The Scientific Journal of Rezeknes Augstskola
Not a member yet
4187 research outputs found
Sort by
GENERAL SECONDARY TEACHERS’ VIEWS ON EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AMID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: TWO-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF BLENDED LEARNING
Get PDFThe main purpose of the paper is to identify and generalize the tendencies of changes in the system of education influenced by the unexpected shift from face-to-face learning (traditional) to blended learning (as being regarded as a pattern of a certain mix of face-to-face and distance learning). The research is also targeted at investigating general secondary teachers’ readiness to respond to the educational challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper presents the information obtained at the very beginning of the sudden and unpredictable shift to total distance learning and then after the gradual transition to blended learning. The pros and cons of blended learning under conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic are revealed. The ideas that are closely connected with the accepting or not accepting absolutely new ways of teaching and learning from the points of view of general secondary school teachers, schoolchildren and their parents are given in the paper. The main problems of general secondary school teachers, schoolchildren and their parents face and practical ways to address these problems are enumerated and analyzed. The authors offer a variety of possible ways and means for overcoming the problems identified. Some certain innovative approaches and technologies, methods, techniques and means of blended learning aimed at delivering quality education to general secondary schoolchildren are mentioned. The research sample includes 3600 general secondary school teachers from different regions of Ukraine.
THE CHALLENGES OF APPRENTICESHIP: THE STATUS QUO OF PROFESSIONAL MASTERS’ PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCIES
Get PDFWith the emerging of apprenticeship (work-based learning form) in Lithuania, an important role is played by professional masters, who are monitoring young specialists\u27 professional practice, form their professional skills, develop a well-oriented and skillful specialist. The main aim of this research is to analyze the development of pedagogical competencies of professional masters during work-based learning process. The qualitative research data were gathered during semi-structured interview. Twelve professional vocational masters from different Lithuanian vocational schools participated in the research. The performed thematic content analysis findings showed that the competencies of the professional vocational masters actively develop, grow, and change mainly through interaction with students in the process of work-based learning, when supervising practice masters become counselors, guardians, consultants, and inspirers. The most significant challenges include transferring subject knowledge to students, their motivation, and work with students with special needs. The results reveal that vocational practice masters need to improve their pedagogical competencies and psychological knowledge, which would help students to convey knowledge of the profession and motivate them to learn
THE IMPACT OF INTERACTIVE METHODS ON ONLINE DIDACTIC ACTIVITIES
Get PDFThe period of online didactic activities, caused by Sars-CoV-2 pandemic, offered teachers and students the opportunity to focus more on what is essential, on the elements with qualitative impact, on abilities and skills, rather than on content and peripheral elements (Botnariuc & Cucoș, 2020). From this perspective, the use of interactive methods in teaching and in solving cooperative learning assignments was one of the strategies used by teachers to maintain interest in learning, to strengthen the teaching process and to promote intellectual, verbal, social and emotional exchanges among students.Our study focuses on the opinions of teachers from primary and lower secondary schools regarding the impact, the effectiveness of interactive methods in online didactic activities. The study involved focus group discussions and the selection of the most often used interactive methods (clustering technique, quadrants, conceptual maps, starbursting, brainstorming, quintet, think-pair-share, lotus blossom technique etc.) to be transposed into items in the questionnaire used in the research. The information gathered was interpreted using the SPSS analysis. The results of the study provide a data base and a possible framework to facilitate eLearning and a possible working strategy for primary and lower secondary school teachers to ensure students effective interactive learning experiences.
DAUGAVPILS MEDICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS\u27 START POTENTIAL OF MOTIVES FOR A CHOICE OF THE DOCTORS\u27S ASSISTANT PROFESSION
Get PDFAnalyses of the students’ education results reveal their insufficient matching with the necessary skills. That serves as a clear evidence for the need of changes in the study process for designing an innovative education system which corresponds to the urgent demands of the modern health care systems. Modern approaches are focused on the development of cognitive and practical skills and attitudes. Covid-19 conditions highlighted the role of health care specialists’ professional attitudes and importance of promoting them in the medical educational process. In addition, long-term pedagogical experience is a basis to claim that college level students also need an assistance for understanding and accepting learning process and taking an active part in it. One of the main aspects of learning is students\u27 readiness to acquire knowledge, active learning and motivation. That is the main reason to define the students\u27 motives to choose the medical profession.
THE DIGITAL ARTISTIC CYCLE IN PERFORMANCE ART EDUCATION
Get PDFThis research explores student performance art events in the current digital era. Public performance presentations by art students after the performance art course are intended to complete an artistic cycle. The artistic cycle in the digital era is divided into studio-based practice (when performance is planned, often in students’ home studios) and presentation in the digital space. For audience members, the experience of the performance artwork is significantly different in live and digital spaces since there is no possibility of touching the performer or items in the digital space. As a result, audience feedback for students differs greatly depending on whether the performance works are experienced live or virtually. Therefore, the present study suggests a new term of digital artistic cycle, which was developed after analysing a performance art course at Vilnius Academy of Arts, Kaunas Faculty in 2021. The data collected are the author’s notes from her observations and interviews with the facilitator of the performance art course. The data are analysed using keywords and categories. The results generated recommendations for performance art course facilitators regarding what tools should be used to complete an digital artistic cycle at universities and art academies.
