Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education

Editorial

Aneta M. Kochanowicz — 2023-12-30

Demonstrating Didactic Models for ESD and Bildung in School Education

Shu-Nu Chang Rundgren — 2023-12-30

Objective of the article: The aim of this article is to synthesise the findings of relevant research articles and to demonstrate several “didactic models” of education for sustainable development (ESD) in school education.

Research method: The method of narrative literature review was used to identify didactic models for ESD in school education.

A short description of the context of the presented issue: The term didactic refers to the professional scholarship of teaching. In recent decades, the need to develop didactic models that would support school teaching and to allow for this adjustment in new teaching contexts has been addressed. Research has shown that school subject teachers work differently with ESD. It demands holism and pluralism, which requires embracing multiple stakeholders and communities, and a multi-disciplinary approach. Shedding light on achieving sustainability with its holist and pluralist features, this article analyses relevant research articles and demonstrates several “didactic models” for ESD in school education.

Conclusions and recommendations: I propose socioscientific issues-based teaching and learning (SSI-TL) as a useful didactic model for ESD and argue for the need to embrace didactic models like SSI-TL in teacher professional development for both pre- and in-service teachers. The article explicitly considers the value of applying Communities of Practice as a theory to guide educational practices and research on education for sustainability in school science. The implications of applying the didactic models presented in the article are relevant not only for ESD, but also for students’ development of Bildung to become reflective and responsible citizens.

Assessment of the Quality of Education and Care in Selected Polish Preschools During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using the ECERS-E Scale

Teresa Parczewska — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The aim of this project was to investigate the quality of education in Polish preschools during the COVID-19 pandemic in different social environments.

Research methods: The study uses a pedagogical approach and the ECERS-E scale, used to both define and assess the quality of preschool institutions. The research also involved interviews with teachers.

A short description of the context of the issue: An important goal of the research is to identify problem areas and areas that constitute resources or strengths of preschool institutions.

Research findings: A detailed data analysis indicated differences in the quality of education and care offered to children. The preschools under study obtained the highest results for the mathematics subscale and the lowest for the diversity subscale. Importantly, in nearly 25% of them, the quality of science and environment classes was lower than the minimum. A comparative analysis of the locations of preschools revealed that rural institutions achieved lower results than urban institutions, both in the overall quality of everyday life and for all subscales. Despite the social changes taking place in Poland, research shows that the diversification of the educational environment may significantly determine school competences and achievements.

Conclusions and recommendations: The added value of the project is showing the potential of the ECERS scale and proving that it can be used in the Polish context. This creates an opportunity to conduct comparative research on an international scale.

Contexts of Extraordinary Parental Involvement in Children’s Education During the First Wave of COVID-19: A Case Study of a Public Elementary School in Poland

Marta Wiatr — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The purpose of the study was to learn about parents’ experiences of participating in their children’s remote education during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The question posed in this article is about the circumstances under which parents took over tasks previously perceived as a teacher’s job.

Research methods: The participatory, qualitative case study utilized data from the open-ended questions of an electronic survey to which 104 parents (from a public elementary school in a metropolitan area) responded, as well as data from the school’s electronic register. The qualitative analysis employed strategies of constructivist grounded theory.

Brief description of the context of the problem: While national and international studies have shown that parents played a critical role in the challenging and stressful home-based education of their children during the COVID-19 pandemic, no research has explained how parents became this vital link of education. The aim of this article is to fill this gap.

Research findings: The study revealed two interrelated contextual factors that led to parents’ activation in their children’s “schooling from home”: 1) technical/administrative, related to having inadequate tools for distance education and 2) pedagogical/didactic, related to the prevailing concepts of teaching and learning being anchored in the behavioral-transmission paradigm.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: The results apply primarily to the school under study and represent an intrinsic case study. However, it is reasonable to assume that the events, phenomena, and processes identified in the study may serve to explain phenomena in other schools that have organized distance education similarly. The cautious recommendation, aiming to safeguard family resources (thereby protecting equal opportunities for all children to learn) in times of crisis, is to transform the pedagogical underpinnings that shape today’s educational practices from behaviorist to constructivist. However, this requires further research.

