National Science Education Research Articles

Evelopment the Professional Competence of Students on the Continuous Natural Scientific Education in the Uzbekistan

The article summarizes the experience of teaching natural science disciplines for various areas of training of students in pre-university educational institutions. The purpose of the disciplines “Chemistry”, “Physics” and “Biology” is to form a holistic natural science worldview among students, which determines both the scope of tasks and the list of general cultural and general professional competencies being formed. The study revealed that in lyceums that implement continuing education in the “college-university” and “lyceum–university” systems, it is advisable to study general subjects of the natural science cycle at two levels: basic and advanced degrees. The study showed that in the course of general education natural science disciplines, it is advisable to allocate professionally significant information in a separate block (module).

Increasing the Research Capacity of Universities in Ukraine: Problems, Value Dimensions and the Way of Democratization

There are certain obstacles to the development of the research capacity of Ukrainian universities, which can be classified as belonging to one of the two groups: «external» and «internal». If the former include more obvious things like insufficient funding for national science and higher education, as well as the imbalance of teaching and research activities of the academic staff, the latter relate to the values, interests and motivations of the researchers. It is argued that a possible way to overcome the first type of obstacles is to rethink the role of the university teacher, who from a translator of knowledge becomes a mediator helping students to acquire the ability for life-long self-education and the constant creation of own knowledge. The competition to traditional universities presented by non-formal education emphasizes the benefits of the individual approach and personal communication between teachers and students and the special value of the personal knowledge as a result of own research. The article argues that in the absence of internal motivation for scientific research and a tendency to recognize the principles of scientific ethos, the attempt to «force» creativity leads only to the profanation of scientific activity, in particular to mass violations of academic integrity by students. Really effective research can be based only on the moral imperative of each human person as an autonomous subject of values and responsibility, and the most important factor in the development of university science is the democratization of higher education, which returns to the humanistic ideal of the Enlightenment that considers each person as capable of creative and independent thinking. Such democratization contributes to the implementation of lifelong learning and effective activities of university graduates in a volatile and complex world, and also corresponds to the ideas of the open science concept as one of the most important ways for increasing the research capacity of Ukrainian universities.

Meaningful teaching of sexuality education framed by culture: Xhosa secondary school teachers’ views

African women in the Xhosa culture used to hold powerful positions in the sexuality arena. That has since changed and in contemporary Xhosa culture, they take up submissive roles. This is especially so in the teaching of certain aspects of sexuality, as Xhosa women are not supposed to give guidance in the sexuality of their male learners. In this study, curriculum posters were created to explore Xhosa Life Orientation (LO), Life Sciences (LFSC) and Natural Sciences (NS) teachers’ views of the meaningful teaching of sexuality education to Xhosa learners. The research study is located within a critical paradigm, using a participatory visual methodology. Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was used as a theoretical lens and the findings were contextualised in existing literature. Two themes were identified: 1) Shifting teacher positionality by revisiting pedagogical assumptions and taking ownership in the teaching of sexuality education and 2) Contextualising sexuality education in Xhosa culture through reconnecting to Xhosa values and appreciating cultural roots and practices. The findings indicated that Xhosa women teachers could reclaim their powerful position regarding sexuality when teaching sexuality education and that reflexivity is a critical attribute of a sexuality education teacher. The study has implications for teachers and curriculum developers to contextualise the curriculum in terms of learners’ biographies and to engage local and relevant knowledges critically in dealing with issues of sexuality, gender inequality as well as HIV and AIDS.

