Problems of Education in the 21st Century

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 33, 2011

5-8

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

Despite of the fact that natural science education questions are constantly discussed, it is necessary to give much more real attention to this area. It is obvious that the spectrum of the topics of natural science education is too wide and one short article should not manage to cover all burning questions. The author has not raised a task to „exhaustively discuss“ the problems of natural science education. The author held the view that it is important to draw attention to some key moments.

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Authors: Kalenga Chimbala Rosemary, Fourie Elsa

This research explores challenges faced by the schools when learners from specialized institutions are referred back to mainstream for Inclusive Education. Ecosystemic perspective on Inclusive Education and systems theories underpin this paper. The study was done through interviews, field notes and observations of 120 participants comprising of the Senior Management Teams, educators and parents. The GDE 450 ‘A’ forms were also analyzed. The findings indicate that schools face many challenges in managing diverse learner needs. A lot has been published on Inclusive Education, but none of them offer ecosystemic management strategies for the school management teams, teachers, parents and learners.

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Authors: Sinikka Pöllänen, Leena Vartiainen

High quality teachers and teacher education are the key components in meeting the challenges education has confronted over the past few decades. Thus, the focus in teacher education can no longer be on theory-based and lecturing-based pedagogy. This article describes one pilot-project in teacher education which may break down the traditional concept of a curriculum unit, disciplines, and knowledge-based and teacher-centred instructional strategies. This pilot-project was contextualized within the framework of learning-by-design. The students’ design challenge was to produce a textile-based learning game for teaching textile material knowledge at school. The idea of this article is to describe the produced learning game, the students’ learning process, and their experiences while playing the game with pupils. The data derives from artefacts, essays and portfolios from two craft student teachers. The project changed the learners’ practices: the students had to solve the design challenge; they needed different kinds of skills, multi-disciplinary knowledge, holistic thinking, information processing, critical evaluation and co-operation to support the activity. The produced learning game integrated different school subjects. Almost invariably, all the pupils liked to learn textile material knowledge through playing, the only thing the students would have altered was the size and the rules of the game.

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Authors: Hasan Şeker

The present study aims to investigate the reflections of student teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and habits about the teaching approach on their teaching practice. The student teachers cannot apply teaching approaches they know and believe both in their lesson scenarios and micro-teachings. This inconsistency observed between the knowledge, beliefs, and practice mostly stems from the old learning-teaching habits. Changing the system alone is not enough to throw off the old habits. We can only “assume” that the radical changes taking place in teacher training programs or education system are adopted by the teachers even if they do not change the knowledge base, beliefs and more importantly applications of the actors responsible for implementing the changes.

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Authors: Sema Unluer

Before developing action plans for effective information and communication technologies (ICT) integration, it is important to determine and overcome the barriers encountered in the teaching-learning process of the educational institutions. Therefore the purpose of this study is to determine the barriers experienced in the process of ICT integration at the School for the Handicapped (SfH)- the only school in Turkey that gives vocational higher education to hearing impaired students. The study was carried out with the qualitative case study at the SfH in the academic year of 2007–2008. The participants of the study were all from the SfH, 60 hearing-impaired students, 21 faculty members and 3 administrators. The data were collected through the participant observations. Interviews, open-ended questionnaires, researcher’s journal, documents, archival records and artifacts were compiled and analyzed inductively. Among the findings obtained in the study, the barriers experienced in the process of the ICT integration were the problems experienced by administrators, by the faculty members and by the students. The barriers experienced in the process of ICT integration by the participants at the SfH were found to be in relation to technical problems, technical support problems and problems based on lack of knowledge. The data have been discussed in the light of the related literature.

