Figure 2: Analysis of the data by class.
The six grade students meet TIT for the first time. The autonomous way of finding
information and making the subject according to the instructions for them are somehow new.
Concerning the number of written responses the eighth grade pupils deviate. Such I expected a
result like that I think that is mainly due to the flexible performing of teaching technical science
and technology in the 7th and 8th class. The eight grade pupils had the technical science and
technology in the first semester, but students of the seventh classes only just started with TIT.
Also, the percentage of students who did not write the answers in the 9th class is very
high. Students in the 9th class no longer have TIT, they were not interested in making masks but
the fact as well is that some of them still read poorly and are slow in reading.
All the pupils made the product in time given. It was made from agreed materials, with
appropriate tools and treatment techniques. They had quite a few problems with reading the
instructions and finding the data in the text. Their frequent questions were: Do I have to read
all this? Do I have to write down all these answers? Etc.
The enthusiasm for work was smaller because they are used to discussing the instructions,
the tools we need and what to start first with me. The time they needed to finish the product was
longer and they needed more explanations during the work itself. They also had problems with
the preparation of the workplace, tools and materials.
Figure 2: Made carnival masks.
(Source: Archive photos Primary School Vransko – Tabor. Photo: Marija Završnik)
Discussion
Too much factual knowledge is still required from the students . Teachers all over
Slovenia are receptive to new methods of work, but the students are left on their own to make
their own way through the new teaching methods. Students should be taught the strategies to
determine the essence and important details of the text, search for keywords, make notes, make
conceptual folders, read texts with understanding, ...
The teachers realize that the origin of the many students’ learning difficulties is in poor
reading literacy. Many students have difficulty simply by reading, and often avoid the tasks
that include the text or the reading is slow and the text is not understood correctly.
When talking about reading literacy, Slovenia is ranked below the OECD average.
The lack of reading skills is often the main obstacle for the successful resolution of the tasks.
To improve the functional literacy in the classroom, greater emphasis should be placed on
strategies and teaching methods which affect students’ performance especially in the field of
technical education and on the use of e-learning materials in teaching technical science. The
students’ activity in the field of autonomous learning should be raised.
Conclusion
The main intention was to use the results to find out how many students have difficulty
in reading and understanding given instructions. All students finished the product but they were
successful in their work due to the additional support of the teacher, materials were equipped
with many pictures (and as we like to call “at technical science the good drawing is more
important than the text”), so they could use the drawings and their own experience to help
them make the product. Some of them got stuck at production where the procedure was only
described and no photos were added to the text and they used the mentioned technique for the
first time.
Generally, the results aren’t satisfactory, so in spite of well and carefully planned lessons
of TIT, introduce some changes to must be done. An action plan to improve the functional
literacy of students in teaching technical science and technology will be prepared. The activities
will include all students; more attention will be paid to students who have learning difficulties. To achieve the desired objective a use as many potential online resources as possible will be
used, so they will help to reach our final goals.