Konceptualne poteškoće i načini rješavanja uočenih problema studenata kemije na Prirodno-matematičkom fakultetu
Models of Solving Seen Problems with the Chemistry Students at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Summary/Abstract: Without any doubt, modern civilization is based on natural sciences, so that the integration of students' knowledge, future scientists and teachers, gained in teaching different subjects in natural sciences, plays a very important role. In order to understand the extent to which students are integrating knowledge from chemistry and physics, in academic 2009/2010 year, research at the of Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Sarajevo, we launched whose first results were presented at the Fourth Symposium on the Application of the Bologna Principles at the University of Sarajevo. Research was continued the same academic year, initiated by problems that proved, not as problems of individual students but rather as the problems of almost all the aforementioned generation, and problems of earlier generations of chemistry students as well. The reasons for the problems are diversity of curricula and the number of years for learning chemistry and physics in high school, then less interest in the study (only for 40% of students this study was their first choice), and in particular the lack of advanced concepts in chemistry and physics that originate from elementary school. Present difficulties that students have result in a lack of passing in the regular tests and final exam, as well as poor performance on tests, conducted as a part of this research. The results show that students do not have enough previous knowledge to actively participate in the learning process at faculty, and in accordance with the adopted programmme for the first year of study. After examining the contents of difficulties causing specific problems to students, some methodological changes in teaching general physics and general chemistry have been made. This paper presents important results of the measures taken to overcome the difficulties encountered with the first year chemistry students, and suggests possible solutions. particularly highlighted is the fact that WITHIN the Bosnian education system there is not enough adequate and strict regulatory standards, and if there are some within the curriculum, such standards are uneven and poorly implemented when comparing with the existing educational standards in the region, especially in the world. Defining the binding educational standards in general, specifically for natural sciences, would lead to a better selection of students enrolling such studies.

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