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Authors: Stephen Wambugu Maina, John Gowland-Mwangi

Despite “Push pull” technology’s (PPT) effectiveness in increasing maize yields by controlling Stem borer and striga weeds, its full benefits are yet to be realized. PPT involves planting Napier grass around maize intercropped with Desmodium. Agro-dealers are often used to spread PPT but knowledge of its effectiveness was inadequate. This study sought to provide the missing information using a cross-sectional research design to collect data from a proportional stratified random sample of 102 agro-dealers in Western Kenya. A valid, closed-ended questionnaire whose 0.85α reliability was above the 0.70 acceptable was used. Data were analysed using Chi-square at 0.05α set a priori. Results: Agro-dealers’ effectiveness in communicating PPT was independent of their knowledge of it, Desmodium plant or seriousness of the striga problem but depended on frequency at which farmers sought advice from them; gender, education and years in business did not affect agro-dealers’ effectiveness; and those visited most by farmers were more effective in disseminating PPT. Conclusions: Agro-dealers are appropriate for educating males and females and spreading PPT through them enhances adoption. Recommendations: Extension providers should train and involve agro-dealers in disseminating PPT and selling certified seeds.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 33, 2011

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 32, 2011

5-8

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

The phenomenon of falsification is becoming more and more interesting and relevant. This phenomenon is related to all educational areas. Such important areas as quality of education, management and funding of education, recognition of qualifications etc. are often susceptible to falsification. Recently, careful attention is paid to the questions of education quality. The systems of quality management are created, services are certified etc. However, along the process of modernization the degradation of education is taking place. Falsification hints are accepted as evidences of degrading education. At present, the problem occurs due to actual insufficient data on the conception of the degradation of education and the actuality of the latter phenomenon in the Lithuanian education system.

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Authors: Yoshiko Asano

There is a general responsibility to protect the earth system to reach “Sustainability” since the earth problems grow more serious day by day. However, it is not easy for everyone to be aware of this problem and to act for protecting the Earth in daily life, because the environmental problems are not visible. This study suggests ESD as a means for raising the awareness and behavior about the Earth. And “The environmental epistemological model of 5 aspects” is presented which connects ESD of earth environment with environmental policy. This study shows how the “The environmental epistemological model of 5 aspects” is reflected on the environmental policy and education within two municipalities which are trying to be woody biomass society as an example of the vision of “Sustainable society”. The municipalities are Växjö city in Sweden and Kaneyama-machi in Japan. As a result, it is clear that environmental policy and education at preschools in Sweden and in Japan are important institutions for promoting “The environmental epistemological model of 5 aspects” of a municipality's environmental policy. And it is concluded that ESD at early childhood is important as the base of the life-long learning and citizen's participation.

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Authors: Irena Lama, Artur Sula, Mimoza Gjokutaj

World society, technologies and sciences are changing very quickly. The school, as an educational institution is facing great challenges of the century. The school needs to change many components like curricula, teaching, strategies, learning techniques. By using a series of strategies, contemporary teaching needs to strengthen the learning environment and offer different models, in order to design proper curricula for all subjects, fields of study and levels. Based on some official data, empirical surveys, questionnaires, as well as data from the students’ results, there have been identified some problems in our school, concerning traditional and contemporary teaching and learning. The focus of the research is: teaching principles applied in school curricula in Albania such as student – centered teaching and future oriented one through the paradigms of interactive teaching and passing from traditional to contemporary teaching methods. This principles aim at developing students’ critical thinking and learning skills to educate students as lifelong learners. These principles and solutions are necessary to be known and to be applied in everyday process of teaching and learning, in order to improve their quality.

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Authors: Maiyo K. Julius, Jyoti Bawane

Poverty has many dimensions and does not merely entail low levels of income or expenditure. According to Sen (1992), poverty is the lack of capability to function effectively in society. Inadequate education can thus be considered a form of poverty. Education is widely accepted as the main exit route from poverty. It is the backbone of growth and development of individuals and the nation. However, its achievement continues to elude many who are poverty stricken. This paper articulates the issues of education and poverty which is related to that of chicken-egg relationships. The study used secondary data from eight provinces in Kenya. The study correlated the poverty headcount with the educational indicators. It emerged from the data that provinces which had less poverty levels (Central-30.4% and Nairobi 29.5%) experienced high literacy rate, high enrolment and low dropout rate, while regions which had higher levels of poverty headcount (North Eastern-73.9% and Coast-69.7%) experienced low literacy rates, and poor academic performance. The study Concluded that extreme poor are denied access to education, poverty hampers learning in developing countries through poor nutrition, health, home circumstances, quality, costs and inadequate resources for education. The study recommends the government to introduce/re-introduce/strengthen school feeding programme, subsidize school uniform and address the issues of opportunity cost for the extreme poor among others.

