Problems of Education in the 21st Century

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Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 53, 2013, PEC

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Authors: Milan Kubiatko

This problematic concerns only countries in middle Europe, because the author does not know the situation in countries from Western Europe or from far countries like USA or Australia. A very general division consists in two types of researchers. Researchers from the first type relatively do not like researchers from the second type and vice versa. The first type of researchers is people, whose work does not exceed the boundaries of the native country. Their publishing outcomes are predominantly contributions in the local proceedings of a conference. The value of these kinds of contributions is relatively very low and in some cases the contributions are without any value. This situation is caused by the fact that the conference organizers accept every contribution without any review process. The style of conferences has been still the same for many years, i.e. the oral and poster section and next acceptance of all contributions to local proceedings. The new style of conference organization is very rare in the conditions of the Middle Europe country, where discussion forums and contributions are offered to some international journal.

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Authors: Paolo Bussotti

This study deals with Vittorio Checcucci’s ideas and proposals as to mathematics education. The scopes of this work are twofold: 1) the first scope is historical: my aim is to reconstruct Checcucci’s thought. This is a novelty because almost no contribution dedicated to Checcucci exists. The few existing contributions are brief articles whose aim is not to provide a general picture of his ideas; 2) the second scope is connected to mathematics education in the 21st century. A series of argumentations will be proposed to prove that many Checcucci’s ideas could be fruitfully exploited nowadays. For the first time, the thought of this mathematician is exposed to non-Italian readers because his ideas are worthy to be known, rethought and discussed in an international context.

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Authors: Eduard Hofmann, Hana Svobodová

Field work often takes place in the countryside and the city environment is neglected, although we usually move there more often. Natural science education should, however, include not only the evaluation of the rural landscape, but also the city, because we can find there an explanation for a number of physical-geographical but also socioeconomic phenomena and their spatio-temporal evolution. Therefore, the authors focused on the goal to use urban landscape as a "geography textbook". Urban landscape serves in this case as a didactic image. A study about significant viewpoints in Brno and its surroundings served as a basis for the experiment in which pupils and students had to sketch a view from these viewpoints and authors evaluated how they are able to perceive the urban landscape, locate the significant elements in an urban structure, identify their functions and relations among them. This concept can be understood as a use of nonverbal elements in teaching. The results of this experiment and namely the comparison of sketches produced by pupils and university students are described in the paper which also describes the blending of old and new approaches in geographical education.

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Authors: Darinka Sikošek, Kornelia Žarić

The main aim of the teacher study program is to ensure the proper role of teaching practice, which is included in initial teacher training courses. It is necessary that teachers of chemistry gain or develop learner competencies for appropriate teaching/ learning in the chemistry subject by using innovative teaching methods. In terms of activities and methods correction of the continuous teaching practice model for prospective chemistry teachers in Pedagogical study program of 2nd degree "Educational Chemistry" which would ensure the creation of a competent chemistry teacher (active and innovative).The main result of the study is a list of potential competencies by prospective chemistry teachers using innovative teaching methods. These competencies can be developed and produced in the performance of activities defined by using continuous teaching practice, particularly in the areas of testing and assessment, experiential and collaborative learning, and experimental (laboratory and field) work. Each of these components is separately assessed by activity and competence.

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Authors: Maria João Silva, Joaquim Bernardino Lopes, António Alberto Silva

The authors of this paper present a framework developed in a project that explores the use of senses and sensors in environmental education, to develop children’s abstract thinking. The research started with a brief formulation of a framework that was used to guide the cross-analysis of six case studies, in order to explore its usefulness. This analysis showed that it was possible to teachers to support the development of children’s abstract thinking by facilitating the use of senses and sensors in inquiry activities; and by scaffolding complex tasks, using concreteness fading, and bridging representations, with different levels of abstraction. The analysis also showed that the assessment of the development of abstract thinking can be based on the analysis of children’s epistemic practices, like observing, describing, interpreting, and creating multiple representations. Furthermore, the cross-analysis showed that sensorial information was used as a concrete basis to abstraction. After that, an improved framework is presented, showing how senses and sensors may be used in authentic activities to develop abstract thinking: (a) making it possible to observe the unobservable (for human senses), (b) scaffolding the understanding of patterns resulting from the influence of independent in dependent variables, (c) facilitating epistemic practices.

