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This study examined the difficulties experienced by Slovenian upper-secondary school and university students aged 18 to 25 in their close social relationships during the Covid-19 pandemic. We examined the extent of social difficulties in six domains (relationships with friends, establishing a new relationship with an intimate partner, sexuality, relationship with a current intimate partner, parental control and living with parents, and family conflict) in the pre-pandemic period and in the first two waves of the pandemic. We were also interested in whether demographic variables were related to the students’ perceived social difficulties. The results showed that the severity of reported difficulties increased in all six domains during the government-imposed quarantine periods, with relationships with friends and the opportunity to establish new intimate relationships being the most affected. In addition, we found differences in the extent of perceived difficulties related to educational status, gender, intimate relationship, and change in living situations. The study offers insight into the socio-emotional life of students during a non-normative life event that educators should acknowledge. (DIPF/Orig.)

The consumer behaviour of Slovenian pre-service teachers for the December holidays and their personal views about sustainable consumption were studied. A total of 130 students of the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Education took part in the study. The sample consisted of 11 male and 116 female students, while 3 students did not report their gender. The survey was conducted in January 2020. The results show that 95.4% of the respondents received gifts during their childhood on Saint Nicholas Day, 60.0% at Christmas and 23.1% when celebrating the New Year. Almost 13% of the respondents received gifts three times in December during their childhood. In December 2019, 54.6% of them gave gifts for Saint Nicholas Day, 65.2% at Christmas and 10.8% for the New Year. Christmas has therefore become the most common gift-giving time in December. Students most often give their loved ones sweets, clothes and shoes, and cosmetics. The majority of the respondents spend less than 50% of their monthly income on gifts for the December holidays. In terms of sustainability, the respondents described their consumer behaviour as follows: (1) giving or receiving things they really need, (2) giving or receiving gifts and wrappings made of recyclable material, (3) giving or receiving nonmaterial gifts, (4) reducing the number of gifts, (5) giving for charity, or (6) not giving gifts at all.

In a time when the deinstitutionalisation of mental health services has become a global and European platform and one of the main forms of care provision, a theme such as the transition of care from large institutions down to a more personal community level care might seem outlived, but the fact is that in some European countries the discussion has revolved for almost 35 years around the most basic question concerning the closure of large, asylum‐type mental health institutions. In this article, I provide a historical overview and analysis of deinstitutionalisation processes in the field of mental health in Slovenia from mid‐1980s onwards, interpreted in terms of achievements and gaps in community‐based care and in user participation in these processes. It demonstrates some of the innovative participatory practices and their potential to transform services. A thematic data analysis was used to analyse the data collected from various primary (a focus group) and secondary sources (autobiographies, newspaper articles, round table reports, blogs) that all bear witness to the different periods of deinstitutionalisation and the user perspective in it.

Following the adoption of the conceptual design proposed by the White Paper in 1995 and the legislation adopted on this basis, the reform of primary school transformed its overall image. In the present paper, we discuss only some of the solutions and consider the events and changes that have occurred in the last twenty years, devoting special attention to the systemic, programme and process levels. At the systemic level, where the starting point was primarily to ensure justice and equal opportunities, we have managed to maintain an adequate public network and programme structure, despite various attempts to implement the solutions indicated in the White Paper of 2011, and notwithstanding interventions in the system that were not in fact always well thought out. Nonetheless, more attention should have been paid to reducing inequalities related to sociocultural circumstances and different regions in Slovenia. On the programme level, a consensus needs to be reached on what quality general education means to us; this would alleviate conflicting demands placed on teachers, students and planners of programme solutions. On the process level, however, we find that there is a lack of adequate professional support and systematic evaluation studies, as the quality of school cannot be judged solely on the basis of results from international research. In order to take a step forward on the process level, there is need for quality school-linked school policy that is based on various professions and aimed at raising quality rather than at self-promotion and budget cutting in the field of education.

Picture books discussed with pupils in primary school are considered multimodal texts, as they combine at least two communication codes (verbal and visual). A discussion involving picture books will normally be included in Slovenian language lessons, with pupils focussing mostly on the text. The visual aspect, which equally carries a message, is often neglected. The objective of the present case study that was conducted among fifth-grade primary school pupils in the 2018/19 school year was to explore how a cross-curricular approach to planning and executing the lessons in the Slovenian language and visual art can help pupils learn about the characteristics of the picture book as a multimodal text. We conducted a set of didactic activities entitled Getting to know the picture book, introducing selected picture books to pupils as part of their Slovenian language classes, which resulted in them developing their receptive skills while observing and defining the structure of the texts. In visual art classes, the pupils learned about the visual features of the picture book. As a productive response to the picture book discussed, the pupils were instructed to complete the following tasks: design a cover for their own picture book, design endpapers, illustrate their own poem, and produce their own leporello. The survey involved 21 pupils, a generalist teacher, and a researcher in art didactics. The case study was completed in five weeks. The data were obtained by means of initial and final testing, questionnaires for pupils, and participant observation.

Professional learning is a continuum starting in initial teacher education and persisting throughout the teacher’s career. Initial teacher education programmes should therefore prepare prospective teachers for professional learning via research. There is, however, little knowledge about how initial teacher education programmes educate students about this important subject. The aim of this study was to identify how initial teacher education programmes in Slovenia address the question of empowering prospective teachers with research competence. We analysed all of the initial teacher education programme curricula and established that: (i) overall, more than half of the initial teacher education programmes do not include acquiring research competence as an aim of their study programmes; (ii) the majority of bachelor initial teacher education programmes include courses aimed at gaining research competence, but half of the master’s initial teacher programmes do not provide any courses related to research; and (iii) there is a variety of European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System weightings for educational research courses across initial teacher education programmes in Slovenia.

The present study investigated relationships between statistics anxiety (SA), trait anxiety, attitudes towards mathematics and statistics, and academic achievement among university students who had at least one study course related to statistics in their study programme. Five hundred and twelve students from the University of Ljubljana completed the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and answered questions about their perceptions of mathematics and statistics. The results showed below-average mean scores on the STARS dimensions, except for the Test and Class Anxiety with the average score around the midpoint of the scale. Female students reported higher levels of SA than male students did. The highest levels of SA were reported by students who perceived mathematics and statistics as a threat. The subscales of the STARS correlated positively with students’ trait anxiety. Students who reported less enjoyment in mathematics in high school perceived statistics to be a less worthy subject and had a lower computation self-concept. Students who had better mathematics performance in high school and higher average study grades also reported a higher computation self-concept. In the present study, we translated the STARS questionnaire into Slovenian and confirmed the six-factor structure of the questionnaire. The results provide a basis for further research on statistics anxiety and further validation of the STARS questionnaire. The results can also aid statistics teachers in better understanding students’ worries, fears, and attitudes towards statistics and in learning about the factors that affect students’ statistics anxiety and their work in the course. (DIPF/Orig.)