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Authors: Agnes Oywaya-Nkurumwa, John Gowland Mwangi, Nephat N. J. Kathuri

The Maasai like many pastoralists around the world have in recent years been forced to seek alternative livelihoods as pastoralism becomes untenable due to climate change and population pressures. Agro-pastoralism is one of the alternatives being pursued, but there are associated challenges mainly due to the Maasai people’s lack of indigenous technical knowledge on crop farming, and negative cultural attitudes to the practice. Agricultural extension services have a crucial role to play as the major providers of necessary technical knowledge on crop cultivation. The purpose of this gender-based study was to investigate the role of government extension services among Maasai agro-pastoralists as a source of influence and information on crop cultivation. The study also sought to determine the type and frequency of extension contact that the agro-pastoralists receive. The study adopted a survey research design and was carried out in Narok North District of Kenya, using a sample of 153 male and 87 female household heads, who were selected either through multi-stage cluster sampling or systematic sampling. Agricultural extension workers and key informants also provided data for triangulation purposes. The findings indicated the respondents had low contact with agricultural extension service, with 55.6% of male respondents and 66.7% female respondents reporting having had no contact at all. Informal sources comprising of relatives, friends and neighbours were the leading source of influence to grow crops as well as the leading source of technical information on crop farming for most of them, more so for the female respondents. The frequency of extension contact was generally low, with 50% of male respondents and 64.3% of female respondents reporting a frequency of three times or less over the past two years. Fifty-one percent of male respondents and 53% of female respondents rated the information they received as inadequate. For the female respondents, the leading types of extension contact were farm and home visits and seminars as well as seminars. For the male respondents, the leading extension type was a combination of different extension methods including farm and home visits, field days, demonstrations, seminars and office visits. The study findings clearly indicated the inadequacy of the extension services provided for the Maasai agro-pastoralists. The study therefore concluded that there was need to strengthen agricultural extension services among them in order to facilitate successful livelihood diversification and promote food security and livelihoods.

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Authors: Mzia Tsereteli, Khatuna Martskvishvili, Ia Aptarashvili

The goal of present study is to investigate the impact of school culture on academic achievement level. Specifically, the influence of school management system on students' performance. The study represents the part of the National Assessment in Math. 234 public schools principals were administered with the questionnaire for school principals. The questionnaire consisted of several blocks: the new style of school management; evaluation of effectiveness of teachers' work; evaluation of effectiveness of various school boards; participation of teachers and students in professional trainings, conferences and scientific competitions; various events for students as well as for parents. Result showed that school management system predicts level of students' academic achievement. Specifically, among the best predictors are following variables: democratic strategies of class management, school board effectiveness, popular-scientific meetings, and teachers' democratic approach to students.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 32, 2011

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 31, 2011

5-6

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

For an evaluation of process of science teaching and learning there are different strategy and ways. The main questions are: what is to be evaluated? when and why evaluate? how to evaluate? It is clear that for science teaching success one of the most important resources is feedback from students (Lamanauskas, Vilkonienė, 2008). Teachers can evaluate a whole science course, analyse students’ learning needs, and investigate students’ experiences of teaching. Evaluation should be correlated both with the purposes and to specific educational situations. Also it is very important to strengthen teachers` and students` motivation when evaluating. There are multiple methods for collecting data on science teaching effectiveness. Also it is clear that a key to effective teaching evaluation is to collect data from multiple sources (triangulation).