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Authors: Daniela Tamo, Shpresa Rira, Rudina Xhillari

Generally speaking, teaching and learning could be better carried out through discussions and debates with others, and the results obtained in this way then turn into means of encouraging, helping, stimulating and informing thus making it possible for us to achieve an individual reflection. There might be people who try to link the word Portfolio with the world of Arts and Projects. This is true to some extend but there exist other components such as the Language Section and Language Biography, which in fact are closely connected with the world of learning and teaching and are part of the guidelines approved by the Council of Europe (Portofoli Evropian i Gjuhëve: Një Udhëzues për Mësuesit dhe Trajnuesit e Mësuesve, Ministria e Arsimit dhe Shkencës, Këshilli i Europës, 2005.) As a result of the use of Portfolio of Languages the teaching aims became clearer, students started to see their progress with ease. It served as a motivation for all, quick and slow learners, it helped increase self-awareness, it developed critical thinking, etc. It improved teachers’ motivation, their reflecting ability and encouraged them to undertake initiatives during the teaching process.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 52, 2013, PEC

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Authors: Mirosław Kowalski, Ewa Kowalska

Subjectivity today is commonly referred to as a necessary condition of education. Regardless of the world-view option, of social, or religious doctrine which determines the ideological layer of the education, the problem of the subjectivity is functioning as the crucial element of the design and implementation of the educational activities. At least in individual presentations it is differently understood, nobody is already contradicting its being. With reference to the introduction – what is the subjectivity? Undoubtedly, it relates to the fundamental values of a human who is able to accept or not outside influences. Within this particular value the subjectivity is constituted (Kowalski, Falcman, 2010). Modern ideas of education suffer from lack of the paradigmatic continuity, they commit the sin of inconsistency. Apart from the philosophical perspective of anthropology, they do not define their subjects. They constitute themselves as a methodical concept: they grow out of the technological rationality and they cross out a model of communicational rationality. The growth of educational praxeology knowledge actualises itself in isolation from the basic consideration. Inconsistency and ambiguity of ontological assumptions replaced with the indications on epistemology multiplies axiological dilemmas.

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Authors: Andrejs Geske, Ireta Cekse

Civic skills, knowledge and attitudes are the elements forming the citizenship concept. How do they suit multicultural societies? What are the mutual links among civic attitudes, knowledge and skills of different ethnic groups? The aim of the research is to establish the model of students’ civic competence and to find out factors which explain the influence of civic achievements on civic attitudes. IEA (the International Association for the Evolution of Educational Achievement) ICCS 2009 (the International Civic and Citizenship Studies 2009) are used for the analysis. SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) is used for data processing. The authors used multi-modelling to compare Latvian and Estonian majority and minority sample groups. The results indicate that the level of civic knowledge and skills influences civic attitudes of Estonian and Latvian students. Students with a higher level of civic knowledge and skills have a more pronounced sense of global belonging and ability to adjust and live a multicultural society. The civic knowledge of Estonian students with the Estonian language of instruction influences most essentially the civic attitudes and a sense of belonging to Europe. Latvian students with the Russian language of instruction have the least influence on the mentioned factors.

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Authors: Diana Liepa, Inta Ratniece

In the fields of science and education transnational cooperation has become particularly relevant for developing of contemporary conceptions in education and science. As the first step in such cooperation has been the Bologna process, started on June 19, 1999, when 29 Ministers of European countries signed the Bologna Declaration. The Bologna Declaration promotes education and cooperation being the fundamentals of a peaceful and a democratic society. The European dimension is characterized by student mobility and cooperation between educational institutions in European study programmes. The significance of communication and foreign language acquisition skills is gradually increasing (Bologna Declaration, 1999). A strategic goal for the European Union is to develop the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with a wider variety and better jobs and greater social cohesion. All citizens of European Union countries require foreign language skills, because these skills provide citizens with the opportunity to make use of the free movement to work or to study at one of the EU member states and as such they stimulate the development of a European labour market. As an EU member state, Latvia participates in this process. Improvements should be achieved in teacher education by implementing innovations in the study process.

