THE CONTENT OF THE PRIMARY SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF TIMSS INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Abstract

The article deals with the peculiarities of TIMSS international research program natural science component. The relevance of the primary science education research by means of TIMSS has been substantiated: the international research covers more than 50 world countries; it defines an opportunity for teachers and scientists to assess the state of primary students’ scientific literacy in comparison with other countries; the factors influencing the quality of natural science education have been found out; ways to improve the content of the natural science training in the primary school have been defined.
 The purpose of the article is to compare the content of the natural science by primary typical curriculum and the TIMSS international program, to suggest the ways to improve the natural science education of primary school students in domestic school. The Research methods – comparative analysis, generalization of results. A comparative analysis of the natural education content within a typical primary curriculum and the international TIMSS program for the 4th grade students has been carried out. The content blocks of the basic natural-scientific branches to estimate primary pupils’ natural-scientific literacy have been discussed. Themes of natural character absent in the elementary school typical curriculum have been defined. The goals of studying natural topics according to the international program and the expected results of the natural education field have been compared. The main tasks for cognitive areas (“knowledge”, “applying”, “reasoning”) assessment have been stated. Sample tasks for the fourth-graders’ natural literacy assessing have been given. The content of the concepts “natural sciences competency”, “natural sciences educational achievements”, “natural science literacy” has been revealed. Ways to improve primary school natural training in Ukraine have been suggested.