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Authors: Jane K. Amunga, Musasia Maurice Amadalo, Geofrey Musera

The topic of unequal outcomes for men and women in math and science has been in the public domain for some time now. This study however had special interest in physics because it is an optional science subject in most schools and taken by those confident enough to take on a third science subject. It is a key science subject expected to drive Kenya’s vision 2030 initiative which aims at making the country a newly industrializing middle income country providing high quality life for all its citizens. The realization of this vision calls for the harnessing of the science and technological ability of both men and women in the country; it is a collective responsibility of both genders. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. This paper presents the findings of the study on disparities in achievement and enrolment in physics in Kenya with a focus in Western Province. This study was conducted in 40 secondary schools in Western Province. Out of the selected 40 schools, responses were obtained from 32 schools giving a response rate of 80%. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire. Data on enrolment and performance on physics was obtained from the respective Heads of Departments. The study revealed that there are disparities in enrolment and achievement among the different school categories and gender disparities as well. Boys’ schools have had a steady lead in the enrolment and achievement on physics during the five years. The findings indicate that there is need to have a change in strategies in order to improve performance and enrolment in girls’ and co-education schools.

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Authors: Sona Ceretkova, Lubica Korenekova

One important part of nowadays research in theory of mathematics education is focused on searching for some interesting and non-traditional mathematical topics and themes. The topic named the “Dirichlet’s Principle” is aimed to promote and exercise mathematical competencies by using quite simple mathematical rules. The rules were discovered and described in the 19th century by Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet (1805-1859). The article describes case studies as the results of qualitative research of mathematics’ lessons with the topic of Dirichlet’s principle at upper-secondary school and university. The elements of the history of mathematics concerning the topic and Dirichlet’s personality are also involved. Definitions, examples of exercises, tasks and problems are given in the article, too. Recommended methods of teaching with the focus on active methods, which support inquiry based learning, are described. Two case studies, one realized at secondary grammar school (17 year-old pupils) and one at university (student teachers) are described as examples of theoretical and methodological background implementation. The context of tasks and problems which are solved by using Dirichlet’s principle is set in real life situations. The topic content therefore helps to show the importance of mathematical knowledge for everyday life.

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Authors: Jari Kukkonen, Sirpa Kärkkäinen, Teemu Valtonen, Tuula Keinonen

This study aims to clarify primary school teacher students’ experiences about the use of blogs in the context of a science course which includes collaborative inquiry-based approaches and a field trip. Teacher students were asked to design and conduct a small inquiry and report the phases of the process in a blog and then write their ideas about inquiry-based teaching and learning in it. The inquiry process was loosely scaffolded by linking the blogs together. The students were also asked to fill in a questionnaire of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), in order to acquire insight into their views on the scaffolding needed for their own inquiry process, as well as the role of scaffolding in the inquiry method in primary school. The findings showed that after discussing them with each other, teacher students were able to formulate personally meaningful problems for their investigation. Teacher students investigated multidisciplinary elements and learned about different phases of the inquiry and the blogs enabled them to follow the process of others. Teacher students’ information retrieval and processing skills developed through out the inquiry and aided them in other teacher education courses, also giving them a firm foundation and confidence in accessing and applying information as life-long learners.

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Authors: Dragan Martinović, Jelena Ilić, Dragoljub Višnjić

Physical education plays a central role in increasing the level and quality of physical activity, especially among young people, with a tendency to such a pattern of behavior one day become life-style. Since that physical ability, level of interest and commitment is varying from student to student, the study of problems of motivation for active involvement in physical activity is very important. At sample of 706 pupils from the 4th - 7th grade primary schools (age 11 – 14) were examined the gender differences in sports involvement and motivation for engagement in physical education. There was a statistically significant difference between boys and girls. Boys who were actively involved in sport attained the highest scores on the motivation scale, and girls who were not involved in sport at all attained the lowest scores. So, raising pupils' awareness of the advantages for health, regular growth and development, have their engagement in physical activities, at least in the most basic form, such as active participation in PE, would be important for girls since their scores at Motivation scale for measurement of involvement in PE were significantly lower than boys, no matter on their sports involvement.