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Authors: Kim I. Mallalieu, Candice V. Sankarsingh

The critical role of fisheries to food security and coastal livelihoods, as well as its impact on dwindling marine resources, motivate an examination of the degree to which education and training needs in the fisheries sector are met. This paper investigates the specific case of Trinidad and Tobago small scale fishers, a particularly vulnerable population whose livelihoods are bidirectionally linked to sustainable development. The challenges of declining fish stocks, increasing market prices and the fierce competition presented by technology-based fishing techniques, present a persuasive case for context-appropriate education and training for Trinidad and Tobago small scale fisherfolk. Research was conducted to examine the training needs of these fisherfolk, as articulated by key industry stakeholders, including the fishers themselves; and to set these needs off against available training provisions. A reconciliation strategy for education and training was developed to respond to the needs of the industry as well as to the Caribbean priorities of sustainable development and fisheries management.

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Authors: Francisco Manuel Morales Rodríguez

The European Higher Education Area involves major changes in the teaching-learning process for the acquisition of transversal skills, such as social and citizens. It establishes a need for active methods, learning and so to develop in students the ability to make decisions and learn independently, reflective and critical promoting these skills. Considering the importance of a program, training in values and ethics of solidarity that joins the university curriculum (educational innovation program, PIE10-127), we performed a comparative study on ethical issues in college students before and after of their application the program and an evaluation of effectiveness of different active methodologies to promote solidarity skills acquisition, and its impact on performance. Participants in this study were 4103 university students, aged 18 and 57, of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Málaga (2010-2012). The results show an increase in the acquisition of skills solidarity, following the implementation of the program and that the methodologies employed active, positive impact on academic performance. The relevant conclusion obtained, points to the need to reinforce and develop these values solidarity actions in college.

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Authors: Agneta Simeonsdotter Svensson

The overall objective of the study is to investigate whether the understanding of animals and their living conditions is a way for child’s emphatic ability. One interesting question is in what way children show that they are developing empathy. Do children show some change in the way they talk about animals and their living conditions? How is this change revealed? The theoretical basis of this study is based on Martin Hoffman's research (2000) which emphasizes the importance of learning and of encouraging empathy in children. The study design is qualitative and was conducted using conversations with child participants, notes, photographs and video recordings of the children working with the teaching material "cat picture" and dog picture". The participants comprised of 52 children aged between 3-5 years, divided into a main group and a control group with 26 children, 12 girls and 14 boys in each group. The results show that there is a difference in the two testing occasions between the main group and the control group. As the main group were given opportunities to think and reflect and work with the material, ideas about thoughts on ethical issues could emerge and developed further. Sustainable development must begin with the children. This is the best investment that any society can make.

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Authors: Margarita Gavrilina, Oksana Filina

This article is devoted to strategy named "dialogue with the text" for development of text and culturological knowledge and abilities of pupils of schools of the ethnic minorities of Latvia. Formulating the problem of research, authors focus attention on the reasons of difficulties which are experienced by pupils of diaspora perceiving the implied levels of the text. The authors of article emphasize, that necessity of the decision of this problem is caused first of all by an insufficient level of a Russian cultural knowledge and a culturological lexicon. Russian pupils lived in Latvia don’t know the realities and values of the Russian culture. The authors researched the problem in real educational process. The methodology of research is based on strategy “dialogue with the text". The authors of paper have analysed the reasons why this strategy effectively “works” in the described pedagogical conditions. In the center of the authors attention are the didactic methods and receptions which promote to form the textual competence of pupils.As an illustration authors give detailed description of their own experiment. In the article authors tell about diagnostics of text and culturological knowledge and abilities of pupils. This diagnostics includes questioning, group research and the standardized composition. The main results of the diagnostics are given in tables and in description of speech behavior of the pupils. In the final part of the article the authors draws the reader’s attention to the the analysis of the actual points of view in modern pedagogics on the problem of reading. In conclusion authors point out that productive text activity allows to expand a culturological outlook of diaspora pupils, and also purposefully and successfully to improve dialogue, communicative and textual abilities of the pupils. Besides the authors of the article emphasize the integrative role of text activity of the pupils wich promotes education humanitarization.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 51, PEC, 2013

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Authors: Costin Pribeanu

The shift towards constructivism in e-learning creates new opportunities in the modern school and favors the introducing of novel technologies able to promote a learner-centered approach and increase the students’ motivation to learn. Augmented reality (AR) is such a novel technology that promotes a new learning experience by integrating real objects, familiar from the traditional class, into a computing environment. AR has many valuable features from both the teacher’s and learner’s perspective: 3D visualization of complex processes, animation, multimodal interaction with real objects (visual, auditory and haptic), and augmentation. In turn, these features create various learning affordances such as: spatial ability, support to memory cognitive processes, experiential learning, collaboration, and motivation (di Serio, Ibanez & Kloos, 2012). In general, novel technologies are expensive and the costs are not only related to the hardware and software platform. The implementation in the traditional school requires additional costs for maintenance, content development, and training. Therefore, the first key concern when evaluating such e-learning systems is to capture the added value brought in by the novel technology.

