Švietimas: politika, vadyba, kokybė /Education Policy, Management and Quality

4-7

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

In recent years attention to quality of studies is not decreasing. Lots of different level and ty-pe articles have been written, books and other literature have been published. On the other hand, over the last few years different national, regional and international science conferences and symposiums took place. So, it is obvious, that the concern in the university study quality is really huge. However, the essence of the matter lies somewhere deeper. The main goals, formulated in Bologna declaration, had to be implemented by 2010. However, now it becomes clear, that some of the vitally important things were not realised and there are more and more doubts if they will, on the whole, be carried through. The Bologna process itself is not sought to be analysed. What interests us firstly, is the qu-ality of studies’ management question. Various researches reveal that the university study quality in some countries has significantly decreased even measuring according to the most minimal criteria. First of all, this is because most universities are oriented into providing service. It is known, that service University is not capable to ensure the proper quality of the studies and of provided education at the same time. Mass universities meant for mass usage. University education is more and more “Mc.Donaldized” (Lamanauskas, 2011a). Thus, the problem of the quality of studies remains the key problem in nowadays university work. It is understandable, that different countries have different experience in this field both in horizontal and vertical sense. The quality of studies conception despite all efforts remains diverse and has multiple meanings. Paraphrasing a familiar soviet times’ statement (“from everyone – according to possibilities, for everyone – according to demands”), one can state, that higher education can’t be provided according to demands, and it can’t be required from graduates according to their abilities and possibilities. Massification of higher education in a direct way negatively affects the quality of studies (process), as well as higher education quality (result). This is the essential risk in university management.

22-33

Authors: Irena Gailienė

The article examines the genesis of incestuous connection and its expression in the academic community, focusing on the moral, psychosocial, and educational dimensions and meaning. These aspects recently are obviously deviated from the social standards. Anomaly is becoming more and more the norm. With reference to psychological patterns and personal experiences, it is analyzed and illustrated the real and projected impact of incest phenomenon on functioning of academic community: on quality of studies, on research activities, on psychosocial climate and on professional motivation of community members. The consequences of incest are revealed when formally in-groups are established or infor-mally establishes themselves. In such groups typically group thinking is developed, which implies the occurrence of three essential conditions: the group friendship, unity: the relative group isolation from different-minded and the presence of directive leadership, which allows to understand what decisions are appreciated. In in-groups professional and personal intimacy is dominated, withdrawal in their own thoughts circle, rejection of any criticism, censorship and self-censorship, conformism and unconditional obedience to leaders, disregard to moral norms and other features are noticed. Negative impact of the incest phenomenon and its disposal options is set out in two scenarios: pessimistic and optimistic one. In pessimistic scenario a group thinking features and division of community into two hostile camps: us and them, are examined. In-groups are usually characterized by the phenomenon of internal favoritism, where inappropriate, ineffective actions and decisions of this group members are justified. The members of out-group are assessed uniformly and trite, i.e. not taking into consideration the individual personalities. They are usually assigned with negative „labels“. Dissidents instead are considered to be particularly enimies, who submit their own evaluations, opinions and criticisms, thus, different ways of their rejection or even exclusion from the community are searched. In optimistic scenario visions are concretized, thanks to which disappearance of incestuous relations and together the positive changes in everyday life of the academic community are likely expected.

38-41

Authors: Judita Stankutė

A short communication (interview) with head of Alsedziai Secondary School Leonas Mockūnas, Plunge District, Lithuania.