ФАХОВА ПІДГОТОВКА МАЙБУТНІХ УЧИТЕЛІВ ПРИРОДНИЧИХ НАУК

It was established that the professional training of future teachers of natural sciences should be focused on providing an integrated model of education and based on the formation of students a set of general and special (professional) competencies and personal qualities, which are necessary for successful professional activity. Accordingly, the main content components of professional training of future teachers of natural sciences are knowledge of subjects (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) and their interdisciplinary interaction, understanding of teaching methods, ability to use this knowledge in educational activities and willingness to apply knowledge, skills and abilities in professional activities. The training teacher of natural sciences should be focused on teaching an integrated course «Natural Sciences», which is studied in high school in which natural subjects are not specialized, although his qualifications are a teacher of natural sciences, physics, chemistry, biology, in this specialist has broader qualifications and, accordingly, the range of competencies. Therefore, in addition to the formed competencies in each subject, we expect that in the process of training teachers of natural sciences is also important to integrate the curriculum of mandatory disciplines, which will ensure the formation of a holistic system of knowledge and skills. Analytical review of the programs of the course «Natural Sciences» for high school in terms of their content allowed us to state that they were aimed at the formation of natural sciences competence of the individual, but each provides it differently. While some clearly show the presence of separate semantic blocks of different subjects, in others we see an attempt to make the program more integrated basis on objects of study: matter, field, energy and technology, we anticipate human habitation in the environment and man-made society. We convinced that this approach will be further develops, because it corresponds to the idea of integrativity, embedded in the idea of the emergence of this subject in high school. The introduction of an integrated course «Natural Sciences» in high school forces to move away from the disparate formation of natural knowledge in individual subjects and strengthens the integrative nature of the content of natural subjects. Accordingly, the professional training of future teachers of natural sciences should be improve in the direction of integrating the knowledge, skills and abilities of students in the process of studying the relevant professional disciplines. It was recommended to introduce integrated disciplines in the process of training future teachers of natural sciences, which will ensure their quality professional training.

Preface

The 7th International Conference on Mathematics, Science and Education 2020 (ICMSE2020) is the international conference organized by Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Universitas Negeri Semarang (Indonesia) under the theme of Accelerating Innovative Research from Laboratory to Industry. This conference aims to discuss the innovation of the laboratory research as well as to downstream those innovative products.Since the world has faced the global Covid-19 pandemic, it would be too risky to hold international conference through direct plenary meeting. Therefore, the conference that was originally conducted in Semarang, Indonesia, on 6 October 2020 but then it was converted into virtual conference to protect participants from Corona Virus transmission. In addition, travel restrictions also prevented participants from attending the conference onsite, then the virtual conference setting was decided as the best option to keep the conference ran on schedule.The keynote and invited speakers from five countries consisting of Asst. Prof. Dr. Chalongrat Daengngam (Thailand), Assoc. Prof. Stephane Bressan (Singapore), Asst. Prof. Aditya P. Adiredja, Ph.D (USA), Assoc. Prof. Ch.M Dr. Roswanira Abdul Wahab (Malaysia), and Prof. Dr. Ir. Amin Retnoningsih, M.Si (Indonesia) delivered their talk through video conference, and the technology support to deliver the conference was “Zoom Video Conferencing” software. All keynote speakers shared the material from their countries as well as the participants.There were three sessions which involved opening, invited speaker presentation and authors’ parallel presentation. Opening session consisting of keynote speech and opening remark lasted 20 minutes, followed by each invited speaker presentation for 20 minutes and each author presentation took 10 minutes. The breakout rooms were provided to facilitate authors in presenting their research result. Every parallel session was guided by one moderator to lead the discussion. Participants still could involve themselves in the intellectual discussion in invited speakers and parallel sessions although the conference was conducted virtually as they could write the question through chat box or directly deliver their question.Finally, the committees via review stage selected the papers-presented in this forum to be published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Institute of Physics Publisher) indexed in some databases, including the Conference citation index, Scopus, Chemical s Service, and Astrophysics Data System. We hope that this program will expand the mutual understanding and respect in stimulating research in Mathematics, Science, and Education; share research interest and information, and create a form of collaboration and build a trust relationship. We are delighted to be able to show the world what recent developments in the field of Mathematics, Natural Science, and Science Education through this fruitful program.As conclusion, we would like to acknowledge to all of supporting teams, especially the organizing committee members and reviewers, for their great contribution in conference organization. We hope that this program will further encourage research publication in Mathematics, Natural Science, and Science Education and build trust relationship. We feel honoured and privileged to serve the best recent developments in the field of Mathematics, Natural Science, and Science Education to you through this exciting program.ChairpersonProf. Dr. Dyah Rini Indriyanti, M.P.List of Committees, Images are available in this pdf.