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Authors: Christian Byrge, Søren Hansen

This paper presents a study on how a new (5 ECTS/2.5 American credit) stand-alone course for higher education in new thinking may influence key aspects of creative abilities. The course structure and content is based primarily on The Creative Platform with a focus on training, theory and workshop. The study uses the Torrance Test for Creative Thinking and a Reflection Report for Creativity Teaching to identify effects from the course. The results from the Torrance Test for Creative Thinking showed a significant increase in students’ ability in figural and verbal fluency, flexibility, figural and verbal originality, and elaboration as well as in resistance to premature closure. The results show no significant increase in students’ ability in the abstractness of titles. The results from the Reflection Report for Creativity Teaching showed that the majority of students experienced that they were capable of both developing understanding of creativity theory, becoming better at participating in a creative process as well as becoming better at generating and developing new ideas, thoughts and new knowledge. However, some students experienced problems especially related to creativity training. Implications and potentials of a combined focus on training, theory and workshop in creativity courses for higher education is discussed.

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Authors: Lianli Gao

The purpose of the research reported here was firstly to examine the expectations placed on university teachers of English in China in relation to curriculum changes as evidenced in the College English Curriculum Requirements (For Trial Implementation, 2004), designed for non-English majors (hereafter CECR 2004). It further reports on a study of responses to these changes on the part of teachers, administrators and policy-makers as revealed in interviews. The study adopts a mixed method of inquiry to deal with how teachers made sense of multiple realities and constructed complicated interactions between CECR and themselves. Additionally, some aspects of the work of Bourdieu and Bernstein are taken to analyse and interpret the issues. The findings show that CECR gives the impression of being forward-looking, making reference to contemporary English language teaching (ELT) concepts. This leaves a great deal of freedom for individual universities to flesh out the details and adapt the content to their own contexts. However, teachers feel either frustrated with the lack of real change in the syllabus or threatened by new challenges such as the emphasis on speaking and listening for which they believe they have not been adequately prepared.

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Authors: Jolanta Navickaitė

Transformational leadership is essential for school principals who desire to achieve school success and effectiveness, especially when determining a school’s direction, creating a cohesive school community for collective activities, building relationships among all members of the school community, etc. The purpose of the research was to investigate a school principal’s transformational leadership while implementing organizational changes in a school. A semi-structured interview with principals of eight general education schools in Lithuania was used to collect data. Categories and subcategories were identified in the data from which conclusions were drawn. Within the context of the research, the results suggest that the principals who embrace a transformational leadership during the initiation, implementation and institutionalization of change 1) reveal their personal determination to implement change; 2) express their concern for professional development; 3) demonstrate support for school values and a cohesive school community; 4) fosters achieved results by distributing leadership.

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Authors: Maija Rask, Kaarina Määttä, Satu Uusiautti

Youngsters’ health is widely studied from various points of view but a holistic approach to health has been minimal. The purpose of this research was to study general upper secondary education students’ health knowledge and perceptions of health by analyzing their answers concerning the subject of health education in the general studies battery of tests in the Finnish matriculation examination. The sample of the research consisted of 611 essays that were the test answers in health education in 2007. The essays covered altogether eight questions about health education. 81 candidates for the spring 2007 matriculation examination and 60 candidates for the fall 2007 matriculation examination participated in this research; altogether 141 candidates. The research approach was phenomenological-hermeneutic. The data was analyzed through qualitative content analysis. According to the results, students recognized people’s responsibility for their own health. They disapproved especially those who consciously neglect their health. According to the findings, it seemed evident that health education as a subject should be further developed so that it supports youngsters’ health appreciation and ability to make health-promoting choices in life. This decade sets special challenges to health education in schools, and therefore, it is important to listen to the youth‘s opinions and perceptions of health in order to, for example, develop curriculum planning.