When the Covid-19 pandemic started in March 2020, the educational process had to be redesigned to meet current needs. At the Faculty of Education of the University of Ljubljana, pre-service engineering and technology teachers (3rd and 4th years of undergraduate two-subject teachers’ study programme) are obliged to complete a teaching practice in educational institutions and submit a teaching practice diary. Due to the closure of primary schools, the teaching practice was transformed to distance/online practice. This empirical study examines a recently developed intuitive model for distance learning, which took place during the teaching practice. Teaching practice diaries served as an instrument for gathering data. The sample size encompasses 56 lesson plan activities for the compulsory primary school Design and Technology subject for students aged 12–15 years at 15 primary schools in different parts of Slovenia carried out during online teaching practice by 11 pre-service technology teachers in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years. The research methodology is focused on lesson-type determination and model elements analysis in lesson plan making and implementation activity. Distance learning model elements are evaluated with regard to online/offline learning tools from e-learning platforms to engineering education field-specific tools (e.g., technical drawings and electric circuits). Online teaching practice was as new for pre-service technology teachers and teacher-mentors as online learning was new for students. The advantages and disadvantages are highlighted. Furthermore, the distance learning model from the first Covid-19 wave teaching practice was adapted to challenge the second Covid-19 wave. The pandemic has enabled the rise of blended learning, which has been gaining focus in secondary and higher education levels in recent years; however, it encountered obstacles when entering the primary school domain. How to encompass blended learning into the evolved distance learning model will be shown. (DIPF/Orig.)

The survey research reported in this paper aimed to show how foreign language teachers’ (N = 69) self-efficacy beliefs and concerns related to implementing inclusive instructional practices with learners with dyslexia, as well as their attitudes to inclusion in foreign language education, change as a result of the teachers’ participation in an intensive face-to-face course on dyslexia and foreign language teaching. The pre-post comparisons identified a statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes, with large and medium effect sizes, respectively, as well as a decrease in concerns, with a small effect size. Moreover, the perceived level of knowledge of dyslexia reported by course participants after the course increased significantly compared to pre-course knowledge, with a large effect size. The perceptions of knowledge were crucially related to pre-course self-efficacy beliefs and concerns, as well as to post-course self-efficacy beliefs. The impact of several background variables on self-efficacy beliefs, concerns and attitudes was investigated. We found no significant effects of general teaching experience, experience in teaching learners with dyslexia, teaching context (country), full-time employment and level of education on self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes both before and after the course. The initial effect of previous training on self-efficacy beliefs disappeared in the post-course questionnaire. No significant effects of previous training were observed for pre-course and post-course concerns and attitudes. The initial effect of level of education and experience in teaching a foreign language to learners with dyslexia on concerns disappeared in the post-course questionnaire. Teaching context (country) and full-time employment differentiated participants with regard to how concerned they were about implementing inclusive teaching before the course, and these differences persisted after the course. Age differentiated participants in the attitudes to inclusion they held before the course, but this difference disappeared after the course. Finally, teacher trainers differed significantly from other course participants regarding pre-course self-efficacy and post-course concerns, with a small to medium effect size. (DIPF/Orig.)

V spomladanski fazi pandemije je bilo izobraževanje mladostnikov s specifičnimi učnimi težavami (SUT) zahtevno. V raziskavi, v kateri je sodelovalo 122 mladostnikov s SUT (50 % iz Slovenije, 50 % iz Nemčije), smo ugotavljali, kako slovenski in nemški mladostniki s SUT zaznavajo in rešujejo nekatere izzive učenja na daljavo. Raziskovalne podatke smo zbrali z dvema spletnima vprašalnikoma (v slovenskem oziroma nemškem jeziku). Slovenski mladostniki so statistično značilno pogosteje kot nemški navajali težave s pozornostjo, pomen multisenzornega učenja in možnosti izbire časa za učenje ter psihosomatske težave. Slovenski mladostniki so imeli več izkušenj s pohvalami učiteljev med pandemijo, omenjali pa so tudi več težav s prehodom na učenje na daljavo in uporabo informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije. Mlajši mladostniki so imeli več pomoči staršev. Mladostniki moškega spola so pogosteje poročali, da niso imeli ustreznih prostorskih pogojev za učenje. Nemški mladostniki so več časa preživeli ob klepetu na družbenih omrežjih in doživeli manj podpore pri učenju. Mladostnice so pogosteje izražale strah pred pandemijo in pomanjkanje podpore pri učenju, medtem ko so mladostniki v celotnem vzorcu bolj pogrešali vrstnike. Večina anketirancev je prihajala iz družin, v katerih pandemija ni povzročala resnih materialnih in prostorskih težav, vendar so nemški mladostniki statistično značilno redkeje občutili te posledice. Po mnenju anketirancev so bili prostorski in materialni pogoji v obeh državah podobni. The spring phase of the pandemic made the education of adolescents with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) challenging. In the present study, which included 122 adolescents with SpLD (50% from Slovenia, 50% from Germany), we investigated how Slovenian and German adolescents with SpLD perceived and solved some of the challenges of distance learning. The study data were collected with two online questionnaires (in Slovenian and German, respectively). Slovenian adolescents were statistically significantly more likely than German adolescents to mention problems with attention, the importance of multisensory learning, and the importance of being able to choose the time to learn, as well as psychosomatic problems. Slovenian adolescents had more experiences with praise from teachers during the pandemic and they also mentioned more issues with the transition to distance learning and the use of information and communication technology. Younger adolescents had more parental help. Male adolescents were more likely to report that they did not have the right spatial conditions for learning. German adolescents spent more time chatting on social media and experienced less support for learning. Female adolescents were more likely to express fear of the pandemic and a lack of learning support, while male adolescents across the sample missed their peers more. Most of the respondents came from families in which the pandemic did not cause serious material and spatial problems, but German adolescents were statistically significantly less likely to feel these consequences. According to the respondents, the spatial and material conditions were similar in both countries.

The present study investigated relationships between statistics anxiety (SA), trait anxiety, attitudes towards mathematics and statistics, and academic achievement among university students who had at least one study course related to statistics in their study programme. Five hundred and twelve students from the University of Ljubljana completed the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and answered questions about their perceptions of mathematics and statistics. The results showed below-average mean scores on the STARS dimensions, except for the Test and Class Anxiety with the average score around the midpoint of the scale. Female students reported higher levels of SA than male students did. The highest levels of SA were reported by students who perceived mathematics and statistics as a threat. The subscales of the STARS correlated positively with students’ trait anxiety. Students who reported less enjoyment in mathematics in high school perceived statistics to be a less worthy subject and had a lower computation self-concept. Students who had better mathematics performance in high school and higher average study grades also reported a higher computation self-concept. In the present study, we translated the STARS questionnaire into Slovenian and confirmed the six-factor structure of the questionnaire. The results provide a basis for further research on statistics anxiety and further validation of the STARS questionnaire. The results can also aid statistics teachers in better understanding students’ worries, fears, and attitudes towards statistics and in learning about the factors that affect students’ statistics anxiety and their work in the course. (DIPF/Orig.)

