Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2004
- December 31, 2008
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.01.00 |
Social sciences |
Educational studies |
|
| 5.03.00 |
Social sciences |
Sociology |
|
| 5.09.00 |
Social sciences |
Psychology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P001 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Mathematics |
| S270 |
Social sciences |
Pedagogy and didactics |
pedagogy, learning, cognition, schooling, evaluation, didactics, society, structure, national identity, philosophy of education, epistemology, ethics, ideology, sexual difference, language and communication, argumentation
Researchers (16)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0553 |
Educational Research Institute |
Ljubljana |
5051614000 |
7,056 |
Abstract
The programme "Educational Research," which is conducted by the group of ten researchers of the Educational Research Institute (ERI) in Ljubljana, comprises very complex topics. The fundamental section (the individual researchers are in part wholly autonomous in their research) consists of developing the sciences like pedagogy, philosophy, sociology, psychology, linguistics, anthropology (with sub-disciplines and interdisciplinary cross-sections with the central field, i.e. educational theory). The educational process is based on representations of knowledge and of the ways of gaining and transmitting it. Different perceptions of this process competed with one another in the past. They consist of two large groups: the first concentrates on the "inner" resources of knowledge, the second one looks for "outer" resources. In spite of the sharp controversies between the two, they are both productive. Philosophy of education focuses on the analysis of notions and concepts, theories and specific discourses of the educational sciences. Within this field we can find a range of conceptual propositions in the philosophical disciplines: from aesthetics to logic and social philosophy. A critical analysis of the effects of globalisation in education makes another part of this line of research. As the educational (as any other social) activity is based on language, we cannot even imagine an educational practice that wouldn't include as the constitutive components new epistemological and methodological findings in the field of language and speech research, especially in the linguistic pragmatics and argumentation in rhetoric. In the sociological view the structural determinants of education in Slovenia are ascertained. They set "propulsion and implosion" of education in the circumstances of the information (learning) society. In this segment we also pay attention to some links between educational research and women's studies that bring forth the problems of gender (in)equality. Another aspect is a question concerning the level of the best possible implementation of the transformational anthropological notion of schooling. There is no wide consensus on the values the school should transmit, and on how and when these values should be taught. What is the nature of values, what kind of a relationship is there between public and private values. How to educate and "develop the capacity for critical consideration", which is included in of one of the goals of education decreed by law. How can we teach values, transmit statements and abilities to act, without "indoctrination". These are the questions through which theory confronts the challenges of the educational practice. Special aspects of this line of research are: the position of a child and his or her rights in educational system, regulation of rights and duties, specifics of rights as duties (obligatory schooling), problems of representing a child who finds himself in a conflict with a school or parents, participation of a child in decision making processes in school. Museum pedagogy as a new and developing discipline finds its place in this research programme as well. The Bologna Declaration brings a range of new features that open the academic space, but at the same time represent the danger of a too quick, instrumental and a consumerist adaptation of higher schooling to the labour market. Some attention is paid to the positive innovations and dangers that are being pointed out by the sociology of education, theories of globalisation, in discussions about the European dimension of education and on the "post-modern state of affairs", etc. All mentioned and non-mentioned points must be understood in connection with realities of the Slovene educational system, in which the implementation of a reform is going on along other changes. The research programme is a core of all research work of the ERI. It is linked with a range of applied and empirical studies, evaluations, etc., that the institut...