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Authors: Gonzalo Sacristán-Pérez-Minayo, Ruth María Martín-Moro

Lifelong learning plays an important role due to the actual needs that we have in terms of knowledge-based economy. It provides education both to working and non-working people who want to be part of this developing society. In this study, two different levels of the Spanish Adult Education are assessed but not only from an individual point of view, but also from the point of view of cooperation between them in order to improve the teaching-learning process. Both the Education Centre of Olmedo (Olmedo, Spain) and the University of Burgos (Burgos, Spain) are described deep inside and likewise, the activities that they two are developing to interconnect both the two centres and the educational levels so that the learning process is never interrupted. Activities such as seminars, web pages management, oral presentations and questionnaires showing different aspects of the educational process will be discussed in the present study. The use of the new Information Technology and Communication (ICT) should be enhanced for effective learning of our adult students. From our results, it will be demonstrated that adults can be part of the education system and therefore gain new skills and knowledge that let them succeed in their lives.

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Authors: Valentin Ageyev

The social contradiction between creative (generating) essence of the historical man and cognitive (adaptive) essence of the sociocultural man forms the basis of the research. The scientific-psychological aspect of this problem represents the contradiction between the ability to act on the basis of the appropriated norms, samples and rules of the man as a product of traditional education and the modern society necessity of the man capable to make norm, samples and rules self-independently. As means of the problem solution the new type of educational technologies based not on the mechanism of assignment but the mechanism of generation is offered. The importance of research consists in the fact that the modern sociohistorical situation differs radically from the previous ones. The difference means, that social development is sharply accelerated now. The new educational systems are of great necessity at present such as systems turned not to the past (that is based on the assignment and reproduction of previous social experience) but to the future (that is based on generation of new social experience). Such reorientation is possible only as a result of education reorganisation from consuming past social experience to generating new social experience. Creative method (method of creative experiment). In its basis there is a structure of creative dialogue, as the result of which the students in a problem situation generate new meanings (knowledge), which reveal new possibilities and present psychological means of new abilities designing. Solution of a traditional education selectivity problem. The technology of new possibilities designing represents the method of all the students without any exception self-development process organization. The result of self-development is designing meanings (new possibilities) as means of new abilities generation. Other results of experimental education are: ability to self-development; positive dynamics of educational motivation and self-determination of students; system knowledge designed by students, their "theoretical" (general) character; essential reduction of time of education as a result of qualitative change of its results.

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Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 50, 2012, PEC

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Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

Over the last decade the spread of information communication technologies has been growing very rapidly both in quantitative and qualitative meaning. Not only new, innovative technologies, but also various people communication forms based on these technologies have appeared. Here, it is spoken about so-called social networking websites. Their rapid development raises certain anxiousness as well. Education, as one of society life spheres, can’t stay apart. The penetration of technologies in education is very great. The number of computers and computer technologies is expanding not only in educational offices, but also in the environment of every of us: homes, working places and so on. The youth is a very receptive group of society in this respect, seeking to try the newest technologies as quickly as possible. The majority of pupils spend quite a big part of time working on computers and using other computer technologies. It must be accentuated, that very often such kind of activity is not directly related with learning and self-education in a wider sense. It is obvious, that penetration of technologies enables educational community to work differently, to change educational process, to search for new approaches and so on. On the other hand, that raises certain problems and challenges. Though nowadays ICT technologies enable to get, process, save, convey and transmit information very effectively, on the other hand, realisation of information itself becomes problematic. In general, it is obvious that on the one hand, ICT provide quite big possibilities and on the other hand, they cause hard to solve problems. How to find a sensible balance between expectable benefit and probable harm? ICT in education isn’t an end in itself, is it? First of all we have to orientate ourselves to effective technology appliance in the educational process seeking better education and self-education quality. Here, ICT competence question remains urgent. It is to do with educators, first of all. Technologies themselves do not improve anything or make effective, do they? It is necessary to be able to use them.