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Authors: Marie Volná, František Látal, Veronika Kainzová, Jan Říha

The project “Modern ICT tools in science and economic disciplines and their presentation” (ICTEDUCA) takes place in the period between June 2009 and June 2012. The project was aimed at improving the quality of the study programmes of the physics teacher training by means of using information and communication technologies (ICT) in physics teaching and show relations between subjects. Some surveys in the Czech Republic show that physics is negatively evaluated by students in primary and secondary schools. In this article it is described some possibilities how to popularize in physics and science education using modern tools. The first part this article describes a searching interdisciplinary relation, which has an assignment to show connections between physics phenomena and human body. In the second part is introduced a voting system, through the teachers improve students in their lessons. The last part of the article attend to remote control experiments, which students, experimenters, teachers or any users can control all our experiments from its personal computer through the Internet from the website http://www.ictphysics.upol.cz/remotelab/.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 31, 2011

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 30, 2011

5-8

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

The content of natural science education gives a chance to the dynamics and structure of the educational process. However, the adaptation of natural science knowledge system depends on both the teacher (choosing and applying teaching methods and forms, etc.) and the pupil (the methods of learning, motivation, general abilities). The diversity of teaching and learning content, forms and methods, activities are typical of natural science education. All that makes the educational process effective: develop intellectual knowledge and skills, set out conditions for intense pupils’ activities, shape thinking, foster aesthetic feelings, etc. It is logical that the educational process should be promoted keeping in mind the following regularities: • the textbooks, workbooks and other sorts of teaching/learning material of natural science profile, including observation and experimentation, should be creatively used as an integral part of a balanced curriculum of the educational process. The course of natural science education is mostly auspicious for the development of children’s quick eye; • pupils have to be provided opportunities and conditions to versatile research, raise questions (general and problematic), to establish and define the main direction of activities. Textbooks should be used to extend and improve knowledge; • the integration of natural science material reading and individual experimentation is suitably effective.

22-34

Authors: Eyvind Elstad, Are Turmo, Øystein Guttersud

The progressive movement in Norwegian education has had the hegemony among civil servants, politicians and major groups of teachers. However, during recent years the assessment system has moved towards increased educational accountability based on performance measures (exams and national tests). At the same time, progressivistic inspired assessment has remained: oral exams with prior preparation time. The pupils are typically given the topics 48 hours in advance and have the opportunity to prepare at home or at school. They may take the exam individually or in groups. The teacher, who also asks the questions during the exam, defines the topics. The grades are assigned by an external evaluator, but the subject teacher should also take part in the assessment. This amalgamation of pedagogical progressivism and educational accountability induces major challenges in education.

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Authors: Liile L. Lekena, Anass Bayaga

The objective of this study was to investigate forms of knowledge generation in educational research in South Africa in the periods 1995-1999 & 2000-2004. The study was a quantitative by approach. Data from the universities in Gauteng region (South Africa) was extracted from 2340 bound theses database. The results revealed that there are twelve sectors (forms) that have been identified for knowledge generation in educational research.

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Authors: Vuyisile Msila

The post-apartheid education in South Africa is based on the Constitution of the Republic (Act 108 of 1996). Among its aims are to heal the divisions of the past and improve the life of all citizens. The policy is also intent on preparing the learners to live in a free non-racial and democratic country. This curriculum is ideal; with learner-centred approaches, learners are expected to act in the interests of a society that respects human dignity and morality. Schools are seen as institutions that could instill the democratic ideals in a country that is still trying to address the past ills left behind by the apartheid damage. However, years after the attainment of the democratic society, there are a number of challenges that schools face: drug abuse, sexual violence and hate crimes are among these. Recently, South African children have witnessed widespread xenophobia meted by society against black African foreign nationals. This article explores Peace Education, an aspect that the current system is hardly emphasizing. Effective Peace Education goes beyond building peaceful citizen; it yearns to develop citizens that can enhance democracy and social justice. There is a need to create proactive citizens who will be creative peace soldiers, who manage conflicts effectively, showing respect for fellow human beings. Teachers and schools can play a vital role in the creation of these future citizens. Some critics perceive Peace Education as a contentious and value-laden approach; however, the society needs strategies to act against the threat of violence that has brought the culture of learning and teaching almost to a standstill in many schools.

