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The use of information and communication technologies in lower secondary schools

Wykorzystanie technologii informacyjno-komunikacyjnych w gimnazjach

Author(s): Małgorzata Kłobuszewska,Magdalena Rokicka / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2016

Keywords: economics of education; school infrastructure; use of ICT; teachers

The school infrastructure in Poland, especially related to use of information and communication technologies (ICT) constantly improves, however the question remains whether this improved access translates into more frequent use of interactive whiteboards (IWB) at schools? The aim of this paper is to analyse the school and teachers’ characteristics related to the frequency of IWB use in school. The growing popularity of this device, as well as the large possibility of its application led us to reflect on whether there is a variation in the use of this equipment among lower secondary schools in nine studied counties and what the main drivers of the IWB usage are. The use of IWB is analysed from the students’ perspective, based on data collected in the project A study on the economic determinants for objectives and guidelines on allocation of private and public education spending in Poland (BECKER) with additional use of data from Education Information System and Local Data Bank. Results of our analysis indicate that frequency of interactive whiteboards usage is related to the size and quality of ICT infrastructure in school. We also find that teachers’ characteristics and the incentive system in school play an important role in explaining the use of ICT at classroom, additionally these characteristics explain part of the between school variation in use of ICT in studied counties.

Reading skills of lower secondary school students

Umiejętności gimnazjalistów w zakresie odbioru tekstów

Author(s): Agnieszka Rypel / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2016

Keywords: didactics of language; efficiency of education; reading; linguistic awareness

The aim of the article is to point out deficiencies in teaching reading in lower secondary schools inferred from results of the achievement test administered in 60 random schools from six voivodships. The analysis of the results rests on the assumption that reading is composed of several linguistic, psychological and cultural operations. The article is focused on the acquisition of vocabulary and the impact of linguistic and genetic awareness on the perception of written texts. The development of these components is particularly important in the era of orality and visuality domination.

Psychology myths among psychology students

Mity psychologiczne wśród studentów psychologii

Author(s): Joachim Kowalski,Piotr Litwin,Daniel Pankowski,Anna Cierpka / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2016

Keywords: psychology; psychology studies; psychology myth; naive science; misconceptions

A psychology myth is a belief concerning the psyche or behaviour that is contradictory to accessible scientific knowledge. This issue is especially important in reference to human behavior specialists (i.e. psychologists, psychotherapists) or students of such disciplines. There are no studies concerning this issue in Polish literature, which inspired the authors to analyse the dissemination of such myths among psychology students. 241 psychology students participated in the study. They were asked to determine the veracity of a given statement, the degree of certainty and eventually, to name the source of their knowledge on the given issue. Results show a high degree of the dissemination of psychology myths among psychology students, with little difference between first year and last year students. This may indicate a need to supplement psychology study programmes and serves as evidence of the persistence of psychology myths.

Labour market perspective on the quality of vocational education in Poland

Ocena jakości polskiego systemu kształcenia zawodowego z perspektywy potrzeb rynku pracy

Author(s): Maciej Lis,Agata Miazga / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: economics of education;vocational education;quality of education;labour market situation of graduates;

Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu podsumowanie kluczowych zmian sytuacji absolwentów szkół zawodowych wchodzących na rynek pracy w Polsce w ostatnich 20 latach na tle sytuacji absolwentów innych rodzajów szkół oraz na tle międzynarodowym. Z wykorzystaniem statystycznej analizy danych pochodzących z Badania aktywności ekonomicznej ludności (BAEL) oraz Międzynarodowego badania kompetencji osób dorosłych (PIAAC) przedstawiono ewolucję sytuacji absolwentów szkolnictwa zawodowego pod względem ich liczebności, zatrudnienia, płac oraz umiejętności. Zaobserwowano, że silny spadek liczby uczniów w ostatnich 20 latach dotyczył zasadniczych szkół zawodowych, a nie techników. Autorzy bronią tezy, że to nie spadek liczby uczniów szkół zawodowych, ale silne mechanizmy negatywnej selekcji, niska efektywność nabywania podstawowych umiejętności oraz zbyt wolne dopasowywanie się do zmian strukturalnych gospodarki są największymi wyzwaniami stojącymi przed szkolnictwem zawodowym. Wskazano, dlaczego kluczowym czynnikiem sukcesu szkół zawodowych powinno być kształtowanie umiejętności ogólnych, a także dlaczego rozszerzenie systemu dualnego nie rozwiąże najważniejszych bolączek kształcenia zawodowego. *** The aim of this article is to s summarise the evolution of labour market situation of vocational education graduates the last 20 years in Poland. With the use of statistical analysis of LFS and PIAAC data we present the main changes in the situation of vocational education graduates in respect of their quantity, employment status, wages and skills. The number of students has decreased sharply in the last 20 years at basic vocational schools rather than in technical secondary schools. Our results support the thesis that the main challenges facing vocational education in Poland is not the decline in number of students, but a strong negative selection mechanisms, low efficiency of acquiring the basic skills and too slow adaptation of vocational education to the structural changes of the economy. Therefore, we show why the key success factor of vocational education consist in developing basic skills. Introduction of German model of dual education system is unlikely to solve the most important problems of Polish vocational education.

Vocational education, flexible employment and lifelong learning

Wykształcenie zawodowe, elastyczne zatrudnienie a podnoszenie swoich kwalifikacji

Author(s): Iga Magda / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: flexible employment; skills upgrading; life long learning; vocational education; non-formal education

This paper investigates workers who obtained vocational education for the link between job flexibility and lifelong learning. Using data from the Determinants of Educational Decisions – Household Panel Survey carried out in Poland in 2013–2014, various non-standard contractual arrangements were analysed, including temporary and part time jobs, as well as various types of work contract. It was shown that for workers with vocational skills, the relationship between flexibility of job arrangements and training was complex. It varied depending not only on the type of job contract, but also on a worker’s age and gender. Types of workers who benefitted the most from flexible job arrangements with regard to educational activities were identified.

Educational and vocational plans and dimensions of identity development of students in the last year of upper secondary schools

Plany edukacyjne i zawodowe uczniów ostatnich klas szkół ponadgimnazjalnych a wymiary rozwoju ich tożsamości

Author(s): Anna Brzezińska,Małgorzata Rękosiewicz,Konrad Piotrowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

This study analysed the relationship of educational and vocational plans and dimensions of identity deve-lopment, of students in the last year of upper secondary school. The study was conducted in semester I of 2014/2015. 585 students participated from three types of school: basic vocational schools (n = 74), vocational upper secondary schools (n = 186) and general upper secondary schools (n = 325). Two questionnaires were used in this study: the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale – DIDS/PL and a short questionnaire on educational and vocational plans. The results showed that individuals with no further educational plans had a lower level of ruminative exploration and higher level of commitment making than other students and higher level of identification with commitment than those, who had not made any decision yet. Students who had decided to start a full-time work after graduating secondary school had a lower level of exploration in breadth than students who had not any vocational plans as well as they had a lower level of ruminative exploration and a higher level of identification with commitment than the others. An interaction effect of school type and educational/vocation plans, in the process of identity formation was not observed.

Lower secondary Polish language classes in the context of patriotism

Patriotyzm na lekcjach języka polskiego w gimnazjum

Author(s): Agnieszka Kania / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: Polish language; literature teaching; lower secondary school; patriotism; values

One of the many issues approached by the project Teaching Polish language and literature in lower secondary school in the context of the new core curriculum has become the comprehension of the concept of patriotism, when broached as a subject during Polish language classes and how it is perceived by students and teachers. The article first reports results from quantitative research, which formed the foundation for qualitative analysis of interviews with teachers and then students (second part), in terms of prevalent opinion and attitudes towards patriotic values. Opinions and attitudes were varied, with origins in literature education and the personal beliefs of teachers. The third part of the study investigated opinion from both sides of the educational process on two readings, considered essential to demonstrate patriotic content – Krzyżacy and Kamienie na szaniec. The conclusions are summarised with suggestions for application in teaching.

