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Author(s):
Editorial Board.
Page No : 1-2
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COVER
Abstract
Cover page, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2013, SPVK/EPMQ
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Author(s):
Editorial Board.
Page No : 3-3
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CONTENTS
Abstract
Contents, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2013, SPVK/EPMQ
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Author(s):
Vincentas Lamanauskas.
Page No : 4-7
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THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE FUTURE OF UNIVERSITIES: SOME REFLECTIONS
Abstract
Deep economic, technological, social changes form new challenges for universities. University management continues to be a problem. The main problem is how to find an op-timal balance between the autonomy of the universities, the so-called democracy, and regulation from the state. Today the future of the universities in Lithuania is more uncertain than it has been in the last 30 years. A wide range of conditions and circumstances require constant change. The traditional model of university management becomes ineffective. The labor market makes new demands to universities (new study programms, short-term courses etc.). It is possible to tell that universities undergo constant pressure from the labor market. Does this mean that universities and government should resist labour-market pressures? The mentioned pressure is quite often inadequate and negatively influences university development. On the other hand, there are some hindering factors for more positive development of universities, such as low competence of managers, a separation from real practice, ignoring of world technological, social and economic tendencies.
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Author(s):
Vincentas Lamanauskas, Dalia Augienė, Rita Makarskaitė-Petkevičienė.
Page No : 8-18
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UNIVERSITY STUDY PROBLEMS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF STUDENTS: MOTIVES AND EXPECTATIONS
Abstract
University education is a multiplex phenomenon. Both global and local political, so-cioeconomic changes condition higher education system’s development too. Universities seek to adequately react to various challenges, though not always successfully. An obvious thing is growing competition among universities – both at national and international levels. It is natural, that various hardships are being faced.
It is understandable, that solution to any problem requires reliable and adequate in-formation. University students’ opinion on higher education problematics questions research doesn’t lose its relevance. On the contrary, in this way rather objective initial information is obtained about the processes taking place in this sector. The empiric research (N=544) car-ried out between January and February 2012 showed, that students’ opinions about higher university education are, in fact, controversial. Having accomplished expectation analysis of the respondents, it was stated, that young people mostly orientate into self-realisation. Finding a job according to the acquired speciality, having a likable job, making career are the very essential students’ expectations. Education seeking, career possibilities are also the most important motives having determined the students’ decision to study at university.
The main motive, having encouraged the students to choose university studies is see-king for education. Seeking for education is becoming a very important value for contempo-rary youth. A very important motive choosing university studies is seeking for future career and better (or imaginably better) person’s, having a university education, position in labour market. People of great significance (parents, teachers, friends and other) have very little influence on choosing university studies. Personal decision has the greatest influence while making a decision. Having graduated from university, and acquired necessary education, the biggest part of students relate their expectations with the open opportunities to realise themselves and seek professional career both in the country and outside its boundaries.
A part of students after graduation from bachelor studies are planning to seek further education studying for master’s degree in Lithuania or abroad. Another part of students, as the main expectation related with university studies, point out the nearest, obviously pragmatic purposes – to successfully graduate the studies, not foreseeing further goals and opportunities. A very essential thing that came into light is student’s expectations focused on finding a job, getting it and so on. Almost unexpressed expectations are related with personal working place creation (own business, enterprise establishment and so on), which would be a very significant indicator and result of a qualitative university education.
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Author(s):
Aušrinė Gumuliauskienė.
Page No : 19-39
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FORMATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EDUCATION POLICY: THE ASPECT OF COHERENCE
Abstract
Strategic education-related documents reflecting the content of the education policy emphasise the priorities, provisions, principles of the organisational development of the edu-cation system and its separate sectors, target societal attention and endeavours on the essen-tial changes in the field of education focusing on expectations of the state society, the global, European Union tendencies within education policy and practice as well as assessment of the condition of education. The education policy as a prerogative of the state sector, a constituent part of public policy is closely related to policies of other fields, is multilayered, contextual, based on ideological and value attitudes, relatively encompasses closely interrelated strategic, managerial (tactical), administrative (operational performances) levels. The coherence of the education strategy and its implementation in education practice defined at the political level is a multifaceted issue.
The article actualises the contradictions of formation and implementation of the edu-cation policy aims in the contexts of societal transformations. The correlations between the formation of the education system and globalisation processes, economic factors are dis-cussed in detail, the demand for research-based formation and implementation of the education policy is underlined, significance of the strategy of integrated development of educational organisations when implementing the education policy at the organisational level is theoretically reasoned.
On 12 November 2002, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania approved the Long-Term Development Strategy of the State. It projected the development of Lithuania, the EU state-to-be. Its purpose was to provide a basis for implementation of the education vision of Lithuania. The provisions of the strategy complemented the long-term development strategy of the state and set the mission, values, principles of education in Lithuania; also, they set the aims of education development and means to implement it, defined quantitative and qualitative outcomes which would ground and be regarded when estimating the education development in Lithuania in 2003–2012. During the latter period, Lithuania set three major tasks for education: to ensure accessibility of education, development and perfection of human resources focusing on the tendencies of development of economy, culture and science in Lithuania and other states of the European Union, the demands of the labour market, the strategy of sustainable development, aiming at higher competitiveness of the state and higher social cohesion; to ensure proper quality of education adequate to the quality of education in the European Union and other countries of the world; to increase efficiency of performance and management more clearly defining its mission and exceptionality, improving self-governance, consolidating independence and autonomy of education organisations as well as striving for education to become the major factor pre-determining the progress of Lithuanian economy and society as well as competitiveness.
