6992 research outputs found
Sort by
Children's games in the past and today
Get PDFThe diploma thesis is a research paper on children's games in the past and present. The theoretical section gives a few definitions of a children's game, mentions its different
categories, and what role adults play in it. It also says a few words about video games and afterwards introduces some of the most commonly played and best-known children's folk
games, e.g., rotten egg, hopscotch, zemljo krast (“steal the land”), etc. This is followed by the empirical section containing the survey. The aim was to determine how many old children's games are being played in kindergartens; how these games and the playing techniques differ by regions; where the preschool teachers get information about old
children's games and why they use these games. The survey involved 70 preschool teachers and assistant teachers from all over Slovenia. The regional aspect makes these results or answers very interesting. The results show that preschool teachers and assistant teachers of different ages and from different regions of Slovenia still enjoy organizing games that they played when they were children, and introduce them into their work in different ways
Acoustic and perceptive characteristics of transgender voice and speech
Get PDFTransgenderism is a broad term that encompasses all people whose gender at birth does not match their gender identity. One such group are transgender women who have been assigned a male gender at birth but identify themselves as women. They aim to match their voice and speech to their perceived gender identity during their transition process. The voice is affected by the anatomical structures of the larynx, which differ between men and women. Differences are also recognized in fundamental frequency, resonance, voice quality, vocal range, intonation, sound pressure level, speech rate, vowel elongation, articulation, pauses, word choice, laughter, and cough. The desired voice can be achieved through hormone therapy, phonosurgery, the avoidance of harmful factors, and speech therapy. Speech language pathologists play a key role, as they help the transgender population to verbally and non-verbally communicate in accordance with their perceived gender identity, and thus facilitate and successfully complete the transition process. The aim of the study was primarily to examine the relationship between the measured acoustic characteristics of voice and self-ratings of transgender women, men, and women, and, with the perceptual ratings given to them, compare the values of acoustic measurements of voice between groups, as well as to determine on which characteristics the listeners base their perception of the recorded voice or speech as being male or female.
In the empirical part of the master's thesis, we included four transgender women, four men and four women aged 25 to 50, who first completed a questionnaire about self-perception of voice. We then recorded samples of their voices for acoustic analysis and speech patterns in various speech and non-speech tasks (picture description, reading, coughing, laughing, and spontaneous speech). The listeners (five master’s students of speech and language pathology and five laypeople) gave a general perceptual rating of the femininity or masculinity of the voices by using a five-point scale. The students additionally rated the femininity or masculinity of the voices according to individual characteristics from the recordings of picture descriptions, reading, and spontaneous speech.
The results indicate that a higher value of the mean fundamental frequency in a sentence was correlated with a more feminine self-rating and a perceptual rating in describing the picture. Higher values of formants meant a more feminine perceptual rating. In transgender women, a complete positive correlation was found between the second formant of /i/ and the perceptual ratings of laughter, and between the fifth formant of /o/ and the perceptual ratings of spontaneous speech. In men and women, the correlations between the second formant of the same vowel and the other five formants with self-ratings and with perceptual ratings were negative. We found that the pitch, intonation and vocal timbre contributed to the perception of femininity or masculinity. In the case of picture descriptions, the elongation of vowels and the word choice of transgender women were perceived as gender-neutral. The values of acoustic measurements of voice in transgender women did not significantly differ from the values of the female group, nor was there a statistically significant difference between the perceptual ratings given by laypeople and those by students.