CEPS Journal 12 (2022) 2, S. 29-65, In Slovenia, textbooks are an integral part of the curriculum. Nationally certified textbooks guarantee both teachers and students that they provide all of the necessary knowledge in each subject. There are many available certified textbooks for each subject and teachers must decide which will be the source of instruction for their students. Our research question is whether groups of students who use different textbooks as their mandatory learning resource differ in their knowledge and their attitudes towards learning. We linked existing data from several sources and explored the scope of the use of different textbooks for mathematics and science subjects in primary schools. Data on student knowledge measured independently by National Assessments (and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study were used, and differences in knowledge and attitudes to learning between students who are taught using different textbooks were explored. Although the study has considerable limitations due to missing data, the results of the analyses indicate some profound differences in knowledge and attitudes between groups of students using different textbooks. These findings could serve as a guide for teachers when choosing the optimal available textbook for their students and, even more so, as support for improving the criteria in the national system of validation of textbooks in the future. The link between the use of textbooks and student learning outcomes also highlights the need to systematically collect information on the use of textbooks among students and follow the effects on achievement in order to improve the quality of future textbooks. (DIPF/Orig.)

CEPS Journal 12 (2022) 2, S. 197-216, The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether an experimental programme, based on interdisciplinary interactions between music education and history and the implementation of arts and cultural education objectives, could influence pupils’ interest in Western classical music of the 20th century. The programme was designed on the basis of collaborating with music education and history teachers at two Slovenian primary schools and a Slovenian composer. Classes of pupils, aged fourteen and fifteen, were divided into an experimental and a control group. According to the outcome, the pupils in the experimental group showed a higher level of interest in contemporary classical music after the experiment than their peers in the control group. Furthermore, the pupils in the experimental group reported having listened on their initiative, to more classical compositions after the experiment than the pupils in the control group had. (DIPF/Orig.)

We analysed 286 nights of data from the OH* airglow imager FAIM 3 (Fast Airglow IMager) acquired at Otlica Observatory (45.93∘ N, 13.91∘ E), Slovenia, between 26 October 2017 and 6 June 2019. Measurements have been performed with a spatial resolution of 24 m per pixel and a temporal resolution of 2.8 s. A two-dimensional fast Fourier transform is applied to the image data to derive horizontal wavelengths between 48 m and 4.5 km in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere (UMLT) region. In contrast to the statistics of larger-scale gravity waves (horizontal wavelength up to ca. 50 km; Hannawald et al., 2019), we find a more isotropic distribution of directions of propagation, pointing to the presence of wave structures created above the stratospheric wind fields. A weak seasonal tendency of a majority of waves propagating eastward during winter may be due to instability features from breaking secondary gravity waves that were created in the stratosphere. We also observe an increased southward propagation during summer, which we interpret as an enhanced contribution of secondary gravity waves created as a consequence of primary wave filtering by the meridional mesospheric circulation. We present multiple observations of turbulence episodes captured by our high-resolution airglow imager and estimated the energy dissipation rate in the UMLT from image sequences in 25 cases. Values range around 0.08 and 9.03 W kg−1 and are on average higher than those in recent literature. The values found here would lead to an approximated localized maximum heating of 0.03–3.02 K per turbulence event. These are in the same range as the daily chemical heating rates for the entire atmosphere reported by Marsh (2011), which apparently stresses the importance of dynamical energy conversion in the UMLT.

In Slovenia, the concept of media literacy has been integrated into the formal education system, including early childhood education. The Preschool Curriculum sets certain goals to be followed in educating preschoolchildren on media-related topics. Research done in other Member States of the EU points to the conclusion that the actual implementation and delivery of media education is both fragmented and inconsistent as well asdependent on the interests and motivation of individual preschool teachers. They are the ones who, in accordance with their professional capacity and autonomy, include the goals set in the curriculum into an actuallearning process in preschools, also determining the timing and manner of this. The aim of this article is to review, compare, and analyse the data from recent research on the media education of preschool children in Slovenia in order to better understand how preschool teachers in Slovenia assess their capacity to work with media as well as their media literacy levels, which media they use, and how the media education is conductedin the groups of preschool children.

Home economics operates in the academic, curriculum and social realms, as well as in everyday life. Due to its multidisciplinarity, it includes and interconnects the contents of different disciplines (e.g., healthy lifestyle, nutrition, dietetics, textiles, home, family, consumption, personal and family economics, design and technology), which are considered in terms of meeting the needs of the individual, family, and society. Home economics education and literacy play an important role in acquiring knowledge and skills that help raise the quality of life of the individual, family, and society. With the development of society, the needs of both the individual and the family are changing; therefore, changes are also needed in home economics education, which is reflected in the updating of the subject curricula. The goals and contents in the curriculum must reflect and meet the needs of the current society and take into account the cultural dependence and social determinism of the home economics field. To a certain extent, the current curriculum of the subject home economics in Slovene elementary schools already includes some content areas that have been recognised as important for meeting the needs of society. These relate to healthy lifestyle, nutrition, health, textiles, consumption, economics, family, environment and sustainable development. Given the perceived needs of society, the use of household appliances, home contents, and first aid should be additionally included in home economics education in Slovenia, and students should be encouraged to develop social and communication skills. It is also necessary to consider the appropriate placement of the subject in the curriculum, as it is necessary to implement home economics education in the entire elementary school education. Doing so will enable the acquisition of knowledge and skills needed in society and, therefore, the appropriate level of home economics literacy of the individual.