An analysis of thinking patterns of natural sciences teacher candidate students in understanding physics phenomena using P-Prims perspective

This research aimed to identify thinking patterns of natural sciences teacher candidate students in understanding physics phenomena. Results of thinking patterns could be used to determine approriate learning models and materials for students’ thinking capacity. In this research, thinking patterns were analyzed using Phenomenological Primitive (P-Prims) perspective. A random sampling technique with purposive sampling was used. The sample consisted of undergraduate students majoring in natural sciences education of Tidar University. The research method used in this research was qualitative, accompanied with The Investigation of Lived Experience with Cognitive Psychology type. Data were collected using tests and interviews. The research results show that in explaining unfamiliar physics phenomena which had never been taught before, students used 1) inductive thinking pattern, by calling back their existing, relevant knowledge and 2) deductive thinking pattern, by using synthesized general premises.

ВІРТУАЛЬНИЙ ЛАБОРАТОРНИЙ ПРАКТИКУМ ЯК ЗАСІБ ВИВЧЕННЯ ПРИРОДНИЧИХ ДИСЦИПЛІН

In the article the way of using information technology in the natural education is activated, such as computer modeling of chemical, physical or biological phenomenon processes, introduction into the educational process of the virtual laboratory works. The relevance of the introduction of virtual laboratories in educational practice is due, firstly, to the information challenges of the time, and secondly, the regulatory requirements for the organization of the educational process of general secondary and higher education. It is mentioned that the use of virtual laboratories in the educational process allows students to conduct experiments with equipment and materials that he is able to use due to lack of a real laboratory or its lack of technical content, get practical skills of conducting experiments of integrated natural direction initiating computer models and the process of operation of unique equipment of chemical, physical, biological laboratory, to study dangerous in the real situation processes and phenomena of natural origin, without fear of possible consequences. The article reveals the advantages and disadvantages of using a virtual laboratory workshop during the study of natural sciences. Possibilities of modern virtual laboratories of a natural direction which allow to model objects and processes of the surrounding world and also to organize computer access to the real laboratory equipment. The possibility of realization of a virtual laboratory workshop on chemical disciplines of the natural cycle in the environment of a virtual simulator of the laboratory IrYdiumChemistryLab is shown. This virtual laboratory involves the formulation of specific tasks or the formation of its own strategy for planning the experiment,the resource immediately differs in the ability to intervene in the program and design your own virtual experiment Created on the basis of IrYdiumChemistryLab virtual laboratory works allow to prepare diluent of various concentrations, to calculate and measure concentrations of ions in solutions of strong and weak electrolytes, to titrate, etc. Virtual laboratories must be present in the practice of teaching natural sciences (chemistry, physics, biology). The need to use a virtual laboratory workshop during distance learning is especially relevant.

Development of integrated teaching materials vibration, wave and sound with ethnoscience of bundengan for optimization of students’ scientific literation

The purpose of this study is to develop natural science teaching materials that integrate ethnoscience Bundengan in the Vibration, Wave and Sound material for the Central Java region. The specific purposes are describe the characteristics of the teaching materials developed, test their validity, level of readability and effectiveness in increasing students’ scientific literacy. This development research uses the Borg & Gall development model, starting with the needs analysis, the development of teaching materials, the validity test and the readability of the teaching materials that have been developed, as well as the effectiveness of teaching materials. Validation is carried out by experts in the field of study (lecturer) and practitioners (science teacher). The subject of the reading test of textbooks and effectiveness was junior high school students in Wonosobo Regency. Test the readability of the book using the overlap test (cloze test). Data analysis techniques using percentages, normalized gain, and t test. The validity of the teaching materials for Vibration, Waves and Sounds integrated with ethnoscience Bundengan are very valid both in content, presentation and language. This teaching material is also able to increase students’ scientific literacy higher than other teaching materials.

