| Integration of critical thinking principles into the curriculum of Lithuania secondary schools, 2010 |
The goal of the research - to explore principles of critical thinking education in Lithuania, to analyze the expression of the principles of critical thinking education in the documents governing education and to explore assumptions for appliance of methods promoting critical thinking in the process of education.
The objectives of the research: to induct educational politicians’ approach to critical thinking dimensions, significant for organization of teaching process;
to highlight assumptions for critical thinking development in documents governing education;
to verify empirically expression of appliance of methods for critical thinking teaching at RWCT basic schools;
to compare attitudes of teachers and students' to appliance of methods for critical thinking development at the process of education.
The research supported by
Open Society Institute Foundation (Zug).
Research report |
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| Moments of the research presentation at the Ministry of the
Education and Science 22 June 2010 |
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| Review of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking (RWCT) Program,
2009 |
| OSI’s Education Support Program (ESP), in charge of the Critical Thinking program, has decided to conduct a Critical Thinking Program Review (CTPR), a fact-finding exercise to document the impact of the RWCT program in the countries which have implemented the RWCT program. The review included all 28 countries that implemented the RWCT program with support from OSI in the period between 1997 and 2004. The review targeted two aspects: sustainability of the original RWCT Project outputs and outcomes and RWCT related developments that were initiated by in-country RWCT Program Directors and trainers. For data collection there were used document review, focus groups and interviews.
Evaluation target groups were RWCT Teachers, University faculties, RWCT Trainers, RWCT in-country program partners. |
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| Research of seniors' participation in training,
2009 |
Implementing the project "NORD+ Senior golden examples", research of training of seniors in Iceland, Norway and
Lithuania was conducted. Project partners planned and created a questionnaire,
which examines such questions as gender, age, still working or retired, needs
and interests regarding training, barriers of participation in training,
learning styles, reasons of participation in training, which kind of information
of training best reaches the seniors, best places and times for training, spare
time activities.
In each country 15 seniors filled in the questionnaire. In the target group there
were persons both in employment and retired, and both active participants in training and those who do not participate, for one reason or another.
In Lithuania questionnaires was distributed in Trakai, Lazdijai, Pakruojis, Rietavas, Jurbarkas regions in Lithuania
for 45 respondents. In focus groups participated 15 seniors: 7 from
Vilnius town - actively participating in training and 8 from Trakai
region - passively participating in training.
On the
basis of the results there will be prepared advice and recommendations for the training of
seniors – best methods and contents, ways to exclude the barriers of
participation, and ways of motivation for training and lifelong learning.
Qualitative research results
Summary of focus groups |
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| Research of pedagogical practice of students, participating in mobility program of the project “MIS / Docente Europeo:
Move’in Science2”,
2009 |
| Implementing the international project
MIS / Docente Europeo:
Move’in Science2
(134648–2007–IT–COMENIUS–CM) there were organized mobility program for
4-week pedagogical practice in project partner countries (Italy, Lithuania, Belgium,
Slovakia, Romania, Germany). Students continuously monitored and assessed the progress of practice:
they evaluate their satisfaction with mobility program, involvement
into activities, possibilities to develop their as future teachers
competences, preparation for lessons and lesson teaching,
experience, gained during lessons observation at school and
participation in scientific experiments. |
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| Research of pedagogical practice of students, participating in mobility program of the project “MOST / Mobility Framework and Standard Development for Teachers”,
2005-2007 |
Implementing the international project
“MOST / Mobility Framework and Standard Development for Teachers”
(118340-CP-1-2004-1-BE-COMENIUS-C21) there were organized mobility program for 5-week pedagogical practice in project partner countries (Lithuania, Belgium, Malta, Spain, Norway, Sweden). In total 154 students participated in the program. Students, teachers-mentors, teachers continuously monitored and assessed the progress of practice. Survey data were used for development of the Beginning Teacher Standard.
Project MOST student exchange program participants had an opportunity to improve their status as future teachers’ professional, social and other skills. During the practice students prepare portfolio of competences containing their own written self-assessments, mentor assessments, direct and indirect confirmations and evidence of competencies. The practice was assessed basing on professional, educational and social competencies changes. The main evaluation methods were double diary, portfolio and reflection.