Implementation of the Good Behavior Game in Polish Elementary Schools Under COVID-19 Restrictions

Anna Kwatera — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The main aim of the research was to verify the quality of the implementation of the “Good Behavior Game” (GBG) program in Polish schools and to determine its effects on students and teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research methods: The methodology of the research was based on qualitative and quantitative data analysis. The data was retrieved from teachers’ and coaches’ assessments and the results of playing the GBG in 19 elementary schools in Krakow, Poland during four months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A short description of the context of the issue: The Good Behavior Game is an American universal prevention program that can limit the risky behavior of adolescents and young adults and can help children starting their education to play the role of a student. For teachers, it is additionally an effective tool for classroom management. It is based on four basic pillars: class rules, teamwork, positive reinforcement, and observing students’ behavior.

Research findings: The results show the obstacles and difficulties involved in implementing the GBG under COVID-19 restrictions. The findings show how the actions of teachers and coaches translated into an observable reduction in pupils’ disruptive behavior.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: The analysis revealed a gradual increase in the quality of program implementation in all areas of evaluation. In terms of the program’s effect on the pupils, the findings showed that over time they gradually successfully internalized the rules and were behaving in line with expectations. Using the GBG in the context of online education caused by the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge to teachers: they had to change teaching methods, prepare new educational resources, and modify GBG procedures. The context of the pandemic can also be seen as an added value in the education process. Better digital competences and an innovative attitude toward the education process were observed among both teachers and students.

Learned Helplessness of Secondary-School Students Learning English During Covid-19 Distance Education: a Research Report

Magdalena Kolber — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: This article presents a diagnosis of the learned helplessness experienced by secondary-school students learning English remotely during the 2021 lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives are to (1) show the level of learned helplessness of secondary-school students learning English, (2) investigate the relationship between foreign language learning strategies and the learned helplessness of secondary-school students, and (3) determine the relationship between the level of learned helplessness and the use of private tutoring by secondary-school students.

Research methods: The study was conducted via a written diagnostic survey. It also employed the School Helplessness Scale by B. Ciżkowicz (2009) and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) by R. Oxford (1990).

A short description of the context of the issue: The aim of the text is to answer the following research questions: What is the level of learned helplessness of secondary-school students? Is there a relationship between foreign language learning strategies and the learned helplessness of secondary-school students? Does the use of private tutoring differentiate the level of learned helplessness of secondary-school students?

Research findings: The results demonstrate a significant negative correlation between learned helplessness and the use of memory, cognitive, metacognitive, affective, and social strategies. The average score of learned helplessness was 2.54, which indicates that the respondents usually felt the symptoms of it. An analysis of the results for the three deficits revealed that the motivational deficit made the greatest contribution to learned helplessness. The students who had hired a private tutor in English had a lower level of learned helplessness and cognitive deficit.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: The research findings lead to several recommendations for educational practice in the context of foreign language learning: using new, effective pedagogical approaches to keep learners motivated—including elements of strategy training or social and emotional learning (SEL)—arranging remedial teaching, and promoting teachers’ professional development.

The Adaptation of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) to a Sample of Hungarian Secondary-School Students

Lucián Líviusz Olteanu — 2023-12-30

The aim of the research: The goal of the research is to adapt the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ; Gati et al., 1996) to a sample of Hungarian secondary-school students.

Research method: The sample on which the questionnaire analysis was based included 507 Hungarian secondary-school students. Factor analysis was used in order to adapt the questionnaire and to determine the latent variables, that is, factors based on these correlations. With the help of this method, the number of original variables can be reduced and the original data described with the least possible information loss. To this end, the English-language measuring instrument was validated in this study.

