Journals of Rezekne Academy of Technologies
Not a member yet
4187 research outputs found
Sort by
MODELS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BIOLOGY TEACHERS IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL CHANGES
Full text linkThis article aims to explore the impact of social changes on the professional development of biology teachers. The purpose of the study is the analysis of modern challenges in the field of education and the development of a model of professional growth of a biology teacher. The following methods are employed in the study: analysis and synthesis of literature on the research topic to determine the current state of the investigated problem, systematic analysis, and synthesis of obtained information to identify the main models of professional development for biology teachers. The regulatory framework ensuring conditions for the professional development of teachers has been analyzed. Modern economic and technological changes, socio-cultural and political transformations, dynamics of interethnic and cultural relations in Ukraine, high population mobility, and migration processes affect the education system and the professional development of teachers. In the scientific discourse, among effective models of professional development for teachers, scholars distinguish: concepts of teaching and development of teachers\u27 professional abilities based on knowledge (knowledge for practice, knowledge in practice, personal knowledge); models of professional development for educators (training model, award-bearing model, deficit model, cascading model, standards-based model, coaching/mentoring model, community of practice model, action research model, transformational model); competency, cognitive, human-centered models; models of applied science, craftsmanship, reflective, apprentice-expert model, rationalist model, case studies model, cascading. The author proposes an original model of professional development, which involves six stages: analysis of contemporary challenges, professional training based on teachers\u27 needs, creation of an individual development plan, integration of innovative technologies into professional activities, self-evaluation, and the establishment and support of professional communities. The main research results indicate the need to reconsider traditional approaches to teaching biology and emphasize the use of modern technologies in the professional development of teachers for successful implementation of changes in the educational environment.
HOME-BASED EARLY WRITING ACTIVITIES: THE PERSPECTIVE OF PARENTS IN A LATVIAN CONTEXT
Full text linkStudents entering school with underdeveloped writing skills often face academic challenges. Addressing and improving these skills at the preschool level is a critical instructional goal. Early engagement in writing activities with parents and adults at home, beginning at a young age, is crucial in shaping children\u27s writing identities and methods. While student motivation is vital in developing writing abilities, the role of parents in encouraging and nurturing these skills is equally important. This study aims to explore how parental involvement aids in developing early children\u27s writing skills. Data were collected through surveys conducted with parents of 3-6-year-old preschoolers, focusing on their writing support and parenting practices. This research seeks to understand the role of parents in facilitating early writing activities at home. The study\u27s primary objective is to examine parents\u27 perspectives on enhancing their children\u27s early writing skills within a home environment. Active participation by parents in their children\u27s writing activities, including practices like reading together, encouraging daily writing, and providing constructive feedback, has shown positive outcomes. However, some parents reported challenges such as limited time or resources, affecting their ability to support their child\u27s writing development effectively.
PREREQUISITES FOR THE APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE METHODS IN SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Full text linkThis article analyzes that when solving social problems, most welfare states choose a social security system model in which social service organizations provide professional services and help ensure the well-being of residents in the community. Social challenges require changes and new solutions in the activities of organizations providing social services, which can help solve emerging social problems by offering service recipients new forms of social services. The purpose of the article is to reveal the prerequisites for the application of innovative methods for the solution of social problems and the implementation of the application of new managerial practices in organizations providing social services. Applied research methods - analysis of scientific literature, interviews of social workers, analysis and interpretation of research results. The article provides a review of the scientific literature and research data that reveal the desire of social workers to apply modern technologies in social work, which help to discover new work methods and managerial practices in the social services sector. The pursuit of innovation in organizations providing social services ensures a favorable atmosphere for the creativity of employees and service recipients and provides an opportunity for the continuous improvement of employees in the organization.
UKRAINIAN IN EDUCATION OF STUDENTS FROM UKRAINE: MODERN FEATURES
Full text linkThe purpose of the research is to find out the modern features of studying the Ukrainian language by students from Ukraine and to propose ways and means to improve the effectiveness of this process. The following research methods were used: theoretical analysis of scientific literature on the issue; processing, analysis and comparison of statistical data; survey of headmasters of general secondary education institutions and students; classification and generalization of the survey results; graphic methods. The dynamics of changes in the number of students from Ukraine who are studying (were studying) in the Ukrainian language and the number of relevant educational institutions in Ukraine were monitored. Particular attention is paid to the features of studying Ukrainian by students who, because of the war, are living abroad now. The article analyzes the features of studying the Ukrainian language as a state language, and the identified cases of changing the language of studying. The current study investigates the discrepancies between the teachers’ assessment of the students’ level of the Ukrainian language proficiency and the students’ self-assessment. The authors propose the ways and means for improving the effectiveness of studying the Ukrainian language and raising the level of students’ mastery of the state language are proposed.
