Search

This quantitative survey-based study examines 366 Czech and 532 Turkish preschool teachers' compassion levels and psychological well-being. The Adult Compassion Scale and Psychological Well-being Scale were used as the data-collection tools, and Mann-Whitney U testing and Kruskal Wallis-H testing were used for data analysis. Although Turkish preschool teachers' compassion levels were found to be higher than Czech participants, the Turkish preschool teachers' psychological well-being was lower. While participants' compassion did not differ significantly across gender, parent/non-parent status, or the presence/absence of children with special needs in their classrooms, significant differences were associated with age, seniority, personal education level, marital status, age group of children taught, class size, and faith. While psychological well-being did not differ significantly across presence/absence of special-needs children, seniority, personal education level, age group of children taught, or faith, there were significant differences across gender, age, parenthood, marital status and class size. There was also a positive and moderately significant relationship between the preschool teachers' compassion and their psychological well-being.

Since the introduction of new legislation in 2016, questions of inclusive policy have been constantly discussed not only in schools, but also among professionals, parents, and politicians. This article is part of a larger research survey mapping the state of inclusive education at all Czech Republic secondary schools. It presents the results for two regions in order to show what attitudes and views are held by principals on the implementation of inclusion in the education system. The research was carried out as a qualitative study and semi-structured interview were employed as the research method. The obtained data were analysed using the grounded theory method. The results show that inclusion is not generally accepted by school principals. There are schools that are very pro-inclusive, but there are also schools that fundamentally reject inclusion. Initial assumptions that inclusion has been best received by general secondary schools were not confirmed. On the contrary, it turns out that the type of school does not matter as much as the attitudes of the seniors' pedagogical staff towards inclusion. Their behaviour and attitudes significantly influence the whole school climate, which is passed on to all actors as well as how the school functions overall in working with pupils with special needs.

Hands-on dissections of animals are traditionally regarded as an essential part of biology education. Nowadays, regardless of the reported educational benefits, there is a gradual change in the concept and acceptance of hands-on dissection, leading in many cases to its abandonment in schools and its replacement with alternatives such as 3D models, figurines, plastination and computer-based alternatives. However, the position of hands-on dissection has recently been challenged, mostly by computer-supported alternatives. The aim of the study was to explore whether teacher self-efficacy can be recognized as a predictor of the application of the different kinds of animals in hands-on and virtual dissections in Biology lessons. Based on responses from 405 Czech Biology teachers there are differences in the acceptability and implementation of organisms for hands-on and virtual dissection. It was established, that self-efficacy is not a predictor of either the acceptability of organisms or actual behaviour in both variants of dissection.

Environmental literacy is represented by levels of environmental knowledge, attitudes, sensitivity and environmentally responsible behaviour. In this study, the relationship between these components of environmental literacy and their relationship with possible determinants (gender, outdoor activities) were tested. An analytical tool developed by the author was applied and the data were analysed by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results of the study provide evidence of a relatively close relationship between environmental attitudes, sensitivity and responsible environmental behaviour. Similarly, a significant link between environmental literacy and outdoor activities was also demonstrated. In the case of gender, differences in Attitudes, Sensitivity, Behaviour and Outdoor Activities were identified, with girls achieving higher values.

In the Czech Republic there has been a growing interest in education in nature ["výchova v prírode"] in connection with accreditation as a field of study. Outdoor experiential educator Jan Neuman, who died in April 2021, was instrumental in the development and formalisation of Czech education in nature programmes over the past 50 years. The aim of this review is to highlight the culturally unique, holistic and multi-disciplinary approaches of the concept of education in nature within the Czech environment, comparing this term with outdoor education internationally. Such cross-referencing of different cultural and indigenous variants aims to enhance outdoor physical activity opportunities in natural environments. We define education in nature in the Czech Republic and highlight the historical development of education in nature, with a focus on "turistika" activities, summer camps ["tábory"], and holistic dramaturgy approaches that elaborate on the cultural heritage and unique Czech approach to education in nature.

The main purpose of the presented study is to explore the existing risk of Internet addiction for undergraduate students of Czech universities. The research was conducted as quantitative research; a CIAS-R questionnaire was applied. The data were collected in the years just before the Covid-19 pandemic (between October 2019 and March 2020). 3,366 respondents (2,151 females and 1,215 males) participated in our questionnaire survey. The average CIAS-R score achieved by our respondents was 44 points. It equals 6% of addicted college students (when applying the cut-off point of 63/64), and 3% of addicted students (when applying the cut-off point of 67/68). A significantly higher risk was revealed in males and in full-time students compared to females, and part-time students, respectively. The type of faculty studied was proved to be a significant intervening variable. Applying the 63/64 cut-off point, we revealed 5.6% of addicted students among the students of faculties of education, which is alarming (even if we consider the fact that applying the 67/68 cut-off point, we revealed 2.7% of addicted students.). These students represented almost 50% of our respondents, and they, as future teachers, will play an important role in the prevention of risky behavior.

