NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: TEACHERS’ COMPETENCE AND TRAINING

Schoolchildren's natural science competence development is inseparable from teachers' natural science competence, the integral part of which are subject, didactic and managerial abilities. Competence (es) acquisition during the studies at university is not a final process. Competence improvement, enrichment continues during the whole period of active pedagogical work. In the months of January-February 2018, a qualitative, limited amount research was carried out. 60 primary school teachers from more than 25 Lithuanian schools participated in the research. Research data were analysed using a content analysis method. Research results revealed that most primary school teachers value their knowledge in natural science field as sufficient. Teachers accentuate that their competences are proper and emphasize their lifelike and long work experience importance. Part of the teachers accentuate constant natural science education subject knowledge renewal. Only a small part of teachers notice that they lack knowledge in natural science field. Research result analysis showed that most of primary school teachers develop natural science competence independently using various information sources. A big part of teachers develop natural science competence participating in formal specially organised activities. Not a small part of teachers accentuate practical natural science competence development. Research results revealed that most primary school teachers give average evaluation to their competence in teaching natural science (world cognition). Only a small part of teachers attribute a high value to this competence of theirs. Research result analysis showed that primary school teachers teaching students natural sciences (world cognition), encounter various problems. The bigger part of teachers experience problems, related to the teaching process: lack of devices, low students' teaching motivation, teaching content shortcomings. A big part of teachers teaching natural science subjects (world cognition) experience social – organisational problems: a lack of time, unfavourable conditions, a lack of support. Teacher opinion analysis of what needs to be changed /improved in natural science primary school teacher training/preparation revealed that the biggest part of teachers offer to improve future teachers' practical abilities/skills. Part of teachers offer to better develop special competences, related to natural science education, to improve material supply of the study process.