Gospodinjstvo deluje na akademskem, šolskem in na družbenem področju ter v vsakdanjem življenju. Zaradi svoje multidisciplinarnosti vključuje in med seboj povezuje vsebine različnih disciplin (npr. zdrav življenjski slog, prehrana, dietetika, tekstil, dom, družina, potrošnja, osebna in družinska ekonomika ter dizajn in tehnologija), ki se obravnavajo z vidika zadovoljevanja potreb posameznika, družine in družbe. Gospodinjsko izobraževanje in opismenjevanje imata pomembno vlogo pri usvajanju znanj in veščin, ki pripomorejo k dvigu kakovosti življenja posameznika, družin in družbe. Z razvojem družbe se spreminjajo potrebe posameznika in družin, zato so potrebne tudi spremembe na področju gospodinjskega izobraževanja, ki se kažejo v aktualizaciji učnih načrtov predmeta. Cilji in vsebine v učnem načrtu morajo odražati in zadovoljevati potrebe trenutne družbe ter upoštevati kulturno odvisnost in socialno determiniranost področja gospodinjstvo. V trenutni učni načrt predmeta gospodinjstvo v slovenski osnovni šoli so v določenem obsegu že vključena nekatera vsebinska področja, ki so bila prepoznana kot pomembna za zadovoljevanje potreb družbe. Ta se nanašajo na zdrav življenjski slog, prehrano, zdravje, tekstil, potrošnjo, ekonomiko, okolje in na trajnostni razvoj. Glede na zaznane potrebe družbe pa bi bilo treba v gospodinjsko izobraževanje v Sloveniji dodatno vključiti tudi vsebine o domu, uporabi gospodinjskih aparatov in prvi pomoči ter učence spodbujati k razvijanju socialnih in komunikacijskih veščin. Treba je razmisliti tudi o ustrezni umestitvi predmeta v predmetnik, saj se kaže potreba po izvajanju gospodinjskega izobraževanja v celotnem osnovnošolskem izobraževanju. Le takšno gospodinjsko izobraževanje bi omogočalo usvajanje znanj in veščin, potrebnih v družbi, in s tem ustrezno stopnjo gospodinjske pismenosti posameznika. Home economics operates in the academic, curriculum and social realms, as well as in everyday life. Due to its multidisciplinarity, it includes and interconnects the contents of different disciplines (e.g., healthy lifestyle, nutrition, dietetics, textiles, home, family, consumption, personal and family economics, design and technology), which are considered in terms of meeting the needs of the individual, family, and society. Home economics education and literacy play an important role in acquiring knowledge and skills that help raise the quality of life of the individual, family, and society. With the development of society, the needs of both the individual and the family are changing therefore, changes are also needed in home economics education, which is reflected in the updating of the subject curricula. The goals and contents in the curriculum must reflect and meet the needs of the current society and take into account the cultural dependence and social determinism of the home economics field. To a certain extent, the current curriculum of the subject home economics in Slovene elementary schools already includes some content areas that have been recognised as important for meeting the needs of society. These relate to healthy lifestyle, nutrition, health, textiles, consumption, economics, family, environment and sustainable development. Given the perceived needs of society, the use of household appliances, home contents, and first aid should be additionally included in home economics education in Slovenia, and students should be encouraged to develop social and communication skills. It is also necessary to consider the appropriate placement of the subject in the curriculum, as it is necessary to implement home economics education in the entire elementary school education. Doing so will enable the acquisition of knowledge and skills needed in society and, therefore, the appropriate level of home economics literacy of the individual.

The goal of the present research was to assess the environmental world-views and concerns of students from the fourth to the seventh grade in Slovenia. The New Ecological Paradigm Scale for Children was translated and validated for use with Slovenian primary school students (N = 310). The students were also asked about their environmental concerns (us-ing statements from the Environmental Motives Scale) and demographic questions. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for the New Eco-logical Paradigm scale using AMOS software, confirming a three-dimen-sional model with ten items. The students showed the highest agreement with the items in the factor Rights of Nature, and the lowest agreement with Human Exemptionalism. The environmental attitudes of the stu-dents decreased from the fourth to the seventh grade, while altruistic en-vironmental concerns significantly increased with higher grades. Gender differences were not statistically significant for environmental worldviews and concerns. The reported results show that biospheric environmental concern positively correlates with the factors Rights of Nature and belief in Eco-Crisis, and negatively correlates with Human Exemptionalism. The New Ecological Paradigm tool will enable the evaluation of education programmes for children in Slovenia.

The article analyses the conceptualisations and gradual transformation of higher education in Slovenia from the 1980s to the early 1990s, i.e., during the period of profound social and political changes leading to the proclamation of the independent Republic of Slovenia in 1991. The broad public debate on the future of education in general was an impor-tant part of the awakening of civil society in the 1980s. In the specific field of higher education, intensive discussions led to the demand for a new and comprehensive development strategy. Given the profound transformation of higher education that took place during this period, this subject has been unjustifiably poorly researched. The article there-fore tries to contribute to partially filling the gap, and at the same time to stimulating further research. Based on the study of archive material, the present analysis concludes that the most important innovation of this period can be defined as a gradual conceptual and then normative shift from a national university to a national higher education system.

Based on Foucault’s concept of the dispositive, the paper attempts to show how societies and schools have been functioning for some time now by regulating three dispositives: juridical, disciplinary, and security. While the crises of the 1970s shifted the combination of dispositives in education in the West towards security, this shift in the rationality of education policy and practice did not occur in Slovenia until the 1990s, following the broader political transition to democracy and a market economy. The paper aims to present these shifts through the structuring of quality assurance mechanisms in education in Slovenia in the previ-ous two decades. First, the concept of quality assurance is presented as part of a broader change in society and education. This is followed by analyses of the dynamics of the conceptualisation, implementation, and regulation of quality assurance in education in Slovenia. Complementa-rily, following Bourdieu’s approach, seven interviews with experts from the field of quality assurance are presented, with the aim of reflecting on the past and shedding light on the current state of affairs in quality as-surance in education in Slovenia.

Glavni cilj raziskave je bil preučiti izkušnje študentov z izrednim uče-njem in s poučevanjem na daljavo med pandemijo covida-19. Zanimalo nas je, v kakšnem odnosu s to izkušnjo so njihove strategije za spoprije-manje z izrednimi razmerami, učne strategije in pozitivnost. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 337 študentov. Podatki so bili zbrani s spletnim vprašalni-kom. Rezultati kažejo, da so študentje uporabljali bolj prilagojene stra-tegije spoprijemanja (pozitivno prevrednotenje, sprijaznjenje in preu-smerjanje k načrtovanju) in manj neprilagojenih strategij (obtoževanje drugih, katastrofiranje). Poleg tega so študentje poročali o pogosti upo-rabi dveh učnih strategij, tj. strukturiranju okolja in postavljanju ciljev, ter o manj pogosti uporabi strategije prilagoditve načina dela. Samore-gulacija in pozitivnost sta skupaj pojasnili 40 % variance študentskih izkušenj med pandemijo. Pomembni napovedniki za bolj konstruktivne izkušnje so bili pogosta uporaba strategij za določanje ciljev in struktu-riranja okolja, izrazitejša pozitivnost in manj pogosta uporaba katastro-firanja kot strategije spoprijemanja. Ugotovitve raziskave prispevajo k boljšemu razumevanju učnih izkušenj študentov z izrednim učenjem in s poučevanjem na daljavo med pandemijo ter njihovih korelatov. Poleg tega visokošolskim učiteljem in sodelavcem omogočajo, da se pri pod-pori študentom za spoprijemanje s pandemijo osredinijo na bistvene elemente. The main objective of the present research was to explore students’ ex-periences of emergency remote teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, we were interested in how strategies for coping with an emer-gency situation, learning strategies and positivity relate to this experience. A total of 337 university students participated in the study. The data were collected with an online questionnaire. The results show that students used more adaptive coping strategies (positive reappraisal, acceptance and refocus on planning) and fewer maladaptive strategies (blaming others, catastrophising). Furthermore, students reported the frequent use of two self-regulated learning strategies, i.e., environment structuring and goal setting, and the less frequent use of task strategies. Self-regulation and positivity explained a total of 40% of the variance of the students’ expe-rience during the pandemic. Important predictors for more constructive experience were the frequent use of goal setting and environment struc-turing strategies, more pronounced positivity, and less frequent use of the catastrophising coping strategy. The research findings contribute to a bet-ter understanding of students’ emergency remote teaching and learning experience during the pandemic and its correlates. Moreover, the findings could enable academic staff to focus on the essential elements when sup-porting students to cope with the pandemic.

