Slovak high school students’ attitudes to ICT using in biology lesson

published in Computers in Human Behavior, 2009

The impact of information and communication technologies and computers on our daily lives has been steadily increasing. This fact influences the change of attitudes toward information and communication technologies. In our contribution we focused on finding the differences between gender and age according to computer attitudes. A questionnaire with 33 Likert type items was used in our research. The sample
consists of 518 students from 9 high schools. Students attended the all of grades (first, second, third and fourth). They were 15- to 19-years old. Data were evaluated with factor analysis and the ANOVA. The results of the questionnaire were divided into five dimensions in the concrete. (1) The positive influence of ICT; (2) the negative influence of ICT; (3) advantages of ICT; (4) ICT used in biology lesson; (5) disadvantages of ICT. Totally, boys have more positive attitudes than girls and the younger students had more
positive attitudes toward information and communication technologies using in biology lesson in comparison with the older students.

Vampires are still alive: Slovakian students’ attitudes toward bats

published in Anthrozoös, 2009

Slovakian pupils’ knowledge of and attitudes toward birds

published in Anthrozoös, 2008

Slovakian students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnology

published in International Journal of Science Education, 2007

This study examined university students’ knowledge of and attitudes (n = 378) toward biotechnology in Slovakia, a conservative country where the distribution of genetically engineered products are banned by law. We found a significant positive correlation between attitudes and the level of knowledge; however, although students enrolled in biology courses have better knowledge of biotechnology, their attitudes toward genetic engineering were similar than those of students who do not study biology. Females showed poorer knowledge and lower acceptance of genetically engineered
products than did males. Overall, Slovakian students have poor knowledge and numerous misunderstandings about what genetic engineering means, which suggests that science curriculum with respect to this topic should be greatly re-evaluated and teaching strategies should be improved accordingly

Why do cocks crow? Children´s concepts about birds

published in Research in Science Education, 2007

Research into children’s ideas showed that children’s interpretations of natural phenomena often differ from those of scientists. The aim of our study was to identify children’s ideas of various age classes (7/8–14/15) about birds. A questionnaire with 31 multiple choice and open ended questions and eight photographs were administered to 495
children from 10 elementary schools in Slovakia. Children’s ideas were examined in six dimensions (bird classification, food, senses, communication, migration and breeding
including parental care). We found several misconceptions, some of them with both anthropomorphical and teleological reasoning of the children about birds within each dimension. In general, misconceptions were more frequently found in younger children, but several misconceptions were similarly distributed across all age classes.

Bad wolf kills lovable rabbits: Childrens attitudes toward predator and prey

published in Electronic Journal of Science Education, 2008

This cross-age study explores children’s attitude toward a model predator (wolf) and prey (rabbit). We administered a Likert-type attitude questionnaire with 30 items (15 per predator and 15 per prey) to a total of 462 children aged 10 – 15 year in Slovakia. The mean score from three dimensions derived by a factor analysis (scientific, ecologistic and myths about parental care) was then subjected for pair wise comparisons. We found that younger children aged 10-11 year showed significantly more positive attitude toward a rabbit (prey) relative to wolf (predator). However, as children’s age increased, the difference in means score disappear and positive attitudes toward predator and prey generally decrease. We hypothesize that these patterns could reflect either greater children’s ‘ecological thinking’ or, more simply, decreasing interest toward animals in older children. The difference in attitudes toward predator and prey suggest that
children’s affective domain should not be neglected in future environmental programs, because attitudes influence pro-environmental behavior of future citizens.

Pupils’ misconceptions about mammals.

published in Journal of Baltic Science Education, 2007

A misconception about animals has been reported in various
research reports on the pupils of all age groups. However, deeper study on the children’s concepts about mammals has never been conducted. This study suggests the ideas about mammals put forward by the children aged from 10 to 15. A questionnaire with 35 multiple choice and open - ended questions were administered to 468 children from 6 elementary schools in Slovakia. The children’s ideas were examined in five dimensions (animal classification and phylogeny; food; foraging strategies; parental care; senses, morphology and anatomy). Serious misconceptions about mammals across all age groups were found out. Our data provides direct implications for teaching biology.

Students’ point of view of the biology lecture taught with an ICT assistance: Preliminary results

published in Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 2008

In our contribution, we focused on using of information and communication technologies in the biology lessons concretely on birds´ class. We find out the students´ points of view of this lesson. The five-point Likert scale questionnaire was used as a measurement tool. The questionnaire included 27 statements and there was a place for expressing of the own student’s opinion there. The results were processed by using of factor analysis and ANOVA. The sample consisted of 70 secondary grammar schools students. General results should goes first – it means what was found in the research? Was ICT assistance considered to be important for students/ positively appreciated? In every dimension, the students from bigger town (according to the number of inhabitants) reached more positive score in questionnaire than the other students in sample.Gender differences were generally weak.

Information and computer literacy of high school students

published in Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 2007

In our contribution we focused on finding out the information and computer literacy of high school students. This paper presents the results of an information literacy questionnaire. Questions in the information and computer literacy questionnaire (ICLQ) were concerned with the use of computers, internet, frequency of ICT use and the purpose of internet use. Questions were generally open – ended, but we offered possibilities too. The ICLQ was filled by students (n = 283) of secondary grammar school, from different regions and districts of Slovakia. The number of boys (n =127) and girls was similar (n = 156). We used Pearson chi - square test (χ2), for finding of statistically significant difference between genders. In our research we found that nearly all students use computers and the internet. Most students, nearly 70 %, use the internet at school. About half of all students use the internet at home. This is caused by the fact that service for access to the internet is still expensive for the most of people in Slovakia. We found that the main activity of students on the internet is the search for information (e.g. themes on essays, complementary information to the curriculum…). It means that computer literacy of students is improving. Students can use the internet and computers in school most often after lessons. The internet is using at home and at friend by boys in the higher measure in the comparison with girls. Girls use the internet more at school and at library than boys. Boys use the internet more often than girls.

How do teachers use information and communication technology in biology teaching?

published and presented in international conference "Information & Communication Technology in Natural Science Education"