PROJECT ORIENTED CHEMISTRY INSTRUCTION AT A SLOVAK BASIC SCHOOL: LEARNERS´, TEACHERS´AND SCHOOL VISITORS´OPINION

The paper deals with an example of the project oriented instruction. The described school project "Healthy and Non-healthy Nutrition" ran at Basic School Jarok, Slovak Republic. In the first part of the article, authors analyze the theoretical background of the project instruction, its advantages, disadvantages, threads and limits. In the second part, the entire project is described. It is structured into two phases. The first one involves project work of pupils, i.e. searching, collecting, processing information on the topic; in the second phase results are introduced to other pupils, teachers and the public. The materials were presented in the form of workshop which was attended by both active participants (i.e. pupils working on the project and their teachers) and visitors (i.e. other pupils, teachers, parents and guests). The project covers five topics (Vitamins, Carbohydrates, Cereal products, Lipids, Drinks). Materials relating to each topic were presented by pupils in attractive ways at separate checkpoints, being supported by competitions and games. At the final checkpoint the feedback (participants´ opinion) was collected from all participants and visitors in the form of questionnaires. They aimed at three groups: pupils, teachers and visitors. Totally 186 pupils, 27 teachers and 67 visitors participated in the project or attended the workshop. The questionnaires monitored the attractiveness of the project instruction for pupils and teachers, evaluated the suitability of the project method for teaching Chemistry and other subjects, etc. Generally said, the topic and method were highly appreciated by the participants and visitors, they supported motivation and created positive image of the school. The project instruction was recognized to be suitable for extended application in the future.