Significance for science
In an epistemologically supported synthesis, a pluralism of partial theories, none of which pretend to encompass the whole, let alone determine it by any monistic principle, has become established as the dominant “model” of the development of social sciences, and thereby also educational sciences. This theoretical background together with the increasingly complex problems of society (which is moving from an industrial to a post-industrial, to an information society, which in turn is moving into a phase of ubiquitous computing) and the explosive development of education, particularly in the 60s, created fertile ground for the rapid development of educational research. Research of the processes of learning, comprehending and social distribution of knowledge comprises one of the most rapidly growing areas of social-science research. It is divided into multiple disciplines, cognitive sciences, linguistics, anthropology, educational sciences, epistemology and sociology. More importantly, with the rapid progress in disciplines dealing with the role of information technology in creating knowledge, the aforementioned research deepens knowledge of the role of the human intellect, institutions, cultures and societies in the creation of knowledge. Research into the human intellect and social mediation of knowledge will have an exceptional role in the future development of science, as the need for critical reflection on information systems will expand. Of course, we are not ignoring an area that is closer to the “inexact” paradigms of knowledge, but is its historical and current source in terms of the definition of the concept of science itself. We therefore also envisage an important contribution in the development of the philosophy of education as a scientific discipline and a university subject. The research programme will influence the development of relevant areas of science and professions, since the innovative combination of theoretical and empirical approaches will help to design the conceptual apparatus to meet new educational requirements, i.e. it will suitably reflect them and help transfer findings into practice. Hence we also see a contribution in the profile of interdisciplinarity, crosscutting across multiple theoretical fields and drawing on those currents and approaches that provide alternative perspectives on and delineation of problems relevant to education, and the associated development of methodologies suitable to the task. The programme is directly linked to the priorities of the European Commission in the area of research: (1) the theme of “women and science” as one of the core activities of the European Commission in research; (2) gender equality as defined by the European Commission. Further, our results will produce new scientific findings on education, and permit a renewed approach to understanding and explaining models of education. Modern education sciences are also discovering the significance of symbolic, communicative operation. Such operation by all actors in the system and its environment enables optimal development of institutions such as the school and education system of the Slovenia state. We also expect further results in the special area of museum education as a specific, interdisciplinary scientific discipline.
Significance for the country
The development of the Slovenian state and society will in the coming decades certainly depend largely on the effectiveness of its education system. In a global environment it will have to develop its own knowledge, part of which will be local in nature. It will in the social sciences and social-science education therefore have to develop a special type of local knowledge, a reflection of itself and its role in Europe and the world. As a result, the importance of our programme is most focussed on the education system, which is included in theoretical and empirical reflection in line with the importance of this system in the context of other social subsystems. Because of such outlined nature, the education system can represent the innovative part of social, economic and cultural development without which it would be impossible for traditions and the cultural value forms within them to survive, or for society to properly integrate itself to achieve its objectives. The competitiveness of a country is generally the cumulative result of the operation of mechanisms of reproduction and economic use of potential based on the operation of these mechanisms. The formation of an intercultural dialogue in schools strengthens the central role of the school as a learning organisation which is both analogous and not analogous to a company. The need for citizens to continually adapt to changing conditions of the economic cycle makes it important that teachers in school accustom pupils to lifelong learning. Innovative knowledge and teacher training and the development of pupils' competences contribute to improving the work of employees through continual improvement of quality in schools and the employability of young and old alike. The issues of the formation of citizens and a democratic culture, trust and social capital are key issues of modern societies. By designing quality programmes and establishing conditions for equal inclusion of marginalized populations (e.g. Roma children) in education, we can solve the long-term problem of non-education and the associated unemployment of such populations. The quality of the learning and teaching process remains one of the central objectives in the education field, and a suitably designed process of “in-service” lifelong learning for teachers should contribute to the quality of this process. Links with international (research and other) organisations in realising the programme enable both promotion and access to the latest findings in areas of research. Research findings of anticipated themes in the fields of philosophy of education and museum education will contribute to cultural development and the preservation of cultural heritage and identity, while presentation of research results at international scientific conferences will help promote the country. By definition it is clear that the programme has had visible direct and indirect effects on the activities of the Ministry of Education and Sport, but it has also partly affected other ministries (Labour, Foreign Affairs, Culture, etc.) and also frequently local communities concerned by the findings of social reproduction research.
Most important scientific results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