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Authors: Diana M. Farías, Agnaldo Arroio

In this study it is presented several considerations concerning the elements that biographies could contribute to chemistry education. It is analyzed two particular cases: biographies from two high school chemistry textbooks and an audiovisual in the form of an animated fictional documentary about the life of Marie Curie. The analysis was carried out following a methodology designed to analyze textbooks in which we visualize science as a network where we identify elements that allow us to track how science circulates; we have used previously these elements in analyzing audiovisual materials for classroom (Arroio and Farías, 2011). These results show that despite the fact that biographies have elements which justify the criticism they have received within science education they can improve the contextualization and localization of scientific activity by making new connections between those actors that are not generally part of schools’ accounts of science: scientists, institutions, and places, amongst others. This fact was further substantiated after analyzing the documentary. It is proposed that the inclusion of biographies has a vast potential for conveying a more realistic image of scientific activity - but only if the biographies are specifically designed for teaching and are understood to be narrowly related to the popularization of science, science education, and the historiography of science. Moreover, biographies can lend more weight to the role of scientists as narrative axes, where then the school discourse can recover the person, that is, the scientist as a subject and individual. Within a setting where school science is primarily centered on concepts this process can strengthen the affective links between students and teachers.

32-45

Authors: Kuo Hung Huang, Kai-Chi Hung, Ching-Ching Cheng

To develop students’ critical thinking abilities, teachers must lead students to engage in discussions and to reason within various points of view, while employing evidence to draw conclusions, make decisions or seek solutions. Computer mediates learning by providing students with visualizations of relevant subject content to facilitate their reflection on these experiences. The purpose of this study is to investigate how technology can enable students to develop critical thinking through technology-enhanced interactivity. A geography teacher and 62 grade seven students from two classes participated in the experiment. One class was taught using traditional methods whereas the instructional strategy of computer-mediated learning was adopted in the other. The findings showed that computer media designed for enhancing interactivity would facilitate teacher-pupil interaction and peer discussion, and consequently contributed to improve students’ comprehension of the geography curriculum content. In addition, the critical thinking ability of the high-achievement students was significantly improved.

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Authors: Raffaele Pisano, Paolo Bussotti

Generally speaking the exponential function has large applications and it is used by many non physicians and non mathematicians, too. Nevertheless some crucial and practical problems happen for its mathematical understanding. Mostly, this part of mathematical cognitive programmes introduce it from the mathematical strictly point of view. On the contrary, since both physics experiments make a vast use of it, in this paper the exponential function will be explained starting from physical experiments and only later a mathematical modelling of it will be organized. The relationship physics-mathematics-geometry is crucial and indispensable in this kind of integrated and history&science education. The history and epistemology of mathematics and physics can be a significant means to make the epistemological and didactical research more profound and clear.

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Authors: Miro Puhek, Matej Perše, Andrej Šorgo

There is no doubt any more that virtual worlds are suitable for school environment. It was shown by various researchers that they can contribute in supplying students with additional information, help them to visualise subjects, respond with answer on demand or even in some cases supplement the real materials. Based on the real experience, the virtual field trail Walk on Maribor Island was developed for biology and natural science classes in lower secondary school. The trail is presented through eight exercises that differentiate not only in theme, but also in difficultness, fun, background idea etc. In spring 2011, 133 eighth grade students worked on the virtual field trail during the biology class. After the work on exercises, students were asked to analyse the exercises regarding the level of difficultness, level of interest and level of proficiency. The main aim of the study was to present the tendency in biology virtual field trips that should be taken into consideration before the development of new exercises.

101-107

Authors: Juraj Slabeycius, Daniel Polčin

The study deals with the causes and consequences of disinterest of pupils in mathematics and physics and looking for a way how to increase the attractiveness of these subjects in primary and secondary schools. One possibility is the use of information and communication technologies in the teaching process. The study refers on EDULAB project, created as an initiative of NGO and private sector. Its aim is to create a wide program of electronic education and support material for schools based on ICT. The EDULAB education center gives primary and secondary schools in Slovakia the opportunity to gain practical skills in the application of ICT in education. Via the portal www.naucteviac.sk EDULAB provides schools more than 30 000 multimedia resources for five science subjects. These are multimedia materials of company Young Digital Planet, known as "universal curriculum" tailored to national language. Nevertheless, the latest computer technology, interactive whiteboards, other computer peripherals and multimedia e-learning programs don’t give school the guarantee for an increase of the of pupils’ knowledge, as long as the digital learning materials contain a number of errors and unacceptable simplification.

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End page, Vol. 50, PEC, 2012

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Authors: Editorial Board

Cover, Vol. 49, 2012, PEC

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Authors: Milan Kubiatko

The relationship between teaching and research is often assumed and just as often ignored. Research should and does influence the teaching (and vice versa), but the gap between the two can at times seem large. Many of us are talking about very narrow connection between research and teaching. These voices are too often heard from colleges. But many academicians have got naive ideas about the work of a teacher; their ideas are often too far from the reality. The academicians often hold the concepts about an ideal class, where all the pupils are engaged in the teaching content; they do not consider the discipline sustaining.

