KEGA
Cultural and Educational Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic
2022 – 2024
Supporting the action research in the professional learning of teachers
Project Manager: Dr. Janka Ferencová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Prof. Emeritus Dr. Milan Portik, Ph.D., Dr. Nikoleta Izdenczyová, Ph.D., Dr. Monika Bobáková, Ph.D., Dr. Lucia Šepeľáková, Ph.D.. Dr. Erika Novotná, Ph.D., Dr. Monika Miňová, Ph.D.
Annotation: Contemporary schools and teachers face many challenges, which result from the current needs of the society and the perspectives of its development. Many of them specify and envisage the Recovery Plan for Education, according to which these should be truly reformatory changes in education. The key players will be the schools, teachers and other school staff. Practice shows that many efforts to change have failed due to the low level of support for teachers and other school staff, consequently their negative attitude to change, and lastly their unwillingness and low level of cooperation in finding justified solutions and implementing them as effective changes. There is no doubt that the changes in education in the Recovery Plan will also require teacher training. This project emphasizes less the formal education based on the transfer of information or assignments towards teachers, but instead stresses real professional learning based on experience, active research, experimentation, constant monitoring, reflection and evaluation, i.e. action research with a real impact on educational practice and student learning. At the theoretical level the aim of the project is to process the issue of action research as a form of professional learning at the individual and collective level, i.e. also as a form of professional learning community. At the level of practical application, it will be about finding out knowledge, attitudes, experiences of teachers with the action research and identifying the barriers to the action research. In mutual cooperation with schools, our intention is to continue with creating, implementing and non-experimental evaluating refresher education programs. Based on empirical research, we plan to create a modularly designed program of innovative education offered to support the development of competencies of teachers to implement action research in their own educational practice at individual and collective levels (as a strategy of mutual learning of teachers).
2021 – 2023
Golden Fund of Literature for Children and Youth (100 plus 1 best books for children - 100 plus 1 books for teenagers)
Project Manager: Dávid Dziak, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Iveta Gal Drzewiecka, Ph.D., Prof. Emeritus Dr. Zuzana Stanislavová, CSc., Adela Dúbravová, Ph.D.. rod. Mitrová, Dr. Alexandra Brestovičová, Ph.D., Danka Lešková, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Radoslav Rusňák, Ph.D., Slavomír Capek, Ph.D., Tomáš Telepák, Ph.D.
Annotation: Solving the project is related to the current social task to develop the reading and literary competencies of the contemporary young generation. High quality literature belongs to this process. Fulfilling this task is more challenging at present given the large number of books that are diverse in value, among which it is difficult to orientate oneself. In several writings that debate design and content, often uncritically supported and promoted by the mass media, the unquestionable artistic and aesthetic values of original and foreign modern literature are lost. Many outstanding works of our and the world’s classical cultural heritage are unjustly forgotten. The project is focused on the interpretation and information mediation of selected books for children and youth (teenagers) from original and world classical and modern (postmodern) works to young readers, parents and pedagogical workers. Theoretical analyses and interpretations of carefully selected literary works will be published through professional and scientific studies, book works, and at a scientific conference. Informative-evaluative annotations of books, including their image visualization, and a brief bio-bibliographic portrait of the author will be part of a glossary publication entitled Golden Fund of Literature for Children and Youth (100 plus 1 best books for children – 100 plus 1 best book for teenagers), which will be the final, main publication output of this project.
2021 – 2023
Development of supportive didactic materials for writing in primary education
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Martin Klimovič, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Radoslav Rusňák, Ph.D., Prof. Dr. Ľudmila Liptáková, Ph.D., prof. Dr. Iveta Kovalčíkova, Ph.D., Prof. Dr. Ľudmila Belásová, Ph.D., Dávid Dziak, Ph.D., Iveta Polák Čuchtová, Ph.D.
Annotation: The development of pupil’s communicative competence is one of the main goals in teaching Slovak language in primary education. Communicative competence of a pupil should be developed through enhancing the abilities for both text comprehension and text production. The submitted project is aimed at written text production in primary education.