A short description of the context of the issue: The exploration of career decision-making difficulties is crucial for personal fulfilment, optimal career fit, improved decision-making skills, reduced uncertainty and anxiety, avoidance of career dissatisfaction, and long-term career development. By addressing these difficulties, individuals can make more informed and satisfying career choices that align with their unique strengths, values, and aspirations.

Research findings: The study revealed that the factor structure of the CDDQ varies across different cultural contexts, a finding which suggests that cultural variations impact the underlying dimensions of the CDDQ.

Conclusions and recommendations: The utilization of the CDDQ allows counsellors and practitioners to obtain valuable insights into the career decision-making difficulties experienced by their clients. This enables them to customize their interventions and counselling approaches to better meet the specific needs of individuals. The questionnaire provides a well-organized and systematic framework for evaluating and tackling these difficulties, thereby facilitating the development of effective strategies and interventions in the counselling process. The diverse sets of factors across different cultural settings highlight the need to consider cultural influences when assessing and interpreting.

Understanding Age-Related Differences in the Development of Digital Communication and Information Skills in Polish Adolescents

Jacek Pyżalski — 2023-12-30

Research objectives: This study examines the role of digital skills in the personal and social development of young people. It aims to measure and understand these skills among the younger generation, while identifying ways to improve their development.

Research methods: The data comes from the ySkills project under Horizon 2020, a longitudinal study conducted in six countries, including Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland and Portugal. Specifically, we have analyzed data on Polish youth from 2021 and 2022. The sample includes 609 individuals aged 11 to 18, i.e. in the entire age range. Self-report scales assess digital skills, including technical abilities, information handling, interaction, communication and content creation. Results from the entire first wave in Poland (N=1161) are also included.

Context: In today’s digital world, digital skills are essential for personal development and social engagement. This study focuses on Poland, where digital literacy is crucial for young people. It aims to shed light on the digital competences of Polish youth.

Findings: The study found that teenagers use the Internet mainly for social interaction and are comfortable using digital communication tools, such as email, instant messaging and social media. However, it stresses the need for further education in evaluating information available on the Internet and identifying reliable sources. Gender differences were observed, with boys demonstrating greater skills in navigating and processing information, which highlights the need for additional research to address gender disparities in digital skills.

Conclusions and Recommendations: This study highlights the importance of digital skills for young people’s development and integration into society. To bridge the digital literacy gap, we recommend targeted educational interventions that improve critical thinking and source evaluation skills. Further research and objective assessments are key to comprehensively eliminating the gender gap in digital skills. It is important to be aware of the limitations of the study, including the reliance on self-reporting and the potential impact of COVID-19 on the sample. Future efforts should aim for more robust and objective means of assessing digital skills among young people in Poland.

Measurement and Pedagogical Diagnosis of Phonoholism Among Adolescents

Aleksandra Błachnio — 2023-12-30

Research objectives: Adolescence is one of the most difficult developmental periods. Studies have documented ill-being among adolescents (Chen & Lucock, 2022; Alimoradi et al., 2022; Lakkunarajah et al., 2022; Li et al., 2022). Furthermore, compared to adults, adolescents are vulnerable to smartphone addiction (Kwon et al., 2013). The aim of the present study was to investigate the extent to which mobile phone use bears the hallmarks of excessive smartphone addiction or so-called phonoholism (Barabsa, 2018).

Research methods: The Polish version of the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale for Adolescents (MPPUSA) was used (Krzyżak-Szymańska; 2018). A total of 684 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years took part in the study. They were students from three schools – one primary and two secondary schools (a high school + technical school and a technical school + vocational school). The surveys are representative of these institutions.

A short description of the context: As the scale has more than nine different cultural adaptations, the Polish data can be related to current global trends.

Research findings: The results show that 14% of Polish adolescents are at risk and 3% use mobile phones problematically. Statistically significant relationships were found between the variable describing phone use among adolescents and both gender and type of school.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: The MPPUSA only partially meets the needs of pedagogical diagnosis. There is little evidence from adolescents or data relating to students’ perspectives on phonoholism. The school pedagogue or class teacher should ask specific, multidimensional questions when diagnosing the problem. They should also use the clues from this preliminary diagnosis of the phenomenon in everyday school life concerning internet use.

