Technical University in Zvolen OJS
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DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN THE TERTIARY SECTOR, EMPLOYERS' EXPECTATIONS, AND THE ROLE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN NON-PHILOLOGICAL STUDY PROGRAMMES – THEMES OF THE SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE AT THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN ZVOLEN
Get PDFScientific Conference on Teaching Foreign Languages with a Focus on Soft Skills Development and Communication in Academic and Professional Contexts
The scientific conference, held on October 17–18, 2024, at the Technical University in Zvolen, was focused on facilitating the development of soft skills in foreign language education within accredited university study programs. This emphasis was explored in the context of the expectations of employers and labour market demands. The event brought together over 40 active participants. Following plenary speeches and discussions, the program included three sections that, in addition to soft skills development in foreign language teaching, addressed linguistics, didactics, translation studies, and terminology, with a focus on their intersections.
The discussions, following the plenary lectures, highlighted the necessity of transitioning from a knowledge-based declarative paradigm to facilitative approaches that support soft skills development through appropriate organizational forms for interaction and personal growth. This shift emphasizes the importance of creating a learning environment where collaboration, critical thinking, and effective communication are prioritized. Participants noted that such facilitative methods not only enhance language competence but also prepare students to meet the dynamic requirements of academic and professional settings.
A round table discussion taking place on 18 October was also part of the conference, addressing the foundations, current state, and future direction of foreign language instruction in accredited university programmes within the framework of general studies. Participants, including foreign language educators from language centres and philological departments, engaged in dialogue and identified organizational challenges in teaching languages aimed at academic and professional communication, while seeking potential solutions
THE EFFECT OF TYPE OF WOOD-BASED RECYCLATE AND LOW-QUALITY TIMBER IN PARTICLEBOARD ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FURNITURE JOINTS
Get PDFThe effect of particleboard (PB) composition made of recycled or lower-quality timber on the mechanical properties of selected furniture joints is determined in the paper. The tested PBs were manufactured using recycled PB or blockboard from old furniture and lower- quality timber with brown or white rot. The laboratory-produced control PB with particle content of 100% sound spruce wood (Picea abies Karst. L.) and commercial PBs were used for comparison of the results. The load capacity and stiffness of corner joints with the confirmat (ø5 × 50 mm) and wooden dowel (ø6 × 30 mm) and the withdrawal resistance and stiffness of the screw (ø3.5 × 30 mm) were tested. The corner joints were loaded under compression by bending moment in the angular plane. In terms of load-carrying capacity, control PB was the most suitable in achieving a load-carrying capacity of 7827.61 N∙mm for the confirmat and PB from recycled blockboard 4072.71 N∙mm when using the wooden dowel. As for joint stiffness, the best values achieved were 1316.00 N∙mm/° and 808.58 N∙mm/° for the PB from recycled blockboard using the confirmat and dowel, respectively. PB from recycled blockboard again showed the highest values of screw withdrawal resistance - for the edge withdrawal 416.61 N and for the surface withdrawal 556.44 N. Considering the values found for the investigated mechanical properties, it was assumed that the tested materials can be used as non-load-bearing elements in furniture construction
TECHNOLOGICAL GOODNESS INDEX FOR FURNITURE DESIGN
Get PDFManaging an ever-growing number of components is technologically challenging for furniture manufacturers; therefore, minimizing produced components' "dimensional entropy" is necessary. A novel method to assess how dimensional decisions made during furniture design influence the growth of the components' dimensional entropy is proposed in the article. The dimensions of each newly designed element were compared to a specific set of preferred dimensions. This approach facilitates furniture design using dimensionally unified components. The Jaccard coefficient for fuzzy sets was employed to achieve it. The obtained similarity score was called the "technological goodness index" (TGI) of furniture.This index can be calculated at three levels: for a group of furniture items, a single piece, and the furniture components. Using the TGI in the CAD, manufacturers gain insight into their newly designed products' "technological" quality. By analyzing this data, designers can create furniture that boosts production efficiency, promotes productivity, and cost savings
COMPARISON OF THE ROUGHNESS OF THE CNC MILLED SURFACE OF SELECTED WOOD SPECIES
Get PDFThis paper aims to quantify the surface roughness after the CNC milling of selected wood species. Optimization of the essential milling parameters, rotational speed, and feed speed is desirable for reducing surface roughness. Both technological parameters significantly contribute to the amount of feed per tooth, affecting surface roughness. In the experiment, three economically important wood species were compared – beech, oak, and spruce wood. In addition, the zones of sapwood, mature wood, and false heartwood were evaluated in beech wood. The surface roughness after milling was assessed using the Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope. The main result of the experiment is represented by the determination of the combination of the parameters mentioned above that produces the lowest roughness. In addition, roughness measurements were supplemented by microscopic analysis to explain roughness changes occurring on the surface.