The aim of the project is to develop and verify didactic materials (worksheets for pupils, methodology books for teachers) to support meaningful, authentic and expressive writing in primary education (from 2nd to 4th Grade). The set of methods, strategies and procedures scheduled to be developed within the project is intended as supplementary educational materials. Utilizing these materials during teaching improves pupils' cognitive and communicative abilities. Such improved abilities will boost pupils' expression through writing and enhance their reflection of their own process of writing. The project addresses the issue of unsystematic and the non-inductive approach to teaching writing in Slovakia, overemphasizing calligraphy and orthographic aspects of writing to the detriment of expressive qualities of the written product. One effect of which is that the pupil learns prematurely about the writing genres without appropriate procedural knowledge of the writing process. The typical writing task in school does not reflect communicative needs of pupils as a result of which their motivation to write is weak. The worksheets for pupils are intended to support the process of writing, while methodology books for teachers would outline the range and methods of working. The teachers’ books provide rationale for each activity and offer alternative tasks to target deficient linguistic competences in the pupil. The research team will co-operate with the teachers in primary education in order to pilot the developed materials. After piloting, the materials are intended to be published.
2021 – 2023
Augmented reality technology into the professional mathematical training of prospective teachers of elementary stage
Project Manager: Dr. Jana Hnatová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Marek Mokriš, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alena Prídavková, Ph.D., Dr. Edita Šimčíková, Ph.D., Blanka Tomková, Ph.D., Jakub Lipták, Ph.D.
Annotation: The project concentrates on the possibilities of incorporating the technology of augmented reality into selected mathematical disciplines of the master's study program Teaching for Primary Education within the creation of methodologically focused supporting study materials. The project aim is to integrate augmented reality technology into selected areas of pregraduate mathematical and methodological training of prospective teachers of elementary education. The outputs of the project will be processed and freely accessible to the general professional public. They will be found in the electronic course LMS MOODLE in a set of topics for the inclusion of augmented reality in education, of author-designed applets supporting augmented reality in selected topics of mathematical preparation, and of research team publications focused on the issue.
2019 – 2021
Incorporating musical activities into mathematical teacher training in the study program Pre-school and Elementary Education
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alena Prídavková, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Dr. Edita Šimčíková, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daniel Šimčí, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iveta Scholtzová, Ph.D., Dr. Jana Hnatová, Ph.D., Blanka Tomková, Ph.D., Anna Vašutová, Ph.D.
Annotation: The project is focused on the creation of musical learning resources for teaching mathematical disciplines in the Pre-school and Elementary Education study program. The main aim of the project is to implement new educational methods and forms into mathematical teacher training for future pre-primary and primary education using the electronic courses in LMS MOODLE. An electronic course with a set of musical activities for mathematical education and an educational textbook will be the output of the project.
2019 – 2021
Improving the quality of e-learning by creating and implementing interactive tutorials as an effective means of integrated teaching
Project Manager: Prof. M. Sc. Jana Burgerová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Renáta Bernátová, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alica Petrasová, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iveta Scholtzová, Ph.D., Vladimír Piskura, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Peter Beisetzer, Ph.D. (FHPV PU)
Annotation: Education of a future primary teacher is influenced by innovation-related technology trends. Pedagogical faculties have long been looking for alternative methods and forms of learning that would lead to more effective learning - greater understanding of learning, transformation of information into knowledge, subjective student well-being, higher objectivity, consideration of individualities and the specifics of the learner. One of the alternative paths is to offer e-learning as a modern form and method of teaching, using just the potential that elementary learning does not provide - self-study, learning at the right time for the learner, the possibility of repeating a part of the learning process, etc. Just in "refining" e-learning courses as a blended learning form of the learning process, we see a way of better understanding. The project builds on the previous ones in which we have solved the structure of e-learning courses, cooperative and communication tools, and now we plan to focus on audiovisual tutorials. As in real-life scenarios, these simple tutorials replace long text or presentation documents. The project deals with the creation of tutorials in general and in selected didactics of primary education subjects. The outcome of the project will also be an electronic textbook summarising the knowledge in a university study.
