The article analyses teachers’ experiences of the use of digital tools in the development of pre-school children’s language skills. Findings from the qualitative research revealed that the use of digital tools helps to open up these possibilities for preschoolers’ language development: improving children’s speaking and active listening skills; meeting children’s different educational needs; developing fine motor skills; developing reading skills; facilitating spontaneous learning; helping teachers to plan educational activities; individualising and differentiating the content of education; ensuring quality parent-teacher cooperation; etc. Teachers face the following difficulties when using digital tools to develop pre-school children’s language skills: a lack of funds to purchase digital tools; inaccurate information in digital space; inappropriate educational content for children; lack of methodological hours to create interactive tasks; etc. In the opinion of the informants, the success of the use of digital tools is determined by the teacher’s personal qualities, motivation, and the ability to apply effectively innovative educational methods. This is why teachers regularly participate in seminars and conferences, share best practices on social networks, etc.
The problem of leadership by progymnasium teachers in organising the educational process is analysed in this article. In Lithuania, a progymnasium is an educational institution providing a general education (forms 1 to 8) functioning as an intermediate link between an elementary school and a gymnasium. Quantitative research was conducted with the participation of 120 progymnasium teachers. The assessment of teacher leadership in organising the educational process was based on an SLII situational leadership model (Blanchard, 1985). The research revealed that in organising the educational process, teachers apply different leadership strategies: they provide gifted pupils with the possibility to take responsibility for carrying out a task; they praise and encourage pupils to express their opinions; they carry out tasks without direction; they allow pupils to make their own decisions on how a task will be carried out; they provide feedback, etc. In the organisation of the educational process, teachers tend to apply coaching, supporting and delegating styles of situational leadership. In order to organise the educational process more effectively, the examples of teachers-leaders in creating common educational scenarios and trying out innovative methods, mentoring couples, group supervision, and the creation of learning organisation at progymnasium, could be helpful.
Iki mokyklos vaikas turi pasiekti optimalią fizinę, emocinę, socialinę ir pažinimo brandą, todėl emocinės sveikatos pamatai turi būti dedami jau ikimokykliniame amžiuje. Keliamas tyrimo tikslas – ištirti žaidimų terapijos taikymo galimybes ugdant vaikų emocinę sveikatą ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigoje. Taikyti tyrimo metodai: mokslinės literatūros ir dokumentų analizė, ugdomasis projektas, vaikų elgsenos stebėjimas, kokybinė duomenų analizė. Ugdomajame projekte dalyvavo 19 Klaipėdos m. X l/d ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų. Nustatyta, kad 5–6 metų vaikų gebėjimas kontroliuoti ir valdyti savo elgesį, emocijas žaidžiant pakito iš esmės. Žaidybinės veiklos pradžioje vaikai sunkiai galėjo susitvarkyti su iškilusiais sunkumais atliekant tam tikras užduotis. Išryškėjo individualūs vaikų ir lyties skirtumai. Projektui įpusėjus, jie išmoko spręsti konfliktus, prisitaikyti prie situacijos, bendrauti ir bendradarbiauti. Pastebėta, kad susilpnėjo liūdesio, baimės ir nerimo emocijos. Empirinio tyrimo rezultatai leido išryškinti žaidimų terapijos taikymo ypatumus ir galimybes ugdant vaikų emocinę sveikatą ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigoje.
Processes of inclusiveness in the implementation of education, trends, and the prevailing experiences of creating inclusion in educational institutions, in the life of an institution’s community, and in educational practice, have created new challenges and opportunities for teachers. The following article shows preschool teachers’ experiences of inclusive education in developing children’s communication competence. A qualitative research strategy was chosen for the empirical study. Preschool teachers, who work in the inclusive education group and have experience of working with children with autism spectrum disorders, participated in a semi-structured interview. Teachers’ experience of inclusive education has been analysed on the basis of the following aspects: an assessment of the situation in the context of inclusive education; the organisation of children’s communication competence activities in inclusive education; preschool teachers’ feelings and their experiences; and the advantages and disadvantages of inclusive education experiences in developing children’s communication competence. The research findings show that it is difficult for teachers to work in inclusive education groups, because educational institutions lack specialists, teachers lack competencies, motivation and educational tools, and parents are not satisfied with the educational situation.
Mokslinio straipsnio tikslas – pristatyti kuriamą teorinį modelį, kuris apibūdintų pagrindinius mokyklų tobulinimo pasitelkus skaitmenines technologijas elementus ir leistų atskleisti mokyklų skirtumus bei nustatyti jų geriausią praktiką ir iššūkius. Modelis projektuojamas tokių teorijų, kaip, pvz., mokyklos tobulinimo, edukacinių inovacijų, besimokančios mokyklos, pagrindu, integruojant naujausias skaitmeninių technologijų vaidmens edukacijoje ir mokyklos vadyboje teorijas. Modelio pagrindą sudaro šeši pagrindiniai elementai, apibūdinantys inovatyvią skaitmeninę mokyklą: mokyklos vizija, lyderystė, mokymo(si) procesas, besimokanti bendruomenė, veiklos kokybės užtikrinimas, skaitmeniniai ištekliai. Ypatingas dėmesys skiriamas skaitmeninių technologijų taikymo galimybėms, atsakant į klausimą, kaip jos prisideda tobulinant pedagoginę ir vadybinę praktiką. Sukurtas inovatyvios skaitmeninės mokyklos teorinis modelis bus tolesnio tyrimo pagrindas, leisiantis mokykloms apmąstyti, suprasti ir tobulinti savo praktikas, siekiant pasitelkus skaitmenines technologijas siekti tvarių pedagoginių ir vadybinių pokyčių.