Ability to adequately analyze educational situations is essential not only for (pre-service) teachers' occupational decisions, but also for their own professional development. This study represents an evaluation of the observation practice aimed at pre-service chemistry teachers' (N = 12) professional vision development. They attended chemistry classes in schools, discussed them in a group and independently wrote their reflections. The effect on the professional vision was evaluated using a self-efficacy questionnaire, lesson reflections analyses and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that preservice teachers significantly overestimated their ability to reflect on lessons, struggled with lesson analyses, failed to describe and analyze chemistry-specific content in contrast with their significant improvement in describing student-teacher interaction and teacher's activity -- all with medium to large effect. Although observation practice deepened their ability to notice, pre-service teachers did not change attention to individual lesson's aspects. Lesson observation therefore seems to be a suitable means of professional vision development from the richness of observed phenomena's point of view, as well as students' self-efficacy improvement, however more research in several aspects is needed to further inform (pre-service) teacher training practice.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Czech translation of the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale (VADPRS), a tool used to assess ADHD symptoms. Data was collected online from parents of school-aged children and included questions related to their child's diagnosis or treatment. The results showed that while relying on professional judgment improved specificity and positive predictive value, it decreased negative predictive value. These findings indicate that the VADPRS scale is more accurate in identifying individuals with ADHD when professionals provide the diagnosis, but fewer true negatives are found. This is the first study attempting to describe the psychometric properties of this tool in the Czech Republic and assess its use as an additional tool for ADHD diagnosis. It is recommended that structured clinical interviews be used to increase the accuracy of ADHD diagnosis.

We adopted a person-oriented approach to identify patterns of how classroom talk and internal behavioral engagement are combined in students. The research was conducted on a sample of 639 ninth-grade students (32 classes). We measured the duration of classroom talk for each individual student during Czech language and language arts lessons. The students completed an inventory to determine their internal behavioral engagement. Student achievement was measured using the results from standardized reading literacy tests. We also inquired about the socioeconomic backgrounds of the students. We identified five distinct participation profiles (eager, chatty, diligent, aloof, and disconnected) and analyzed whether the profiles could predict student achievement. We found that the profile with high talk and high internal behavioral engagement performed best, and the profile with low talk and low internal behavioral engagement performed worst. Analyzing the inconsistent profiles, we found that high internal behavioral engagement did not guarantee student achievement if the engagement was not accompanied by talk. Our findings thus highlight the important role of classroom talk in relation to student learning.

The (written) state curriculum is one of the cornerstones influencing education. Its specifically mediated by textbooks. In an open textbook market, the influence of the state curriculum is limited, and the main responsibility passes to individual schools or teachers. In order to understand education from the potential attainment of curriculum goals' point of view, it is necessary to pay attention to the teachers' textbook preferences. This research was focused on the field of lower-secondary chemistry education in Czechia, with special attention paid to the textbooks in use, their choice, and teachers' perception of them. The data were gathered using a questionnaire distributed to a representative sample of 387 lower-secondary school chemistry teachers. The results showed that teachers favor traditional chemistry teaching conceptions. Most teachers stated that textbooks play a vital role for them when preparing lessons and new textbooks are mostly chosen by the most experienced teachers. Most teachers also expressed their preference for textbooks which contain subject-matter ordered according to the structure of chemistry, i.e. not adjusted for learners, as well as textbooks dominantly orientated towards the transmissive approach to education. Regarding the teachers' perception of textbooks, potential limits were identified in implementing innovations in (chemical) education.

Entrepreneurial education has recently become popular at universities of economics almost all over the world. Various teaching methods play a significant role in the development of future entrepreneurs. Therefore, for a student to become a successful entrepreneur, it is essential to find the most effective tool for the teachers to support entrepreneurship education and find the ideal connection between the needs of the students and the right choice of a teaching method. There is a large gap between the needs of the business environment and university studies in this area. The research is based on 214 questionnaires filled in by the students from two different faculties. The paper aims to find and analyse the preferences of teaching methods for management students based on the following criteria: gender, faculty, degree of study. The students expected to be taught by active methods, e.g., expert lectures and business simulators. Differences in the use of teaching methods were the most evident among students from different faculties. The students of economic faculty prefer active methods to a greater extent than students of social studies. On the contrary, special projects and counselling are preferred teaching methods by students in health and social sciences.

Many people use satellite images in their professional and everyday lives, and school curricula often require their use. Yet, the ways teachers actually use satellite images in the classroom is often limited, if they use them at all. The YCHANGE project trained teachers to use remote sensing data by themselves and to use it in their classrooms. The project partners created a remote sensing curriculum which suggests how teachers can develop their students' skills in this area of geography. This curriculum is based on existing research and school curricula. The project partners created and published sample learning units, and the project webpage also offered the possibility for teachers to publish student-created projects. YCHANGE training event participants in Switzerland and Germany filled out an online survey. Most participants said they improved their ability to read satellite images and use them in the classroom. However, participants' evaluation of the YCHANGE materials and training events was mixed. The study shows some differences among the Swiss language regions, and significant differences between Germany and Switzerland. For example, our training events introduced the participants to the web application BLIF. On average, the German participants liked BLIF, but the participants in Switzerland rated BLIF significantly worse. We therefore recommend that future research compare remote sensing, as well as other areas of geography education, among different countries and language regions.