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Authors: Matthew Osaigbovo Ovbiebo

It is believe that Knowledge is power and if literacy has to do with knowledge, then to be illiterate means one lacks power. Since most women lack reading and writing skills in this area, they are powerless when it comes to accessing written information, and this could make them vulnerable to the spread of HIV/AIDS. In this study, the findings supported the literature that women’s vulnerability is strongly influenced and tied to illiteracy. Women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is real and needs to be addressed for there to be any positive progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. If HIV vulnerability (illiteracy) is not acknowledged and fought, women will continue to succumb to the disease overwhelmingly and Igueben will eventually disintegrate as it will be full of sick people intensifying underdevelopment. This study sought to explore the relationship between illiteracy and the spread of HIV/AIDS infection among rural women. Fifteen (15) illiterate women were purposively selected from the area to participate in this explorative study. The research approach was qualitative. The research was undertaken within an interpretavist framework in the sense that it is a communal process, informed by participating illiterate women, and sensitive to the role of context (Alvermann, D.E., & Mallozzi, C.A. 2010). The design type used in this study is a case study. Data was collected by means of interviews. The interview schedule consists of 10 open-ended questions focusing on various aspects of their views on how illiteracy contributes to their vulnerability of HIV/AIDS. The interview was tape recorded and transcribed verbatim, and the analysis was done by means of constant comparative method (Merriam 1998).

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Authors: Margarita Gavrilina

This article is devoted to the possibilities of usage lingvoculturology experience in the process of teaching mother tongue (Russian) in the conditions of diaspora, and in Russian language textbooks for the pupils of national minority schools of Latvia. These textbooks were developed by the author of the article. In the introduction, the author proves the necessity of the development of cross-cultural skills of pupils in the process of their mother tongue studies, analyses the problems in cross-cultural capacity of school-leavers. In the second part of the article, the author describes the intra-cultural and cross-cultural dialogues, which are actualized in the contents of educational course “Russian language” and in the textbooks of Russian (the necessity and didactic possibilities of development for diaspora pupils the ability to create a dialogue with facts and values of their own culture and other peoples’ cultures). The focus of author’s attention is the development of cross-cultural competence of students with the help of using cross-cultural tasks as a special type of educational exercises. The author describes the principles taken as a cross-cultural task-forming basis, and cross-cultural task types: - cross-cultural tasks aimed at the development of pupils’ cultural tolerance; - cross-cultural tasks aimed at the development of pupils’ cultural mutual understanding; - cross-cultural tasks aimed at the development of pupils’ cultural unity. The author describes the didactic possibilities of the use of cross-cultural tasks at the lessons of Russian. In the conclusion, the author highlights that the experience, which has been gained in the process of using cross-cultural tasks at the lessons of Russian, allows - to expand the culturological outlook of diaspora students, - to teach students to notice likenesses and distinctions between speech behavior of different cultures representatives and deal with them, - to teach students to think in a comparative aspect, to determine lacunae in their own knowledge, to escape stereotypes, to be able to take the position of an interlocutor – the representative of another culture, to evaluate the world from position of their value orientations; - to improve purposefully and successfully not only cross-cultural skills of students but also their communicative, language and educational abilities.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 30, 2011

1-2

Authors: Editorial Board

Problems of Education in the 21st Century, ISSN 1822-7864 Volume 29, 2011

5-6

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

The respect for life educational process is extremely important for primary school. Psychologists assert that exactly the early school age strongly requires fostering the feelings of love, sensitiveness and help as the period is important for the mastering and establishing certain standards of behaviour. This is the key for the explanation of the different aspects of the teenager‘s behaviour in nature. If the teenager ravages nature, it means that parents, teachers and other educators have not paid enough attention to that age range when a certain standard of behaviour developed on the basis of some habit (Dzenuškaitė, 1975).