The Covid-19 epidemic has had a strong impact on the implementation of the entire educational process due to the closure of public life and schools. Physical education (PE) teachers were faced with the challenge of conveying at a distance the learning content that they would otherwise teach in the sports hall. Our research aimed to determine which PE distance learning models proved to be the most effective during the epidemic, resulting in a high level of pupils’ activity despite participation from home. In the process of data collection, we included 33 PE distance learning lessons at the lower secondary level, where six pupils (3 girls and 3 boys) wore accelerometers in each lesson (n = 198 pupils). The results showed that the most effective model was the flipped learning teaching model, where pupils were given an overview in advance of the different forms of teacher video recordings. Then they also actively participated with their ideas in the performance of the online lesson. A statistically significantly less efficient version of the flipped learning teaching model had prepared interactive assignments and games. This was followed by a combination of online frontal teaching with station work and frontal teaching. The least effective was independent work carried out by the pupils according to the instructions prepared by the teacher. Although the two flipped learning teaching models were the most effective in terms of exercise intensity, it is very difficult to implement them in practice because they require too much teacher time. (DIPF/Orig.)

In this article, we examine the vertical influence of the European Union (EU) policy on recognition of prior learning (RPL) in one Southern European country (Portugal) and in a Central European one (Slovenia). We stress the influence of the EU policy on adult education (AE) policies and the development of RPL granting professional qualification. Although not widely acknowledged in adult education theoretical discussions, we use the RPL models introduced by Judy Harris to debate the main aims of core official RPL national policy documents from 2000 to 2018 using documentary analysis. Comparative analysis of the two countries is made, and similarities and differences between the RPL provisions are debated. Our findings indicate the relevance of the utilitarian approach to RPL within national policies. Furthermore, these findings allow us to question why employers give little attention to adult learners’ qualification acquired through RPL.

This paper identifies some of the key characteristics of the marketisation of adult learning and education (ALE) and analyses the effects in the contexts of Germany (focusing on Bavaria) and Slovenia. ALE policies and institutional practices are analysed through the method of document analysis and interviews. Policy models of ALE proposed by Lima and Guimarães—the democratic–emancipatory model, the modernisation and state control model, and the human resources management model—are used as an analytical framework. Our findings indicate that the latter model prevails in the analysed policies, while the market forces are introduced on the organisational level of ALE from ‘below’ through the increased influence of the market demand coming from the learners/customers, and from ‘above’ through calls for tenders that shape the ‘quasi-market’ in which the ALE organisations compete for funding. However, signs of resistance to the marketisation of ALE practices are also identified.

Based on the descriptive method of qualitative educational research, the present study explores music teaching at the stage of early adolescence in terms of general-school music teachers’ viewpoints on factors defining the planning and implementation of music teaching. The study was based on qualitative analysis of data gathered in interviews with 18 teachers from nine countries (Slovenia, Argentina, Australia, USA, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Italy and Germany). The research found that music teaching based on authentic musical communication through the activities of playing, creating and listening to music was favoured by the interviewees. Among the factors affecting the presentation of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence, the quality of curricular bases and the professional competence of music teachers were emphasised. In this context, the research findings showed that music curricula in the international context do not provide a suitable curricular base for the implementation of music teaching. The problem becomes especially salient when the competences of music teachers are insufficient for the transference of the curricular platform to musical praxis through authentic ways of musical teaching. The research findings provide an insight into the complexity of the factors involved, including authentic music teaching, the music curriculum and teachers’ competences, which determine the planning and implementation of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence. In addition, the findings provide a basis for further research in a broader context and for the development of guidelines for curricular updates and the modernisation of music education in general schools.

In the paper, we argue that fostering the autonomy of children in kindergarten contributes to the positive effects of the individual’s autonomy later in life. Various sources substantiate the assumption that there is a relationship between the child’s autonomy and the autonomy of educators. In the paper, we identify and investigate how preschool teachers evaluate the factors of their own professional autonomy, we determine the factors and conditions that, in their opinion, foster the autonomy of preschool children, and we verify whether the assessment of both factors and conditions affects the actual state of the stimulation of the autonomy of children in kindergarten. With regard to fostering the autonomy of children, we have in mind the participation of children, enabling them to play and learn and to manipulate materials and teaching aids in their own way, so that preschool teachers can offer them a choice, take into account their feelings and perspectives, and provide them with rational feedback. The results of the research show that an evaluation of the factors and conditions for fostering the autonomy of children by preschool teachers (N = 524) has a beneficial effect on fostering the autonomy of the children, but it is not crucial. The most important factors in fostering the autonomy of children are the preschool teacher as a person and the participation of children.