Social and Emotional Competencies of Polish Pupils: Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version of the Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC–Q)

Estera Twardowska-Staszek — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: Social and emotional competencies are crucial predictors of effective human psychosocial functioning. Although research on social and emotional competencies has been carried out for many years almost worldwide, in the current era of rapid social changes, further research is necessary. Thus, it is still essential to validate international questionnaires to measure social and emotional competencies in different geographic areas, including Poland. This would make it possible to study the dynamics of the development of these competencies and to conduct comparative studies between different countries. Therefore, the aim of the study was to validate the Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC–Q) in Poland.

Research methods: This study was conducted with the Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC-Q).

A short description of the context of the issue: The Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC-Q) was completed by 1,052 students aged 9 to 16. The psychometric properties of the SEC-Q were tested through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

Research findings: The results showed that the SEC-Q has good psychometric properties and, as in its original version, it includes four components: self-awareness, self-management and motivation, social-awareness and relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

Conclusions and recommendations: Validation of the SEC-Q will allow for more research on social and emotional competencies in Poland, including an evaluation of programs for increasing social and emotional competencies and international comparative studies.

Ontological (In)Security - Art Students’ Experience of Agency in the Educational Reality During the Pandemic

Agnieszka Weiner — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the study: The purpose of the study is to reconstruct the experiences of art students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research question is as follows: What image of the everyday life of remote education emerges from the reconstruction of the experiences of students who were previously assigned to extreme groups in terms of their perceived proficiency?

Research methods: Due to the different objectives’ for specific questions – involving nomothetic explanation in some areas (basic descriptive statistics, comparison of selected subfields, logistic regression) and idiographic explanation in others (qualitative content analysis) – the research used a quantitative and qualitative strategy.

Brief description of the context of the issue: Art schools provide unique educational opportunities as teachers-artists have a personal influence on students through face-to-face interaction. The pandemic has presented these schools with an unprecedented challenge, on a scale that had not been seen before. In the research presented here, voice was given to the students, who were considered experts in their own cause. Their experiences, as a multidimensional construct, were located theoretically in the context of the threefold framework of temporal order, space and relationship, and Bruner’s concept of the role of support in child development.

Research findings: The results show a link between perceived levels of ontological security and the way students functioned at school during the pandemic. Psychological well-being was affected more strongly in those with a low sense of agency, who often balanced on the verge of ontological security and experienced reality in a traumatic way, while students with a high sense of agency tended to focus on the benefits rather than losses.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: Locating students on the continuum of a sense of agency brought a fresh perspective on the different ways in which young artists with and without a disturbed sense of ontological security experienced school during the pandemic. Important recommendations include continuing multidirectional support measures of a pedagogical and psychological nature undertaken by many institutions, which should be aimed at art students, their parents and teachers.

School in the Cultural Discourse of Real Virtuality

Agata Cudowska — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The purpose of the theoretical research is to understand the importance of school in the culture of real virtuality and to point out the challenges that this phenomenon poses to pedagogy, especially school pedagogy. The research question is as follows: Does understanding the nature of the relationship between contemporary media and the partners of school dialogue help us better understand the changing educational reality which relies heavily on modern technologies and enable more accurate planning of pedagogical interactions?

Research methods: The study used the desk research method, which involves compiling, analyzing and processing data from existing sources, and then formulating conclusions based on them regarding the problem under study. A meta-analysis of the concepts and categories comprising the title research problem was performed using interdisciplinary sources and selected international reports.

Brief description of the context of the issue: The article presents a discourse analysis of the place of school in the culture of virtual reality (VR). The basic features of this culture are described within the paradigm of informationism, in which modern digital technology enables the integration of all modes of communication. Attention is paid to the interactive nature of hypermedia and its specific logic of flow beyond time and historical context. The role of the recipient of the message in the communication chain is highlighted as the one who ultimately gives it meaning in accordance with their own perception and experience of reality. The dialogical nature of communication in virtual space and polyphony leading to the creation of hypertexts that combine multiple narratives is emphasized.