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Authors: Nitza Davidovitch, Hadassah Littman-Ovadia, Dan Soen

Academic education is considered a key to gaining employment and satisfaction. This scientific research attempts to explain the association between the demographic and pre-enrollment profiles of graduates of one academic institution, and their retrospectively reported satisfaction with their academic studies, and with their career. The study, based on a case study of the Ariel University Center of Samaria, Israel, integrates Holland’s classic congruence theory and Seligman’s innovative theory of positive psychology, specifically the hypothesis concerning everyday deployment of individual character strengths. Findings of the study demonstrate that deployment of character strengths was a significant predictor of graduates’ work satisfaction. The interesting finding in this exploratory study is the failure of graduates’ pre-enrollment admission profiles to distinguish among graduates based on their post-graduate employment status or job satisfaction. This finding is especially interesting and scientifically significant in the context of the accepted myth in the academe, according to which admission profiles are key predictors of future success.

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Authors: Svetlana Guseva, Valerijs Dombrovskis, Vadims Murasovs

The topicality of this study is determined by the problem of gaining knowledge and developing positive learning motivation among 13 years old teenagers with low intellectual activity. Since learning motivation and intellectual development are interrelated, the remedial programme, which fosters the increase of teenager’s intellectual activity, may become one of the factors influencing the development of learning motivation. The authors assume that specially developed remedial programme for pupils with low intellectual activity indirectly reforms the hierarchy of motives in the structure of learning motivation. Taking into account that all children are different and that intellectual development and learning-cognitive motivation are interrelated, during the research 290 pupils in Latvia have been examined by the use of the GIT method (Group Intellectual Test), which consists of 7 subtests. Out of the all sample group the experiment team chose pupils (101) who had shown the lowest results for the test tasks and studied the peculiarities of their learning motivation. These pupils were divided into control group (56) and experimental group (45), subsequently dividing the latter group into three subgroups. Then two experimental stages were processed: one before the remedial work and one afterwards. The level of intellectual development and peculiarities of learning motivation were diagnosed. It was concluded that remedial work stimulates cogitation, enriches vocabulary and reforms the hierarchy of motives in the structure of learning motivation.

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Authors: Lydia Cheruto Kipkoech, Jonah N. Kindiki, Prisca Jepchirchir Tarus

Academic performance is a function of many interrelated variables including inherent study efforts, modes of teaching school environment and family related factors. Academically talented students are often expected to perform and maintain high academic standards. However, students may sometimes be made under achievers. This study specifically assessed academic performance of the academically talented students their attitudes towards teachers and effects of attitude on their performance. The three variables were discriminated further on the basis of gender, school type and age. The main factor affecting talented student’s performance was also determined. Results indicated that most of academically talented students had positive attitudes towards teachers, which significantly (P < 0.05) influenced their academic performance. It was revealed that gender, age and type of school had significant influence on the student’s attitudes which ultimately influence their overall academic performance. Student’s attitudes were found to be a function of 14 variables which were categorized into student - teacher relationships student’s academic inputs, group discussion and student workload. It has now been revealed that academic performance is related to student’s attitudes towards their teachers. It is recommended that schools should dedicate part of their investment on inculcating and fostering positive student attitudes through routine and regular legislation of guidance and counseling and providing an enabling environment for their academically talented students.

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Authors: Mare Leino

The purpose of this research was to question the concept of a ‘child friendly’ school, which sounds democratic, but is an unclear term. The problem is that with 45-minute lessons and 30 pupils in the classroom (as is often the case in Estonian schools), it is not possible to focus on each child. In 2005, a new basic school was opened in the countryside in the middle of Estonia – for only 24 students (some of them were children with learning and/or behavioural difficulties). The method of research was educational ethnography. Result: the strict rules sometimes seem bad, but life is safer with them. It was interesting to recognize the importance of routines from ordinary (‘old fashion’) schools. Children with learning and/or behavioural difficulties need even more discipline than others, because this can be one part of the therapy. Education for sustainable development must not always be ‘child friendly’.