4-10

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

We live in such time period when there is a wish to get everything quickly and desirably for free. And, the quicker, the better. This applies to education as well. In fact, it is depreciated. Often it is said, that education does not add wisdom. There is some truth in this statement. If we speak about pseudo education acquired in any way and anywhere, then yes. However, a good, proper education is the outcome of rationality. These are related things, determining each other. It is thought, that today everything is rapidly changing, it is impossible, and there is no need of fundamental “lifelong” education. This is an illusion, which does not let us see the essence. And a lot do not want and are incapable to see it. Like the house which can’t stand without good foundation, human’s good life is impossible without good education. The same can be said about society as a whole. Educated society is a warrant of state’s prosperity. Knowledge, abilities, values is, indeed, the true foundation of good education. A proper combination of these three components guarantees good education. Moreover, it would be nice if this component would entirely become integrated into given diplomas. Unfortunately, it has to be stated once again, that universities oriented or being oriented only to providing service will never be able to guarantee such integration. Thus, more or less it is agreed on an international level, that our contemporary society is not properly ready for the challenges of the 21st century. “A quick diploma” does not guarantee any-thing, in fact – neither individual nor society progress. Universities, being oriented only to giving “quick diplomas” are condemned. Education is not a game and universities are not “sandpits”. Unfortunately, it makes an im-pression that the number of “sandpits” is increasing, and wishing to play in them are getting more and more. We can be taught by others, but we can get educated only ourselves. An educated man is an independent man, knowing himself and making his own decisions. An educated nation is a nation knowing itself, independent and making its own decisions independently.

21-30

Authors: Dalia Survutaitė

Education and Culture documents (2004) point out that assessment of school activity quality is a mandatory precondition striving for implementation of the Lisbon strategy. EU and national documents (Lithuanian State Long-Term Development Strategy, 2002; State Education Strategy, 2003; Programme of Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 2004; Education Monitoring Procedure 2005;) are implemented in Lithuania on a par with other countries that carry out European education reform; new models for quality management of education as a service are introduced as well as emerging modern culture of self-evaluation and evaluation of activity. The main focus of the methodologies (Internal Audit Methodology for Comprehensive Schools, 2004; External Audit of School Management and Educational Proceeding Improvement, 2005; Description of Procedure for Internal Quality Audit of Comprehensive School Activity, 2007; Description of Procedure for Internal Quality Assessment of Comprehensive School Activity, 2009) under implementation is laid not on the analysis of documents regulating the activity of the organisation and on imposing punishments but on the quality assessment when the process is observed directly, when there occurs communication with teachers, school learners, school administration, other school staff members, stakeholders and when the outcome is evaluated. External assessment of school activity is carried out in Lithuania through implementation of modern organisational–structural elements. One of the most essential features constructing an external school activity assessment system is its constant renewal, which is based on reflection and application of applied research data. External evaluator of school activity is a factor, which deter-mines not only data collection and their interpretation but also improvement of teacher’s activity and change in school culture. Therefore, preparation of external evaluators and their acquired competences call for a particular attention. This article presents the conception of external evaluators’ competences, analyses the opin-ion of Lithuanian teachers regarding competences of evaluators, who carry out activity assessment in Lithuanian general education schools. The roles of external evaluators are described and profes-sionalism of external evaluators is analysed. The article also reveals teachers’ opinions about com-petences of external quality assessment evaluators, which were surveyed applying quality research methods (focus group). Teachers perceive external activity quality assessment conducted in Lithuanian general edu-cation schools as a very intensive process, where professional evaluators act as an organised team. The whole process is understood as prophylaxis or examination, when a reliable diagnosing of school activity spheres is carried out. The teachers’ survey regarding their opinion about the external assessment of activity quality conducted in their school revealed that the respondents were satisfied with external assessment, which was based on identification of the good sides and strengthening of the good practice. Being rather critical and self–critical, teachers have formed an increased expectation to more intensively feel rhetoric of external evaluators regarding organisation of education process. The respondents long for independent and unbiased expanded comments from evaluators, which would point to the strong spheres of teacher’s educational activity, would disseminate this information in the school community and national education system. External evaluators of general education schools have to meet certain requirements that are defined through qualification requirements and competences that are necessary for an evaluator who aims to improve the school. Formal qualification requirements (higher pedagogical education, experience in pedagogical work, awareness of documents regulating education activity) are satisfied but problems are faced when principles, values, self–perception and positive attitude to the environment of an evaluator of school activity quality are analysed. Considerate, attentive and discrete evaluators increase the degree of positive while observing, recording and analysing teaching/learning processes. The majority of teachers appreciate unbiased and expert evaluation, which is perceived as assessment and enhancement of own activity or that of school as well as encouragement to direct their activity towards renewal.