Individualization trends encouraging young people to focus on their achievements seem to contradict the need for socially and environmentally sustainable behavior, and this requires additional empirical testing. The purpose of this paper is to present and provide basic testing of an original model of responsible behavior. The model is inspired by the theory of planned behavior distinguishing between consciousness, intentions, and behavior. The presented model applies these to an individual as well as to social and environmental responsibility while taking into account the social, technological, and natural environments. The research is based on the presumption that it is crucial to connect the individual dimension of responsibility with the environmental and social dimensions to achieve environmental and social sustainability at the micro-level. Data for the preliminary testing of the model was collected from an online social survey among Slovenian youth and analyzed through partial correlations and path analysis. The results show that individual responsibility is strongly connected to social and environmental responsibilities, but only in terms of behavior, and not values and intentions. Responsibility is also strongly connected to the social and technological environment, especially to the ways how young people are using digital technology., Trendovi individualizacije koji potiču mlade da se usredotoče na svoje postignuća su naizgled nesumjerljivi s potrebom za društvenim i ekološkim održivim ponašanjem, te je nužno provesti empirijska istraživanja kojima bi se ova teza provjerila. Svrha ovog rada je provesti osnovno testiranje originalno oblikovanog modela odgovornog ponašanja i predstaviti rezultate. Model je nadahnut teorijom planiranog ponašanja koja razlikuje svijest, namjeru i ponašanje. Model koji predstavljamo primjenjuje navedene koncepte na pojedinačnu i društvenu ekološku odgovornost, uzimajući u obzir socijalni, tehnološki i prirodni kontekst. Istraživanje se temelji na pretpostavci da je važno povezati individualnu dimenziju odgovornosti s ekološkom i socijalnom dimenzijom kako bi se postigla ekološka i socijalna održivost na mikro razini. Podaci za preliminarno testiranje modela prikupljeni su online anketnim istraživanjem među slovenskom omladinom, a rezultati su analizirani pomoću parcijalnih korelacija i tehnike analize puta. Rezultati pokazuju da je individualna odgovornost snažno povezana s društvenom i ekološkom odgovornosti, ali samo kod ponašanja, ne i vrijednosti i namjera. Odgovornost je također čvrsto povezana sa socijalnim i tehnološkim kontekstom, posebno s načinima na koji mladi koriste digitalnu tehnologiju., Die Individualisierungstrends, die junge Leute dazu anregen, sich auf die eigenen Errungenschaften zu fokussieren, scheinen mit dem Bedürfnis nach einem sozial und ökologisch nachhaltigen Benehmen inkompatibel zu sein, es ist also notwendig, empirische Forschung durchzuführen, die diese These überprüfen sollte. Der Zweck dieser Arbeit iste es, eine grundlegende Prüfung des originell gebildeten Modells des verantwortlichen Benehmens durchzuführen und die Ergebnisse zu präsentieren. Das Modell ist von der Theorie des geplanten Benehmens inspiriert, die das Bewußtsein, die Absicht und das Benehmen unterscheidet. Das hier vorgestellte Modell wendet die genannten Konzepte an individuelle und sozialökologische Verantwortung an und zieht dabei den sozialen, technologischen und natürlichen Kontext in Betracht. Die Forschung beruht auf der Annahme, dass es wichtig ist, die individuelle Dimension der Verantwortung mit der ökologischen und sozialen zu verbinden, um eine ökologische und soziale Nachhaltigkeit auf der Mikroebene zu behalten. Die Daten für eine vorübergehende Prüfung des Modells wurden durch eine online-Umfrage der slowenischen Jugend gesammelt und die Resultate mit Hilfe der partiellen Korrelationen und Techniken der Weganalyse analysiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die individuelle Verantwortung stark mit der sozialen und ökologischen Verantwortung verbunden ist, aber nur beim Benehmen und nicht bei Werten und Absichten. Die Verantwortung ist auch fest mit dem sozialen und technologischen Kontext verbunden, insbesondere mit der Art und Weise, wie junge Leute mit der digitalen Technologie umgehen.

In early 2020, the whole world was confronted with the emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus. Due to restrictive measures, Slovenia, like most other countries, was forced to close all educational institutions. Teaching and learning shifted from classrooms to an online environment, which was a major challenge for teachers, students and their parents and required a significant amount of adaptation and effort. In May 2020, we conducted a study to investigate parents’ attitudes toward emergency remote schooling. The study included 313 parents of students from the last triad of primary (compulsory) school (Grades 7–9; 12–15 years old), 147 parents of secondary school students (Years 1–3; 15–18 years old) and 35 parents of students in their final (4th) year of secondary school (18–19 years old). Specifically, parents of primary school adolescent children, in particular, reported having the most difficulty coordinating their work and the remote schooling of their child, and they also reported more difficulty motivating their child to complete schoolwork at home than the other two groups of parents did. Parents of secondary school students in Year 4 were most likely to miss personal contact with the teacher and rated emergency remote schooling as more stressful than the other two groups of parents. In general, parents rated emergency remote schooling to be more complicated and difficult than traditional classroom instruction. Most parents agree that such schooling provides students with less knowledge, which is also less consolidated, although they perceived teachers’ remote help for students quite positively. They also believe that online education will become important in the future. (DIPF/Orig.)

Problemstellung Die Region „Amazon of Europe“ ist ein von der UNESCO als Biosphärenreservat bezeichnetes Fünf-Länder-Eck, das in seinem Rahmen drei Flüsse (Mura, Drau und Donau) zu einem gemeinsamen Ökosystem verbindet, das die Länder Österreich, Kroatien, Ungarn, Serbien und Slowenien verbindet. Nach der Ernennung zum Biosphärenreservat im Jahr 2012 strebte die Region eine touristische Entwicklung an und hat bis heute ihr touristisches Vorzeigeprodukt – den „Amazon of Europe Bike Trail“ – etabliert und präsentiert. Ziel ist es, durch weitere touristische Erschließung die Makro-Destination „Amazing Amazon of Europe“ zu etablieren. Diese Entwicklung erfordert strategische Entscheidungen sowie die Kenntnis interner und externer Faktoren, um adäquate strategische Entscheidungen für eine erfolgreiche touristische Entwicklung konzipieren und formulieren zu können. Daher untersucht diese Arbeit die Grundlagen für zukünftige strategische Entscheidungen für die touristische Entwicklung der Region „Amazon of Europe“. Fragestellung „Welche Vorschläge lassen sich aus der Analyse der Stärken, Schwächen, Chancen und Bedrohungen der Region „Amazon of Europe“ für strategische Entscheidungen für die zukünftige Tourismusentwicklung ableiten?“ Methodik Mit Hilfe einer wissenschaftlichen Literaturrecherche wurden Ergebnisse für das theoretische Hintergrundwissen der Masterarbeit generiert. Der empirische Teil verwendet die SWOT-Analyse zur Identifizierung der Stärken, Schwächen, Chancen und Bedrohungen der Regionen und die TOWS-Matrix zur Identifizierung der Beziehung zwischen diesen Faktoren, durch die Strategien abgeleitet werden können. Ergebnisse Die Ergebnisse der Dissertation zeigen die identifizierten Stärken, Schwächen, Chancen und Risiken der jeweiligen Region sowie vier verschiedene Vorschläge, die als Strategien in die zukünftige touristische Entwicklung der Region „Amazon of Europe“ integriert werden könnten. Problem statement The ‘’Amazon of Europe’’ region is a five country designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which in its framework connects three rivers (Mura, Drava and Danube) into a shared ecosystem connecting the countries Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia. After the designation as a Biosphere Reserve in 2012, has the region aspired touristic development and has, until today, established and presented its touristic flagship product – the ‘’Amazon of Europe Bike Trail’’. The intention is, through further touristic development, to establish the Makro-destination ‘’Amazing Amazon of Europe’’. This development necessitates strategic decisions as well the knowledge of internal and external factors in order to be able to design and formulate adequate strategic decisions for prosperous touristic development. Therefore, this thesis investigates the basis for future strategic decisions for the tourism development of the ‘’Amazon of Europe’’ region. Research Question ‘’Which proposals can be derived from the analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the region ‘’Amazon of Europe’’ in terms of strategic decisions for future tourism development?’’ Methodology With the help of a scientific literature research, results for the theoretical background knowledge of the master thesis were generated. The empirical section utilizes the SWOT Analysis for identifying the regions strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and TOWS Matrix for the identification of the relationship between these factors, through which strategies can be derived. Results The results of the thesis portray the identified Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the respective region as well as four different proposals, which could be integrated as strategies into the future touristic development of the ‘’Amazon of Europe’’ region. submitted by: Philip Uršnik Žuran Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des Verfassers Masterarbeit Bad Gleichenberg, Fachhochschule Joanneum 2021