Learned helplessness as a mediator between stereotype threat and girls’ grades in mathematics

Zagrożenie stereotypem, bezradność intelektualna a oceny szkolne dziewcząt z matematyki

Author(s): Sylwia Bedyńska,Piotr Rycielski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: learned helplessness; grades, mathematics; stereotype threat

Stereotype threat is a situational phenomenon that arises during ability testing, when a negative stereotype about in-group ability is activated. This leads to stereotypical content assimilation and impairs task performance. The present study investigated the relation of stereotype threat experienced during mathematics lessons and mathematics achievement, as measured by school grades. Further, review of the literature about similarities between discrimination and learned helplessness indicated that learned helplessness acted as an important mediator between stereotype threat and school achievement. The results confirmed that learned helplessness mediated the relation between stereotype threat experience and mathematical achievement.

Predictive validity of admission points from results of the Matura exam. The University of Warsaw example

Wartość prognostyczna wyników rekrutacyjnych dla powodzenia w studiowaniu

Author(s): Tomasz Zając / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: matura exam; admission points; university admission; predictive validity

Since 2005, the results of the Matura exam have been the primary criterion for evaluation of applicants for admission to first cycle studies at university. However, as yet, the exam has not so far been assessed as an indicator for academic success. The main purpose of this paper was to evaluate the predictive validity of admission points, which are a function of the results of the Matura exam. The study is based on administrative data exported from administrative registers of the University of Warsaw. For the vast majority of degree courses, there was virtually no correlation between admission points and academic success. From this it can be inferred at least, that at the University of Warsaw, admission points based on the Matura exam are not a good indicator for future academic success.

Attitudes of students towards the past and Polish history of the 20th century

Postawy uczniów szkół ponadgimnazjalnych wobec przeszłości i historii Polski XX w.

Author(s): Krzysztof Malicki,Krzysztof Piróg / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2016

Keywords: sociology; collective memory; attitudes towards history; historical consciousness

This article presents two models for conducting sociological research on attitudes towards history, with a brief discussion on the results of a survey conducted in 2015 on a sample of 3744 students of upper secondary schools. The first model is based on the concept of collective memory, its functionality and viability. It relates to a typology of attitudes based on the experience of history in everyday life (the so-called antiquary, historical and monumental dimensions). This typology is enriched with the idea of family, local and national levels. The second model is the structural definition of attitudes, popularized in Poland by Stefan Nowak, founded on three components of attitudes (affective, cognitive and behavioral).

The dynamics of diversity in rural lower secondary schools

Zróżnicowanie środowiskowe a wyniki edukacyjne gimnazjów wiejskich: studia przypadków w ujęciu dynamicznym

Author(s): Jarosław Domalewski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: lower secondary school; community inequalities; local community

This article analyses the significance of the environment for the functioning of rural lower secondary schools in connection with educational achievements and the future educational plans of youth living in rural areas. This issue is discussed from the perspective of the changes occurring in Poland. Two levels of analysis were performed: dynamic (comparing results from 2002 and 2011) and environmental (an analysis of data from studies on rural lower secondary schools found in developmentally diverse types of communes: suburban, post-state farm and agricultural). The results showed that both educational skills as well as the educational plans and aspirations of rural lower secondary school pupils are to a great extent independent of environmental conditionings. The high results attained by lower secondary schools in their functioning was found to be their long-term achievement, especially in agricultural communes.

Parents’ engagement into education of lower secondary school students with and without the special educational needs – which stategies bring expected results?