Managing Education in the Global Pandemic: Best Strategy to Carry Out Natural Science Learning

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the education sector. changing the face-to-face learning process to online requires educators to innovate to create the best strategies in learning specifically natural science subjects in elementary schools. Exploration of alternative teaching and learning models is important for optimal educational practices for students. This study aims to evaluate student learning achievement in natural science learning, analyze the impact of teaching and learning methods and material resources on student achievement, and determine the best strategy in managing natural science education practice during the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey experiment was used as the research design, occupying a 2x2 factorial design. These factors include teaching and learning methods that include online and mixed learning as well as teaching and learning material resources that include textbooks and the internet. Data collection was carried out through an online survey using google form. Data analysis was performed through t test and factorial Anova. Partly, only teaching and learning methods have a significant impact on student achievement, as indicated by the t-test result of -2.610 (p = 0.010). Teaching and learning methods and teaching and learning resources simultaneously affect student achievement of natural science lessons. The F-test obtained a value of 80,335 (p = 0.001). The combination of blended learning and teaching and learning materials sourced from the internet resulted in the achievement of a much higher score.

Medicinal gardens as an educational strategy in the teaching of the natural sciences: A pedagogical proposal

The main objective of this study was to design and implement a didactic strategy focused on the development of scientific competencies and environmental skills through the recovery of ancestral practices associated with plants. This research also aimed to enhance the capacities associated with leadership and entrepreneurship based on the application of curricular content in the natural sciences and to address problems in social and cultural contexts. Seeking school motivation strategies for rural students from a rural institution in the municipality of (eliminated for blind review), natural sciences teachers designed didactic-pedagogical alternatives employing situated learning that would allow them to contribute to solving school problems and environmental issues affecting rural areas. School problems such as apathy, dropout, and poor school performance, among others, were identified as issued to be addressed. The environmental phenomena included the loss of fertile soils and the harmful effects of the use of agrochemicals. Medicinal gardens together with situated learning activities proved a useful teaching tool in formal rural educational settings.

The Improvement of students’ metacognition skills on natural science education using guided inquiry models

This research aimed to find out the effectiveness of guided inquiry learning toward student metacognition skill, the level of metacognition skill, learning implementation and student response in science learning. The research was kind of pre-experimental research and using one pretest and postest group design. The population used student VII class of Junior High School 1 of Labang with sample on VII class. The data analysis technique used the Wilcoxon Non-Parametric test because the data were not normally distributed. The research instrument used a Metacognition Awareness Inventory (MAI) questionnaire. There was an influence of guided inquiry learning toward student metacognition skill by the signification level of MSI questionnaire was 0.006. Based on the level of significance of the data, it showed that learning using a guided inquiry model could improve students’ metacognition skills. There are three types of distribution of metacognition skills. The level of metacognition skill analysis was obtained from MAI questionnaire after learning as follows: Planning Skill was very good level, Monitoring Skill very good level and Evaluation Skill good level. The implementation of guided inquiry learning has a very high category. Student responses to the guided inquiry model obtained an average indicates a very interesting category.

ДИДАКТИЧНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ СТРУКТУРИ ТА ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ УРОКУ ІНТЕГРОВАНОЇ НАВЧАЛЬНОЇ ДИСЦИПЛІНИ