40-42

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

This short article is the review of the book entitled "Etudes of Tautotyra“ (A theory and his-tory of Lithuanian ethnology) (author – professor Ona Voverienė). The book consists of eight chap-ters. As it is stated by the author, this book does not pretend to consider it as monograph or a serious educational book. Despite a book genre all discussed questions on national identity are very important for our country. The national identity is the society and state base. The current political situation in Lithuania doesn't create good conditions for development of national identity. We should agree with an author`s position that a national situation of the present Lithuania can be named as sorrowful, because of an erosion of national values. Each member of a society is obliged to make everything in order to keep and develop universal and national values. The development of national values should be the main priority of our society. At the end of the book its author calls her nationals to return to the national culture and national values, saying „We were born the Lithuanians and the Lithuanians we must be!“. We should agree with this logical position.

4-7

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas

In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about the quality of studies and, in general, about the education development. As we know, the quality of studies depends not only on level of motivation and cleverness of students, how well developed the infrastructure of institutions is and so on. Probably, even more, the quality of studies depends on scientific pedagogical personnel, the one, which directly determines the preparation of a future student. This article deals with problems related to the education development in Lithuania and in the countries abroad. It is stated, that there are some burning problems in the education system of Lithuania. A clear trend over the past two decades - in many countries, the transition from elite to mass education is observed. Weakening the quality of education is a concern in many countries worldwide. This problem is associated not only with the decrease in funding, but also with all other demographic and political implications. It is emphasized that education is one of the most important aspects of human development. It is argued that the stability of our society directly depends on the education system stability. It is impossible to have well-educated society without continuous development of education and science. This approach, in particular, requires appropriate political attention.

19-28

Authors: Tomas Lazdauskas

Psychological peculiarities of children exposed to separation from parents have already been analyzed for a long period of time but the topicality of the problem has not decreased. Most often children are separated with one of the parents because of their divorce and the rate of the divorce in Lithuania is very high. In recent years a lot of attention has been paid to new child-parent separation form, which is determined by parents’ emigration. Rather often even in the scientific studies the tendency is seen to link directly the family status with worse psychological adjustment of children. The object of the research in this article deals with the problems of psychological adjust-ment of children, and the goal of this study is to analyze the level of problems of psychological adjustment of children who experienced separation with parents, paying attention to the level of cumulative risk. The article analyzes the level of problems of psychological adjustment of children who experienced separation with parents, the level of problems of psychological adjustment of children who experienced separation with parents and national sample children in Lithuania, and the level of problems of psychological adjustment of children who experienced separation with parents and children with different level of cumulative risk. Conclusions of the research: 1. The level of problems of psychological adjustment of children who experienced separa-tion with parents does not differ. 2. The level of problems of psychological adjustment of children who experienced separa-tion with parents and national sample children in Lithuania does not differ. 3. The level of problems of psychological adjustment of children with high level of cumula-tive risk is higher than of those children with low level of cumulative risk.

43-55

Authors: Michael Svec, Neil Hutton, Danuše Nezvalová

Inquiry, as both an instructional method and as a curriculum goal, is a common theme in science education reforms in both North America and Europe. This paper will initiate a discussion on the definitions and practice of inquiry in three countries; United Kingdom, Czech Republic and United States. Each national context will describe how inquiry is defined in both the relevant cur-riculums and in the academic publications. The assumptions will be identified that influenced the understanding of inquiry and the relationship to the science process skills, science literacy and the nature of science. The practiced curriculum will then be presented demonstrating how inquiry as both instruction and curriculum is practiced. National conditions and factors that encourage or impede inquiry will be discussed. A summary will examine common themes across the different national contexts.