The study examined the acoustic and perceptual characteristics of voice and speech not only in transgender women but also in the male and female groups. The obtained results represent a starting point for further research, contribute to a better understanding of the needs of transgender people in relation to voice, and can be used in speech therapy to understand how a transgender woman can achieve feminization of voice and speech
Impact of the immersive method on artistic expression of the students in art education
Get PDFArt education in elementary schools in Croatia is mainly based on acquiring a visual language that will serve as a notational system for all forms of visual art. This dissertation focuses on an immersive teaching method because it closely connects the acquisition of visual language with different stages of the creative process, from the generation of ideas to the various ways in which these ideas can be given form through the use of different materials and media. In addition, the immersive approach focuses on students’ ability to express themselves and to communicate using the visual arts. Both contemporary visual art and the ‘new media’, students are exposed to today, must be taken into account in considering the creative process and in organizing students' formal education. Context is of central importance to the immersive method and should be emphasized in teaching by engaging all the senses. Particular attention should be given to transferring the creative process involved in art-making to the creative process used in teaching, such that each student's innate creativity is encouraged. The creative process can be divided into eight phases that are passed through cyclically and that permeate it: (1) universal themes; (2) generative themes; (3) the generation of ideas; (4) the transformation of ideas into forms; (5) the selection of material and media; (6) reflection; (7) self-realization; and (8) analysis of the outcome and remediation.
For such a complex approach, the teacher's creativity, expertise and personality are of the utmost importance. Therefore, the teacher's ability to learn about the particular characteristics of contemporary fine art and other forms of visual art was one of the subjects of this research. The first part of the study was quantitative: the teacher's education, professional and teaching competence, knowledge of contemporary visual art and new media, attitude towards the current visual arts curriculum, professional development, job motivation and need for continuing education were assessed using a questionnaire that was completed by a representative sample of teachers in Croatia. The teachers’ ability to employ immersive teaching methods was evaluated via a descriptive analysis of the questionnaire's results. In addition, students completed a second questionnaire that assessed their knowledge of what they had been taught, their ability to apply that knowledge and their motivation. The questionnaire, which was given to a representative sample of fifth- and eighth-grade students in Zagreb and other parts of Croatia, also assessed the usefulness of the course content in students' everyday lives and future occupations (taking into account the new media common in society and the nature of contemporary visual art) and their knowledge of the creative process. The findings of the two questionnaires are presented as frequency distributions and percentages. Differences in responses between fifth- and eighth-grade students were evaluated using the chi-squared test and the results are presented in contingency tables. The second part of the study, the implementation phase, was also based on questionnaire findings. An immersive teaching strategy was devised in four steps: (1) teaching methods and techniques for stimulating creative thinking are introduced; (2) the students' intrinsic motivation is stimulated by employing generative themes (emotional and cognitive content); (3) during the creative process, students carry out self-assessment and reflect on their art independently; and (4) students become semi-autonomous in applying all phases of the creative process, become sensitive to context and adopt a critical attitude. The samples comprised four teachers and 128 students. The results of the students’ assignments were then analysed qualitatively and their artworks were assessed using descriptive statistics with the aid of an evaluation table.
The research answered all the questions that arose in the first and second parts of the study. The first part of the research showed that: (1) teachers lacked sufficient knowledge about teaching methods and strategies, about contemporary visual art, and about the new media environment that surrounds students; (2) teachers were not sufficiently interested in professional development or continuing education; (3) teachers did not sufficiently understand the need for a new approach to fine art lessons; (4) students were not able to use teaching content in a creative way; (5) students did not associate the new media ubiquitous in everyday life with the creation of art; and (6) students were not familiar with using free associations to generate ideas. The second part of the research showed that the immersive teaching method: (1) influenced students’ use of contemporary visual art strategies in formal visual expression; (2) influencing approaches to learning and teaching; (3) increased students’ interest in visual expression and critical thinking about the environment; (4) stimulated students to engage with more original ideas and to be more creative in choosing the appropriate form for content and the most appropriate material for transferring content into their chosen medium; (5) promoted greater interest in moral and ethical issues; and (6) encouraged a more equal use of new media technologies (e.g. cell phones, tablets and computers) and art media.