The article examines the current scientific problem - conceptual changes in the system of general secondary education due to integration processes in the basic science of natural sciences. They consist in actualizing the creation in the educational environment of integrated courses of natural sciences, the formation of which is carried out on a new basis. Integration processes by academic disciplines with their specific objects of study, which include elements of different components of disciplines, considered comprehensively and qualitatively. The methodology of teaching natural sciences has accumulated a significant number of problems that need to be addressed. Among them are such as the problem of integration of an extensive system of scientific knowledge, updating of methods, tools and forms of organization of education. As a result of the integration processes in fundamental natural science, integrated natural science courses, the formation of which is carried out on a new basis, again become relevant and in demand in pedagogy. Integrative processes involve the creation of integrated disciplines, which include elements of individual natural components of the disciplines, considered comprehensively and qualitatively. In the context of the implementation of integrated disciplines in the educational process, the study of the lesson as the main form of organization of the educational process and its features becomes relevant. It is established that the results of research by M. Danilov and M. Skatkin on the terminology and content of the concept of "lesson", which is represented by a holistic and complex system that includes the acquisition of knowledge, development of mind and worldview, education of feelings and personal qualities, formation of competencies, evaluative judgments, etc. In addition, the article finds that the structural construction of the lesson resembles a schematic construction of scientific knowledge: initial facts → problem statement → hypothesis → construction of an abstract model → introduction of a system of concepts, laws, principles → theoretical derivation of consequences and their experimental verification. The main form of organization of educational classes of the modern education system continues to be a lesson, both for the usual academic discipline and for the integrated academic discipline. But in accordance with the goals and objectives of the integrated discipline, the lesson of the integrated discipline has its own specifics that determine its structure and content. The article shows the features that determine this specificity. The author points out that the systematic construction of the lesson of integrated academic discipline is based on the theory of problem-based learning M. Makhmutov. Based on this theory, the objectives of the lessons of the integrated course of natural orientation and teaching aids are formulated, which include the following: integrative task, interdisciplinary problem situation, research and experimental projects, complex practice-oriented tasks, educational experiment and more. The article considers these tools and gives practical examples of their implementation. Based on the results of the study, conclusions are made and directions for further research on this topic are proposed. Key words: integrated academic discipline, lesson, organization of educational process, natural science competence, integrated learning.

Program Kemitraan Masyarakat: Perancangan Praktikum Matematika dan IPA Sederhana bagi Guru SMP

This community service activity improves teacher skills in carrying out simple Mathematics and Natural Sciences practical activities. This activity is designed in the form of training through several stages, namely 1) coordinating with partner schools for implementation time, 2) providing material related to simple mathematics and science practicum, 3) Mentoring for Mathematics and Natural Sciences teachers in designing simple practicums, and 4) program evaluation. Participants in this activity were several Mathematics and Natural Sciences teachers from SMP N 1 Nekamese, SMP N 2 Nekamese, SMP N 4 Nekamese, and SMP N 5 Nekamese. In the training activities, the participants were quite enthusiastic in participating in the activities, which could be seen from the enthusiasm to participate in the activities and dynamic discussions. Based on the final test results, there was an increase in the teacher's ability before and after the training with an n-gain value in the high category.

Proposed Natural Science E-Instructional Systems Design (E-ISD) for the Mendiola Consortium

Proposed Natural Science E-Instructional Systems Design (E-ISD) for the Mendiola Consortium

O ENSINO DE CIÊNCIAS E A DESCONSTRUÇÃO DE NOÇÕES BIOLOGIZANTES E PSEUDOCIENTÍFICAS SOBRE AÇÕES AFIRMATIVAS: EM DEFESA DAS COTAS RACIAIS

The objective is to discuss the teaching of Natural Sciences and affirmative action policies based on the “controversies” that this theme raises. A school intervention is analyzed and a brief reflection is made on the indispensability of the discussions about race relations in science teaching. The different racial conceptions and socio-scientific controversies present in the oral testimonies of high school students during a biology class are discussed. The processes of racialization of human beings are presented and then the arguments about the Science, Technology, Society and Environment movement and the need to historicize the teaching of Sciences are launched. The motivation to address this theme is anchored in the understanding that students and teachers involved in science teaching processes have their own convictions about the biological and sociological approach of the race category, based on copious socioracials experiences. The methodology used benefited from the content analysis and used the Atlas Ti software as an auxiliary resource in coding the information collected. Finally, the school intervention is described and analyzed in the sense of broadening the dialogues, contextualizing and deepening the debate about important interlocutions that science teaching can and should build with the field of Education of Ethnic-Racial Relations.