Rodzicielskie zaangażowanie w naukę gimnazjalistów sprawnych i ze specjalnymi potrzebami edukacyjnymi

Author(s): Grzegorz Szumski,Maciej Karwowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: special educational needs; parental’ engagement; academic achievement; lower secondary school

This article reports analysis of approaches to engagement by parents of lower secondary school students, with and without special educational needs, as well as their effect on school achievement. Analysis of results from almost 1,5 thousand of Polish lower secondary school students, including almost 300 students statemented as SEN, showed that parents in both groups varied in their strategies to help their children. Parents of students with SEN more often directly helped their children with homework, although this strategy negatively correlated with school achievement for both groups. The results opposed the widely held claim that students with SEN require alternative types of parental support. These findings may, therefore, demonstrate a practical role for the shaping of parental and teacher’ belief about the most efficient means to improved achievement for lower secondary school students.

Learning strategies and reading performance: PISA 2009 results for Poland

Learning strategies and reading performance: PISA 2009 results for Poland

Author(s): Marek Muszyński,Maciej Jakubowski / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2015

Keywords: education; cognitive psychology; metacognitive strategies; PISA data; reading

Reading is often central to educational research since its mastery is usually considered a prerequisite and vital to wider study. Reading gaps, however, are frequently reported, not only between countries, but also nationally, (e.g., between boys and girls or students with different socio-economic backgrounds). This paper focuses on effective learning strategies that can help narrow those gaps. For new insight into the effectiveness of various reading strategies, the PISA 2009 data for Poland were analysed. The intention was to study association between different strategies and reading performance and its relation to gender, socio-economic background and reading achievement level. Using linear regression and quantile regression models, some strategies, e.g. summarising, were identified as more effective and others were even counter-productive, e.g. memorisation. The observed effects varied between performance levels and according to gender, especially for strategies negatively associated with performance. This evidence suggests that although some strategies may be of equal benefit to all learners, others are potentially harmful to certain groups of students.

Sex differences in guessing and item omission

Sex differences in guessing and item omission

Author(s): Karolina Świst,Paulina Skórska,Maciej Koniewski,Aleksandra Jasińska-Maciążek / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2015

Keywords: sex differences; guessing; item omission; c-DIF

Guessing and item omission may be regarded as risk-taking or risk-avoidance strategies – sex specific adaptations to testing situations. In this article, these phenomena were analysed by (a) percentage of omissions by sex, (b) negative binomial regression to asses sex differences in the number of omissions, (c) c-DIF analysis using IRT-LR test and (d) linear regression using item attributes, to assess whether the c-parameter is sex differentiated by the percentage of omits (controlling item difficulty). The data set analysed were from the 2012–2014 Polish lower-secondary schools final exams, comprising tests in maths, language, science and humanities. Contrary to the vast body of literature, boys omitted items slightly more frequently than girls. Possible explanations of this finding – specific to the Polish examination system – were provided. The hypothesis of a higher c-parameter for boys did not find strong support from this study. It was shown that the c-parameter should not only be interpreted as resulting from item non-omission. This supports the modern concept of the c-parameter as a consequence not only of random guessing, but also problem solving, creative guessing or cheating.

Education of conscious consumers of the Arts in lower-secondary schools

Kształcenie świadomego odbiorcy kultury w gimnazjum

Author(s): Sławomir Jacek Żurek / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2015

Keywords: didactics of Polish language and literature; lower-secondary school; consumer of culture; sphere of culture; text of culture; analytical-interpretative skills

The paper presents partial results from research conducted in the school year 2012/2013 in lower-secondary schools in five voivodeships of south-east and central Poland. The aim of the study was to examine progress in the introduction of the new core curriculum. Students, teachers of Polish language, librarians and head-teachers were asked to reply to a questionnaire about reception of the Arts. The methods used were both quantitative (tests, questionnaires) and qualitative (interviews, scrutiny of classes). The article describes approaches to modeling the conscious reception of the Arts, in- and out-of-school, in the community. Results indicated that schooling in Poland failed to develop young people in this way, otherwise considered one of the most important aims of education in the humanities. The majority of students at lower-secondary schools reflected only their familial cultural capital.