Assessing creation and implementation of the Strategy from the today’s perspective, formers of the education policy state the following: skills of strategic planning have changed very much, i.e. this was one of the first big-volume strategic documents of the state one dec-ade and a half ago, therefore, there was lack of experience in creating such documents; today we obtain much more data and other sources of information, therefore prognostication of the future and creation of the strivings can be more exact; after entering the European Union, projects being generously supported by structural funds started being implemented, they partially directed the investment to smaller aims and thus evoked challenges; undergoing the changes of coalitions in power, each time political priorities of the government would change, in some cases they even would not properly match the provisions of the Strategy; in some cases, reality and education underwent changes faster than expected, whereas in some other cases it lasted for too long (Valstybinės švietimo strategijos įgyvendinimas 2003–2012 metais, 2012).
The analysis of implementation of the state education strategy for the period 2003–2012 reveals not only the tendencies of education development, the condition of its quality, but also the tendencies of development of the education policy in Lithuania. Creation and implementation of education strategies are complex, first of all, because of specificity of their object, i.e. education. Strategies for its development are to be projected with regard to complex junctions of social, economic, technological, cultural, political processes, constantly altering their contexts, the coherence of globality and nationality. Formation and implemen-tation of the education system are inseparable processes; their coherence determines the quality change and efficiency of education. At the political level, education is given excep-tional significance in the societal life; however, its social impact should not be overesti-mated. The coherence of formation and implementation of the education policy is a multifaceted issue. The problem of this coherence is most vividly reflected by the following tendencies: the lack of connections between education policy and public policy as well as policies of other fields, especially at the level of administration of the education policy; insufficiency of methodological, scientific interdisciplinary approaches when analysing, assessing and contextualising educational processes; the lack of ideological and value-based reasoning; at the strategic level, there is too much emphasis on internationalisation, whereas national priorities of education, its purpose in the postmodern society are not clear; processes of policy formation are insufficiently based on a complex analysis, experts’ assessment of achievements, threats, opportunities of education and its separate sectors; the direction “top down” is too much enabled in the political decision-making, increasing the volume and potential of administration; ambitious political strivings are too weakly grounded on financial capacities and vice versa economic/financial priorities dominate over social, value priorities; there is lack of coherence between strategic and tactical/administrative levels. Implementation of the education policy at the organisational level is too little linked with development of human resources, managerial potential as well as actualisation of the demand for projection and implementation of the integrated development strategy. Having the above-mentioned strategies dominating, the education policy loses the status of a national priority, its formation becomes the most significant process for the group of interests of education policy-makers, participants of the education system processes are too weakly empowered, majority of strategic aims remain declarative orientations because their implementation is not grounded on real resources, opportunity studies and responsibility.
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Author(s):
Valéria Campos dos Santos, Luanna Gomes de Gouvêa, Agnaldo Arroio.
Page No : 40-51
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CONTRIBUTIONS OF BRAZILIAN PROJECT PIBID TO PRE-SERVICE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS’ EDUCATION IN LOCO
Abstract
Through initiatives of the Brazilian government, undergraduate students are taking the opportunity to experience in practice the challenges of being a teacher, as well as help-ing to improve education in public schools. One such initiative is the program PIBID (Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência – Scholarship Program for teaching’ Initiation) which addresses the relationship between school and university favors the exchange of experiences. This paper presents the contributions of chemistry subproject PIBID at USP (University of São Paulo) for pre-service chemistry teachers’ students for competent use of visual tools in teaching chemistry. For a qualitative research, were used questionnaires and interviews with pre-service teachers who were participating of the PIBID on the second half of 2012. By the outcomes can be seen the participants’ interest about the program, which shows the importance of learning to teach chemistry, leading students visualize the content. Furthermore, it was noticeable that the PIBID changed the viewpoint of the project participants about the teaching career, now they are able to experience other forms of action, re-thinking about the traditional method of teaching. Still, according to the outcomes, pre-service chemistry teachers’ students stressed the importance of PIBID on filling gaps of pre-service teacher training programs, facilitating the access to schools and preparing them to act professionally with a more concise theoretical baggage.
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Author(s):
Judita Stankutė.
Page No : 52-54
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GYMNASIUM ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LITHUANIA
Abstract
Judita Stankutė, a member of the editorial board of the journal, talks to Gražina SKARIENE, the director of Skuodas Pranciškus Žadeikis Gymnasium. It is a great gymnasium on the outskirts of Lithuania, as they say, "on the verge".
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Author(s):
Editorial Board.
Page No : 59-60
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END
Abstract
End page, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2013, SPVK/EPMQ
