FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCES SELF-EVALUATION REPORT CURRICULUM: BACHELOR OF NATURAL SCIENCES, CODE 6420287 Tallinn 2005 Table of Contents FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................ 4 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 5 The Process of Self-Evaluation.............................................................................................. 5 Scientific and Development Work by the Chairs of the Natural Sciences Department......... 6 1. THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE NATURAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM (6420287) 10 1.1. Goals and Basic Principles of the Curriculum ............................................................. 10 1.2. Elaboration of the Curriculum...................................................................................... 11 1.3. Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences Curriculum (6420287)........................................ 12 1.4. International Dimension of the Curricula ...................................................................... 15 1.5. Analysis of the Curricula: Their Strengths and Weaknesses ........................................ 16 2. STUDY PROCESS ............................................................................................................. 19 2.1. Study Methods............................................................................................................... 19 2.2. Assessment and Analysis of Academic Results ............................................................ 21 2.3. Organization of Studies ................................................................................................. 23 2.4. The Statistics about the Study Process .......................................................................... 25 2.5. Field Work ..................................................................................................................... 25 2.6. Strengths and Weaknesses of Study Process ................................................................. 26 3. STUDY ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................ 27 3.1. Infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 27 3.2. Library, Study Aids....................................................................................................... 29 3.3. Everyday Life at Campus.............................................................................................. 30 3.4. Financial Resources ....................................................................................................... 31 3.5. Sterngths and Weaknesses of Study Environment........................................................ 31 4. STUDENTS ......................................................................................................................... 33 4.1. Admission to the Area of Specialisation....................................................................... 33 4.2. Composition of the Student Body ................................................................................. 34 4.3. Counselling.................................................................................................................... 35 4.4. Students’ Workload and Progress ................................................................................. 37 4.5. Academic Mobility ........................................................................................................ 39 4.6. Graduates ....................................................................................................................... 40 4.7 Forms and Organisations for Student union................................................................... 41 4.8 Strengths and Weaknesses Connected to Students ........................................................ 42 5. ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL ............................................... 43 5.1. The Personnel and its Workload ................................................................................... 43 5.2. Personnel Policies ......................................................................................................... 47 5.3. Raising the Qualification of the Academic Staff .......................................................... 48 5.4. Cooperation with the University Administration.......................................................... 49 5.5 Strengths and Weaknesses Connected to Academic and Administrative Personnel ...... 50 6. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ............................ 52 6.1. The System of Quality Assurance ................................................................................. 52 6.2. Feedback on the Quality of the Studies from Students, Graduates and Employers ...... 54 6.3. International relations.................................................................................................... 56 6.4. Changes in the Curriculum Development Compared to the Previous Accreditation.... 57 6.5. Conclusion..................................................................................................................... 64 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 65 APPENDIX 1 .......................................................................................................................... 66 2 Publications (2000-2004) of Teaching Staff from Department of Natural Sciences, Tallinn Pedagogical University involved in Natural Sciences Curriculum APPENDIX 2 .......................................................................................................................... 84 Natural Sciences (6420287) Bachelor Degree Curriculum APPENDIX 3 .......................................................................................................................... 88 Natural Sciences (6420287) Bachelor Degree Subject Catalogue with Literature Lists APPENDIX 4 ........................................................................................................................ 113 Natural Sciences: The standard division of the subjects of the curriculum into semesters APPENDIX 5 ........................................................................................................................ 116 Natural Sciences Bachelor Curricula Timetable for 2004/2005 Academic Year APPENDIX 6 ........................................................................................................................ 120 Teaching Staff of Department of Natural Sciences involved in Natural Sciences Bachelor Curriculum in Tallinn Pedagogical University APPENDIX 7 ........................................................................................................................ 123 Teaching Staff from other university departments involved in Natural Sciences Bachelor Curriculum in Tallinn Pedagogical University APPENDIX 8 ........................................................................................................................ 125 Laboratory and field-work equipment investments of Department of Natural Sciences (B - biology, C - chemistry, P - physics, G - geo-ecology), since 2000 to 2004 APPENDIX 9 ........................................................................................................................ 127 Grade Point Average of Natural Sciences Bachelor´s Students APPENDIX 10 ...................................................................................................................... 128 Course Feedback Questionnaire APPENDIX 11 ...................................................................................................................... 129 Basic School Teacher of Natural Sciences (7141015) Master Degree Curriculum APPENDIX 12 ...................................................................................................................... 132 Employments and occupations of people graduated from TPU as teachers of Natural Sciences APPENDIX 13 ...................................................................................................................... 136 Graduates Feedback Questionnaire APPENDIX 14 ...................................................................................................................... 139 List of theses defended in the years 2003-2004 for natural sciences teachers’ area of specialisation APPENDIX 15 ...................................................................................................................... 142 Journals in the field of Natural Sciences in Tallinn Pedagogical University Library APPENDIX 16 ...................................................................................................................... 145 Employer’s feedback on alumni of speciality Teacher of Natural Sciences, working as active teachers 3 Foreword Natural sciences are one of the main fields of knowledge for perceiving and understanding the environment and material world around us. During the last decades, the world’s understanding of natural sciences has radically broadened, great scientific-technical progress has been passed, but at the same time, pollution of nature and danger of a global catastrophe have drastically increased. Therefore an ever-greater need of familiarization