The paper describes various forms and modes of partnerships and cooperation between mainstream schools and private tutoring providers, and their risks and benefits as perceived by Czech school leaders. Its main findings are drawn from interviews with management representatives of 43 lower-secondary schools. Schools displayed tutors' advertisements, recommended private tutors to students, cooperated with tutors or offered school premises for private tutoring. Some forms and modes of collaboration could be mutually beneficial, whilst others were at the edge of ethical practices. Most principals carefully weighed perceived benefits and risks of such partnerships, but others practiced a laissez-faire school policy.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an essential part of sustainability. The CSR concept can be extended to social responsibility of organisations and personal responsibility of the citizens (Personal Social Responsibility). Extending the CSR concept requires increasing the knowledge of it. The Social Responsibility Index (SR Index), inspired by the CSR indices used to measure the performance, can be a convenient tool to educate adult population in the Lifelong Learning (LLL) process. It is essential that the index is understandable for all users. Moravian Business College Olomouc has applied andragogical approaches in an index methodology proposal -- so called SR ETA Index 2019 (hereinafter referred to as SREI). The aim of the paper is to present the SREI. Beyond the function of the measuring instrument, it can be used to educate all types of target user groups. The SREI design is based on a combination of piloting methodology and field preresearch methodology.

According to research findings from all over the world, textbooks play an important role for teachers in the choice of methods, content and educational goals. However, the open textbook market, where the state's influence is limited, results in a significant gap between the state (written) curriculum and actual classroom practice. To understand this phenomenon in more detail, teachers' (N = 387) conception of lower-secondary chemistry textbooks was evaluated, based on their perception and use of particular textbook components. Data obtained with an online questionnaire were subjected to a thorough analysis using CRISP-DM data mining methodology. The results showed a high consistency in chemistry teachers' perception of textbooks and also that only a limited number of textbook components are frequently being used in teaching practice. The vast majority of teachers mentioned using textbook content to prepare lessons, which indicated textbooks' influence over lesson content. The other most frequently used components are graphical representations, questions and tasks. Textbook components which can be used to apply a student-centred approach are considered less important by the majority of teachers, which confirms the persisting teacher-centred approach in chemistry teaching. The results also helped identify textbook components whose innovation could have the highest impact on education (educational illustrations, structured text, photographs and tasks). This study therefore sheds more light on chemistry teaching, as well as bringing important knowledge to new textbook authors. The data mining methodology proved useful in this sort of research, showing multiple relations which would not be considered in standard data analysis.

Young people's lives will be influenced by climate change and, in turn, climate change may itself be influenced by their future behaviour. Environmental education has thus to rise to the challenge of providing students with knowledge that will go beyond the simply factual and enable an understanding of the complexity of climate change. This paper follows on from our previous study of Czech students' beliefs concerning the usefulness of mitigation measures and their willingness to act, and investigates students' knowledge of climate change and the role that this plays in their beliefs. The results suggest that, when compared with their upper-primary and female counterparts, secondary-school and male students possess a higher degree of understanding of the complex issues of the causes and consequences of climate change and the underlying principles of the greenhouse effect. The positive influence of school education is manifested in the differences in the believed efficacy of mitigation actions which are less pronounced, and the beliefs higher in general, among secondary-school students. Students who exhibit a higher level of climate change knowledge, namely those with the ability to apply a more complex perception of climate change, more frequently believe in the efficacy of climate change mitigation.

This research follows the previous study examining the effect of chemistry education on students' perception and understanding to the nature of chemistry (NoC) as well as their attitudes towards it as a school subject. Grade 9 students (N = 282) at the end of their compulsory schooling were given a set of open-ended questions focused on their understanding to NoC, perception of chemistry topics' importance, topics the students found interesting and their evaluation of chemistry as a school subject. The answers were analysed using the open coding approach. It is possible to conclude most of the students do not have a clear idea about the nature of chemistry. Students assess chemistry as a school subject in the middle of the 5 point Likert scale. The results of this research offer the background for a more complex analysis of effects influencing students' conception of chemistry and its subject matter.

Gamification is increasingly applied in contexts where personal performance is of importance. However, the psychological nature of their relation has not been thoroughly examined. The authors investigated how achievement-based gamification impacts attitudinal engagement and performance across 6 university courses. The authors created challenges and badges connected to coursework and measured students' engagement and performance while gamifying the course in 1 year of the 2-year quasi-experiment. In the other year, the authors examined engagement, performance, and would-be-attained achievements were the course gamified. Results show students performed moderately better in gamified condition. Moreover, badges had a guiding effect on students as badge-awarding actions were carried out more in gamified courses. Importantly, the authors found a small mediation effect of engagement in gamification-performance relation. The authors thus conclude badges may be a useful method when gamifying academic performance and that work attitudes are a useful framework to further examine the relation.