Research findings: The results show the importance of the links between the school’s implementation of basic educational and teaching functions and the tools offered by modern digital technologies. The special role of the teacher in the process of preparing students to discuss media messages and discover their polemical nature is revealed.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: The analysis made it possible to formulate the tasks facing contemporary schools in terms of preparing young people to consciously and actively engage in the multimedia system of communication according to its logic, language and methods of encoding meanings. The importance of a dialogical, open and creative attitude of the teacher in the process of forming empowered participants of communication in the culture of real virtuality is emphasized.

Does Today’s School/Education Respond to Society’s Needs and Expectations of Reality and the Future?

Alina Dworak — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The aim of our study was to show that education, although rooted in the past and drawing heavily from the present, especially in modern times, is focused on the upcoming future, on preparing for life in a future marked by rapid changes in the development of civilisation and the hopes, threats and challenges associated with it.

Research methods: A critical analysis of scientific/research texts was carried out.

A short description of the context of the issue: The everyday reality of our lives increasingly proves that there is a great need for the harmonious and comprehensive development of the personality of children and young people. Living in a world of constant re-evaluation and clearly articulated tendencies close to ethical relativism, in a world of ecological threats, chaos in the field of beauty criteria and rapidly increasing diseases of civilisation at the end of the twentieth century (no less so two decades later), people must have a clear and distinct perspective on what they should be aiming at, on which values they should base their lives and how they should live as free, rational and responsible beings (Śnieżyński, 1999, p. 27).

Research findings: The modern school becomes a place of creating needs related to the future as well as a place for locating the intentional expectations of young people and their parents in relation to functioning in reality and in the future. School has become an institution that is required to prepare young people well for life/social functioning in an unknown future.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: At this point, one should ask whether the institution of a modern school is able to equip a young person with everything necessary to experience success, generally speaking, so that they will not be excluded or marginalised in the global world (Rzymełka-Frąckiewicz, 2020, pp. 93–108; Rzymełka-Frąckiewicz & Wilk, 2014, pp. 83–94).

Action Research as a Path to Change in the Teaching/Learning Process

Tamara Cierpiałowska — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The aim of this article is to present the action research method and the methodology for its implementation, using the example of a framework report of research conducted by the author. The research presented herein was designed to capture the changes in the teaching/learning process in a selected classroom following the implementation of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach.

Research methods: The method used in the research was the action research method.

A short description of the context of the issue: In a rapidly changing world, education researchers face the challenge of how to study and analyze the educational process, which is (and must remain) changeable in order to keep up with the changing reality. Action research is an interesting methodological proposal. Three cycles of research are presented; for each cycle, the planning process (including research questions), actions taken, data collection methods, and results were specified separately.

Research findings: The analysis shows that the research and innovative activities resulted in the development of students’ skills in planning, organizing, and managing their learning, as well as the development of their independence, responsibility, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Their willingness to cooperate also increased. As a result, they became more active (self‑)learners. At the same time, the teachers shifted from their traditional, central role of teaching others to that of facilitators, creating learning conditions for a diverse group of students.

Conclusions and recommendations: It was demonstrated that action research is a valuable way of bringing about reflective change in the teaching/learning process. Action research is worth promoting to teacher-practitioners, as it is an effective way to introduce bottom-up changes that optimize the educational process.

Teaching Algerian Third-Year Elementary-school Pupils English Vocabulary Through Songs: An Effective Instructional Tool to Enliven English Classes

Dallel Sarnou — 2023-12-30

Research objectives (aims), issues or problems: The study accentuates the significant role that integrating songs into the teaching of English vocabulary has for third-year elementary-school pupils in Algeria. It aims to make English vocabulary acquisition effortless and fun for young learners and seeks to facilitate teaching English as a second foreign language for newly recruited instructors. In fact, a major query of this research concerns the incomprehensible lack of songs, poems, and nursery rhymes in the English textbook for third-year pupils, who are 8 to 9 years old, i.e., at an age when musical activities help them become motivated and interested in class activities.

