Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
| 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 |
| P1 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
P1 |
| S270 |
Social sciences |
Pedagogy and didactics |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.03 |
Social Sciences |
Educational sciences |
pedagogy, learning, cognition, schooling, evaluation, didactics, society, structure, national identity, philosophy of education, epistemology, ethics, ideology, sexual difference, language and communication, argumentation
Researchers (20)
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
Research into the processes of learning, cognitive processes and the social distribution of knowledge comprises one of the fastest growing fields of social science research. This research is divided into several disciplines, into cognitive sciences, linguistics, anthropology, educational science, epistemology and sociology and, of course, there is also increasing interdisciplinary overlapping among them. Yet what is more important is that with the rapid spread of disciplines dealing with the role of information technology in creating knowledge, the aforementioned research is intensifying the awareness of the role played in creating knowledge by the human intellect, cultural institutions and societies. We cite as an example a critical analysis of discourse where, on the one hand, we address (critically weigh up) individual concepts, analyse them and then break them down, while on the other hand we apply them primarily to the analysis of media discourse and school textbooks. Of course, we are not forgetting about a field that is itself closer to an “inexact” paradigm of knowledge, but is its historical and actual source as far as determining the actual concept of science is concerned. For this reason we also see an important contribution in the development of a philosophy of education. The research programme is helping to formulate a conceptual apparatus that might be up to the new educational requirements, i.e. that it reflects them appropriately and helps to communicate the findings to the teaching profession. In view of this, in large part the scientific orientation of our work is based on methodological approaches that combine quantitative and qualitative research methods with direct development work geared towards practical use via action research. We see our contribution in this part of the research as lying specifically in the segment of examining the paths that enable a “translation” of scientific achievements into practice through the active participation of providers. At the same time this also facilitates the retroactive influence of practices. We therefore see our contribution also in the profile of interdisciplinary research. Developing a methodology appropriate to the assignment also belongs in this framework. We are contributing to the development of a current and critical glossary in the field of education that should not overlook social, cultural and historical moves, which we are demonstrating in analysing fundamental concepts and conceptual systems, as well as the scientific results of international research. Meanwhile our results (in 2009 and 2010, the first two years of researching in this programming period in the more or less anticipated format) are providing new scientific findings on education, and are facilitating an overhauled approach to understanding and interpreting models of education. Modern educational sciences are also revealing the sense of symbolic and communicative functioning. We are attempting (including through an eclectic approach) to monitor theoretically the often unexpected and “extra-conceptual” influence-based change in the field of education in a non-paradigmatic manner – even where this involves the use of quantitative methods, since quantitative indicators need to be evaluated through non-parametrical statistical methods. By studying the epistemological framework of large international data captures and their enhancement for instance through research in the area of what is around the world scientifically legitimate and increasingly incisive women’s studies or gender studies, which is based on the confrontation of hierarchical models of creating and distributing values, we have contributed directly to the deconstruction of the ideological foundation for the explanation of differences in the achievements of boys and girls. This is tied to pre-existing positions regarding the “nature of gender”, which supports the idea that the interpretation of obtained data also follows that track.
Significance for the country
The competitiveness of the state is generally a cumulative result of the operation of complex mechanisms of reproduction and the economic uses of potentials based on the operation of these mechanisms. In the coming decades, the development of the Slovenian society will undoubtedly depend greatly on the effectiveness of its education system. Slovenia will globaly need to develop its own knowledge. In social sciences and social science education it will need to develop a special range of local knowledge, a reflection on itself and its role in Europe and the world. For this reason the significance of our programme is focused chiefly on the education system, which is involved in theoretical and empirical reflection in line with the significance of this system in the context of other social subsystems. In view of the character thus indicated, the education system can represent the innovative part of social, economic and cultural development without which neither tradition nor the cultural value patterns within it can survive, nor can society appropriately integrate to achieve its objectives. The creation of intercultural dialogue in schools also strengthens the central role of school as a learning organisation, which is and at the same time is not analogous to a company. Given the need for citizens to adapt constantly to changing conditions of economic rises and falls, it is important for teachers in schools to get students used to lifelong learning. Innovative knowledge and teacher training, as well as developing student competence, contribute to improving the work of employees through constant improvement of quality in education and the employability of young and older people. The issue of forming citizens and a democratic culture, trust and social capital are key issues for modern societies. These questions tend not to be answered properly. By designing high-quality programmes and conditions for the equal involvement of marginal groups in education, we can resolve in the long term the problems of lack of education and the associated unemployment among such groups. The quality of the learning process and teaching remains one of the main objectives in the area of education, and something that should contribute to this is an adequately set out process of “in service” lifelong learning for educators and teachers. Linking up with international (research and other) organisations in fulfilling the programme enables on the one hand promotion, and on the other hand access to the latest discoveries in research fields. The results of researching the envisaged topics in the field of philosophy of education, media education, civic education and museum pedagogy are contributing to modern cultural development and to preserving cultural heritage and identity, while the presentation of research achievements at international scientific conferences is contributing to the promotion of the country. By its very definition it is clear that the indirect and direct effects of the programme are visible in the sphere of competence of the Ministry of Education and Sport, and partly also of other ministries (labour, foreign affairs culture and so on), and often also in that of local communities, which are affected by the consequences of researching social reproduction. We are also transferring the acquired scientific experience into a conceptualisation of new Bologna programmes of the first, second and third level, and have therefore helped experts in the field of preschool education in Slovenia to make progress in education in their field. Part of the programme that is geared towards a discursive and historical analysis may have political importance, since it contributes to opening up public debate about Europe and the common European future as something that is not predetermined, something that needs to be adjusted to as something open for civic participation, for differing views and political agendas, and of course educational goals and concepts.
Audiovisual sources (1)
| no. |
Title (with video link) |
Event |
Source |
| 1. |
Educational Research |
Promotional video of research programme on Videolectures |
Research programme video presentation
|
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