During the 2015 sudden rise in migration movements in Europe, approximately 2.4 million refugees arrived in Europe and 1.2 million asylum applications were received in the European Union countries. We were interested in finding out whether these rapid changes and the polarised attitudes represented in the media affected young people's attitudes towards people with different cultural backgrounds. This study, therefore, examined young people's global understanding in four European countries: Czechia, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. The aim was to identify the level of world-mindedness of young people and compare the results with an earlier study (conducted in 2010) with the same research design. The research was targeted at a group of upper-secondary students in these countries. In total, 962 students participated in the study in 2017. Although the context in the observed countries varied, the findings revealed a stable state, or rather a slightly positive change of world-mindedness, to 2010 in all the countries. The results stress the need to remain sensitive to students' opinions and attitudes towards other people and cultures in geography lessons in general and especially when teaching and learning about current societal issues, inequality, exclusion and solidarity.

GeoCapabilities is a distinctive approach to teacher professional development which foregrounds the educational potential of geographical knowledge. This paper examines the effect of GeoCapabilities on geography teachers' expertise. First, the paper explores a problem of teacher training which privileges technique for classroom effectiveness over geographical thinking. We then introduce the GeoCapabilities 3 project, presenting and discussing findings through teachers' reflections. We argue that GeoCapabilities 3 offers a model of teacher development, which supports teachers as leaders of curriculum change in an 'activist profession'. This is needed if geography education is to equip young people with knowledge capabilities for their future.

Selected wild-growing edible fungi (Boletus edulis, Neoboletus luridiformis, Cantharellus cibarius, Macrolepiota procera, Amanita rubescens, Russula virescens, Lycoperdon perlatum, and Flammulina velutipes) along with the poisonous medicinal species Amanita muscaria were collected from five sites in the Bohemian Forest, the Czech Republic and analyzed regarding the contents of 19 elements (Ag, Al, As, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Se, Tl, and Zn) in their fruiting bodies. The contents of the elements as well as bioconcentration factors (ratios of the element content in dry matter of the mushroom to the content in the soil; BCF) were significantly species dependent. In general, the analysis revealed the most intensive accumulation of Cd, Rb, Ag, Cu, Se, and Zn in the studied mushrooms. B. edulis accumulated Ag, Se, Cd, Rb, Cu, and Zn with average BCF of 31, 25, 18, 13, 3.9, and 2.6, respectively. On the other hand, A. rubescens accumulated Cd, Rb, Ag, Cu, Zn, and As (BCF of 41, 27, 4.8, 3.3, 2.1, and 1.4). The data concerning the detrimental elements in sporocarps of edible mushrooms indicate no negative effect on human health if the fungi are consumed occasionally or as a delicacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and further motivation of gifted students are widely discussed among the science education community. In the context of the educational system of the Czech Republic, competitions serve as one of the main ways to identify those gifted in precollege education. In this article, we report the foundation of a team-based open-book competition in chemistry. The competition targets upper-secondary-school students with an interest in chemistry. We describe the organizational process of the competition, including the selection and reviewing of questions. We discuss the personal requirements for organizing staff, the need to train them adequately, and various ways of supporting them. We explain the scoring system and discuss the score data from years 2016-2020, assessing the difficulty of the question sets and proposing an optimal difficulty profile. The competition has been held concurrently in the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom since 2020 and has the potential for further internationalization.

The purpose of this study is to compare the perception concerning game concept of 4th grade students in Turkey and the Czech Republic. 19 fourth grade elementary students in the Czech Republic and 40 fourth grade elementary students in Turkey were selected by criterion and convenience sampling. They responded to a specific question "What is the meaning of game for you?" effectively through writing and drawing. Phenomenographic analysis was used to analyze the data. As a result, it is detected that fourth grade elementary students in Turkey and the Czech Republic perceive the game concept as real games more than digital games. Although the two groups have different cultural characteristics they drew and wrote the same games in some main categories. In addition, students in Turkey drew and wrote digital games less frequently than the students in the Czech Republic.

One of the key issues of the EU educational policy is quality assurance. The presented research represents a contribution to solving the issue of quality assurance of informatics education on the tertiary level of education in economy and managerial study fields. Within the research current state of informatics education in selected economy and managerial study programmes was analysed based on students' views and opinions. Necessary research data were collected through questionnaire survey respondents, who were students of the relevant study programmes in the Slovak and Czech Republics. The paper presents in more detail results of the questionnaire part which was focused on finding out how the students evaluate informatics education incorporated in their pre-graduate education considering its relevance to their study and career profiles. Another task of the research was to find out whether the students' evaluations depend on their gender and study specializations, and also whether there are some differences in the evaluations done by the students of the same or at least similar study programmes studying either in Slovakia or in the Czech Republic. As the results showed, students of the economy and managerial study programmes do not connect their future career with the information technologies and they do not have ambitions to be employed in the IT area. But at the same time, they are aware of the fact that the knowledge and skills obtained within their informatics preparation are important for their everyday life and future career. On the other hand, they are not satisfied with the quality of the informatics subjects they are taught. So, to assure the quality of their pre-gradual preparation does not mean only to innovate curricula of the informatics preparation but also to deal with the issues of an efficient transfer of these curricula content to students.

The paper investigates how the order of numerical data in word problems on division of a whole into unequal parts affects achievement and reasoning of 14-16-year old pupils. The variable was altered in two word problems, in one of which also the context was changed (psychological variable) and in the latter "if-clause" is or is not used (linguistic variable). 182 pupils were involved in the experiment. The solutions were analysed quantitatively using Item Response Theory as well as qualitatively. The data suggest that pupils' success is affected by the order of numerical data in the statement in an unfamiliar context. The presence of "if-clause" in the statement was studied in a two-level problem. The order of numerical data played its role in case of formulations without "if". The results of the experiment are of interest for mathematics education as well as for construction of tests. The paper is an extended version of the paper by Novotná (2018).

