Electronically-Based Training Aids and Information Sources Adopted by the Would-Be Teachers of Sciences

Abstract

The issue of the study. The alterations in society and development of technologies require a new approach to teaching and training aids. Modern information systems and technologies are promoted teaching and learning different subjects at all levels. Along the increase of information technology importance and impact, the educational and teaching system, its major alteration and spread of new training aids becomes an underlying field of society building. It frames a question of the study dealing with how the would-be teachers of sciences adopt and most frequently use electronically-based training aids. The goal of research. The goal of research is to establish the types of electronically-based training aids and information sources used by the science students. Methods of research. The object of research is the employment of electronically-based training aids and information sources used by the science students. Research was conducted applying the methods of reference analysis, surveying and mathematical statistics. The students studying physics, chemistry and biology participated in the survey. Two targeted groups were formed the first of which included 250 a first university degree (a Bachelor’s degree studies, 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of studies) and the second one - 105 a second university degree (a Master’s degree studies) students. Results of research. During the studies, the science students most frequently apply the electronically-based paper databases while the databases of research data and scientific articles are rarer. The students regularly search the Internet to work with the required lecture syllabi, computer-based dictionaries and reference books. The findings indicate that the above mentioned training aids cannot be adopted by almost one fifth of the surveyed higher school students. The students feel lack of information on traditional training aids placed in the electronically-based sources. Qualitative research further revealed the qualities of traditional and electronically-based training aids. The electronically-based training aids are more effective in retrieving and adopting information. The traditional training aids are not supposed to be very efficient and visually perfect. Moreover, the Internet rather than the course books presents more precise and up-to-date data. The traditional training aids are more comfortable, user-friendly and adjusted to making marks with a pencil. Keywords: electronically-based training aids, databases