The importance of the teaching profession in 21st century Finland

The importance of the teaching profession in 21st century Finland

Author(s): Päivi Atjonen / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2015

Keywords: teaching profession; teachers’ key competencies

This article addresses the educational and pedagogical responsibilities of teachers in contemporary societies. The interest is focused on the major changes that are needed in schools and learning environments if teachers are to successfully perform their key functions. The pedagogical, didactical and educational relationships between teachers and pupils are illustrated. Teachers’ key competencies are discussed in relation to these relationships. Vital strategies to ensure the continuing prestige of the teaching profession (qualified initial teacher education, in-service education, work-related psychosocial improvements, avoidance of accountability-orientation, and external appreciation) are presented. Examples of Finnish solutions related to these topics are presented, and discussed with reference to teacher education and the position of the teaching profession in Finland.

Primary school teacher social background and educational paths — findings from the Longitudinal school effectiveness study

Pochodzenie społeczne i ścieżki dojścia do zawodu nauczycieli szkół podstawowych

Author(s): Kamila Hernik,Karolina Malinowska / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2015

Keywords: sociology; teachers; social background; social structure; educational paths

Various studies indicate that family socio-economic status determines academic achievement, as well as future life decisions. Such investigations have been conducted among others in relation to students. The issue of primary teachers’ social background is studied in the following paper using findings from the Longitudinal School Effectiveness Study conducted by the Educational Research Institute. The aim was to address the extent to which teachers’ education and occupation followed their social advancement and inherited social status. Indicators used for social background included: the population of place of origin and their parents’ level of education, their occupation activity and professions (separately for mothers and fathers). The varied pathways leading to teacher education and preparation to be teachers were also reconstructed. This allowed conclusions to be drawn about the cultural capital in teachers’ command when deciding on a career.

On the threats of a world closed in unequivocal oppositions – based on junior high school interpretive utterances

O zagrożeniach świata zamkniętego w jednoznacznych opozycjach na podstawie gimnazjalnych wypowiedzi interpretacyjnych

Author(s): Grażyna B. Tomaszewska / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2015

Keywords: literary studies; analysis and interpretation; teaching of literature; core curriculum; values and valuation

The article considers the consequences of abandoning the axiological ambiguity beyond the sphere of human reflection and experience (including that impinging on students – as shown by analytical and interpretive material). The inherent hazards of creating an image of a world closed in extreme binary oppositions is pointed out. It is shown to risk human (student) alienation from reality and a shift of this reality and the human into artificial formations. Another risk is transformation of values into a set of anti-values which exclude any interpersonal agreement. This may result in a situation in which construction of personal axiological space only occurs at the expense of discrediting values of others and denying their rights to hold them in the first place. In effect, another world is created, in which there is no place for the human being.

Concern for legal culture among the goals of cultural education

Troska o kulturę prawną wśród celów edukacji kulturalnej

Author(s): Dorota Sieroń-Galusek / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2020

Keywords: cultural education; legal culture; social pedagogy;

This article attempts to define cultural education as a part of personality formation. The rank and importance of the achievements of Polish social pedagogy is discerned. By referring to its leading creators: Helena Radlińska, Stefania Sempołowska, Irena Sendlerowa, Janusz Korczak, and Henryk Jordan, the author shows that concern for socially marginalized groups has always been at the centre of pedagogical activities. At the same time, attention towards a legal culture was a distinct feature of social pedagogy and still remains a challenge for cultural education.

Poznań Spatial Academy as an example of a student project for spatial education

Poznańska Akademia Przestrzeni jako przykład studenckiego projektu edukacji przestrzennej

Author(s): Adam Wronkowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2020

Keywords: spatial awareness; spatial education; student project; workshops;

Activities aimed at shaping spatial awareness among preschool children are becoming more common. The need to start this type of education at an early age is recognised. In the world and in Poland, many joint actions are being taken to familiarise children with the issues relating to urban planning, elements of spatial development and the needs of city users. One such programme is the “Poznan Spatial Academy”, which has been implemented since 2016 by the Academic Scientific Association of Spatial Management. The aim of this paper is to present the “Poznan Spatial Academy” as an example of student activities aimed at increasing spatial awareness among the youngest city users. The theoretical foundations of the project, current activities, and plans for project development in successive years are presented.