Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 ( 2014 ) 4452 – 4456

1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.965

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5th World Conference on Educational Sciences - WCES 2013

New trends in educating of chemistry pregraduates

Melánia Feszterová * Constantine the Philosopher University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia

Abstract

The increasing quality and efficiency of education is a priority in present days. Searching new attitudes, methods and educational structures is a characteristic feature of all educational systems in all periods of time. The opportunity to get inevitable skills and experience could be for students - future chemistry teachers-participating in special lectures, scientific workshop, trainings and the excursion focused on OHS. All these professional events enable students to check their theoretical knowledge in practise which is important for their future career. The aim of the article is to point at the necessity to connect theoretical knowledge with practise (participating in workshops, seminars, and excursions) focused on consistent coherence of OHS. It is obvious that in educating to work and hygiene safety is important to start in an early childhood. This is the phase where qualified teacher’s role is unsubstitutable.

Selection and peer review under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Servet Bayram © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), education, training, chemistry;

1. Introduction

The development of vocational education in Slovakia is oriented to approach the most EU countries training (Feszterová et al., 2012; Kozík, Belica, 2007). The aim is to coordinate the system and aim of training for single labor market (Kozík, Feszterová, Bánesz, 2009). The EU countries realize that as for safety and health at work continual education of OHS is important (Kozík, Feszterová, 2011). Developments in science and technology affect the interest of pedagogical sciences of the elements of educational innovation (Bílek, Poulová, Šimonová, 2012; Feszterová, 2010). The aim is to use the possibilities of new learning technologies effectively, especially audiovisual means (Shahtalebi, Shatalebi, Shatalebi, 2011). Technical progress optimizes the activity of teachers and students in modern didactic facilities (Pavelka, 2012; Prauzner, 2012). The current training is not only focused on what students will learn, but especially how it will be taught (Joseph, 2012; Nezvalová, et al., 2010). Schools are often accused of excessive theorizing and lack of experience with a small amount of experience (Šimonová, 2012). Technical nature of modern society makes in school as much as possible to use illustration and personal experience (Feszterová, 2013; Tomková, 2012), e. g. link education with good manufacturing practice. The lack of practical and life experience has resulted in short-lived theoretical knowledge. Illustration in teaching is important in strengthening the theoretical curriculum and has its share of that a long time student to remember facts.

* Corresponding name:Melánia Feszterová. Tel.: +421 903 456 414 E-mail address: mfeszterova@ukf.sk

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© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.

4453 Melánia Feszterová / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 ( 2014 ) 4452 – 4456

2

Instruction is purposeful education, where the emphasis is not only on the content and methods, but also forms of education (Šimonová, et al., 2010). The task of teaching is not only the students learn the system of new knowledge and skills, but also the education of students (Petlák, 2004). Education to the principles of safe work is a prerequisite of good results in each discipline (Mikheev, 1993; Poledníková, Pavelová, 2012; Serafín, 2012). For science disciplines such as chemistry is essential to the rule (Baráth, Feszterová, 2006). The chemistry is just not stand on theoretical grounds, but it is expected that the student should, on the basis of theoretical knowledge have a natural desire to verify it in practice - within hours of laboratory exercises. Work in the laboratory exposed student contact with chemical substances and mixtures. That is why it is necessary to know the chemical and physical properties, the risks associated with the handling, storage, transport, disposal as well (Prousek, Čík, 2011). Therefore it is important to know the ways to protect against such threats, thus familiarizing oneself with the safe use and handling. Hazardous chemical property of the substance to cause harmful effects on human health, material and values in the environment (Hreško et al., 2008; Hrnčiarová, 2009; Vollmannová, Ježo, Árvay, 2011). Manifested only under certain conditions, for example, humans in contact with the substance, when released into the environment or react with another substance.

2. Safety work with chemical substances and mixtures

Factors such as: hazards of the substance, its quantity, nature of the work process, knowledge about the behavior of chemical substances or mixtures, principles of safe working with them in safety technical measures, organizational measures, selection and use of personal protective equipment, first aid affect safety work with chemical substances and mixtures (Husin et al., 2012a). Hazard chemical substances and mixtures can be regarded as determinative in the work process, and therefore one of the most important principles that apply when working with chemicals is, treat them only to the extent strictly necessary and to avoid their use where there is a possibility to replace their agents or mixtures or less harmful (Porubská, Feszterová, Jomová, 2012).