Research methods: To test the efficacy of songs in teaching English vocabulary to young third-year learners, the researchers opted for a true experimental research method. An experimental group of 26 pupils was exposed to nursery rhymes about numbers, colors, and family members, while a control group of 25 pupils was taught the same vocabulary items for three weeks using lessons from the textbook only.

A short description of the context of the presented issue: The experiment took place in one of elementary schools in the city of Mostaganem, where the researchers’ former student works as a teacher of English. The experiment lasted three weeks: from January 10 to January 31, 2023.

Research findings: The findings of this research indicate that the use of songs considerably improved the average vocabulary scores for the 26 young pupils in the experimental group compared to the control group. Therefore, this research paper concludes that songs enhance natural and effortless vocabulary acquisition among third-year pupils who are learning English for the first time.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: Moreover, this study encourages elementary-school English teachers to give more pedagogical consideration to the use of children’s songs in teaching English to their pupils so as to enliven the lessons and to raise the pupils’ motivation to learn this foreign language.

Skits and Comic Illustrations: Means of Transmedia Storytelling and a Platform for Social Change through Healthy Learning

Benjamin Eni-itan ’F. Afolabi — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the study: The quest to establish how skits and comic illustrations have made an impact through healthy learning for social change prompted this study that focuses on students of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, (RUGIPO) Ondo State. As a result, the research questions that guided this study were: what is RUGIPO students’ extent of exposure to skits programs and educational comic illustrations? What are the health benefits of their exposure to comedy skits and comic cartoons? What is the impact of skits and comic illustrations on the students’ lifestyles, and lastly, what are the similarities and differences in the two media that determine their transmedia rendering components.

Research method: The method used in this study is essentially a survey method, which is crucial for obtaining opinions from the target population. A descriptive research approach was also used in clarifying essential concepts.

A brief description of the context: Transmedia storytelling is narration across multiple media, each contributing to the story; in that regard, it becomes innovative. Skits with comic illustrations are forms of media that can be used in the teaching process. Their core component is humor, very popular in Nigeria, which is experiencing all forms of social problems, also evident in academia. Social learning theory, developmental media theory and the Socio-Ecological Model are the theoretical frameworks adopted in this study. They are based on the media and also rooted in psychology and sociology, thereby forming a background to ground the findings of the study.

Research findings: The findings revealed there is a great shortage of local transmedia production, while the development of transmedia narratives is a complex creative exercise from a technical point of view. However, the more students read and watch humorous content through skits and comic illustrations, the more they learn how to interact in their peer groups. Skits and comic illustrations as a form of media remain influential.

Conclusions and recommendations: Both skits and comic illustrations rely on humor. The study therefore explained that when exposed to both, the health benefits are psychological and enhance mental health. Among other things, it suggested that the National Orientation Agency of Nigeria should adopt transmedia storytelling as a strategic tool to enhance their sensitization campaigns. Creators of skits and comic illustrations are also advised to consider native transmedia productions for wider reach and positive social change.

Functioning of the Family System With an Autistic Child: A Comparative Study Between Poland and California, USA

Krzysztof Gerc — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The aims of this research are to conduct a comparison study between the level of communication and flexibility in families with autistic children in two different geographical locations and cultural contexts – California (USA) and Poland (Europe) – to address whether the level of these two dimensions of family functioning are related to the ego-resiliency of the parents, and additionally to discuss the practical implications that can be drawn from the results.

Research methods: Communication and flexibility profiles in family functioning were collected in Poland and California from September 2016 to February 2018. Data on the similarities and differences between parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Poland (n=111) and California (n=105) was collected using Olson’s FACES-IV. The Ego-Resiliency Scale was also administered in methodologically standardized conditions and was empirically analyzed along with controlled demographic variables.

