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Nowadays, the Slovak education system is in the process of transformation, which is orientated on a total qualitative change including the organizational, content and didactic aspect. Teacher's personality, teaching activity and positive influence on the development of the pupil's personalities and key competencies are the prerequisites for the expected change. To fulfil current social needs, it is necessary to pay more attention to the university teacher training. The paper is oriented on university preparation of Civics teacher in the conditions of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra in the Slovak Republic. Citizenship Education is a study program for students who become Civics teachers. During the studies, students are professionally profiled, including a complex of theoretical knowledge and practical pedagogical skills and abilities. The paper presents the specifics of the content and didactic part of the future teachers' study at the bachelor's and master's degree. After successful completion of the studies, graduates are qualified to teach the subject of Civics at lower and upper secondary education in the Slovak Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper publishes the results of the qualitative research that analysed the attitudes of the Slovak teachers towards the fundamental curriculum reform in primary and lower secondary education. The research was realized after 10 years from the curriculum reform that had been realized according to ISCED classification in 2008. The authors of the paper interpreted the research findings how Slovak teachers understood their role as creators of the framework of content learning. The paper clarifies and take measures teachers' attitude towards basic ideas and values in the context of the decentralized education in Slovakia. The results were obtained through structurally led interviews with the school managers and the elementary school teachers. The research methodology is based on the content analysis of transcripted interviews. Procedurally, the results are derived from the analytic-inductive approach to text content analysis resulted into generalized basic theses valid for the whole research sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our paper, we discuss the potential of Solfege as a means for the development of music literacy and musical abilities in pupils of primary and secondary schools. The aim of this study is to explore Solfege, to bring its brief historical introduction and to investigate its benefits in the experiment with extended music education. The main method used for obtaining the information was the document analysis, and statistical analysis of the data gained in 1997, during the 10th year of an experiment aimed at increasing the number of music lessons at selected primary and secondary schools in Slovakia. A standardized musical aptitude test by Arnold Bentley was applied to evaluate musical abilities of pupils. The data analysis showed that after the extended music education, the musical abilities improved in the experimental group, when compared to the control group. The basis of music education was among other methods: acquiring Solfege with phonogestics (hand signs), following the Hungarian school model and the model by Zoltan Kodaly, learning to play music instruments, participating in various music projects and cooperating with the primary art schools. Although the experiment aimed at extended music education has ended, the data have documented that this concept has contributed to improving musical abilities in children, and we therefore consider it inspiring to re-verify its effectiveness (including the use of Solfege and hand signs) after more than 20 years. However, for its application in the current school, it would be necessary that it reflect the requirements of the young generation; for example, to enable pupils to complete the Solfege exercises using an Internet application, or to transfer some activities to the online environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper Assessment to Pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties in Russian Language Teaching in the Qualitative Educational Research brings the results of research study focusing on the issues of assessment in Russian language teaching to pupils with specific learning difficulties. The study was realized within the framework of the research centre Special Needs of Pupils in the Context of Framework Education Programmes (MSM 0021622443). The author analysed the issues of assessment of Russian language teaching in the Czech Republic. The aim of the research presented in paper is to establish how teachers of Russian at lower secondary schools in the South Moravian region evaluate their pupils with specific learning difficulties. The research methods included content analysis, questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions. Special attention was paid to modern approaches to evaluation in foreign language teaching to pupils with specific learning difficulties, especially the accommodation of their individual characteristics and special needs, the development of their selfevaluation and the support of differentiated and individualized approach realized by the teacher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with severe visual impairment are trained by a large number of professionals, from doctors, special educators, social workers to lawyers or finance specialists. In the framework of our contribution, we would like to present a comprehensive overview of the complex services provided to individuals with severe visual impairment within the Czech Republic and then focus on visual therapists as professionals from the field of visual therapy. Visual therapy in the Czech Republic is relatively new field, where the people with visually impaired entire age spectrum provide support in multiple areas - these are then focus within the post that was created as part of the project IGA_PdF_2018_008 SPP 43,418,071th and within the project Development of independent movement through tactile-auditory aids, Nr. TL01000507, supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. In the framework of the paper, we will focus on visualization of visual therapy within the three basic areas that these experts devote to. The practical part will focus on introducing the tools and tests that these experts use, and then to present the case studies that apply to the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports the results of an exploratory research aiming to investigate to what extent teachers and students in secondary education use Facebook to interact. Two related samples were selected based on availability and convenience criteria. Thus, 178 teachers and 136 students participated in the research study and completed a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised three parts: the first included sociodemographic items; the second consisted in the multidimensional Facebook intensity scale [1] and the third assessed perceptions, attitudes and motives to use Facebook as a tool to facilitate didactic communication. The research results suggest there is a risk of Facebook overuse among students. In addition, the students tend to use Facebook against boredom. As for the teachers, Facebook supports self-expression and allows them to monitor the well-being of the students. Research findings indicate that students consider Facebook to be a support infrastructure for school work and a pedagogical tool that gives them access to homework and additional information. Factorial analysis has shown a greater complexity of teacher's motivations to use Facebook than those of students. The teachers are more focused on them and looking through Facebook to strengthen their status and image and to monitor their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking during pregnancy is the leading cause of prenatal morbidity. Women who smoke during pregnancy do not only increase the risks to develop serious adverse health events but also put their child at considerable risk. The purpose of this study was to assess the demographic factors and to evaluate smoking behavior in a group of pregnant women, contributing to the existing literature in order to improve maternal and child health care. Methods: A questionnaire conceived by a pulmonologist that assessed multiple risks factors during pregnancy was applied to all pregnant women, current smokers with pregnancy in evolution. Demographic factors, maternal prenatal smoking behavior and prenatal complications in infant were assessed. Results: The majority of the women were from the urban area, were married, employed and had a high school degree. When finding out that they are pregnant they either reduced the number of cigarettes (57%) or stopped smoking (16%). Nevertheless a significant percentage (27%) continued smoking during pregnancy. One baby was born prematurely and 3 had congenital malformations (hemangiomas, pigmented nevi and hydroceles). Conclusion: Tobacco dependence among pregnant women is a real public health problem and active anti-smoking counseling is required. Smoking cessation advices should be given to pregnant women on a regular basis, by every physician that attends them during pregnancy, emphasizing the risk that is includes not only her, but also her baby. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Professional self-determination in the educational system of modern Russia have no common policy in the sphere of it organization. UrFU is working with the secondary school students by the different technologies of professional selfdetermination. The University organizes the activities of schools and programs in various areas of training, such as "Test drive", "Pro debut, testing centers," Academy of power". Methods: The purpose of the article is empirical research's results of three years of experience "Academy of power" for the secondary school students. We use different methodological bases for the problem research. An empirical study was implemented by the methods of humanistic psychology in building orientation trainings of professional self-determination. We based our research also on the intensification technology of professional and personal development. There was study of the four stages of different behavioral objectives: research, crystallization, specialization and implementation. Conclusions: The main results of the study are follows: evaluation of the secondary school students finding of the dominant type of their professional behavior strategies; discovery of link between professional self-determination and the characteristics of students and their educational, intellectual and cultural capital; the provision of concrete assistance to students in professional self-determination; familiarity with the practices in the public and municipal services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]