In recent decades, discussions regarding citizenship and citizenship education have evolved from a marginal issue in political philosophy and the philosophy of education to one of the most pressing topics in contemporary discussions about the civic aims of public schooling. The place and contribution of citizenship education in public schools have become central points of discussion and debate in terms of theory, research, policy, and practice. Yet, existing conceptions of citizenship education differ considerably over various issues, including the basic motivational impulses associated with the civic aims of public education. In particular, the recent upsurge of phenomena as diverse as hate speech, populism, the shrinking civic space, radicalisation, and violent extremism have shifted the main justificatory impulse from consequentialist to urgency-based arguments. This shift of emphasis has had some unreflected consequences related to the justification for citizenship education in public schools. The central purpose of this article is to expound on the two main impulses associated with the civic aims of public schools and their interrelationship with social changes. The main part contrasts these two opposing motivational impulses associated with the justification of citizenship education. Each of the two impulses is presented and then clarified with an example to shed light on the basic justificatory procedure associated with it. The concluding part of this paper sketches the most distinctive challenges of the alternative conception of justifying citizenship education and its interplay with social change.

Redistribution differs widely across countries, but our understanding of why this is the case is limited. In democracies, the extent of redistribution should ultimately reflect citizens' preferences. We measure preferences for redistribution in six developed countries through internationally standardized questions in which respondents are faced with realistic budgetary constraints on their choice. We also measure a broad array of demographic, attitudinal, and ideological characteristics and examine their correlations with the preferred pattern of redistribution. As expected, individual income is associated with lower demand for redistribution, but this relationship loses significance once other factors are controlled for. Beliefs on social mobility have, in the aggregate, the largest effect in reducing demand for redistribution, the effect being largest in the US but insignificant in Italy and Slovenia. Trust in government has a negative effect on demand for redistribution across all countries. In line with other studies, we interpret this result as evidence that people believing that the political élite is corrupt demand more redistribution. Financial security, a proxy for the Prospect of Upward Mobility hypothesis, is also a significant correlate of preferences for redistribution, the effect being largest in Japan but small in the UK and Slovenia. Finally, discrimination of racial minorities is associated with lower demand for redistribution, but the effect is only significant in the US and Germany. Overall, the main theories that have been proposed to account for preferences for redistribution are confirmed to be valid, but with significant variation across countries.

The Slovene language has several roles in the educational process in the Republic of Slovenia, including its role as a subject in the curriculum in its own right. It is a basic general education subject in public primary schools and has the most hours of all of the subjects. All teachers were forced to teach remotely for the first time in the history of education (first during the 2019/20 school year and then in the 2020/21 school year) during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The results of a survey comprising 348 teachers with the ability to teach the mother tongue at primary school level (grades 1–9 of primary school; 59% were class curriculum teachers and 41% were Slovene language teachers) show, among other things, that teachers mostly have a good attitude towards distance teaching and feel empowered for this type of teaching, although they feel that this method makes them mentally and physically more tired than teaching in the classroom. Among the advantages of distance teaching, teachers mention the greater use of modern information and communication technology, more use of e-material and the opportunity for formal monitoring of students. In their opinion, the biggest problems of distance teaching (of the Slovene language) include: lack of student participation; lack of non-verbal communication, thus creating difficulties in understanding; and technical issues. Most teachers believe that students acquire less knowledge or far less knowledge by distance education than they would from education in the classroom. Teachers who feel more empowered to teach remotely also have a better attitude towards teaching their mother tongue and are more satisfied with the communication aspect with students in distant teaching. Teachers who have received the necessary training for distance teaching as part of their work feel more empowered to teach this way than teachers who have not had such training. (DIPF/Orig.)

zgoja in izobraževanje za trajnostni razvoj sta pomembna za kako-Vzgoja in izobraževanje za trajnostni razvoj sta pomembna za kako-vostno prebivanje zdajšnjih in prihodnjih generacij predstavljata eno izmed ključnih izhodišč delovanja discipline gospodinjstvo. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, ali učitelji, ki poučujejo gospodinjstvo, pre-poznajo možnosti za vzgojo in izobraževanje učencev za trajnostni ra-zvoj pri predmetu gospodinjstvo, ter prepoznati vsebine, ki jih učite-lji gospodinjstva vključujejo v predmet gospodinjstvo in so povezane s trajnostnim razvojem. V raziskavi je bil uporabljen nenaključnostni vzorec 89 slovenskih učiteljev gospodinjstva. Za potrebe raziskave je bil razvit anketni vprašalnik. Rezultati so bili kvalitativno in kvantitativno analizirani. Izsledki raziskave so pokazali, da učitelji menijo, da vsebine predmeta gospodinjstvo spodbujajo vzgojo in izobraževanje za trajno-stni razvoj. Največ možnosti za vključevanje trajnostnih vsebin vidijo na področju prehrane in bivalnega okolja, manj pa pri obravnavi vsebin s področja ekonomike gospodinjstva in tekstila, kar se izkazuje tudi v izvajanju vzgojno-izobraževalnega procesa, v katerem trajnostnim vse-binam, povezanim s prehrano in z bivalnim okoljem, namenjajo največ pozornosti. Na osnovi izsledkov raziskave lahko sklepamo, da je treba učiteljem gospodinjstva ponuditi permanentno strokovno izobraževa-nje, ki bi bilo namenjeno doseganju kompetenc za poučevanje trajno-stnih vsebin v okviru predmeta gospodinjstvo. Kaže se tudi potreba po posodobitvi in aktualizaciji učnega načrta predmeta, saj ponuja številne priložnosti za izobraževanje mladih o temah, povezanih s trajnostnim življenjem. Education for sustainable development is essential for the well-being of present and future generations and is one of the key objectives in the discipline of home economics. The purpose of this research was to as-certain whether in-service teachers of home economics recognise the opportunities to educate students about sustainable development in their courses and if they can identify the topics related to sustainable development that they can integrate into the subject of home econom-ics. To determine this, a study using a questionnaire with a non-random sample of 89 Slovenian in-service home economics teachers was con-ducted. The results were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. Ac-cording to the research results, in-service home economics teachers un-derstand that the topics of the subject promote education for sustainable development. They see the most opportunities for integrating sustain-able topics arising in the fields of food and living environments, and less in economics and textiles. This is evident because sustainability topics are predominantly connected to food and the living environment classes in the current education system. Based on the research results, it can be deduced that in-service home economics teachers should be offered ongoing professional development in order to achieve the competences needed to teach sustainable development as part of the home economics subject. The need to update the curriculum of this subject has emerged as it offers numerous opportunities to educate the young in topics re-lated to sustainable living.