2018 – 2020
Environmental education for preschool and elementary education - university textbook
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jan Kancír, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Dr. Monika Miňová, Ph.D., J. Terek, Vladimír Fedorko, Ph.D., Hedviga Hafičová, Ph.D., A. Madziková, Ph.D., M. Adamkovičová, Ph.D., Silvia Bratková, Ph.D.
Annotation: The project focuses on the issue of environmental education (ENV) under the conditions of the current education system in Slovakia. We focus mainly on the need to improve the preparation of preprimary and primary education teachers for the implementation of ENV. Environmental education is understood as an organic component of education at maternity, elementary and secondary schools. It is generally accepted that the well-functioning education system is built on a well-prepared teacher. In the field of education, it is important to recognize that the concept of environmental education and education, was approved by Government Resolution no. 846/1997 on 25 November 1997. In 2015, the Concept of Environmental Education was to be published by 2025. The main objective of the concept is to create a functioning integrated system of environmental education, focusing on the main target groups and using innovative instruments while preserving the principles of sustainable development. The interdisciplinary nature of environmentalism predetermines the predominant inclusion of environmental education in schools. The integrated nature of teaching also requires adequate teacher training. From the objectives, content, and standards of environmental education, the content and focus of teacher education should also be developed. The aim of the project is to contribute to the achievement of the overall objectives in the field of ENV. Very questionable is its implementation at schools. Based on a thorough analysis of the current situation in the implementation of ENV both in our country and abroad, the team of collectors elaborates on the content and performance standards for kindergarten and elementary school. Up to now, these standards are absent on a national scale. Through the content analysis of the available ENV textbooks for teachers (both in Slovakia and abroad), we will create the concept of the ENV university textbook. After testing its applicability, we will process a comprehensive ENV school textbook for pre-primary and primary education (print and electronic version). The textbook will be supplemented with methodological materials based on the didactic elaboration of specific topics of the ENV curriculum framework (educational activities, experiments, didactic games, dramatization, educational projects for outdoor learning, excursions, PowerPoint presentations, ecostories and eco-fairy tales, visualization...). Part of the project will also include the publication outputs associated with the implementation of the individual stages of the project solution.
2018 – 2020
Artistic Portrayal of Loss, Death and Pain in Literature for Children and Young Adults
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Radoslav Rusňák, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Danka Lešková, Ph.D., T. Bachurová, Ph.D., J. Lukáč, Ph.D.
Annotation: The topic of loss, death and pain within literature for children and young adults is significantly marginalized. Its tabooing comes from the mistaken and socially acceptable idea that the topic of a death, loss, and pain in a child’s world is hurtful, traumatizing, and does not belong in the educational process. The aim of the project is to elaborate on two supplemental learning sources for primary school teachers, i.e. university textbook and multimedia DVD. The university textbook will offer innovative educational concepts about the taboo topics within the context of the primary school level (while respecting the latest knowledge in the area of education on death and dying); the multimedia DVD will be a learning module offering structured, audio-visual and didactic comments from educational lessons in a form of practical examples. Learning materials have an effort to fill up a vacuum, which has occurred in the educational space of primary education as the result of long-term tabooing and marginalization of the topics of loss, death and pain within education of literary- educational disciplines. The starting point for the creation of learning resources will be, in addition to the latest knowledge in the professional discourse, artistically convincing literary text from the authors of translated Slovak, Czech and world literature for children and young adults. These literary items express loss, death and pain thematized in an artistically authentic portrayal, while respecting the aspect of the child. Simultaneously, the project intends to introduce teachers with the possibilities of didactically qualified implementation of such an unusual topic in the education of literary-educational disciplines. The concept needs to focus on a maturing child's personality, opened to the teachers of primary education yet has been ignored communication at the same time.
