Scientific research activity organisation and improvement in a primary school

Abstract

Scientific research activity (SRA) is very important in an early natural science education process. Basically, it comprises primary general education school. Natural science education process construction based on experimental-research activity is acknowledged at an international level as an effective educational approach. However, it is still very little/not enough known about teachers’ position (opinion) concerning research activity aims, research activity organisation and realisation, scientific research competence of the teachers themselves. The main students’ SRA organisation aim is to give an opportunity for the students themselves to try scientific method application, in this way acquiring and broadening natural science knowledge. Such an activity in its turn is undoubtedly practical and requires students’ creativity and proper motivation. The conducted research aim was to analyse primary class teachers’ position in the scientific research activity sphere (personal ability to organise and carry out students’ research activity evaluation, revealing the most important limitations, understanding of SRA importance and ways of improvement). 60 primary class teachers from more than 25 Lithuanian general education schools participated in the research. Data were analysed using a content analysis method. It has been stated, that most of the teachers value their abilities in SRA as satisfactory, though they treat the importance of SRA itself in education process as very significant.  The essential factors hindering SRA development in a primary school were ascertained, i.e. supply limitations related to material and financial difficulties and organisational/ human factors.