The article presents the results of exploring the purposes of using digital tools to support student learning at universities. This comprises some identified types of digital tools and the frequency of their use by academic staff, which varies due to their level of digital literacy. Then the collected data is provided concerning the numbers of academic staff using basic electronic communication methods. The above data were collected in Polish and Czech universities and later compared to each other. The presented study was conducted over the period 2015–2016 within the IRNet project – International research network for study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences in Poland (University of Silesia, Faculty of Ethnology and Educational Science in Cieszyn) and the Czech Republic (University of Ostrava, Pedagogical Faculty). The undertaken research was aimed at recognizing academic teachers’ activities concerning their support in university students’ learning process.

W najbliższej przyszłości zaznaczać się będą dwa przeciwstawne zjawiska: wydłużania okresu edukacji obowiązkowej oraz powszechnego uczestnictwa w kształceniu ustawicznym. To ostatnie może być realizowane zarówno w formule UTW, jak i w formule regularnych zajęć dla grup uczniów lub studentów 50 plus. Mimo że liczba takich inicjatyw jest bardzo duża nie rozwiązała jeszcze kwestii przygotowania wykładowców dla tych form edukacji seniorów. Może a niekiedy już generuje to napięcia, co uwidaczniało się w studiach stacjonarnych formuły 50 plus realizowanych w Akademii Pomorskiej w Słupsku. Oznacza to konieczność sprofesjonalizowania nauczycieli dla tych form edukacyjnych, aby możliwe było zróżnicowanie między zajęciami na standardowych studiach stacjonarnych a zajęciami w formule studiów stacjonarnych od 50 plus do UTW.

The goal of this research was to examine the verbal and non-verbal behaviors of teachers towards mentally disabled students in physical education classes in Special Education Practice Centers (Schools for Mentally Disabled Students) in Turkey. The study was based on qualitative research and data was collected through interview forms prepared by the researchers. The interviews consisted of four semi-structured questions, which were analyzed by using the method of content analysis and qualitative data analysis software. Accordingly, it was observed that teachers used a variety of mimics and gestures as reflections of their body language in order to establish and control class management. The teachers interviewed stated that they consciously used their specific way of posture, walking and sitting in the classroom. They also stated that they frequently changed their positions in the classroom and embraced a variety of distance and touch behaviors towards the mentally disabled students. In conclusion, these teachers have the greatest responsibility to achieve the goals of physical education class for the mentally disabled students. These responsibilities are crucial for the educational advancement of the mentally disabled students. The non-verbal behaviors and expressions of these teachers play a vital role in the mental and behavioral development of the mentally disabled students.

The article presents research on the linguistic and didactic competences of academic teachers in a technical university as part of an EU project to improve the effectiveness of education of academic teachers. It indicates the relation between language and methodological competences in teaching content classes in English. Participants who rated their teaching competences more highly also rated their language competences more highly. Based on these findings, the authors make suggestions concerning the preparation of stafffor the university.

This article reports a fragment of studies into the psychosocial competencies of academic teachers at technical universities, which were carried out in 2019-2021 using a diagnostics survey done among the academic staffof the Silesian University of Technology. One of its aims was the self-assessment of those competencies that the respondents regarded as scarce, insufficient and incomplete, as these should be deemed a priority in the professional training of the academic staff. The results of those analyses have been presented here.

This article aims to present our own research, diagnosing the level of psychosocial competencies of academic teachers at technical university – the competencies which are particularly important in the mediatised world. The research was done among 141 academic teachers of the Silesian University of Technology with the use of a diagnostic survey in 2019–2021. An expanded statistical analysis allowed the interpretation and assessment of 13 variables describing the investigated competencies.

Application of Howard Gruber’s Theory „ESA” in the qualitative research on creative didactic work realized by academic teachers-innovators

The main aim of the article is to present the genesis and main assumptions of the theory The Evolving Systems Approach to Creative Work by Howard E. Gruber as well as an account of qualitative research into the experiences of academic teachers in the creative didactic work. In these studies the ESA theory was used both for the preparation of the research concept and for the analysis and interpretation of the obtained research results. 13 academic teachers participated in the research, introducing to the education of students for at least 5 years: pioneering adaptations, creative modifications, their own original didactic solutions including: concepts, strategies, methods, techniques and tools, workshops, students’ assessment systems. In the research there were applied the multiple, descriptive case studies, there were carry out semi-structured interviews and analysis of documents (publications, pictures). In the research was carried out a vertical analysis which resulted in the creation of an individual model of creative work for each research participant as well as a horizontal-cross-sectional analysis for all cases. On the grounds of many regularities found in studied cases the author of article presents proposition of systemic model of creative didactic work concerning examined innovators.

Professor Józef Dobosz as an organizer of science, academic teacher and populariser of history

The article presents the most important achievements of Professor Józef Dobosz of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań in the field of science organization, didactics and popularisation of history. Professor Dobosz is a historian specializing in the issues of the history of the Polish Middle Ages. He has also served as editor-in-chief of the quarterly „Historia Slavorum Occidentis”. In 2024, he turned 65.

The article constitutes an opinion expressed in a debate, held in various circles, concerning the quality of training in Polish institutions of higher education, with reference to the selected documents of the European Union. It presents a few issues connected with the factors determining the quality of training, and indicates a number of dilemmas related to their application.

The article includes research results that were taken into consideration in order to diagnose beliefs concerning values disclosed by academic teachers and the youth studying in education majors. Nowadays, value issues are oft en taken up, because in the postmodern culture the concern about axiological orientations of people is becoming quite common. The imperative of implementing the value system is strongly attributed to the professional role of the teacher and that is why this phenomenon is worth exploring. Therefore, a part of analysis is included concerning inclinations of the researched people, what they think about selected values and what is the most precious value for them.