2017 – 2019
The possibilities of using sound and voice quality for oral stimulation of students in educational and therapeutic process.
Project Manager: Dr. Janka Ferencová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zuzana Sláviková, Ph.D., Dr. J. Hudáková, Ph.D. (FF PU), P. Harčaríková
Annotation: The present project is focused on the possibility of auditory stimulation of students, young and old, to develop their speech skills and vocal qualities. It is believed that this is an effective means to stimulate their fundamental psychosomatic variability. The aim of the project is twofold 1) a theoretical reflection and 2) processing of selected aspects of research problems, experimental verification of aural stimulation by Dr. Johansen with specific sound and vocal interventions. Those practices can directly affect the establishment and creation of new neural pathways in the brain, which has a major impact on the state of mental well-being and relaxation, self-assessment, a better ability to concentrate, ability to emotional self-expression, the process of socialization and so on. Statistical and qualitative analysis and subsequent synthesis of theory and research findings will be reflected in the processing of the reflected interdisciplinary scientific fields. Project outcomes include research papers published in peer-reviewed scientific proceedings, peer-reviewed scientific journals, a CD with audio and voice recordings of alternative techniques for vocal and aural stimulation and scientific monograph for the wider public.
2017 – 2019
Integrated Didactics of Music Education- textbook formation, the innovation of the content and subject teaching
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. B. Balcárová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. D. Šimčík, Ph.D., M. Dzurilla, Ph.D., Ľ. Šimčík, Ph.D.
Annotation: Music Pedagogy as a scientific discipline, enshrined in the penetration of musicology and pedagogy, is constituted in new dimensions reflecting changes after Slovakia joined the European Union. These facts must be translated into several levels, mainly in the individual scientific disciplines. It means that new facts should have their reflection in the innovation of study programs and teaching subjects in the education of primary school teachers. It is necessary to implement integrative musical models in the musical subjects, particularly in Didactics of Music Education, which is an important means of the competence formation of an integrative and creative music teacher. These factors will affect on the one hand, the definition of integrative music education, setting its new paradigm and related innovation of Didactics of Music Education ́s content; on the other hand, the factors require the application of integrative aspects in live teaching practice. The given issue is not the subject of special research in Slovakia, so it is therefore necessary to provide students with complex information in this area. The created textbook will not only be a teaching aid for students of the departments of education, but also for primary school and primary art school teachers.
2015 – 2017
Application of cooperation and communication tools in e-learning courses for teachers of primary education
Project Manager: Prof. M. Sc. Jana Burgerová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iveta Scholtzová, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Marek Mokriš, Ph.D., M. Adamkovičová, Ph.D., V. Piskura, Ph.D.
Annotation: Preparation of primary education teachers at faculties of education is influenced by innovative trends related to technologies. As an alternative or supporting method using internet technologies, e-learning has become popular at universities, not excluding conditions in Slovakia. Special categories in e-learning are communication and cooperation tools, which are in comparison with traditional education, absent. The aim of the project presented is to elaborate the problem of cooperation and communication regarding tools offered on LMS, to prepare pilot courses with a focus on communication and cooperation aspects of education, prepare methodology of creation of the system courses, and offer it to teachers using e-learning. A project with this focus could benefit faculties by offering long-life learning to primary school teachers or teachers in general; its ambition is to establish MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) in conditions of Slovak faculties of education.
2015 – 2017
Creating learning resources for mathematical elementary teacher training in a foreign language
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alena Prídavková, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Blanka Tomková, Ph.D., Dr. Edita Šimčíková, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Marek Mokriš, Ph.D., A. Vašutová, Ph.D., Juraj Kresila, Ph.D., J. Kojnoková, Ph.D., R. Iždinská, Ph.D.