A short description of the context of the issue: Family functioning and ego-resiliency in families with children with autism are analyzed in this research. The richness of interactions and connections within the family system suggests that when explaining the relationships within the family system, the interpretation that is based on linear causality is abandoned and replaced by circular causality, which is the model of analysis utilized in this research project. The main goals of this research were to compare and contrast family functioning in two geographical locations and cultural contexts and to show statistically significant differences between these two groups, in order to better understand cultural variations and differences that may affect family functioning and ego-resiliency and to provide the different groups with adequate, necessary support services.

Research findings: The results revealed statistically significant differences in various dimensions of Family Communication and Flexibility between families of autistic children in California and Poland. With respect to both variables, higher scores were found in the California group. The flexibility results in both groups were defined as flexible. However, in regards to family communication, the result of the California group corresponded to higher standardized scores, whereas those of the group from Poland revealed moderate standardized scores.

Conclusions and recommendations: Statistically significant positive correlations were found in the variables of Flexibility and Family Communication between Poland and California. The results of this research are critical, not only from the perspective of scientific development (as similar studies have not been conducted), but also for therapeutic and preventive reasons. They suggest concentrating on preventive activities and aspects that are important for the well-being of the parent as a person, as well as the entire family system, especially the dimensions of communication in families with children with autism spectrum disorder and the ego-resiliency of the parents. However, further research is needed to specifically identify the differences between the groups based on various demographic variables. Additionally, it is important to develop a practical model to support families with autistic children and to address family satisfaction in intervention strategies, as well as to consider the importance of support groups that may improve satisfaction and ego-resiliency within the family system.

Supporting the Development of Competences Necessary for the Independent Living of People With Profound Disorders of Intellectual Development: An Empirical Study

Monika Adamczyk — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The goal of the research was to identify the type and extent of activities that special education facilities engage in to teach and promote independence in people with profound disorders of intellectual development.

Research methods: Empirical material was collected using the author’s original online questionnaire, which consisted of 30 questions measuring the extent to which students’ needs for developing independent living skills are met. The survey was conducted among special education teachers (N=642) from seven European countries (Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey).

A short description of the context of the issue: Independent living is widely seen as an immanent attribute of adulthood. Children and adolescents are prepared for independent living through the process of upbringing and socialization; people with disabilities are additionally prepared through rehabilitation. For people with a profound disorder of intellectual development, independent living is challenging but possible with the right support.

Research findings: The results indicate that in the course of developing independent living skills in people with profound disorders of intellectual development, efforts are mainly made to improve their self-management skills and democratic management methods in both team work and individual work.

Conclusions and recommendations: In the surveyed countries, there is a tendency to limit work for developing independent living skills to a single type of intervention. Rarely are two or three methods – not to mention four – simultaneously used to stimulate the development of independent living skills. It is therefore necessary to call for increased efforts to promote independent living among people with profound disorders of intellectual development and to focus this support on autonomy, self-determination, achieving quality of life goals, and, above all, the ability to make decisions – since this is what determines true independence in life.

Contemporary Educational Space for University Students and Young People with Intellectual Disabilities: Integration Through Social Interaction

Ewelina Sobocha — 2023-12-30

Outdoor Education in the Perception of Polish Preschool Teachers: A Focus Group Study

Martyna Szczotka — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research: The aim of this study was to gather information about preschool teachers’ expectations and attitudes toward outdoor education in the context of shaping and improving the quality of education. The study sought to collect material that would address the following research questions: What does outdoor education mean to preschool teachers? How do preschool teachers implement outdoor activities? What are the challenges of outdoor education according to the surveyed teachers?

Research methods: The main research method used was a focus interview.