The successful application of an immersive approach to teaching art depends on the teacher having the appropriate professional and educational skills. In the hands of a competent teacher, an immersive approach can stimulate learning about the characteristics of all forms of visual art and help students develop creative thinking. Students should then be able to visually express their emotions, thoughts and values in the context of the critical thinking they have developed
Impact of sensory hypersensitivity in people with Asperger's syndrome on independent shopping
Get PDFAsperger syndrome (AS) is a form of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), which are characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction and the presence of narrowly focused and repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities. People with AS often experience peculiarities in sensory processing that manifest as hypo- or hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. Sensory hypersensitivity, which we focused on in this master's thesis, is often associated with avoiding certain situations and spaces, which significantly affects the independence of people with AS. An indicator of independence is also grocery shopping. Due to sensory peculiarities, grocery stores are a demanding environment for people with AS, and with sensory adjustments we can positively influence their independence in shopping. In Slovenia, sensory adaptations of space are focused on schools and kindergartens, while abroad they are already being extended to other public spaces, such as shops. In the theoretical part, they also presented examples of good practice of sensory adaptation of stores abroad.
In the empirical part, we found out which sensory factors in stores are the most disturbing for adults with AS, what way of shopping they use most often and whether this is related to the identified hypersensitivity to selected stimuli in stores. Based on this, we summarized guidelines for store adjustments that could be implemented in practice. Data were obtained using a non-standardized questionnaire, and 26 people with AS participated in the study.
The results showed that for adults with AS, the most disturbing sensory factors in grocery stores are crowd, changing the position of products, a mixture of different sounds, narrow passages between shelves, and too many visible stimuli at once. In the latter, we also found differences according to the place of residence - people living in rural areas show a higher degree of hypersensitivity to a mixture of visible stimuli in grocery stores. Most often, food for adults with AS is bought by someone else, followed by independent shopping in physical stores and shopping with the support of another person, and least often, food is bought in online stores. We found differences according to age group, younger people shop less independently in physical stores and more with the support of another person. Supported shopping is used statistically significantly more by those who live with their parents and by those who have expressed a higher degree of hypersensitivity to a mixture of visual stimuli. We have not proven other connection between sensory hypersensitivity to selected stimuli and the frequency of certain shopping methods.
From the results, we formed guidelines for store adjustments. Following the example from abroad, we recommend the introduction of 'sensory-friendly hours’, during which the store is less crowded, and the amount and intensity of sound and visual stimuli are reduced. The website should list the times when the store is less crowded and a map for easier orientation and product search should be accessible. The position of the products should be constant, and the facilities should be arranged in such a way that there is less possibility of physical contact between visitors (e.g., wider passages between shelves).
The present work is the first such research in Slovenia and provides insight into the ways of shopping for food in people with AS as one of the indicators of independence and their hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli in stores. In it, we evaluate the current situation and propose
changes in the sensory environment to enable greater independence and quality of life for people with AS
Stress management strategies for educational work in an educational institution
Get PDFThis master’s thesis deals with different strategies for coping with workplace stress used by teachers, working in the Educational Institution of Višnja Gora. In the theoretical part, the thesis defines stress, types of stress, stressors, symptoms and signs of stress, coping with stress and coping strategies. Furthermore, the term "children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems" is explained, and the criteria of emotional and behavioural problems and the reasons for placement in an educational institution are defined. The thesis also explains what educational institutions are and, finally, it describes the work of an educator and the psychosocial pressures they face at work. For the empirical part of the research, a qualitative research approach and a semi-structured interview method was used to obtain the answers to the research questions. The sample consisted of nine teachers employed at the Višnja Gora educational institution. The research showed that the teachers were stressed by situations related to the adolescents in the educational group and that they experienced stressful situations in the educational team. What causes them a certain amount of stress as well is poor information flow, disorganised relationships among the staff and poor communication. The results of the research show that the teachers use the following strategies to cope with stress effectively: mental techniques, relaxation techniques, non-systematic strategies, support of external institutions, participation in supervision, various seminars and reflection on their work. The results show that the teachers have also had experience of non-constructive coping with stress (not coping with stress, alcohol, suppression). It has been found out that by using different strategies, the teachers experience less stress. What is more, the use of such strategies is a preventive work, so they can avoid a lot of stress in advance. The results also show that the institution plays an important role in coping with stress by providing seminars and supervision for the teachers. They see this as a way to cope with stress in a constructive way. However, the teachers' own responsibility in coping with a stressful situation is even more important than the institution’s help, as each individual is responsible for the way they will cope with stress. The teachers would want more informal gatherings, organised by the institution, which would contribute to better relationships and unity among the staff
Implementing movement challenges in the chosen thematic orientation pathway »Secret of the storks of Preddvor«
Get PDFOften enough, long-lasting and medium to high-intensity movement in the natural environment are one of the important sets of indicators that contribute to human health. The frequency, time and intensity of movement varies individually in human life and is often presented in the form of asymmetry. We are all responsible for ensuring appropriate movement activity for pre-school children, educators, parents, society.
