Many studies have shown that one of the efficient methods of teaching environmental studies is the method of didactic games. With this method, the students gain experience, knowledge and skills. At the same time, they are involved comprehensively as they develop also other social skills. In our space there is not many evalution about enrolment of didactic games in the environmental education. Master’s thesis refers to the teaching three content of environmental studies in 3rd grade with the method of didactic games. These topics are light, weather and environmental education. During the weather, topic students learn about weather phenomena, wind and weather forecast. During the light topic, they are acquainted with the characteristics of light and its perception by sight. During the environmental topic they deal with the environmental pollution and care for environment at environmental education.
Main goal of the research was to explore students’ experience at learning with didactic games, the influence of these games on students, and compared the students’ reactions to different kinds of didactic games.
In the master’s thesis we gave the answers to the following questions: 1) to what extent students achieve curriculum goals with the prevailling method of didactic games (quiz, role play, board game) at dealing with the topics such as weather, light and environmental education; 2) how the reactions of students and their interests differ according to different kinds of didactic games (quiz, role play, board game); 3) what are the students’ experience and opinion on learning with didactic games.
The study involved 24 students of the 3rd grade of primary school. Every topic research lasted for 2 hours. The qualitative approach of research was in the foreground intertwined with the quantitative one. The students solved the same paper-pencil test before and after the lessons. The test included four questions for each topic. The notes on students’ interest and relations to different kinds of didactic games were made during the lessons. Finally, we collected the data about students’ experience and opinion on didactic games with a questionnaire.
The results of the research show a positive effect of didactic game method on teaching natural science topics: weather, light, environmental education. We have found out that the students’ prior knowledge of weather, light and environmental education is inadequate. The majority of students have acquired learning objectives with the use of didactic games. The students’ opinion on didactic games was also positive in most cases. It has been proven that students show more interest in learning with board games and quiz as in learning with role play. The results of the research cannot be generalized because of the small sample size; however, they could be the basis for primary school teachers at preparing for dealing with mentioned topics with didactic games.
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