Annotation: The project is oriented to the creation of English teaching resources for mathematical teacher training disciplines in Pre-school and Elementary Education. The project aim is the creation of texts, presentations, worksheets and power-point presentations, diagnostic materials in Slovak and English. Teaching resources will be developed for foreign students studying at the faculty within the Erasmus program. The materials will be useful in teaching mathematical disciplines in groups of Slovak students with extended teaching of the English language. Selected topics of elementary mathematics teaching will be included to the learning process by CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) method. The result of the project will be a set of English learning resources created in the environment of LMS MOODLE in the form of e-learning courses. One of the project results will be a dictionary (on CD) of basic elementary mathematical and didactic terms in several versions: English, German, Polish, Russian, Czech, French.
2014 – 2016
Development and application of primary drug prevention programs for Romany children
Project Manager: Prof. Dr. Jozef Liba, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alica Petrasová, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Renáta Bernátová, Ph.D., Hedviga Hafičová, Ph.D., . Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jan Kancír, Ph.D., Z. Nováková, Ph.D.
Annotation: The available theoretical knowledge and practical experiences enable us to identify several adverse health-related parameters in a considerable part of the Romany population. Given their social and cultural characteristics and adverse life conditions the Romany population has been identified with multiple social-pathological phenomena. This is related to heavy drug-addiction (alcohol, tobacco, solvents) in primary school children which has been a serious and highly negative parameter for many years now. The consequences of social, cultural, educational and linguistic incompatibility of Romanies are reflected in their otherness. This has been manifested in a perception or an attitude toward drugs as a standard part of life. No doubt, Romany children have identified themselves with the stereotypes and standards of their community. This factor imposes limits upon the acceptance of social regulatory rules and health standards. It has led to dysfunctional strategies of family education manifested in maladjustment parameters of Romany children and youth. These problems can only be addressed by a systematic and targeted approach reflecting different and specific education requirements of Romany children. A key position in this process must be assigned to the school. Its ability to obtain information and capacity to modify its formation is a necessary precondition for addressing many problems of the Romanies. Modifications and innovations of various primary prevention strategies and approaches to school education, development and verification of supportive pro-health programs that accent and reflect the idiosyncrasies of Romany children can improve the effectiveness of the school. The school can be an educational institution that guarantees the process of generation, observation and reproduction of the desired health-related values and rules. The primary drug prevention programs identify a significant potential of school education in preventing social-pathological phenomena.
2014 – 2016
Quality improvement of undergraduate training for special education teachers in the context of innovative trends in theory and practice
Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bibiána Hlebová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Dr. S. Lištiak Mandzáková, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. L. Horňák, Ph.D., prof. Dr. M. Podhájecká, Ph.D., I. Šebeňová, L. Hrebeňárová, K. Košalová, V. Palková, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tatiana Dubayová, Ph.D., Jarmila Žolnová, Ph.D., T. Čekanová, Jana Kožárová, Ph.D., J. Ďorďovičová-Sopková, A. Semanová, Ph.D.
Annotation: The aim of the project is to improve undergraduate university training for special education teachers in accredited study programs: education of persons with intellectual disabilities and education of persons with psycho-social disturbances. The improvement will be framed within the context of their professional and subject-didactical competences focusing on the personality of pupils with special educational needs in the process of integrated and inclusive education at elementary schools. This project will include selected innovative trends from special-education theory and practice into the body of primary special-education and special subject-didactical literature (university textbooks, university instructional texts). This literature will apply a transdisciplinary, comprehensive, interactive, integrated, inclusive and multimedia approach considered to be the main resource for the quality improvement. At the praxeological level, outcome of the project will be a design of selected innovative trends and concepts implemented into the process of integrated and inclusive education of pupils with special education needs at elementary schools.
2014 – 2015
Processes underlying the (re)construction of pre-concepts in pupils from marginalized Roma communities as the means of attitudinal changes in the domain of scholastic discourse
Project Manager: Dr. Monika Miňová, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Prof. Emeritus Dr. Milan Portik, Ph.D., Dr. Monika Bobáková, Ph.D., Dr. Lucia Šepeľáková, Ph.D.