One way of covering all of the above sets of indicators is the thematic orientation pathways (TO – paths). In Slovenia, there are more and more such pathways. They are enriched with different content, motor, orientation and other elements. One of the TO – pathways is "Secret of The Stork of Preddvor". It was created as part of the project "Discovering Green Experiences Through Thematic Orientation Pathways". Through our master thesis, we planned to enrich the chosen pathway by implementing movement challenges with the most natural and content-related tasks, where children develop as many different motor skills as possible while preserving the construct of the original project. The relevance of the upgrade was assessed through an analysis and compliance of the curricular principles.
We found that planning should take into account both. the overall development of the child and its still incomplete differentiated motor space. Through the setting of movement challenges, we must also follow the logic of the development of motor skills (e.g. load – load relief) and follow the story sensibly, so the two stations in the environment had to be replaced. However, there was no inconsistency in the analysis of the route through the curricular principles.
We believe that by implementing the driving challenges in the selected TO – pathway, it has been upgraded by preserving all pre-established foundations by following all the curricular principles with reproducibility and selection
Views of primary students and their teachers on cyber-bullying
Get PDFThe master thesis deals with cyberbullying as understood by students in the third triad of primary school and their teachers. Recently, more and more activities are moving online, and as a result, children are also becoming more active on various web portals, which they use to play games, communicate and, last but not least, for school purposes. This also increases the chance that they will become the target of a person who will commit cyberbullying against them. In the empirical part, based on a sample of 22 students and 3 teachers, I researched how interviewees perceive cyberbullying, how the school faces the problem and whether they talk about online violence at school, how they carry out prevention workshops and similar activities. The work opens up questions for further research, especially how to present the problem of cyberbullying to the youngest students
Obstacles and difficulties in team work of special education teachers and teachers in primary school
Get PDFIn the field of education of students with special needs, the cooperation of special education teachers with teachers in primary school is already an established practice. In most cases, the special education teachers provides additional professional assistance outside the department, which enables individual and appropriate professional assistance. Some foreign authors, in the field of working with students with special needs, point out the greater advantages of team implementation of additional professional assistance in the classroom or. team teaching of special education teachers and teachers in primary school before the individual approach. Research shows that the interdisciplinary teamwork of professionals has many advantages, both for students with special needs, for professionals themselves and for the educational institution. In teamwork, special education teachers and teachers in primary school in practice often face various obstacles and problems, and use different strategies to solve them. These are insufficiently researched in practice. In teamwork, special education teachers and teachers in primary school in practice often face various obstacles and problems, and use different strategies to solve them. These are insufficiently researched in practice. In the empirical part of the master's thesis, we used a questionnaire to investigate whether the pedagogical experience of professionals affects their motivation and competence for teamwork, how often special education teachers work in teams with teachers in primary school, how they experience their teamwork with classmates and subject teachers, how teamwork took place during the COVID-19 epidemic, what obstacles and difficulties they encounter, how they deal with them and how they solve them. The sample included 54 special education teachers from all over Slovenia, who provide additional professional assistance in regular primary school. We found that special education teachers with more than 10 years of work experience feel more motivated to work in a team than those with less than 10 years of work experience. Stages of team work are performed statistically significantly more often by special education teachers who have 10 years or more of work experience than by those who have less than 10 years of work experience. The research found that special education teachers, no matter how many years of work experience they have, feel competent enough for teamwork. During the COVID-19 epidemic, when distance learning took place, special education teachers, compared to the period before the epidemic, worked with subject teachers less often as a team. Based on the obtained data, we also gained insight into the most common obstacles and problems that in practice accompany the team work of special education teachers with teachers in primary school. The surveyed special education teachers stated that they most often encounter organizational barriers, time constraints, overload and inaccessibility and lack of interest of teachers in primary school in teamwork with them. The most common problems were also related to lower motivation of students due to the COVID-19 epidemic, stress and also the fact that the work of special education teachers by teachers in primary school is understood only as instruction. As the most common strategies used by special education teachers in overcoming obstacles and solving problems that accompany teamwork, they mentioned participation in various trainings, making compromises, creating a schedule for regular team meetings and open conversation of all team members. The mentioned strategies are also assessed by the respondents as the most appropriate
