Design and evaluation of didactic games in teaching thematic sets on substances and light in science and tehnology among year 4 primary school pupils

Temi snovi in svetloba sta naravoslovni vsebini, ki jih otroci začnejo obravnavati že v vrtcu, nadaljujejo v osnovni šoli pri predmetu spoznavanje okolja v prvi triadi ter jih ponovijo in nadgradijo v drugi triadi v 4. in 5. razredu pri predmetu naravoslovje in tehnika. Učitelj mora za pouk naravoslovja učence spodbuditi, da postanejo čim bolj radovedni, spodbuditi mora njihov interes in zanimanje za vsebino. Od učitelja se zato pričakuje, da pouk organizira na čim bolj zanimiv, pester in aktiven način. V ta namen lahko pri pouku uporablja različne metode in oblike dela. Ena od zanimivejših in pestrejših metod za poučevanje je metoda didaktične igre. Didaktična igra pri pouku motivira, povečuje interes in izziva večjo pozornost, učenje z igro pa je predvsem zanimivejše in zabavnejše. Samostojno oblikovanje didaktičnih iger je za učitelja časovno zahteven proces, zato sem se odločila, da bom v okviru svojega magistrskega dela zasnovala in evalvirala nekaj didaktičnih iger, za katere verjamem, da bodo v pomoč učiteljem pri pripravi pouka z metodo didaktičnih iger. V magistrskem delu sem si za glavni cilj zastavila oblikovanje in izdelavo treh kompleksnih didaktičnih iger na temi snovi in svetloba. Naslednji cilj je dopolniti in izboljšati oblikovane didaktične igre na osnovi analize podatkov, zbranih pri opazovanju z udeležbo, podatkov iz vprašalnikov ter zapisov učencev o predlogih sprememb in izboljšav. Raziskovalna vprašanja magistrskega dela so: 1) ali so oblikovane igre primerne za poučevanje svetlobe in snovi v 4. razredu osnovne šole2) kako učenci ocenjujejo delovno gradivo in pripomočke posamezne didaktične igre pred in po izboljšavah3) kakšna je motiviranost učencev za igranje pred in po dopolnitvah in izboljšavah treh didaktičnih iger. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 26 učencev 4. razreda izbrane mestne osnovne šole. Pri raziskavi so bile uporabljene tehnike kvalitativnega raziskovanja. Podatke smo zbirali z anketnimi vprašalniki, opazovanjem z udeležbo in iz zapisov učencev. Rezultati raziskave so pokazali, da so oblikovane didaktične igre primerne za poučevanje svetlobe in snovi v 4. razredu osnovne šole v etapi ponavljanja in utrjevanja. Učenci so delovno gradivo in pripomočke posamezne didaktične igre ocenili enako pred in po izboljšavah. Nismo opazili razlik v motiviranosti učencev za igranje pred in po dopolnitvah in izboljšavah didaktičnih iger.Topics substance and light are science contents which children start to learn in kindergarten. They continue in primary school at subject Environment education in first triad and afterwards the topics are repeated and upgraded in the second triad in 4th and 5th class at subject Science and Technology. For teaching Science teacher needs to encourage pupils, that they become curious as much as possible, encourage their interest and interest in the content. It is expected for teacher to organize lessons in the most interesting, varied and active way. For this purpose teacher can use different methods and forms of work in class. One of the most interesting and variegated methods of teaching is a method of didactic game. Didactic game motivates, increases the interest and challenges greater attention. Learning through play is especially more interesting and fun. The designing of didactic games is a time-demanding process for a teacher, this is why I decided to design and evaluate some didactic games in the course of my master\u27s work, which I believe will be helpful for teachers to prepare lesson with a method of didactic games. The main goal of this master’s work is to design and create three complex didactic games on topic substance and light. The next goal is to supplement and improve designed didactic games based on the analysis information collected during observation with participation, information from questionnaires and records of pupils suggestions about changes and improvements. Research questions of master\u27s work are: 1) are designed games suitable for teaching light and substance in the 4th grade of primary school2) how pupils rate working material and tools of each didactic games before and after improvements3) what is the motivation of pupils for playing before and after supplements and improvements of three didactic games. In the research participated 26 pupils from the 4th grade from the chosen city elementary school. In the study were used qualitative research techniques. Information was collected with questionnaire, observation with participation and records of pupils. The results showed that the designed didactic games are suitable for teaching light and substance in the 4th grade of primary school in the stage of repeating and consolidating. Pupils evaluate working material and tools of individual didactic games the same before and after improvements. We did not notice difference in students\u27 motivation for playing before and after the supplements and improvements didactic games