24th NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC PRACTICAL CONFERENCE “NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL – 2018”: CONFERENCE REVIEW

Having already become traditional, scientific practical conference “Natural science education in a comprehensive school – 2018” took place in Šilutė, a beautiful Pajūris lowland city. On the first conference day, plenary reports and two section work took place. It was discussed about the exceptional geological exhibit importance to non-formal natural science education and about Lithuanian and Latvian student attitude to natural science disciplines and mathematics. Traditionally, methodological natural science education questions were discussed. One plenary report was made remotely. Dr. Solange W. Locatelli from Brazilian Federal ABC university shared her personal experience applying metacognitive strategies in chemistry teaching. Most conference reports were presented in the form of articles and published in the conference proceedings. One can find full texts in the database at: http://oaji.net/journal-archive-stats.html?number=1984&year=2018&issue=12477 On the initiative of Šilutė district municipality, a cognitive conference participants' boat trip down the Nemunas river to Kuršių lagoon was organised. Conference participants had a unique possibility to get acquainted with the lagoon district, to see off the Sun, and also to taste traditional lagoon fish soup. On the second conference day, the reports were also presented. It was discussed about teaching based on researching. The main report idea was educational activity object selection and pedagogical scenarios preparation. Pilot empirical research results were presented. Natural science education organisation and improvement in a primary school was discussed. The carried-out research allows stating, that primary school teacher professional preparation in a natural education sphere remains actual. Practical work organisation is considered the most appropriate activity. The teachers try the least to satisfy / to take into consideration individual students' differences. Though teachers are inclined to demonstrate various experiments, research activity is not dominating. Natural science education “journey” continues. 25-th conference will take place on 26-27 April 2019 in Kupiškis Povilas Matulionis progymnasium. So, from Pajūris lowland we travel to Kupiškis, which is in the outskirts of eastern middle Lithuania lowland and in which the Kupa river flows through the centre of the city.