Professional development of educational workers and their coping with school bullying
Get PDFPeer bullying within the educational context is a complex phenomenon, that has a negative effect on pupils', learning progress, teachers' efficiency and negatively affects broader community. Various guidelines at a national level have been set for effective recognition and prevention of bullying and they are mainly executed by educators. To deal with bullying, educators need the competence they acquire in the process of life-long learning and professional development. Besides the knowledge for dealing with bullying, an important role in intervention also represent individual and contextual factors, that are unique to every educator. Raising awareness about factors that affect recognition and response of educators, contributes to fulfilling the principle of prevention, which takes into consideration the actual status and the needs in various educational establishments. Working with students with special needs or learning disabilities demands additional professional support. Based on research already conducted, these students are identified as more vulnerable to peer bullying due to specific features and consequent differences compared to their peers. The objective of the master's thesis is to do a research on teachers' and special education teachers' dealing with peer bullying in case of students with special needs and learning disabilities compared to pupils without these characteristics. The aim was also to study individual and situational factors of educators which have an effect on recognition and dealing with peer bullying within the educational context and which allow resilient response. The data have been acquired by a survey questionnaire, which was adapted from the questionnaire of the author Bilić. A descriptive and causal non-experimental method following a quantative research approach was used in the research. The questionnaire was distributed among primary teachers and special education teachers (N = 255) which are employed in standard programs of primary schools. Data was processed at the level of descriptive and inferential statistics. Considering individual factors, that influence confronting peer bullying, we investigated the impact of experience, gender, years of service, attitudes and beliefs, competence, self-efficacy and empathy. Results have shown, that educators experienced bullying in their childhood and also at their workplace. Most of the participants actively intervened in bullying and were committed to stopping it. Regarding gender, age or occupation of the participants, there were no statistically significant differences in the perceived ability to deal with bullying. Research results have shown that participants rated their competence highest in knowledge of the different roles in peer bullying, and feel least competent in the forms and characteristics of cyberbullying. In preventing cyberbullying, educators also assess themselves the lowest in self-efficacy, and highest self-efficacy in working with parents. Special education teachers felt more competent in terms of knowledge on peer bullying, while teachers in most cases evaluated themselves as more efficient in dealing with bullying. Educators see their biggest contribution in achieving competence when dealing or solving actual cases of bullying and least from the education gained from their studies. Regarding the individual factor of empathy, educators on the four-point scale mostly expressed important or pronounced sympathy for students involved in bullying. Statistically significant differences are indicated according to the presence of students with special needs or learning disabilities, as in the presence of the latter educators rate their empathy higher. There are also statistically significant differences in the empathy of educators with regard to the types of peer bullying, with empathy ranking lowest in relational bullying and the highest in cyberbullying. Educators perceive relational bullying as the least serious and cyberbullying as most serious. Among the situational factors, that influence coping with peer violence, the participants assessed satisfaction with working conditions and cooperation with other colleagues and institutions. Research has shown that educators are proud of their profession and that they enjoy doing it. The highest satisfaction, educators evaluated in understanding and helping colleagues. According to educators, the resilient response and overcoming stress is most promoted by collegiality
Half-arc-transitive graphs and the fano plane
Get PDFGiven a bipartite cubic graph with a certain degree of symmetry two covering constructions that
provide infinitely many tetravalent graphs admitting half-arc-transitive groups of automorphisms
are introduced. Symmetry properties of constructed graphs are investigated. In the second part
of the paper the two constructions are applied to the Heawood graph, the well-known incidence
graph of the Fano plane