Understanding the intellectual demands of an intended curriculum is crucial as it defines the frames for teaching and learning processes and practice during lessons. In this study, upper-secondary school chemistry curricula contents in Czechia, Finland, and Turkey were analysed, and their objectives were compared using the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT). The intellectual demands were examined analysing the action verbs in the three curricula objectives based on their association with the intended cognitive process dimensions in the RBT. The Turkish upper-secondary chemistry curriculum was found to be more structured, detailed, and containing more objectives than the Czech and Finnish curricula. The domineering objectives in cognitive demands were understand (77.2%) and analyse and apply (both 7.1%). Conceptual items dominated (59.8%) with procedural items identified (29.1%). Also, there are five metacognitive items (3.9%). The Czech curriculum, compared to the Finnish and Turkish curricula, does not take modern trends in the field of chemistry into account. The cognitive demands in the Czech curriculum were skewed toward apply (40%) with understand and evaluate accordingly represented by 20%. Conceptual items dominate with a 53.3% of occurrence. In the Finnish curriculum, the cognitive demands were skewed toward apply (47.1%) with create (23.5%) and understand (17.6%). Procedural (35.3%) domains predominate, although metacognitive objectives represent a significant share (23.5%) too. These findings from the contents and intellectual demands of the curricula in each of the three countries have the potential to help teachers and other actors in education design the interventions and assessments implemented in the classes. Comparing the distribution of intellectual demands between the countries provides an international reference for educational reforms in hand in many countries.

It is well-documented that academic achievement is associated with students' self-perceptions of their academic abilities, that is, their academic self-concepts. However, low-achieving students may apply self-protective strategies to maintain a favorable academic self-concept when evaluating their academic abilities. Consequently, the relation between achievement and academic self-concept might not be linear across the entire achievement continuum. Capitalizing on representative data from three large-scale assessments (i.e., TIMSS, PIRLS, PISA; N = 470,804), we conducted an integrative data analysis to address nonlinear trends in the relations between achievement and the corresponding self-concepts in mathematics and the verbal domain across 13 countries and 2 age groups (i.e., elementary and secondary school students). Polynomial and interrupted regression analyses showed nonlinear relations in secondary school students, demonstrating that the relations between achievement and the corresponding self-concepts were weaker for lower achieving students than for higher achieving students. Nonlinear effects were also present in younger students, but the pattern of results was rather heterogeneous. We discuss implications for theory as well as for the assessment and interpretation of self-concept.

The aim of this research was to empirically validate constructs for evaluation of teachers' attitudes toward usage of educational software in chemistry teaching. Questionnaire with items transformed from UTAUT (Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology) and other technology acceptance theories were filled in by 556 Czech chemistry teachers. All constructs passed recommended .7 thresholds of Cronbach's alpha so they can be used in acceptability researches before and after introduction of educational software or building models. However, analyses of effect sizes show that there are not only differences between users and all nonusers generally, but also prove differences between various types of nonusers. Nonusers were established as a) those who had used educational software and abandoned it; b) those who do not use educational software, but are planning to use it in the future, and c) those who do not use educational software and have no intentions to use it. An unexpected finding reveals that differences among subgroups of nonusers can be even larger than between users and nonusers, especially the group c) is an outstanding group. Consequently, factors and their influence on the acceptance and use of educational software in chemistry teaching should be explored for each group separately.

There is much research into teachers' workplace wellbeing, but very little research investigating teacher assistants' wellbeing in the workplace -- especially those who work in classrooms where students with a disability are present. Research among teachers has identified adaptability as a key to their workplace wellbeing. Following this research, among a sample of 128 teacher assistants who work in classrooms where students with a disability are present, we explored four workplace wellbeing outcomes (workplace enjoyment, participation, self-concept, and motivation) and the role of adaptability in predicting these wellbeing outcomes. Hierarchical path analysis showed that teacher assistants who were adaptable demonstrated significantly higher workplace enjoyment, participation, self-concept, and motivation. Findings suggest workplace adaptability as a critical element of workplace wellbeing for teacher assistants who support students with disability.

In this study, different factor analysis models were employed to test the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) in 11 distinct populations (n = 15,266) in different countries. The results strongly suggest that the most appropriate use of the SCS is to measure levels of Self-Compassionate responding (positive items) and Self-Uncompassionate responding (negative items) separately.