Based on the descriptive method of qualitative educational research, the present study explores music teaching at the stage of early adolescence in terms of general-school music teachers’ viewpoints on factors defining the planning and implementation of music teaching. The study was based on qualitative analysis of data gathered in interviews with 18 teachers from nine countries (Slovenia, Argentina, Australia, USA, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Italy and Germany). The research found that music teaching based on authentic musical communication through the activities of playing, creating and listening to music was favoured by the interviewees. Among the factors affecting the presentation of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence, the quality of curricular bases and the professional competence of music teachers were emphasised. In this context, the research findings showed that music curricula in the international context do not provide a suitable curricular base for the implementation of music teaching. The problem becomes especially salient when the competences of music teachers are insufficient for the transference of the curricular platform to musical praxis through authentic ways of musical teaching. The research findings provide an insight into the complexity of the factors involved, including authentic music teaching, the music curriculum and teachers’ competences, which determine the planning and implementation of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence. In addition, the findings provide a basis for further research in a broader context and for the development of guidelines for curricular updates and the modernisation of music education in general schools. (DIPF/Orig.)

In this study we analyze the convergence of GDP per capita from 2000 to 2013 (current prices and euro exchange rates) for eight countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) of the European Union (CEE8). Some convergence indicators are also calculated for the CEE8 as a whole. The main purpose of this study is to shed some light on the impact of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) on regional convergence in advanced emerging countries, like the CEE8. The main result of random effects panel regressions for unconditional beta-convergence is that significant convergence is found for the whole period from 2000-2013, but not for sub-periods on either end of the sample, except for Hungary and Poland. This means that convergence in most CEECs is only significant if the GFC is included in the estimation period. The role of capital regions for the convergence process is an item for future research.

Autism has become an increasingly relevant topic in the research of neuroscience with the objective of enabling people with this condition to become equal opportunity members of the society; this includes an exploration of the benefits of the public education system. However, the science and knowledge in this field have thus far been limited, and the results of scientific findings have been very rare. The objective of the study was to explore primarily the first experiences of higher education teachers dealing with a student with an autism spectrum disorder. The aim was to learn lessons and contribute to some new understanding of special and adapted pedagogical approaches. The methodology of the study is qualitative, using (i) a case study as an objective of the researchers, and (ii) in-depth interviews with the twelve teachers about their experience with (for them) the new demanding assignment to teach a student with an autism spectrum disorder. The case study is about three years of undergraduate studies of a student with autism spectrum disorder who, in the end, obtained a bachelor’s degree in the field of business. The findings reveal that teachers generally viewed the experience as very positive and found teaching to be a challenge. For success, cooperation with experts and parents is crucial, but the education institution (of which all are stakeholders) could and should have done more. However, taking into account that the challenge is new, this study may contribute to some further development.

In Slovenia, teachers of the school subject visual arts (implemented at the primary level by primary school teachers and at secondary level by fine visual arts teachers) play a significant role in planning and implementing visual arts tasks with preservation concepts. With these activities, they can raise awareness of cultural heritage meaning, strengthening the nation’s cultural identity. Pupils should develop into active and responsible citizens who are able to understand heritage problems in general and express their sensitivity and respect for their cultural heritage and its preservation. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the teachers’ preconceptions about the preservation of architecture in the Slovenian countryside and the implementation of heritage preservation concepts in visual arts teaching. Altogether, 125 teachers from Slovenia participated in this study. The research revealed the teachers’ preconceptions regarding some problems in the Slovenian countryside, as well as sufficient awareness of the importance of the implementation in heritage preservation concepts in visual arts activities, according to contemporary professional guidelines. Teachers’ preconceptions reveal a lack of some basic knowledge of preservation concepts, which lead us to compare the results with the current guidelines. It can be concluded that greater emphasis should be placed on developing training programmes for teachers with specific preservation concepts and didactic materials for students in the field of preservation education with the aim of developing the students’ positive and responsible attitudes to those problems. More heritage preservation education content should be incorporated into pre- and in-service teachers’ education, and teachers should develop competences to implement these topics into their teaching.

In Slovenia, compulsory schools have, since 2009, been obliged to define their own concept of moral and character education under the formal framework of the Primary School Act. Disciplinary measures in schools are underpinned by two main punishment theories: the more traditional retributive responses to undesired conduct, and the more recent restorative approach. The present study explores the views of 109 teachers from 13 compulsory schools regarding disciplinary measures through the prism of this paradigmatic divide. A qualitative analysis of group discussions in which teachers evaluated the disciplinary measures at each of the 13 schools will be presented. Only three discussion groups were predominantly restorative oriented. Given the proven negative effects of retribution-oriented disciplinary measures, the findings are not encouraging. We conclude that schools need a clearer disciplinary framework with systematic acquisition of knowledge and practical experience in the field of educational and discipline strategies, and that teachers must continuously reflect on their own disciplinary practices.

For the purposes of the research, we developed a concept of structural reasons that we theoretically assume appear as typical structural reasons for violence in schools. With empirical research, we determined how primary school teachers recognise violent behaviour and how they execute moral education in the areas of the specific structural reasons for violence. We found that the majority of teachers have appropriate pedagogical knowledge to recognise the specific structural reasons for violence and are able to identify the appropriate moral education or support strategy to address the identified violent or disruptive behaviour. However, even in cases of repeating acts of violence, teachers only begin to engage with the factors or reasons behind violent incidents in individual cases, and not systematically. We therefore suggest that schools introduce the systematic differentiation of structural reasons for violence and incorporate this approach in the school moral education plan and the work of teachers. Within such frameworks, violence and disruptive behaviour would be eliminated through moral education and/or support strategies appropriate to the specific structural reasons.

Chemistry is an experimental discipline that uses experimentation as one of its most important research methods. Laboratory work and other practical work are therefore also essential in chemistry lessons. Chemistry demonstrations are used by teachers as an educational approach that can increase students’ interest in chemistry and motivate them to learn chemical concepts with understanding. However, if the students are actively involved in the chemistry demonstration, it can be just as effective as or even more effective than students’ learning through experiments. The purpose of this research is to examine teachers’ opinions about the impact of chemistry demonstrations on students’ interest and chemistry knowledge. Based on a quantitative research approach, 81 primary and secondary school teachers from different regions of Slovenia participated in this study. Participating teachers completed an online questionnaire on their perceptions of the impact of chemistry demonstrations on students’ interest and performance in chemistry classes and on the quality of students’ knowledge of chemistry. The results show that regardless of the years of teaching experience and the frequency of performing chemistry demonstrations, the participating teachers consider such demonstrations to have a positive effect on the motivation and performance of the students in chemistry and on the quality of the students’ knowledge of chemistry.