LEARNERS’ SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITY AS A KEY COMPONENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

The formation of scientific research activity abilities in comprehensive school is undoubtedly, a very important sphere still awaiting of particular attention. Current teaching and learning process has basically changed looking from the paradigmatic point of view. Teaching subjects become the means of realization of learners' demands and interests. Scientific research activity is not an entertainment but a very responsible, thorough work requiring great self-independence. During this activity children's analytic thinking becomes stronger, information search and usage abilities are being developed, they can learn to analyze the accumulated material, make presentations, prepare research reports and so on. By doing scientific research, learners approach new knowledge and new methods to solve problems of daily life. The main question is how to combine scientific research and science education. First of all we should elaborate specific policies how to encourage our learners to do scientific research. This is also very important from political point of view. Different scientific research conducted for the last 10 years showed that secondary school learners have a perception of science education as irrelevant and difficult. On the other hand Europe needs more scientists (EC, 2004). We should make all our efforts how to attract secondary school learners to the scientific activity and how to orientate them for scientist (researcher) career in the future.