This study aims to identify suitable sites for Corrigiola litoralis (Strapwort) using hydrological and hydrodynamic models and geographical information techniques. It was conducted on the lower Elbe River in Czechia for 1981–2020 at six research sites. Hydrological models BILAN, GR4J and TUW were used together with HEC‐RAS hydrodynamic model. In addition to hydrological model simulations, we also used observed flows. We addressed identifying sites suitable for Corrigiola litoralis by introducing conditions reflecting the ecological requirements of this species. We compared the results with the findings recorded in the literature. The accuracy of this approach was 0.750 when the source of hydrological data was the observations, and the accuracy was, on average, 0.776 when using model simulations. The determined size of a suitable area had a significant variance. The closest to the size determined from the observed data were results based on the simulation of the TUW model. The GR4J model and BILAN model overestimated the size of suitable areas. The presented approach proved to be reasonable for modelling spatio‐temporal dynamics of sites suitable for Corrigiola litoralis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the introduction of new legislation in 2016, questions of inclusive policy have been constantly discussed not only in schools, but also among professionals, parents, and politicians. This article is part of a larger research survey mapping the state of inclusive education at all Czech Republic secondary schools. It presents the results for two regions in order to show what attitudes and views are held by principals on the implementation of inclusion in the education system. The research was carried out as a qualitative study and semi-structured interview were employed as the research method. The obtained data were analysed using the grounded theory method. The results show that inclusion is not generally accepted by school principals. There are schools that are very pro-inclusive, but there are also schools that fundamentally reject inclusion. Initial assumptions that inclusion has been best received by general secondary schools were not confirmed. On the contrary, it turns out that the type of school does not matter as much as the attitudes of the seniors' pedagogical staff towards inclusion. Their behaviour and attitudes significantly influence the whole school climate, which is passed on to all actors as well as how the school functions overall in working with pupils with special needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the text is to formulate certain problems and dangers in relation to education for democratic citizenship. The core of these considerations points to the problem of neglecting the fundamental motive of the problem of democracy, which is the relation to truth. The text defines four problem areas that cause reductive understanding of education for democracy, namely: (1) Our understanding of democracy has been reduced to securing the distribution of power in a state and defence of freedom of speech which eliminates the contradictions in the concept of democracy and leaves only its legal-political aspects; (2) The key condition of democracy, which is respect for human rights, has become complicated by the constant proliferation of human rights, oftentimes with individual needs being confused with human rights; (3) We have resigned upon addressing the important issue of balance between equality and outstandingness resulting in consequences for culture as well as education, i.e. loss of identity and absence of footing to base it on; and (4) Democracy is closely linked to the ability to think and make decisions according to truth and not on the basis of immediate interests as democracy primarily has to do with an ideal that we look up to. The text also tries to show that education for democracy cannot be satisfactorily ensured by development of partial competences for co-operation and diversity acknowledgement since democracy does not only consist in system and rules but ideas and relation to Truth in the first place.