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Authors: Michela Freddano, Paolo Diana

The research examines the role of using ICT to raise students’ achievement in Italian technical and professional schools. The hypothesis developed in this research is that students who obtain better learning results are those students who use ICT more than those students who are low performers. Data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) have been analyzed. The relationship between using ICT at school and students’ digital skills and attitudes has been analyzed by comparing the lowest performers and strong performers in reading literacy in Italian technical and professional schools. Results show that in Italian technical and professional schools, strong performers in reading literacy in PISA 2009 are more capable to do tasks at computer than low performers; however reading online and using ICT have greater positive effects towards achievement among low performers.

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Authors: Beatrice M. Mburugu, Micah C. Chepchieng, Teresa C. Kattam

In Kenya, orphanhood has risen and affected many children among them primary school pupils. A parent’s death may affect children’s psychological well being. There is a close coherence between children’s psychological well-beings and their interpersonal relationships. Children who have poor psychological well-being are likely to be withdrawn, experience low self-esteem and have poor adaptations to human functioning and life experiences. These conditions affect their relations with others hence become deviants. A literature gap exists in Kenya on orphanhood’s effect children’s relations with other pupils thus motivating the authors to come up with such a study. Thus, the objective of the study was to establish the influence of orphanhood on pupils’ interpersonal relationships in public primary schools by comparing the mean scores in pupils’ interpersonal relationships between the orphaned and the non-orphaned pupils. Also, establish whether gender differences exist in interpersonal relationships between the orphaned pupils. Causal-Comparative research design was considered appropriate for the study because of the comparison of groups. A sample of 110 pupils (55 orphaned and 55 non-orphaned) drawn from 10 primary schools was involved in the study. The pupils were drawn from primary classes 6 and 7. The sample was selected by using purposive and stratified random sampling procedures. A questionnaire was used to collect data which was analyzed by use of independent sample t-test. The study established that orphanhood has a significant effect on interpersonal relationships among pupils in primary schools in Kenya. It was also established that significant gender differences exist in the effect that orphanhood exert on pupils; with boys being more affected than the girls. From the findings, it is evident that absence of parents negatively affect the interpersonal skills of children particularly the boy-child. Such children need counseling interventions to counter these effects. It is therefore recommended that school counselors, teachers and school administrators in Kenya should assist orphaned pupils cope with the loss of their parents by offering psychological and social support to them. This is because the poor interpersonal relationships of orphaned pupils may affect various aspects of their lives that include academics and discipline among others.

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Authors: Mervi Raudsaar, Merike Kaseorg

This article presents the results of a pilot research how the entrepreneurship is perceived by the participants of entrepreneurship courses. Also we have researched their previous (entrepreneurial) background and its relevance on enabling market entrance. We had two target groups: self financed students of Open University and participants in entrepreneurship course financed by European Social Foundation. Lifelong learning is a socio-personal process as we associate our thoughts and actions to our earlier experiences but on the same time revising that experience. The aim of this article is to explore how to teach entrepreneurship in lifelong learning process and to explore it in participants’ perspective. In empirical part authors used questionnaire with 77 statements with persons being admitted to some entrepreneurship courses. The respondents were asked to express their opinion on a five-point Likert scale. The data has been discussed in the context of the related literature. We discuss what learning methods are most effective - to learn about, for or through/within entrepreneurship (Hyrsky & Kyrö, 2005; Gibb, 1999; Hytti & O’Corman, 2004, Rae, 2004).

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Authors: Janis Gedrovics, Inese Urpena

The use of computer as an important educational tool throughout the world is increasing with every year and Latvian schools is no exception. Currently there are some important topical issues in pedagogy, as well as in school ergonomics: student’s work posture, time spent at the computer, health friendly work organization on the computer, etc. This paper presents a pilot survey data collected in grade 5-12 (a total of 507 respondents) in several Latvian schools in the school year 2010/2011. Computer usage among school children more deviates to the side of the computer use as a tool for entertainment, thereby reducing the proportion of computer use for educational purposes. However, the total time spent on the computer is likely to increase, therefore, it is especially important to obtain high level ergonomic culture skills as a necessary condition for health friendly work organization at the computer.

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End page, Vol. 49, 2012, PEC