Using of new media in academic education

The dynamics of social change also forces changes in education. New media play a very important role in the education process. Nowadays, didacticians are more and more willing to use didactic means served to them by the development of modern technologies. This form of conducting classes is making classes more attractive and activating students. In this article, PhD students indicate which applications and e-learning platforms use during conducting classes and describe what is important for the effectiveness of the teaching process. The article present’s research among a group of PhD students. Selected electronic aids selected by PhD students have been characterized. The author pays attention to on need to improve digital literacy among academic educators and the need to adapt academic education, which would be a response to the needs of a digital student.

Academic education in conditions of the COVID-19 epidemic threat – the perspective of students and lecturers

Understanding the opinions of students and lecturers of Polish universities on the quality of academic education during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their recommended activities for improvement of learning processes in the event of a constant epidemic threat was the main goal of the conducted research. The main tool in the adopted research model were proprietary questionnaire forms based on the Servqual methodology. The research results presented in the publication illustrate the gaps (differences) between the expectations of students and lecturers and the aspects assessed by them, which make up the quality of academic education. 145 students, representing 12 Polish universities participated in the research. They represented both a practical and general academic profile of studies, full-time and part-time studies. In the case of lecturers, the research sample was 81 academic staff representing 20 Polish universities. According to the position held, the most numerous group of lecturers were: assistant professors, senior lecturers, university professors, lecturers and assistants. The publication presents the problems most frequently indicated by students and lecturers related to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, including the implementation of distance learning. Methods of improving the organization of didactic classes in the context of the epidemic threat were also presented.

In the proposed paper, I would like to draw attention to the workshop on self-experience in academic education, and especially in the education of students of humanities. The subject matter of the undertaken research was the experiences related to the participation of art therapy students in self experience workshops, which constitute an important element of personal development on the path of preparation for a professional role. A practical goal was established. It was important to show the effects of emotional work, shaping self-awareness, and analyzing the functioning of the students in a relationship with another human being. An important part of the article are the narratives of the students, which were subjected to qualitative analysis. These self-reflections of students clearly show the correlated stages: insightful self-development, thanks to which students acquire interpersonal skills and, as a result, learn how to work using art therapy with an individual and a group.

In our article we outline the development of the specialized Health Pedagogy programme at the University of Silesia, and students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of educational experience. Our presentation employs quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Using the institution monograph method we present quantitative data on the content of the learning programme and learning outcomes in Health Pedagogy. Document analysis covers 12 years, beginning with 2001 when the specialization was introduced in the University of Silesia. Using content analysis we present the learning outcomes, including knowledge, skills and competencies acquired by graduates in the first and second cycle degree programmes, according to the Bologna process. To complete these findings we present individual cases, based on interviews, as examples of the occupational path of our graduates.

The Freedom to Teach vs. Autonomy of Academic Education According to Act 2.0

The issue of work is the autonomy of academic education. Analyzing the factual and legal conditions for adopting the so-called Constitution for Science and applying Act 2.0. in the field of conducting studies leads to considering the presented issue. In this way, the work aims to determine whether legal rules of creating studies curricula, in force since the 2019/2020 academic year, provide universities with the necessary institutional autonomy and guarantee freedom of teaching. The work concludes that the adopted regulation adequately realizes the autonomy of academic education. The analyses show that the adopted solutions enough balance the requirement to protect the public interest and the need to respond to the needs of the socio-economic partners of higher education institutions. In this way, the quality of education is balanced with the need to introduce new curricular content into the programs of study, responding to the challenges of today’s university graduates.

Distance learning in the perspective of deep and reflective learning

The aim of the article is to show the process of studying young people remotely and to search for solutions leading to the improvement of the process in the perspective of deep and reflective learning. The article aims to solve the problem: how is the process of studying young people remotely? The method of individual cases, the technique of uncategorized, in-depth interview, was used to solve the problem. In the theoretical part, attention was paid to understanding the process of studying in the light of various didactic paradigms and an attempt was made to outline the approach of a deep and reflective learning process, looking for ways to improve the process of studying young people in this perspective. In the empirical part, the course of the process of studying the respondents remotely was presented, highlighting, above all, the components to which the respondents drew attention in their statements. The analysis of the empirical material shows that the process of studying young people is understood surface, superficially, it is limited to taking actions offered by the university on the educational platform. Students do not use their potential in the process of studying, they do not show full, possible commitment. The analysis of the empirical material leads to the development of practical guidelines aimed at improving the process of studying young people, which result from the assumptions of deep and reflective learning. The research shows the need to focus attention on the process of studying and its effectiveness, the need to take action by academic teachers, and above all by students focused on improving the process.

This text is a short version of a research process that is part of preparation for a doctorate thesis at the Wroclaw University Pedagogic Institute. In her article the author points out the need for a scientific analysis of the ways of development and efficiency of initiation, developing, and support of creativity in academic education. According to her, one of the most innovative strategies of developing creativity strategies is creativity training. Therefore she made Wroclaw University conversational courses on creative action and thinking the object of her investigation. The main aim of the investigation is to show the practical use of this educational form in academic education and to attempt to asses it. Another investigation goal of the author is to test a popular in the world, but rarely used in Polish pedagogy, empirical research model called action research. In the work presented the author gives her reasons for her choice of the subject, presents the aim and object of the research, the main thesis and she points to predictable, realistic results of the undertaken study.