Teachers’ Efficiency of CLIL implementation to Reach Bilingualism in Primary Education

The pivotal objective of this research is to investigate the degree of knowledge and the teachers’ capacity to implement CLIL methodology, as a tool to reach bilingualism in Primary Education in Madrid Community.To this aim, questionnaires were administered to 75 Primary school teachers of Natural and/or Social Sciences to perform a quatitative correlational analysis to determine the degree of CLIL implementation in relation to the teachers’ being bilingual. After basing the topic on previous investigations delving into the phenomenon of bilingualism and the theory of CLIL, this article presents the research design and data analysis; and outlines its main findings in relation to teachers’ self-identification with being bilingual and the implementation of the four principles of CLIL in the classroom, and the use of didactic resources. The findings of this research point to the necessity of teacher-training programmes in CLIL methodology to improve the teachers’ understanding and implementation of this method to ensure better students’ academic performance in bilingual programmes.

MICROORGANISMS IN THE ALIMENTATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: THE LABORATORY DIDACTICS IN THE TEACHING - LEARNING PROCESSES OF LIFE SCIENCES

This study falls into the field research of Life Science didactics. According to the main Italian (Italian Guidelines for the Curriculum in the Primary School - 2012 Edition) and European law documents (Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council, 18 December 2006), and to the scientific research made on the subject, the most effective approach to Live Science teaching seems to be the one that uses laboratory didactics, allowing the student to be active protagonists of their learning. This work focuses on laboratory didactics and how they, integrated with the traditional teaching methods, could be more valid than the traditional method alone. The subject chosen was Microbiology, in particular microorganisms that interact with food (bacteria that could be beneficial of not for human health and yeasts that could transform food). In order to try this method, a preliminary investigation was carried out regarding the teaching methods usually adopted by teachers of Natural and Experimental Sciences of the Primary School involved in this research. The obtained results were useful to understand the methods used by the teachers and if the teaching of Microbiology was common. As it turned out, Microbiology and the subject of microorganisms in the alimentation is marginally considered in Primary School and this confirmed the originality of the project. The project was divided into two teaching phases. The first one regarded the bacteria and the importance of hand-washing before eating, the second one regarded yeasts and how the alcoholic fermentation could lead to processes like the leavening of bread. In both cases part of the activity was held in the classroom as frontal lesson, and part was in the laboratory, where students (children of the third class of primary school, approximately 8 years old) had the opportunity to work with optical microscopes, culture mediums in Petri’s capsules and with the application of the scientific method. Some simple tests were proposed after each activity, in order to verify and compare the efficacy of the two types of didactics. The results confirmed the initial hypothesis that, in the teaching-learning of Life Sciences, using laboratory didactics is more effective than a traditional approach. The scientific method, used in the experimentation, was very valid for a meaningful learning, and it produced skills that may also be used in other contexts. The use of scientific instruments, such as optical microscope, and techniques, such as microbial culture, gave value to the application of scientific method and kept the students very motivated and interested in the subject of Microbiology. All these activities can be proposed again to other students of primary and secondary school with some adaptations.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT METHOD IN INSTRUMENTAL DIGITAL DIDACTICS

Instrumental digital didactics is based on the use of various digital means of obtaining, processing, and interpreting empirical data in accordance with the logic of scientific method and engineering design. Appropriate teaching techniques reflect the STEM approach to teaching natural science and engineering subjects. The use of the equivalent circuit created on the NI Multisim platform to investigate the characteristics of electric circuits’ components creates favorable didactic conditions. The methodological approaches proposed by the authors are demonstrated by the examples of determining the parameters of technologically advanced devices - photoelectric converter (for example, determining its maximum power point, as well as Fill Factor) and supercapacitor (for example, designating changes in charging and discharging characteristics depending on the type of construction). In such educational projects the parameters of the circuit components obtained by the equivalent circuit method are compared with the specifications of commercial devices available on the market. This approach, on the one hand, demonstrates statistical errors of results to the students, and on the other hand, it is a source of sufficient data for constructing an equivalent circuit of devices without prior experimental research. It is shown that the use of equivalent circuits in a computer simulation environment to replace real electronic and electrical devices, measuring systems and equipment with their virtual counterparts expands the didactic possibilities. Techniques based on the versatile use of digital didactic tools are being actively developed and implemented in the MANLab STEM-laboratory of the National Centre “Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”.