From exposure to hazardous chemicals in the work process shall be used: the means of collective protection (protective equipment hermetisation processes, ventilation and exhaust pollutants from the workspace), organizational measures (rank centres in the controlled area, limiting workers exposure to the lowest possible level, the exclusion of whose presence in the workplace is not necessary) and means of individual protection (personal protective equipment). In any working environment and chemical composition may pose a danger to humans and risks (Husin et al., 2012b). It is therefore necessary to work with them to take into account the possible emergence of an explosion, fire, unforeseen reactions, toxic, irritant, sensitizing, or otherwise harmful effects on human health or the environment (Wasielewski, Dawydow, 2008). The aim of this paper is to focus attention on these properties and to prepare future chemistry teachers not only expand theoretical knowledge about the chemical substances and mixtures, but mostly consistent adherence to the principles of safe work and health.

3. Education possibilities from area of compliance to the principles OHS

Opportunity to acquire the necessary skills and experience for the students - future teachers of chemistry and active participation in lectures, research seminars, training sessions and field trips focusing on health and safety.

Figure 1. The lectures focusing on OHS

4454 Melánia Feszterová / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 ( 2014 ) 4452 – 4456

These oriented professional events create a space for students to verify their theoretical knowledge and understanding of the study and acquisition of practical skills relevant to their future career direction. Conferences focus on health and safety are also important from the point of view that safety is in the literature devoted less attention than would be needed. Practical examples, evidence and experiments that are part of such specialist seminars create an environment that is focused on safe behavior at work.

Students of the Department of Chemistry Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra - future teachers of chemistry in the academic year 2011 - 2012 participated in various professional events, whose main theme was learning the principles of compliance with health and safety (Figure 1): • lecture titled “Changes in legislation - Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of

Chemicals”, which were present familiar with the changes that have boarded in the classification and labelling of chemicals since 2010,

• lectures oriented on library and informational systems, work with databases and external information sources, which support increasing specialist level students work,

• seminar coupled with practical first aid. The seminar, entitled “Providing first aid in the chemical laboratory” was focused on the importance of education in compliance with safe work and health in the areas of chemical and laboratory demonstrations on how to provide first aid in case of a threat (Figure 2),

Figure 3. The seminar with practical excerpts from Fire protection and OHS

Figure 2. The seminar with practical excerpts from Providing first aid in the chemical laboratory

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• training on “Fire protection and health and safety at work” was associated with examples of how to properly use fire extinguishers in case of danger. Present were familiar with the work safety regulations (Figure 3),

• poster presentation, which was prepared for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work in the 3th year event, entitled “Safety in maintenance” organized Faculty of Education CPU in Nitra. Students also attend lectures, seminars and discussions within the organized events aimed at further education and awareness of health and safety,

• students are actively involved in the Week of Science and Technology in Slovakia. In this week students visited the Integrated Rescue System in the Regional Operations Centre in Nitra. The event was organized under the title “Pre-hospital emergency system and integrated rescue system”. Field trip provided the participating teachers and students with information related to the main task of the Integrated Rescue System in the Nitra region. The aim was to inform the present excursion to the priority tasks (first aid to the affected body at risk to life, health - for example, burns, chemical contamination, intoxications, corrosion, mechanical damage, or assistance necessary to save the property) and it promptly and without delay concerted action participants integrated rescue of the territorial jurisdiction of the regional office.

4. Conclusions

Improving the quality and effectiveness of education is currently a priority task. Search for new approaches, methods and structure of education is a feature of all systems of education in each period. In qualifying the potential of the nation reflects the importance of education. Currently growing role of general education, including the development of personality traits such as adaptability, the ability to acquire new knowledge independently and creatively apply them in practice. The fully self-fulfilment needs of man have such basic knowledge, skills and habits with regard to the principles of safe work and health that can be applied in everyday life. In this concept has become a prerequisite for health and safety training to good results and maintaining quality of life. Constant tendency on the content of innovation methods and forms of education in this field implies a change of access to the very personality of the teacher pupil.

Acknowledgements

The article is supported by the KEGA Project (Reg. No. 041 UKF - 4/2011) with name “Implementation modern trends education from the area OHS to lifelong education”.

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