In the Czech Republic there has been a growing interest in education in nature [výchova v přírodě] in connection with accreditation as a field of study. Outdoor experiential educator Jan Neuman, who died in April 2021, was instrumental in the development and formalisation of Czech education in nature programmes over the past 50 years. The aim of this review is to highlight the culturally unique, holistic and multi-disciplinary approaches of the concept of education in nature within the Czech environment, comparing this term with outdoor education internationally. Such cross-referencing of different cultural and indigenous variants aims to enhance outdoor physical activity opportunities in natural environments. We define education in nature in the Czech Republic and highlight the historical development of education in nature, with a focus on turistika activities, summer camps [tábory], and holistic dramaturgy approaches that elaborate on the cultural heritage and unique Czech approach to education in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding inter-annual variation in the density of young-of-the-year fish is an important tool for assessing stock status and guiding management decisions. We analyzed data spanning from 2003 to 2022 collected at Lipno Reservoir in Czechia. The study aimed to identify factors influencing the density of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), a valuable predatory fish species in European waters. A bimodality test for the size class distribution has revealed the existence of two distinct YOY cohorts: extremely small (ES) and ordinary fingerlings. Using the Bayesian horseshoe prior method with 37 potential predictors, followed by linear regression, we observed that certain environmental factors similarly influenced both cohorts. Higher temperatures during spring and summer, coupled with increased densities of large and medium-sized cladocerans, positively affected the density of both cohorts. However, distinct influences were observed: for ordinary fingerlings, increased summer precipitation and a lower abundance of predators were beneficial, whereas, for ES fingerlings, summer copepod density emerged as an additional positive factor. This study emphasizes the importance of a detailed investigation of factors influencing pikeperch recruitment. Examining these drivers provides a clearer insight into the causes of variations in the early life stage, which is crucial for monitoring and managing populations in temperate reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quantitative survey-based study examines 366 Czech and 532 Turkish preschool teachers' compassion levels and psychological well-being. The Adult Compassion Scale and Psychological Well-being Scale were used as the data-collection tools, and Mann-Whitney U testing and Kruskal Wallis-H testing were used for data analysis. Although Turkish preschool teachers' compassion levels were found to be higher than Czech participants, the Turkish preschool teachers' psychological well-being was lower. While participants' compassion did not differ significantly across gender, parent/non-parent status, or the presence/absence of children with special needs in their classrooms, significant differences were associated with age, seniority, personal education level, marital status, age group of children taught, class size, and faith. While psychological well-being did not differ significantly across presence/absence of special-needs children, seniority, personal education level, age group of children taught, or faith, there were significant differences across gender, age, parenthood, marital status and class size. There was also a positive and moderately significant relationship between the preschool teachers' compassion and their psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence has brought a number of ethical and practical issues to higher education. Solid experimental evidence is yet inadequate to set the functional rules for the new technology. Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyse the experience of undergraduate students' interaction with ChatGPT and contribute to identifying the problems arising from the widespread use of artificial intelligence. Methods: Junior university students (N = 25) were assigned the task of working on their seminar essays with the aid of ChatGPT. Most students were novices with this tool (the study was conducted in the spring of 2023). Their essays were analysed qualitatively, according to the principles of the general inductive approach. Results and Conclusions: The initial attitudes towards artificial intelligence were almost equally distributed from enthusiastic to indifferent and cautious, with one student refusing to interact with the chatbot on ideological grounds. After the first experience, most of the students declared themselves adopters of the new technology. We have found some evidence for enhancing critical thinking competence when using ChatGPT, as well as examples of unquestioned reliance on its outputs. The tendency to personification of the chatbot was apparent in the students' essays. Implications: The findings show how easily the students embrace artificial intelligence and suggest a failure of any attempts for its strict regulation. This, on the other hand, underlines the need for emphasis on personal and research‐oriented approaches in teaching and learning. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Tools such as ChatGPT have spread rapidly in the university environment, but exactly how students use them is not yet well understood. What does this paper add: We analyzed students' interactions with ChatGPT and identified a few patterns such as personification and overreliance on the AI outputs. Implications for practice or policy: Changes to education introduced by AI tools emphasize the need for personal and research‐oriented approaches in teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The distribution of within‐species lineages has been affected by Quaternary climate changes, and population differentiation has been influenced by species life history traits. We investigated whether the distribution of individual mitochondrial genetic lineages reflects the constituent species' traits. Using the functionally diverse group of butterflies, we examined which lineages are present in Central Europe, an important suture zone. Location: Czech Republic and Western Palearctic. Taxon: A total of 140 butterfly species. Methods: We sequenced DNA barcodes (cytochrome c oxidase 1) (959 sequences) of the entire Czech Republic butterfly fauna and used Barcoding of Life Data System to visualise the species' biogeographic patterns across Europe. We categorised the distribution patterns of lineages inhabiting the Czech Republic, and used multivariate statistics to interpret these categories by the butterflies' habitats, life history traits and threat levels. Results: Open habitat dwellers with specialist traits belonged to Eastern, Southern and temperate lineages. Habitat generalists and woodland dwellers belonged to the Western lineage, formed several lineages or displayed low genetic diversity; they often developed on woody plants, were large‐winged and had long flight periods. The most threatened species were the specialists of Southern, Eastern and temperate lineages. Main Conclusions: The distribution of lineages in Central Europe reflects the history of Quaternary ecosystems: during cold periods of the Pleistocene, the diverse open habitats prevailed and species could expand westwards. Such species also suffer the most under the current anthropogenic habitat alteration. On the other hand, the mobile generalists and woodland dwellers expanded to Central Europe during the Holocene. Our approach of linking the distribution of lineages with species traits can be transferred to other study systems, and we show that DNA barcoding of under‐sampled areas represents a powerful tool for discovering the driving forces of biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation Z is expected to officially surpass the Baby Boomers in the labor market by 2024 and to represent 30% of the global workforce by 2030. In the work environment, they are referred to oxymoronically as competitively ambivalent. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the reasons for this behavior and to identify initiatives that would facilitate understanding between Generation Z and other generations. The aim of the present study was to find out whether Generation Z in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which lives in conditions of deepening polarization of society and differentiated opportunities (e.g., in access to education, consumption of goods and services, work and entertainment), exhibits compatible value orientation or whether significant antagonisms exist in the value system. The study utilized the referential Schwartz's theory of values, which handles universal values dynamically. This theoretical framework was extended to include the dimension of instrumental values that were contextualized in the labor market environment. The results show that the representatives of Generation Z in the Czech Republic and Slovakia prefer collective values (Benevolence and Universalism) in the first two places. However, they subsequently lean toward two individual values (Hedonism and Self-Direction). The comparison of the results in the European context showed the same values being shared by the representatives of Generation Z with preference nuances. The comparison of Generation Z representatives with members of other generations in the European context showed consistency of sharing collective values (Benevolence and Universalism). Discussion: Intergenerational value congruence, as well as knowledge of the difference in preferred values across generations (the collectivism value of Tradition shared by Baby Boomers and Generation X, and Hedonism as an individualism value shared by Generation Y and Generation Z) can help the successful integration of Generation Z representatives in the labor market. A way toward intergenerational synergy can be the recommended strategies for managing Generation Z in the context of career paths: Flexibility of development; Gamification; Mentoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a significant problem following paediatric surgery, and volatile anaesthetics are an important cause of this phenomenon. BIS-guided anaesthesia, by reducing the consumption of anaesthetics, leads to a decrease in PONV in adult patients. Study objective: Evaluate the role of BIS-guided anaesthesia in reducing the incidence of paediatric PONV. Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Setting: A single center study in university hospital in Czech republic, from June 2021 to November 2022. Patients: A total of 163 children, aged 3–8 years with ASA I-II who underwent endoscopic adenoidectomy under general anaesthesia were included. Interventions: In the intervention group, the depth of anaesthesia was maintained to values between 40 and 60 of BIS. Main outcome measure: The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting during 24 h after surgery. Results: The use of BIS-guided anaesthesia led to a significant decrease in the incidence of nausea and vomiting compared to the control group [17% vs. 53%; RR (95%CI) 0.48 (0.27–0.86); p < 0.001and 16% vs. 34%; RR (95%CI) 0.33 (0.20–0.54); p = 0.01, respectively]. Conclusions: BIS-guided anaesthesia decreases the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in children undergoing adenoidectomy. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04466579. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two albums of drawings by Lombard masters of the Renaissance period (sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries), the contents of which are now in museums in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, constitute one of the most valuable collections of drawings preserved in Bohemia from the seventeenth century. Apparently originally the property of Antonio Maria Viani (1555/60–1630), it remains impossible to identify with certainty who collected the drawings at some time before 1676 and pasted them into the two albums, or how they came to be in the possession of the Clary-Aldringen family, from whose hands they eventually passed into public ownership. The aim of this article is to trace the records of this extraordinary collection in the possession of the Clary-Aldringen family since 1676, and its fate after 1945. While one of the albums was later dismembered and the constituent drawings were variously treated, we have been able to trace almost the whole of this collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Family policy is an area where policy transfer has garnered a lot of attention lately. A growing body of research demonstrates policymakers' interest in and willingness to adopt foreign family policies. However, previous studies have tended to neglect the second mechanism of policy transfer: resistance. This manuscript aims to address this research gap by exploring both the willingness and resistance to policy transfer in Czech and Korean childcare and leave policies. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a qualitative research design, incorporating structured expert interviews instrumental in in-depth thematic analysis. Findings: The analysis shows that policymakers in both countries demonstrated interest and willingness to transfer family policies, albeit employing different strategies and to varying extents. Moreover, the two countries exhibited significant differences in resistance to family policy transfer, with resistance in the Czech Republic being more frequent and effective. Resistance is directed towards both forced and voluntary transfers, although it isn't always against transfers that require a paradigm change. Policy transfer and non-transfer can concurrently be perceived as threats. Originality/value: The study concludes that integrating both policy transfer and resistance in the analyses helps to shed light on cross-national differences in family policy change and contributes to a more nuanced portrayal of the world of policy transfer in this policy field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IBSE has become a rather frequently applied strategy of directing learning activities in teaching science subjects. However, results of the IBSE effectiveness are not clear. A more detailed analysis is required which will reflect learners' individual characteristics. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to discover what the effectiveness of IBSE reflecting individual learning style is. The learning style categorization followed the Honey and Mumford's variation on the Kolb's system. The IBSE effectiveness was detected by the didactic test consisting of 15 PISA-style tasks. The research was conducted in the sample of 332 learners who were exposed to IBSE for five months. Their knowledge was tested before, immediately after and four months after the IBSE approach was applied in lessons. The collected data were processed by ANOVA and Tukey HSD test. The results show that the highest short-term results were reached with learners preferring concrete sensing; the highest long-term results were reached with those of active processing of information. This finding might be caused by better use of metacognition and acquiring such individual metacognitive strategies which learners apply at utilization of information. Further on, the IBSE should focus on mechanisms of fixing the acquired knowledge.