ENERGY GENERATOR PROTOTYPES DEVELOPMENT AND THESE RESEARCH INTEGRATION INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
Get PDFThe paper presents the preconditions for improving the quality of technical training of engineers by integrating experimental research based on patented technology into the power supply circuits of autonomous robotic systems to improve power consumption and regeneration rate, ensuring longer autonomous robot operation. Not only the topics of arousal of curiosity in researching technical nuances are discussed, but also the promotion of motivation to delve into the study subjects envisaged in the curriculum and their integral understanding by examining the interrelationships. After-school activities are discussed: participation in the research, analysis of the research methodology, preparation of the layout for research and measurements; and the impact of these activities on the overall educational process. Suggestions for the integration of research results into the practical educational process of students are presented.
DETERMINANTS, MEASUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF PERFORMANCE IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES
Get PDFSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered the backbone of economic growth, as they play a vital role in the economic development of any country, they contribute to the provision of job opportunities and act as suppliers of goods and services to large companies. Despite the role of SMEs in national economies, as well as their importance in promoting competitiveness and employment, the author believes that the SMEs performance determinants and their impact on performance measurement and management have not been sufficiently studied in Latvia. The aim of the research is to explore the SMEs performance determinants and their impact on performance measurement and management. The research is based on the analysis of scientific publications. General research methods are used in the research: information analysis and synthesis, logically – constructive, monographic, data grouping and graphical representation methods. As a result, the impact of the SMEs performance determinants on the measurement and management of SME performance are explored, and the conceptual framework for measuring and managing SME performance is developed
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE BUSINESS SECTOR AND LABOUR MARKET IN SOUTH AFRICA: A FOCUS ON THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper is to explore the impact which was by the Covid-19 pandemic in the hospitality industry of South Africa. South Africa has one of the largest and highest developed hospitality industries in the region. The hospitality sector in South Africa employs 5% of the active age group and contributes around 10.3% revenue income to the government of South Africa. Unfortunately, South Africa emerged as one of the hot spots of the Covid-19 virus infections. As a way of controlling the pandemic, hard lockdowns were introduced starting on the 27th of March 2020. The sealing of the country’s port of entries brought the hospitality sector to its knees. This study evaluates impact of Covid-19 on the business sector and the labour market in South Africa focussing on the hospitality industry. The study used secondary data from survey reports from South Africa’s National Department of Tourism, (Statssa, Google mobility and other authoritative relevant sources. The study concluded that the pandemic had a devastating effect on areas such as labour, the overall business, the labour market, and the hospitality sector. The most affected areas from the hospitality sector were aviation, maritime, special events, accommodation, hotels, restaurants, lodges, recreational parks, and national parks. When COVID-19 came some businesses in the hospitality sector were servicing loans borrowed from financial institutions. The findings of the study indicated the need for a strong financial backup to cushion business during pandemics for the hospitality sector, tax holidays and adoption of stringent health protocols to assist the industry recovery and make business more profitable. The theoretical implication of the study is that it will expose the impact of COVID-19 on the business sector and the labour market in South Africa with a focus on the hospitality industry, and to map a future mitigatory way to overcome such natural calamities towards the business sector
OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF LATVIAN START-UPS REFERRED TO IN STRATEGIC POLICY DOCUMENTS
Get PDFThe paper is entitled Operational Aspects of Latvian Start-Ups Referred to in Strategic Policy Documents. The present research aims to analyse the operational aspects of start-ups based on the information available in various policy documents. The research examined national, regional and global-scale policy documents. Long-term strategic policy documents, which help to identify obstacles to start-up development, play an important role in the development of start-ups in Latvia. An examination of obstacles to the development of start-ups would help to contribute to the achievement of the goals set by the policy documents analysed. The research examined various kinds of policy documents. The policy documents analysed reveal trends in start-ups and public support mechanisms as well as give recommendations; therefore, the main conclusion is that the documents play an important role in the growth of start-ups because, based on empirical research findings, relevant problems could be easily identified and solved in the long term. The literature review revealed that there were relatively few policy documents specifically for start-ups; therefore, prospects for the development of policy documents in future are wide. The following specific research tasks were set: to analyse long-term policy documents in relation to start-ups; to identify the main operational aspects of start-ups; and to put forward conclusions and proposals. The research employed the monographic and descriptive methods. The author concluded that the research studies conducted in Latvia indicated a high administrative burden, whereas international research studies identified a low administrative burden in Latvia. Because of the different opinions, a repeat research study should be conducted. The further research could examine administrative procedures and their impact on the establishment of companies
MOST INTEGRATED VIRTUAL IMAGES OF THE BONES IN THE TEACHING OF HUMAN ANATOMY: ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ONLINE AND ON-SITE TUTOR?
Get PDFCovid-19 situation has seriously disrupted regular traditional methods and tools for Human Anatomy teaching. In order to replace limited access to the real human bones, anatomy educators increased integration and use of virtual images in comparison with the past study processes. The present study was conducted to review 15 Human Anatomy tutors’ responses regarding the most used virtual images of the bones for online teaching from March 2020 to the end of October 2021 vs usual on-site teaching at the Department of Morphology. The interview was designed and feedback was taken from the tutors. The majority of the tutors added to their online practical classes a lot of virtual images from anatomical applications and different available resources, related directly to the isolated bones of the skull. For several tutors the searching, preparation and use of virtual images for online teaching was a novelty with advantages and disadvantages. Some tutors have used the possibilities presented by the pandemic to innovate their teaching of skull bones. Virtual images of the bones are an adequate resource for the early stages of undergraduate teaching, but the learning experience may be further enhanced by providing options for the studies with the use of real specimens.