A brief description of the context of the issue: Human beings are connected to nature, we are part of it, and we live and function thanks to it. From early childhood, the natural environment is the closest and most natural for humans, and thanks to our cognitive needs and childlike perceptiveness, we immerse ourselves in the world of nature spontaneously and with great interest. Preschool teachers should see meeting children’s need for curiosity and discovery of new knowledge as a challenge, and prioritize activities in this area. Furthermore, the natural environment, due to its resources, can be perceived as a workshop that teaches knowledge about the world, allows for developing children’s vocabulary and shaping new concepts. It also teaches humility, patience and understanding. The environment naturally enhances the activity of children who feel comfortable in nature.

Research findings: The importance of outdoor education in children’s development has been discussed for years. Unfortunately, as the results of the survey suggest, this does not convince teachers to move part of the educational process outdoors. Teachers list certain limitations and shortcomings as factors that prevent the implementation of this approach in Polish preschool institutions.

Conclusions and recommendations: The teachers participating in the focus groups recognize that the implementation of outdoor education activities in kindergartens is necessary, if not indispensable. They see outdoor education primarily as an opportunity for experience-based learning and connecting with nature. The teachers are sufficiently motivated to offer outdoor activities so that children can play and learn simultaneously. However, many see significant obstacles in the education system when planning outdoor learning experiences for their students. To make outdoor education more sustainable and integrated into preschool practices, it would be necessary to remove these barriers and provide support at all levels of the education system and society.

Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Encounters with Art Presented in Museums and Galleries: Selected Aspects

Ewa Piwowarska — 2023-12-30

Research objectives, issues or problems: The aim of the research was to ascertain the opinions and efforts of early childhood education teachers in organising children’s encounters with art in museums/galleries. The research question was “what activities do teachers undertake to familiarise students with the art distributed by institutions that provide visual objects of artistic value?”

Research methods: The study used a diagnostic survey method with a questionnaire aimed at teachers teaching years 1–3 in primary school.

A short description of the context of the presented issue: Museums, galleries and other such institutions are organisational forms of cultural activity and can be an important element of the classes prepared by teachers to create opportunities for pupils to learn about, experience and value works of art. Children’s contact with works of art in institutions providing objects of artistic value not only awakens their interests, but also encourages them to act creatively, develops their perceptiveness, practices their ability to conduct thorough analyses, express reasoned opinions and pose questions and develops their sensitivity and aesthetic taste.

Research findings: The results show that although the majority of teachers perceive a very important role of venues promoting art in the process of enriching knowledge and forming attitudes of active consumers among early school-aged children, a large proportion of them still do not sufficiently notice the value and impact of these venues in shaping children’s intellectual interests and personality.

Conclusions and/or recommendations: In summary, the teacher, carrying out the tasks set out in the curricula and supported by the institutions and the state (e.g. teacher training, free entry for children, online offers sent to schools and temporary exhibitions aimed at young viewers), can additionally implement and/or complement activities to make museum exhibitions attractive and effective for pupils.

Childhood Experiences and Needs: Parental Goals, Mistakes, and Personality Traits and Their Adult Daughters’ Ability to Meet Their Needs

Agnieszka Szymańska — 2023-12-30

Objectives of the research:. The purpose of this study was to determine whether women’s childhood experiences are related to their ability to meet their needs in adulthood.

Research methods: The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 402 women between the ages of 21 and 50. In order to answer the research questions, text mining algorithms and cluster analysis carried out by data mining algorithms were used.

A short description of the context of the issue: The ability to fulfill one’s needs is an important determinant of personal happiness, well-being and mental health The study examined whether women who had experienced fewer parental mistakes were better at meeting their needs, and whether there were intergroup differences between women who were more and less efficient at fulfilling their needs in terms of the personality traits their parents tried to mold in them during childhood and the personality traits that the women developed.

Research findings: The results revealed that women who experienced fewer parenting errors in childhood and whose parents tried to shape in them personality traits such as Stability (Alpha-Plus), Plasticity (Beta-Plus) and Integration (Gamma-Plus) indeed developed these traits and were more effective in fulfilling their needs in adulthood.

Conclusions and recommendations: Experiencing more parenting mistakes in childhood is associated with the development of unfavorable personality traits and lower competence in meeting needs in adulthood.