Article aims to analyse impact of project activities called International Business Weeks (IBW) on outgoing student mobilities at the College of Polytechnics Jihlava. The IBW network was established by University Paris 13 in France and Leuven University College in Belgium (now University College Leuven-Limbourg) 17 years ago to encourage finance/business students to apply for international mobility. The network of European business colleges/universities now contains 15 universities or colleges, College of Polytechnics in Jihlava (CPJ) joined it in 2008. The main goal of the paper is to evaluate the effect of IBW on Erasmus mobility at CPJ. Analysis of the data from CPJ information system shows that this impact has weakened gradually. The data also proved that the interest in IBW among CPJ students is stagnating. Partial goal of the article is to suggest solutions for the projects' revitalization. One of the conclusions is that there is a need for qualitative research among the students about their motivations and obstacles of international mobility, with focus on the psychological profile of the students.

This paper addresses the exam success rates in Mathematics 1 at the College of Polytechnics in Jihlava (CPJ). Primary data taken from the school information system cover the years 2006--2015. We carried out a success rate analysis based on several criteria (form of study, the reason for termination of studies, gender). We observed the dependence of the success rate on the aforementioned criteria and time. Plus a detailed analysis of the success rate with respect to the study programme was conducted. The contingency tables analysis and correspondence analysis were used to assess the dependencies. The research showed that the success rate in Mathematics 1 has been decreasing over the course of the monitored period of time. The success rate of full-time students is higher compared to the part-time students. Women have higher success rate than men. The respective study programmes showed equivalent results. Technical study programmes show lower success rate in mathematics. The research furthermore implies that mathematics may not always be the cause of a complete termination of studies. To reverse the trend of the growing failure rate we introduced an entrance test of high school basic mathematics followed by a course for those who fail at this test. As a part of our currently running project, our school have been innovating the e-learning modules and working on the textbooks for Seminar in Mathematics that may be completed in a form of an intensive summer or winter school in mathematics. This project's objective is an overall improvement of students' mathematical knowledge and skills.