Projects / Programmes
Research on learning and teaching in contemporary society
January 1, 2013
- December 31, 2016
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.01.01 |
Social sciences |
Educational studies |
Pedagogy |
| 5.01.03 |
Social sciences |
Educational studies |
Special didactics |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S272 |
Social sciences |
Teacher education |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.03 |
Social Sciences |
Educational sciences |
Researchers (19)
Organisations (5)
Abstract
Members of the programme group shall examine the factors of quality teaching and learning in contemporary society. In the next period of operation the programme group shall focus on the following subject areas: (1) analysis of the key factors in lesson planning which significantly influence the quality and sustainability of the acquired knowledge; (2) teaching and learning science and mathematics, and (3) the abilities and qualifications of teachers and other education practitioners for planning, implementing and evaluating the education process.
The proposed research will focus on conceptualization and development of the model of indicators for evaluating and assuring the quality of lessons. Based on the findings of the conducted empirical research (qualitative and quantitative), we will propose the guidelines for the design model of lessons, providing for the quality and sustainable knowledge acquisition of pupils. We will also focus on teaching science and mathematics, and study the effect of different learning approaches on science and math knowledge of pupils and their motivation for these subject areas. The aim of the research will be the designed, optimized and evaluated model of teaching science and mathematics through the integration of learning strategies that promote participatory and individual learning, supported by effective visualization tools.
As modern society challenges education practitioners to attend to more and more tasks (such as management of information and communication technology, care for people with special needs and for gifted students, integration, differentiation, development of multicultural environment, evaluating own work, etc..), the programme group shall study their qualifications, in particular for establishing and assuring the quality of their work and to work with gifted students. The goal of the research is to provide the conceptual design and professional framework, which will contribute to the quality of the implementation of self-evaluation surveys, and, consequently, to raising the operational and organizational quality and effectiveness and will have positive impact on all aspects of life and work in an educational institution.
One of the fundamental objectives of the project will also be to examine the different elements of teacher education provided for the gifted pupils and to create a model of performance indicators for the purpose of monitoring, evaluation and development of optimization. The model which we shall create during the research will be innovative, meaningful and useful contribution to the quality of the education provided for the gifted population.
Teaching is a complex process and involves different subject matter. For this reason the project group was established in line with the interdisciplinary principles, i.e. the researchers cover the following disciplines: pedagogy, didactics, psychology, sociology, special didactics of Slovene, mathematics, chemistry, arts, etc.
Significance for science
The programme group members engage in activities primarily contributing to the development of social sciences, particularly to the development of pedagogical and psychological science, as well as the teacher education science. We analyze the basic elements of teaching, which significantly affect the quality and sustainability of the acquired knowledge of pupils and students, and conceptualize and develop the indicator models of evaluation and provision of quality teaching. We contribute to the development of special didactics of mathematics and science. We examine the impacts of various teaching approaches on the acquisition of science and math knowledge and students motivation for these areas, and based on the findings we develop and evaluate a model of science and mathematics teaching at all levels of education through the integration of learning strategies that promote participatory and individual learning, supported by effective visualization tools. For good education high-quality education of teachers and other education practitioners is of fundamental importance, of which the members of the programme group are well aware, so we positively influence teacher education with the respective research, as well. Based on the synthesis of the research questions about the factors of contemporary education we create a model of efficient undergraduate and postgraduate teacher education, particularly as regards establishing and assuring quality, conducting research into self-evaluation and work with gifted children. The content is part of the context of globalisation and integration processes occurring all over the world, and also relates to a series of European documents on teacher education (the Lisbon Strategy, the European Network on Teacher Education Policies document, the European Commission’s document titled Common European Principles for Teacher Competences and Qualifications, the Tuning project etc.). Separate findings of the conducted empirical research shall be linked, and the strength of relationship between variables shall be defined, which will affect the reflection on the strength of mechanisms to improve the educational achievements of our pupils and students and to allow for proposing the solutions to increase the quality of the education system in Slovenia and elsewhere.
Significance for the country
It is crucial for Slovenia to follow international trends in educational policies and to reform its national education system accordingly in a quality and well thought-out manner. It is very important that Slovenia does not adopt foreign models uncritically – our country should take into account its own teaching tradition and assume a reflective stance towards it. Reform interventions into the education system can only be effective when adapted to Slovene national specificity and identity. The content is part of the context of globalisation and integration processes occurring all over the world. It relates to the reform of the Slovene primary and secondary education and is in line with all the projects and evaluation studies financed by the State with a view to evaluating changes in education. Content wise, the programme also refers to a series of European documents relating to teacher education (the Lisbon Strategy, the European Network on Teacher Education Policies document, the European Commission’s document titled Common European Principles for Teacher Competences and Qualifications, the Tuning project etc.). The findings of empirical research contribute to improving the quality operation of educational institutions and to better qualified professionals in education. The socio-economic development of Slovenia will be promoted by designing and evaluating the models of lessons, which will provide for the students’ quality and sustained knowledge, by creating the indicators for evaluating and assuring the quality teaching, by creating a model of teaching the science and mathematics at all levels of education through the integration of learning strategies, that will foster participatory and individual learning, supported by effective visualization tools, by the development of conceptual designs and professional frameworks, that will contribute to the quality of carrying out the self-evaluation surveys, and consequently, to raising the operational and organizational quality and effectiveness and will have a positive impact on all aspects of life and operation of educational institutions, and by creating the model of teacher education of the gifted students. Guidelines on modern teaching approaches will be integrated into teacher education at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