SOFT SKILLS/LIFE SKILLS AND ACADEMIC COMPETENCES FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
Get PDFIn this paper, we will explore the importance of developing life skills in the domain of teaching and learning languages. If we consider the information and guidelines outlined in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) regarding language proficiency, we can observe that mediation plays a significant and decisive role in the learning process, as highlighted by Fratter and Fratter (2020). The descriptors of mediation require both learners and teachers to possess specific abilities, skills, and competencies, which we can categorize as 'life skills' (WHO, 1997). Life skills and academic competencies are closely interconnected; for example, the ability to work in groups or solve problems through language use. In this paper, following an overview of the life skills outlined in the descriptors of the Common European Framework of Reference, we will illustrate some best practices for developing life skills in the academic context for language learning
DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS IN PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES WITH A FOCUS ON NEGOTIATION
Get PDFBy the term soft skills, we understand non-technical skills, abilities, and characteristics that are not directly related to expertise but to the human personality and can be applied in almost any work area. In our article, we are dedicated to developing soft skills during Business English classes, focusing on negotiation as the ability to reach agreements through discussion that leads to an outcome satisfactory to all parties involved. When teaching professional English as a foreign language, it is advisable to emphasize the knowledge of morphology, syntax, and lexicon and the practical application of this knowledge in specific situations. Non-verbal communication, problem-solving skills, presentation skills, and intercultural competence are skills that we consider to be crucial for successful negotiation on various topics. Our article aims to point out the possibility of using soft skills in professional English language classes, which are applicable not only in the implementation of the educational process. Through qualitative research, we concluded that by practicing soft skills, students develop multiple skills and simultaneously find the activities attractive because they are practical
MODEL OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE SLOVAK TERRITORY ON THE CONSUMPTION OF FIREWOOD AND THE PRODUCTION OF EMISSIONS DURING THE HEATING OF BUILDINGS
Get PDFA model of the influence of the climatic conditions of Slovakia on the consumption of firewood and the production of emissions in creating thermal comfort in a heated building is presented in the paper. The temperature of atmospheric air ranges from -11°C to -18°C in winter and the number of days of the heating period in the range between 202-253 in individual localities of Slovakia is reflected in the size of heat losses of the heated building, fuel consumption, and emissions production. The presented model allows for balancing the consumption of firewood and emission production for individual localities in Slovakia, following the locality's climatic conditions, the heated object's size, the boiler's thermal efficiency, and the type of firewood.
DENSITY OF BEECH (Fagus sylvatica L.) WOOD THROUGH A CROSS-SECTION OF THE TRUNK
Get PDFDifferences in the density of beech wood in an absolutely dry state in individual zones: sapwood, mature wood, and false heartwood through a cross-section of the trunk are presented in the paper. The wood density of individual zones was determined with a digital density meter. Experimental measurements and subsequent statistical processing of the measured values showed that the density of beech samples with a false heartwood has a decreasing tendency through the cross-section of the trunk from the center of the trunk to the edge. The highest density ρ0 = 703.8 ± 36.1 kg.m-3 was observed in the dry state of beech samples with false heartwood. The density of mature wood in the absolutely dry state was 5.5% less compared to false heartwood, and the density of sapwood was 13.6 % less compared to false heartwood. The proven differences in the density of absolutely dry beech wood in the individual zones do not exceed the natural range of the density values of the beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) mentioned in the professional literature. For the above reason, it is not necessary to take into account the changes in the density of the wood through the cross-section of the trunk in common technical applications. The presented data contribute to the objectification of information about the properties of beech wood and enrich current knowledge
BOOK REVIEW: ĎURICOVÁ, ALENA – LAUKOVÁ, JANA. 2022. OD TEXTU K PREKLADU XVI – 1. ČASŤ. PRAHA: JTP. ISBN 978-80-7374-133-4
No full textBook review: ĎURICOVÁ, ALENA – LAUKOVÁ, JANA. 2022. OD TEXTU K PREKLADU XVI – 1. ČASŤ. PRAHA: JTP. ISBN 978-80-7374-133-4
 
THE EFFECT OF SUNLIGHT ON THE COLOR CHANGE OF STEAMED BIRCH WOOD
Get PDFThe differences in color changes of native and steamed birch wood saturated with water steam at a temperature of t = 135 °C for a period of τ = 7.5 hours caused by the long-term exposure of sunlight to the surface of the wood in interiors for 48 months are presented in the paper. The deep brown-red color of the steamed birch wood lightened and acquired a brown shade due to the UV components of sunlight during the 48-month exposure. The degree of lightening of the color of steamed birch wood in the color space CIE L*a*b* is quantified by an increase in the values of the lightness coordinate from L0* = 59.8 to L48* = 66.5 and the yellow color chromatic coordinate from b0* = 19.2 to b48* = 24.0. On the contrary, the light white-brown color of the native birch wood darkened due to the effect of the UV components of sunlight and acquired a brown-pink color with a yellow tint. The degree of darkening and browning is quantified by a decrease in the values on the lightness coordinate from L0* = 81.1 to L48* = 68.2 and an increase in the values on the chromatic coordinates: red color a0* = 7.2 to a48* = 13.1 and yellow color from b0* = 20.0 to b48* = 25.9. The comparison of the color changes of native and steamed birch wood through the total color difference ∆E* under the influence of daily sunlight shows that the surface of steamed wood shows 45.8% smaller changes than native wood. The lower value of the total color difference of steamed wood points to the fact that steaming wood with saturated water steam has a positive effect on color stability and partial resistance to the initiation of photolytic reactions caused by UV + VIS wavelengths of sunlight.