Annotation: The aim of the project is the analysis of children’s pre- concepts in Roma pre-primary and primary education in the domain of scholastic discourse. Stress is put on the issue of the sociocultural environment which is a salient determinant of attitudinal orientation and values of an individual in each population. The goal is to point out the processes that underly the (re)construction of children’s pre- concepts concerning school and the individual elements of the scholastic environment. In addition, we will examine the correlation of the processes with attitudinal conceptualizations of pupils stemming from marginalized Roma communities towards the school system. The intention is to map the pre-concepts of pupils from marginalized Roma communities in relation whether they attend preschool, or zero grade, respectively. Based on the research findings, the aim is to create and validate a relevant diagnostic tool that would be used to assess the level of positive attitudes and values in the domain of scholastic discourse, as well as to create a stimulation program striving to reinforce the positive interpretations of scholastic discourse.
2013 – 2015
Interdisciplinary Proposal and Application of Educational Programs for Children with Problem Behavior
Project Manager: prof. Dr. M. Podhájecká, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Jarmila Žolnová, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bibiána Hlebová, Ph.D., T. Čekanová, J. Štvartáková, Prof. Dr. Ľudmila Belásová, Ph.D., Vladimír Fedorko, Ph.D.
Annotation: The aim of the project is to scrutinize theoretical and methodological assumptions and applied documents focused on children with problem behavior, with the intention to create a modified educational program for children with problem behavior. This will be accomplished by using interdisciplinary synergies, active cooperation and the development of a knowledge-based approach. Teaching staff in nursery schools and parents are an important component of the education and socialization of children with problem behavior. These mentors can be beneficial or detrimental to the perception and assessment of the child and his peers. The early detection of children’s problems and the advent of professional interventions can help prevent the development of socio-pathological phenomena as well as emotional problems.
2013 – 2015
SONGS FOR CHILDREN AND THE WHOLE FAMILY. Updating the song material for pre-school, primary education, and leisure activities.
Project Manager: Assoc. prof. Dr. D. Šimčík, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Dr. A. Derevjaníková, Ph.D., M. Dzurilla, Ph.D., Ľ. Šimčík, Ph.D., T. Bachurová, Ph.D.
Annotation: The project aims to update and innovate the song material for pre-primary and primary education, and leisure activities for preschool and school age children. The collection contains folk songs for children from the region of Eastern Slovakia, composed children's songs, and songs for children by members of the research team. The initial part of the volume will consist of educational instructions for song material and its possible use in music education and leisure activities for preschool and school age children. A special part of the volume is devoted to songs of nations and nationalities. In addition to music and lyrics, the collection will include an audio CD with recordings of all the songs. Recordings will be available in two forms: Instructive example of songs with instrumental accompaniment and instrumental accompaniment without singing.
2012 – 2014
Encyclopaedia of language for children
Project Manager: Prof. Dr. Ľudmila Liptáková, Ph.D.
Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Martin Klimovič, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Katarína Vužňáková, Ph.D., E. Gogová, Ph.D., (Krištanová), I. Gal Drzewiecka, Ph.D., D. Lešková, Ph.D., D. Cibáková, Ľ. Sičáková
Annotation: The project is focused on the development of language, cognitive, metalinguistic and metacognitive abilities of primary school children. The aim of the project is to create the encyclopaedia of language for children as a complementary textbook to Slovak language teaching/learning in primary school. The explanation of linguistic concepts will support children`s active approach to knowledge construction acquisition. The entries in the encyclopaedia will be structured in order to develop communicative skills, as well as cognitive and metacognitive strategies by processing scientific data. As starting-points for the entries corpora processing the outcomes of theoretical and empirical research of the conceptual, project, and implemented curriculum are applied: above all the topical linguistic context, the principles of cognitive and speech development of primary school child, especially child`s preconceptions, didactic principles of the cognitive-communicative approach in mother tongue education, as well as the contemporary state in curriculum and instruction of Slovak language textbooks for primary school.