EXPLORING STAFFING PATTERNS AND MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN TEACHING JAPANESE AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Full text linkMultilingual classrooms are becoming more common worldwide due to increasing mobility. Teaching foreign languages using the mother tongue in multilingual classrooms has become problematic; some of the significant concerns in Japanese language acquisition – such as the high contextuality of the language, vocabulary and kanji learning – make the direct teaching method confusing for many students, especially at the beginner and elementary levels. This article provides the preliminary results of a study carried out as a component of a more extensive empirical research project on instructional languages in classrooms teaching Japanese as a foreign language. It aims to gather, analyse and synthesise data from a survey conducted at a supranational level. The results of the first two sections of a questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions were used for a quantitative analysis of the profile of Japanese language instructors with a focus on finding possible connections. The wide geographic distribution of the respondents (274 teachers from fifty-seven countries and regions) made it possible to collect data from a more representative sample and draw meaningful conclusions about the spread of multilingual classrooms that would be impossible in smaller-scale research. The study’s primary results show the proportion of multilingual classrooms among countries in different regions and across different educational stages, the distribution of Japanese language instructors in various educational stages depending on the highest level of formal education attained, and the proportion of part-time instructors working in different academic institutions
THINKING STYLES INVENTORY ADAPTATION AND STANDARDIZATION IN LATVIAN
Full text linkThinking styles are defined as consistent individual differences in preferred ways of organizing and processing information and experience, thus bridging the gap between personality traits and cognitive processes, meaning, it is more important to understand what abilities people prefer to develop and use, rather than what abilities they have. Thinking styles remain an ongoing area of research in education and psychology, providing insights into students’ experiences and informing educational practices. Latvia still faces a shortage of validated and standardized tests, thus to determine thinking styles, a questionnaire titled “Thinking Style Inventory – Revised II” was selected. This research is a part of a much wider study, which is based on the idea that nowadays the use of the internet and technology form and develop young people’s habits of mind that have not yet been explored. Based on this idea, a research project was established whose overall goal is to discover the impact of young people’s (age 16-25) internet use patterns on cognitive functioning (The impact of internet usage patterns on the development of youth’s cognitive styles, No.: lzp-2021/1-0357). The goal of the specific stage of the study and thus this article is to adapt and standardize the Thinking Style Inventory–Revised II in Latvian. To reach the goal, the questionnaire underwent back and forth translation, then was piloted (n=30), checked for internal consistency, thus concluding the first stage of adaptation. For standardization (n=2169) factoranalysis, discrimination indexes and norms were determined. The results show an overall good internal consistency and the factoranalysis shows similar structure to the original questionnaire. The obtained results indicate that Thinking Style Inventory – Revised II Latvian version can be successfully used to determine thinking styles in Latvia.
THE POTENTIAL OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY TO PROMOTE’STUDENTS’ SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING
Full text linkMotivating students to read more is becoming increasingly important nowadays. The ability to understand the meaning of a text, to analyse, critically evaluate and verify the information and facts, as well as formulate one\u27s own opinion - this is a skill that is vital for modern people living in the 21st century - the century of fake news. The latest PISA 2022 study shows that average reading performance in Latvia has fallen in comparison to 2018 results. The average reading achievement of pupils of Latvia has been falling every year since 2012. The challenge for schools is to use their internal resources to stimulate pupils\u27 interest in reading in order to break this trend. One of the school\u27s internal resources is a library. The school library has an important role to play in motivating pupils to read and to learn. It is an environment that encourages and supports reading and self-directed learning. The aim of this publication is to describe possibilities of raising reading interest and self-directed learning opportunities in school library
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ITS POSSIBILITIES IN PROGRAMMING
Full text linkThe authors in this work provides insight into the significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and provide a general overview of its strengths, weaknesses, and potential applications. Drawing upon statistical data, the authors present a comprehensive description of AI systems and their impact on various industries
EFFECTIVE WAYS OF LOADING AND UNLOADING CARGO
Full text linkEfficient loading and unloading of cargo is an important process in various industries including logistics, transportation and shipping. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the various methods and technologies used in cargo handling to streamline operations, increase productivity and reduce risk. The discussion begins with traditional manual approaches, such as palletizing and manual handling, and moves on to consider automated solutions. Integrating current research findings and industry practices, the article provides insight into the evolving cargo handling landscape, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable logistics operations in the future
REGULATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Full text linkConsidering the development of technology, in recent years the regulation of Artificial Intelligence has become a central policy issue in the European Union (EU). Policymakers have committed to developing an approach to AI to ensure that Europeans can benefit from the new technologies that are developed and operate with them in accordance with EU values and principles. On March 13, 2024, the European Parliament approved the world’s first binding horizontal rules on AI. The purpose of this publication is to explore this EU-developed regulatory framework for Artificial Intelligence and understand the main principles and goals of the regulation, and to identify problems