Klaipėdos universitetas

The Covid-19 pandemic posed new challenges and opportunities for participants in education. The following article reveals the experiences

The article analyzes the factors that influence the quality of the study. Quality of study and its assurance are priority tasks in the European higher education area. The key provisions of the Bologna Process focus on the paradigm shift in higher education. The Berlin Communique (2003) identifies the need for quality assurance at institutional, national and European level as well as for the development of common quality assurance criteria and methodologies. The Bergen Communiqué (2005) emphasized the importance of research for the improvement of studies, and endorsed the European qualifications framework for higher education based on learning outcomes. They are defined by the Dublin Descriptors (2005), which describe knowledge and understanding specific to each cycle, the application of knowledge and understanding, as well as decision-making, communication and learning to learn skills (2014-2020 Case Study of the Suitability and Compatibility of European Union Funds Investment in Training Programs, 2018). The Leuven Communique (2009) emphasizes student-centered studies, which remain a priority in the European Higher Education Area Quality Assurance Regulations and Guidelines (2015). The article analyzes the attitude of students of pedagogical studies towards the factors that influence the quality of studies. Students from Lithuanian and Romanian regional universities (Klaipėda University and 1 Decembrie 1918 University) participated in the study, 553 persons studying in various forms, undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The study was conducted with the aim of increasing internationalization and developing partnerships with European Union universities. Close collaboration in research helps to disseminate best practice in improving the quality of studies. This international study is theoretically and empirically based on the research methodology and statistical methods have identified the most important factors that determine the quality of the study process. It is researched how students’ attitudes towards individual study process quality factors depend on their study evaluation, learning motivation, age and other parameters. The dissemination of the research results will help the academic community of the universities to carry out similar research and to improve the quality of studies on this basis.

Higher education, scientific research and innovations play a significant role in supporting social cohesion, economic growth and global competitiveness. The Bologna Process documents note the importance of the involvement of students in the quality assurance of higher education.The aim of the article is to reveal the connections between learning provisions and study quality of the Klaipėda University (hereinafter: KU) Childhood Pedagogy study programme students. 131 students of Klaipėda University Childhood Pedagogy study programme were interviewed by means of a questionnaire.The research reveals that students’ attitudes towards individual determinants of the study quality are related to the learning provisions that they follow. Students have identified most important factors affecting the quality of studies: relationship between the student and the university teacher, student motivation to learn, teaching/learning methods and university teacher competences. The results of the research can help university management team, programme curators to enhance educational processes at the university by improving the quality of studies.

The development of information technology (IT) in the process of modern primary education poses new challenges for participants in this process. Despite the fact that the development of IT enhances teaching/learning, and makes it modern and attractive, the unrestricted and irresponsible use of IT can have negative consequences for both the physical and the mental health of younger school-age children. The article analyses problems related to features of creating a healthy child-friendly teaching/learning environment in the context of the development of IT in primary education. A total of 237 primary school teachers in western Lithuania were interviewed by means of a written (questionnaire) survey research method.The research results show that a computer is the main IT tool in the primary education environment. Almost all the interviewed teachers had them in their classrooms. Teachers lack in particular interactive boards and tablets. Only a very small number of teachers had them in their classrooms. The teachers interviewed lack more diverse means of IT in their classrooms, which limits the possibilities for using IT in the education process. The results of the research reveal that although primary school students know about safe use and health-care when working with IT, they are not able to apply the available knowledge in practice. Children lack the acquisition of practical actions and skills in applying them in life situations. Only a third, and even fewer teachers, agreed that while using IT children are able to sit correctly at a desk, protect their eyesight, do eye exercises, coordinate eye and hand movements, etc. Therefore, not only are modern means of IT and their safe installation important for the creation of a healthy child-friendly primary teaching/learning environment in the context of IT, but so is the development of safe and healthy child-friendly behaviour with IT: the regulation and distribution of work time with IT at school and at home, the responsible use of IT; not only the provision of knowledge about the use of IT to students, but also the formation of practical skills and their application in life situations.

Nemažėjančios socialinės problemos, įvairūs socialiniai, ekonominiai, psichologiniai veiksniai, lemiantys ikimokyklinio ugdymo proceso dalyvių poreikius, motyvaciją, lūkesčius, šeimų švietimui kelia atitinkamus iššūkius. Straipsnyje pristatomos pedagogų ir tėvų nuomonės apie šeimų švietimo organizavimo ir įgyvendinimo galimybes Šilutės miesto ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigose. Anketinės apklausos (raštu) būdu apklausti 97 pedagogai ir 208 tėvai. Tyrimas atskleidė, kad dažniausia šeimų švietimą organizuoja ir įgyvendina ikimokyklinio ugdymo pedagogai, rečiau – administracija ir specialistai. Vykdomas abiejų krypčių šeimų švietimas – informacinio ir kryptingo edukacinio, pažymėtina, kad informacinio pobūdžio – dažniau. Šeimų švietimui organizuoti ir įgyvendinti dažniausia trūksta vaiko teisių apsaugos specialistų, socialinių darbuotojų, lektorių, švietimo pagalbos ir visuomenės sveikatos priežiūros specialistų. Šiame procese ypač svarbi asmeninė respondentų nuomonė ir įsitraukimą į procesą lemiančių veiksnių kaita, tokių kaip šeimų aktyvumas, pakankamas specialistų skaičius, laikas, lėšos, komandinis darbas, tėvų įsitikinimų ir elgesio pokyčiai, visų švietimo proceso dalyvių bendradarbiavimas ir kt.

The researches justify the importance of using IT in the process. However, the use of IT in the teaching environment is a new challenge in protecting and enhancing the health of primary students. The natural tendency of children, the need of the use of IT in the process of teaching (learning) necessitates the management of this process. Research aim – to examine expanse’s tendencies of IT in primary education and to reveal the features of creating a healthy teaching (learning) environment for pupils. 237 teachers of primary school from the west of Lithuania have been surveyed. The study showed that primary school teachers and students are not yet appointed with a variety of IT tools. Although almost all of the teachers had computers in their classrooms and almost half of the respondents had a digital projector, only a very small part of the teachers had interactive whiteboards and tablets in their classrooms. Primary schools have purchased different IT tools for co-use, but only few of the teachers have those tools in their classrooms. The lack of IT tools in the classroom limits the possibilities of their use in the education process. The study revealed that the knowledge of the primary students about the safe use of IT tools, healthcare while working with IT is not related to their skills. Children lack the ability to learn practical activities, their application in life situations and healthy behaviours. Although a lot of teachers think that primary students are aware of the safe use of IT and the effect of misuse of IT, only one third or less of primary school teachers agreed that primary students are able to properly sit at the desk using IT, to do eye exercises, to protect their eyesight, to adjust eye and hand movements, etc.