Summary of the research |
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| Research of effectiveness of programme "Students to
Students",
2005 |
Performing the project "Students to Students
Helping to Overcome Learning Difficulties" in 2004-2005, six schools
of the Vilnius city implemented the programme "Students to Students".
Pupils, led by teachers, helped their peers or younger friends
during lessons or after school. There was constantly performed
monitoring and evaluation of students' learning progress and
satisfaction of learning. The project activities were discussed in meetings with school communities, teachers, parents.
Teachers and students involved in the project noticed the positive impact of the programme
for teaching and learning. Students actually helped to each other,
peer tutoring activities inspired them, it seemed meaningful and
useful.
Teachers noticed improvement of students' behavior during the lesson:
children actively engaged in learning activities, showed a systematic effort
overcoming learning difficulties and their results have improved.
Evaluating outgivings of teachers, parents and students, it appears that many ideas of this project sounds new, they have to overcome the prevailing competition rules. On the other hand
it was recognized that the project fosters communication and networking skills, promotes community understanding and tolerance. |
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| Sociological survey "Corruption at Lithuania Higher
Schools: Views, Problems and Ways of Solution,
2004 |
| The survey was performed under the project
"Preventing Corruption through Education, Information and Consciousness-raising.
Component I - Preparation of the Anti-corruption Education Course for Higher Schools".
The survey was focused mainly on a qualitative examination of corruption in higher education.
Collected data leads to a better understand of teachers' and students'
attitudes towards corruption and provides better opportunities for
its prevention. Survey involved 90 teachers from ten high schools, 20 teachers and 25 students of the twenty-five high schools
were interviewed. |
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| Research "Needs of the Youth Leaders for Training",
2002 |
The research was performed under the project
"Education of Youth Leaders".
Qualitative research was
carried out in 6 various type youth organizations, such as Scouts,
Youth Liberals, Youth Christian Democrats, Youth Centrists, Youth
Conservatives and Youth Ateitininkai. More than 100 active participants
of the youth organizations were interviewed. The results of the
research revealed that respondents think youth leader’s
ability to unite and motivate a team is the most important skill. Other
important skills are planning and organizing, and accepting
responsibility. Some other important skills, which had been mentioned,
were coordination of personal and group interests, and organizing and
leading the meetings. The sociological survey showed that the
representatives of non-political organizations more often participate
in different training than those of political organizations. Both, the
representatives of political and non-political organizations, initiate
and organize training themselves. |
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| Analysis, expertise and sociologic survey of Lithuania
Teacher Training Conception draft version,
2001 |
The expertise and sociologic survey of Lithuania Teacher Training
Conception draft version was performed in commission of Ministry of
Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania.
The Teacher Training Conception was analysed in these aspects:
1. Conception's provisions adequacy to the documents regulating
higher education and studies (A. Augustaitis, Lithuania
University of Law);
2. Economical outcomes of the Conception implementation (R. Vaitkus, R. Norkienë,
Department of Science and Studies of the Ministry of Education
and Science);
3. Analysis of the Conception in the aspects of organization of
pedagogical practices, content and methodology (V. Indrađienë,
Vilnius Pedagogical University);
4. Conception's adequacy to teacher training tendencies in EU
countries (B. Jeffery, Brunel University, United Kingdom).The sociological study analysed the Conception's provisions from
the point of view of teacher training institutions and (supply-side dimension) and general education schools (demand-side aspect)
and respondents opinion on the upcoming changes in teacher training
models, curriculum, organization of pedagogical practices (T. Tamođiűnas G. Buţinskas, S. Ignatavičius,
Sociology Laboratory of Vilnius Pedagogical University). |
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| Survey of the Reading and Writing for Critical
Thinking (RWCT) project,
1999 |
By the initiative of local coordinators the sociological survey was
initiated in 1999 to
evaluate the efficiency and improvement perspectives of the
RWCT
project in Lithuania.
The survey consisted of three pars:
1.
Evaluation of the credit course “Critical Thinking Development through Various Disciplines” at Vilnius Pedagogical University.
2.
The survey of the efficiency of “Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking” workshops for the teachers.
3.
The survey of efficiency of the “Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking” project: case study at Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary school.
Summary of the survey |
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