INTEGRATION IN SCHOOL NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION: PROS AND CONS

The article considers the problem of pedagogical integration as a phenomenon that is ambiguously perceived in the educational circle. The processes of formation of the phenomenon of integration in the historical review, its manifestations and evaluation in the educational process, transformation in modern conditions has been studied in the article. The reasons for the negative attitude to integration in Natural Science and ways to eliminate them have been clarified. The advantages of applying integration to the processes of constructing the content of Natural Science Education and teaching Natural Science Subjects in institutions of general secondary education have been revealed. There are three levels of application of integration in teaching Natural Subjects: integrated Natural Science Course, intersubject integration of Natural Science Subjects, and intersectoral integration of Natural Science Subjects in the school education system.
 Models of integrated teaching of Natural Science Subjects in institutions of general secondary education have been substantiated. In the model of training in integrated Natural Science Courses, training has been carried out according to one program, which lays down mechanisms for organizing the content and process of mastering ordered Natural Science knowledge. In the integrative Natural Science model, training has been carried out according to a set of educational programs in individual Natural Science subjects, in which the content and methods of teaching are based on the general apparatus of Natural Sciences, the expected learning results are aimed at forming a key competence in the field of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology. The integrating cross-industry model lays the foundations for the formation of cross-cutting skills and flexible skills. All three models complement each other and ensure the continuity and integrity of Natural Science Education.
 The pros and cons of integrating school Natural Science Education that we have reviewed allow us to draw the following conclusions.
 
 At present stage the problem of pedagogical integration is being updated, which requires a detailed study of the existing experience in implementing an integrated approach to teaching Natural Science Subjects.
 The phenomenon of pedagogical integration is not well-established and unambiguous. The taxonomy of pedagogical integration is determined by conditions, factors, objects and processes, which determines the various levels and degrees of manifestation and application of integration, its forms, types and functions.
 The application of an integrated approach in the study of both integrated Natural Science courses and in the case of studying individual Natural Science Subjects is a mandatory and crucial condition for building a natural education system.

Augmented Reality as a Tool in the Teaching-Learning Process of Natural Sciences in a Primary Institution

Recent challenges for strategic educational planning in Ecuador request implement Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in different levels of educational institutions. However, there´s a notable lack of successful implementations of ICTs on national educational institutions, which causes several problems in student's learning cycle such as loss of attention, motivation and innovation. These problems are further aggravated at the level of primary education institutions. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates the feasibility of implementing digital tools with augmented reality (AR) for teaching and learning of Natural Sciences (NC) in the Cesar Mosquera Primary School located at the northern zone of Ecuador. To this end, we began by identifying digital strategies that facilitate the teaching of NC as an element of feedback and development of spatial imagination. Next, a diagnosis was made of the weaknesses of both teachers and students in the teaching of NC at primary school level. A mixed research method was applied, using quantitative techniques such as survey analysis and using qualitative techniques such as direct observations, to make a content analysis applied to teacher planning. Then, cutting-edge technologies such as augmented reality deployed on easily accessible devices such as Smartphones or Tablets were implemented using Curiscope-Virtuali-Tee software and web 3.0 virtual classroom tools that were applied during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once implemented, the proposed AR system was compared with classic teaching methods. Finally, the feasibility of applying AR in the mentioned institution was demonstrated due to all students approved the final test of acquired knowledge in each class taken.