepared
teaching packages. Teachers of science will be acquainted with changes of didactic courses
taught at VPU.
Teachers of science will be acquainted with the analysis of contents of science subjects taught at
7–10th grades from the point of view of interdisciplinary relationships, and possibilities of its
realization at general education school.
We plan to evaluate the situation of realization of interdisciplinary relationships on the basis of
active methods in Lithuanian educational practice. Quantitative analysis will be performed (see
descriptions presented in 2.2.).
A chapter on the use of the inquiry-based methods (on the base of problem-based teaching)
(approximately 6–8000 words) will be prepared, and it is the main deliverable of the VPU team
in the work of WP6.
References
Bitinas B. Edukologinis tyrimas: sistema ir procesas [Educological study: system and process].
Vilnius, 2006.
Foldevi M. Implementation and evaluation of problem-based learning in general practice.
Linköping University, 1995.
KOKYBIS. Kokybinių tyrimų atviro kodavimo programa [KOKYBIS. Open-source software for
the qualitative studies]. Available from http://www.ef.su.lt
Pradinio ir pagrindinio ugdymo bendrosios programos [General Programs of Primary and Basic
Education]. Vilnius, 2008.