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Authors: Maura Sellars

This research investigated forty, ten to twelve year students in their final two years of primary schooling. It investigated their capacities to develop the cognitive competencies of executive function. The framework used was the Multiple Intelligences perspective of executive function. The findings discussed are those pertaining to the students’ development of the component of executive function known as flexible thinking. Investigated as part of a larger action research study which was implemented in three classrooms over a six month period, the findings in this domain demonstrated considerable improvement from the skills recorded as part of the baseline data. The baseline data had indicated that none of the students were able to demonstrate the cognitive capacities of flexible thinking. The results are significant in that they can be directly related to changes in pedagogical practice. The findings are significant also for the three participating teachers as they serve to highlight the challenges they faced. They are indicative of challenges that may be faced by other teachers as they seek to implement intervention programs effectively and to question some of the pedagogical strategies and beliefs with which they had formerly engaged confidently.

119-134

Authors: Marcus Stueck

Existing analysis about teachers’ and student´s experience of stress, related health risk factors, and consequences for the profession represent the basis of this integrated stress-management concept designed for educational fields, e.g. schools. It has been developed by the author of this article since 1994. The SYSRED-Concept (SYStemrelated Stress REDuction) follows three level of stress management, which are used integratively with both teachers and children. First (Level of children), it offers strategies for stress preventive work with children (e.g. EMYK: training of relaxation with elements of yoga for children). Secondly (Level of adults), courses for stress-management for teachers were developed and evaluated (e.g. STRAIMY: Stress-management training with elements of yoga; BIODANZA: dance and motion oriented psychological intervention method for stress-management). Finally, seminars for the broadening of teachers’ pedagogic-psychological competences are carried out (e.g. employment of relaxation methods in class; method-training seminars for the reduction of exam anxieties and for a better handling of behavioural disorders and discipline problems). Thirdly (level of conditions), the conditions which cause stress are analyzed and changed. Within the framework of accompanying evaluations we examined around 600 subjects with regard to the short and long term effects of the measures taken concerning personnel development and intervention on certain psychological, psycho-social, and immunological parameters. We were able to prove the stress reducing effects of the trainings methods for both students and teachers as well as the improvement of the teachers’ pedagogical-psychological competences caused by participating in the training seminars. Until now we were sucessfully working with 1000 teachers and pupils applying the components of the SYSRED-Concept. This article further explains an Masterplan to secure the Balance between Intuitive-emotional vs. Rationbal Education. This Plan helps to get an overview where the stressreduction methods from SYSRED are integrated. Within it, it is discussed the role of the Body-Orientation, Stressreduction, Empathy and ability to Love in educational fields as human basic behaviour in educational fields, which has to be developed within the Education of the 21st century.

142-165

Authors: Lyubov V. Cheremoshkina, Tatyana N. Osinina

There are the results of the research of forgetting the educational material by schoolchildren of 12 - 13 years old with different levels of the development of the mnemonic abilities are submitted in the article. The aim of the research was to study forgetting of the educational material by schoolchildren depending on their mnemonic abilities. The study of mnemonic abilities of schoolchildren was carried out with the use of the technique of diagnosis of mnemonic abilities created by L.V. Cheremoshkina. This technique is based on the method of developed mnemonic activity. To study the forgetting of the educational material was used the procedure, the incentive material of which represents a fragment from a textbook on biology for the 6th form of general educational establishments. This phase of the investigation is based on the method of singling out the semantic units. The text that we have chosen in a textbook on biology enables us to investigate both functional and operational, and regulating parties of memory. In particular during the reproduction of the given fragment, there is an opportunity to follow various ways of processing and reconstruction of the original text: generalization, concretization, replacement of words, omissions, etc. Moreover, the chosen educational text promotes the occurrence of new details in reproduction as some facts described in it are well known to schoolchildren on the basis of their life experience. The presence of names own, dates, numbers promotes such a way of reconstruction of the original text such as distortion during the reproduction. The comparative analysis of the curve of forgetting of the sensible material and the curve of forgetting senseless syllables by H. Ebbinghaus has been carried out. The received results indicate the fact that the educational text as a variant of a sensible verbal material results in activisation of operational and regulating parties of memory, and "entwines" in the system of the earlier acquired information, in other words, the system of knowledge of a pupil due to these mechanisms. In consequence, the "curve" of forgetting the educational text gets the other, much flatter form, rather than the "curve" of forgetting senseless syllables.