Problems of Education in the 21st Century

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, Vol. 68, PEC, 2015

6-21

Authors: Kateřina Chroustová, Martin Bílek, Andrej Šorgo

Currently, the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been strongly recommended to science teachers. For identification the factors of successful ICT implementation the Unified Theory of Use and Acceptance of Technology (UTAUT) is applied, which works as the theoretical background of planned monitoring of Czech chemistry teachers´ attitudes to this problem. This theoretical review introduces the process of creating the modified UTAUT model serving as the basis for a research tool to be exploited for the future survey. Within this process three sources were exploited: (1) theories dealing with factors which influence user behaviour in relation to the use of modern technologies, (2) the analysis of research results focused on the acceptance and use of ICT in chemistry instruction and (3) results of researches conducted by the authors in the field of the effectiveness of the educational software used in chemistry teaching and learning. The conducted analysis of these three sources resulted in defining the presented survey and designing the appropriate theoretical model and research tool.

36-51

Authors: Ewa Wanda Maruszewska, Aleksandra Szewieczek, Marzena Strojek-Filus

The study was aimed at examining the notion of truth, faithfulness and reliability approaches in chosen social sciences, and accounting theoretical foundations among them. In order to explore whether accounting conceptual framework together with accounting theoreticians have developed a satisfactory understanding of the notion of truth, faithfulness and reliability, a literature review was undertaken seeking the definitions and classifications of truth that might be useful in business practice, especially in accounting preparation of financial reports. The main method used in order to achieve the aim was a critical analysis of the contemporary English and Polish literature on accounting, philosophy, as well as psychology and sociology to go to the comparison of the truth and reality perception from various perspectives. The results have shown that the recent changes made in foundations of accounting theory did not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem. The researchers contribute to the existing literature as there is an on-going debate on the direction and extent of changes in the international harmonization and standardisation of accounting that is focused on the problem of faithfulness of the information disclosed in the financial reports. It is argued that the understanding of truth is a key to an understanding of accounting theory and an inevitable factor of proper practice of accounting. Considering accounting teaching process, there was a qualitative analysis conducted based on accounting curricula of Polish public university with long tradition in accounting undergraduate and graduate education. With regards to the accounting curricula of a chosen university, it has been observed that there is an urgent need for a discern of accounting curricula in order to make substantive contents corresponding with developing economic surroundings of business entities preparing financial reports. Moreover, the importance of non-algebraic approach is stressed as a result of the study.

64-73

Authors: Marcelo Gouveia Nascimento, Gabriel Nicolas Garcia Alves, Marco Antonio Bueno Filho

The purpose of this research is to access data related to how College students collectively develop structural schemes during the resolution of experimental problems of investigative nature. This research included two situations presented to six students in the Undergraduate and Teacher’s Licensure Chemistry Course at the Federal University of ABC (Brazil) involving Liquid Chromatography contents. The students were divided into groups and asked to make a decision about the best experimental conditions to separate a mixture of chlorophyll, xanthophyll and -carotene in spinach extract. They possessed different stationary phases and elements. The students’ explanations were recorded on an audio-visual device and analysed via computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) supported by the Transana software. As a result, evidence of the collective development of a scheme characterized by conceptual relations pertinent to the structural field was identified; however, such evidence was incomplete. The interference of the teacher in the students’ decision making was a relevant factor during the resolution of the problems. Conceptual and logical operations of thinking (operative invariants) gaps may be an opportunity for a pedagogical intervention during the resolution of problems in the classroom.

84-96

Authors: Maarika Veigel

Youth field has been in constant evolution during the restoration period of Estonian independence, since 1991. The theoretical overview is about youth worker professionalism, associated with the developments in the European and Estonian youth field and in the context of the Berliner competency levels development model. It explains the expectations set for youth workers, to teaching and youth field institutions. Youth work is expected, like formal education, with more clearly defined educational goals, and it is emphasized that it is a non-formal education. An important aspect is enjoying of the activities and its educational elements. The National Curriculum for Basic Schools and Gymnasium (2011) sets the expectations that the non-formal education will give more support to students to complete the curriculum of formal education. Youth work in Estonia is an essential component of the educational system. Therefore, the professionalism of youth workers and their coping with new challenges is very important. Over the last ten years, major changes in the Estonian youth worker professionalism and in the aspects of professional development haven’t been mentioned. The answers are briefly: in Estonia youth worker profession has been associated with the development of youth field, but the staff preparation is very different and characterised by low working experience. Berliner presented development model of competency levels, treats the professional development as long-term, complex process, distinguishing between the five stages of development of the professional staff, which are also regarded in the context of the professional development of the youth worker. Youth work quality is dependent on the availability of professional youth workers and in order to gain it, the high mobility inside the sector should be reduced, a better situation and more support should be created for the formation of youth worker professionalism at the various levels of the professional growth.