Project technologies in teaching natural sciences

Abstract

This article reveals the peculiarities of the science teacher's activity in organizing the work of high school students on projects of various types. The relevance of this issue is related to the fact that the project method is one of the most effective methods for increasing the cognitive activity of high school students as well as the formation of key and subject competencies in them, including practical skills that are important in further activities. Different types of projects that can be offered to students in the process of studying natural sciences have been considered. They are classified by the direction and the method of implementation (informational, practice-oriented, research), by the term (short-term, medium-term and long-term) and the form of implementation (individual, group and individual-group projects). The functions of the teacher and students at each stage of the implementation of the educational project have been defined, which include: organizational-preparatory, search, final, resulting, final stages. The roles and functions of students that they can perform in the process of group work on the project have been classified (organizational, motivational, executive, control). Within the framework of the practical part of the research, examples of the application of the project method in the educational process of high school have been given. In particular, the peculiarities of the organization of students’ work during the implementation of an individual informational project in chemistry on the topic: «Methods of disposal of PET-products», a group practical-oriented project from the integrated course «Natural Sciences» on the topic: «Research on the compliance of the school menu with the energy needs of children of different ages» and an individual group research project on physics on the topic: «Aerodynamic properties of paper airplanes» have been considered. The emphasis is placed on the fact that the use of project technologies in science lessons allows to increase the motivation of students to study and also contributes to their academic success. At the same time, it requires high professional training of the teacher to apply the project method in educational activities. Therefore, the direction of further research is the formation of future science teachers’ readiness to use project technologies in the teaching of natural sciences at institutions of general secondary education.