Andreja Istenic Starcic | University of Ljubljana (original) (raw)
Papers by Andreja Istenic Starcic
International journal: emerging technologies in learning, 2018
Inclusion has brought diversity into 21st-century classrooms and introduced challenges for teach... more Inclusion has brought diversity into 21st-century classrooms and introduced challenges for teachers who must adapt their teaching to diverse groups of children. Related research findings indicate that information and communication technology (ICT) can be used to provide personalized learning and support inclusion. Our research compared the school- and leisure-related computer use of students in inclusive classrooms. The frequency of computer use, types of ICT-supported activities, and attitudes toward computer use were examined. Consistent with those of previous studies, our findings show that students with special needs (SN) and their peers use computers more frequently for leisure activities than for school activities. Compared with their peers, students with SN use computers less frequently and are more resistant to computer use. No correlation was found between the presence of SN and a student’s desire to use a computer or a student’s opinion on whether computer use improves learning success. A comparison of male and female students revealed that boys use computers more frequently, and have a stronger belief that computer use improves learning success. This study discusses ICT integration in inclusive classrooms for personalized learning in all domains of learning, the cognitive, affective–social, and psychomotor domains. The main conclusions derived from the study inform teachers in planning their ICT integration for cognitive, social and emotional scaffolding of students in inclusive classrooms.
odobna pedagogika, 2019
The main objective of this paper is to present an in-depth analysis of the conception of the teac... more The main objective of this paper is to present an in-depth analysis of the conception of the teacher's role in ICT-supported foreign language (FL) instruction among teachers in basic and secondary education. In Slovenia, to date, no studies have been conducted in this research field. Therefore, our study aims to fill this research gap. An online survey was used to explore teachers' beliefs about the change of their role in ICT-supported FL instruction in comparison to their role in traditional instruction. The results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses show that the majority of the participants believed that the role of the teacher as a lecturer and information provider changed to that of a facilitator of student learning and provider of student-centred instruction. A minority of the participants perceived their role first as lecturer; for them, ICT is only a tool with its advantages and disadvantages but with minimal or no influence on the traditional role of the teacher. Even though the majority of the teachers believed that their role had changed, the results do not indicate a major shift in the FL teaching paradigm.
Sustainability, 2018
Sustainable development (SD) is a multidimensional issue. However, research findings report a div... more Sustainable development (SD) is a multidimensional issue. However, research findings report a divide between students' awareness and behavior. It is identified that study programs are designed more for awareness outcomes, and not so much for behavioral outcomes. For higher-order learning outcomes manifested in a sustainable development behavior, the authors argue for a model based on an understanding of learning as boundary crossing. Based on this model, learning for sustainable development occurs in relating social practices, lifestyles, academic practices, professional practices, and students' digital practices. To inform teachers' approaches to teaching as an important driver of institutional change, we conducted a survey among students of urban and spatial planning in Slovenia. Examined factors included personal, academic, and digital predictors for sustainable development awareness, lifestyle, and behavioral intention. We hypothesized that a significant predictor for sustainable development behavior, which was measured as sustainable lifestyle and sustainable development behavioral intention, would be learning in social practices, and that learning in social practices would predict preferred teaching methods. The findings of hierarchical regression analysis indicated personal factors as the most important predictors of SD behavioral intention, and academic predictors as the most important factors for SD awareness. Digital practices were found to be the most important predictors of a sustainable lifestyle. Social practices of sustainable lifestyle, digital practices, and perceived teaching methods predicted students' preferred teaching methods. We discuss the future directions of sustainable development education, considering digital social media practices as essential boundary crossers.
—Social network sites (SNSs) have become strategic networking tools for employment-related activi... more —Social network sites (SNSs) have become strategic networking tools for employment-related activities. They shape professional identity and influence professional and career practices, providing new paths for career, employment and recruitment processes. Students' professional identity is influenced by their career management and work experience. There is a lack of research on the use of SNSs for students' on-line career management competenc-es. A survey was conducted to examine students' attitudes regarding the use of SNSs for career management competences and professional identity development. The student's attitudes revealed career control, networking for learning, career reflection, self-presentation and work exploration as predictors for stu-dents' actual use of SNSs for career management and professional identity development. For the career competences the main influencing predictors were found to be students' beliefs that SNSs support work exploration, processes of self-presentation and career control. For professional identity development, the main influencing predictors were students' beliefs that SNSs support career control and students' engagement in professional events through networking for learning. Findings could contribute to understanding and facilitation of the SNS-related career management competences.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that e ective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, quali cation of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insu ciently quali e in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with de ciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have su cient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that eeective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, qualiication of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insuuciently qualiie in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with deeciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have suucient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that e ective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, quali cation of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insu ciently quali e in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with de ciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have su cient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that eeective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, qualiication of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insuuciently qualiie in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with deeciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have suucient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
ABSTRACT Bibliografija na koncu prispevka, Izvleček ; Abstract
Bibliografija na koncu prispevka, Izvleček ; Abstract
The International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology
Soavtorji: Andreja Istenič-Starčič, Matevž Juvančič, Tomaž Novljan, Maruška Šubic-Kovač, Špela Ve... more Soavtorji: Andreja Istenič-Starčič, Matevž Juvančič, Tomaž Novljan, Maruška Šubic-Kovač, Špela Verovšek, Tadeja Zupančič, Bibliografija
Urbani izziv, 2009
workers and teachers adequate qualifications to provide the knowledge in the field of the built e... more workers and teachers adequate qualifications to provide the knowledge in the field of the built environment, in relation to sustainable environment. Concretisation signifies the selection and visualisation of actual topical occurrences in physical space for a specific targeted public (the article provides representative models). It also contributes to the development of "cultural" dimension of spatial development sustainability. The efforts made to strive towards the lifelong learning of architecture and its influence on our everyday lives and our future.
International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 2014
ABSTRACT Our behaviour towards the environment depends on our beliefs about the environment. Beli... more ABSTRACT Our behaviour towards the environment depends on our beliefs about the environment. Beliefs, however, are a subject of change, particularly during important life transitions such as the transition to adolescence, because this is a period when an individual develops the ability of complex and abstract reasoning. Understanding this transition is therefore crucial for understanding and predicting the attitudes and courses of action in terms of sustainable development later in life. Due to many methodological constraints, the number of empirical studies examining these issues is very limited; the current study aimed to collect empirical data to explore the origins of our beliefs about the environment-related issues. We devised a picture association test and used it to compare children’s and adolescents’ beliefs about our environment in the context of the means of transportation. A large sample of 2264 participants aged 6–18 years took part in the study. The data supported the claim that children’s beliefs about environment share egocentric properties. The findings represent an important puzzle into the whole picture of children’s thinking and offer us great insight into the origins of beliefs about environment-related questions in adults. Educational implications are addressed.
Urbani izziv, 2009
Prispevek je usmerjen k celovitemu sooblikovanju pogojev za tvorno izobraževanje o učinkovitih, k... more Prispevek je usmerjen k celovitemu sooblikovanju pogojev za tvorno izobraževanje o učinkovitih, konkretnih prispevkih k trajnostni razvojni usmeritvi, s poudarkom na grajenem okolju oziroma arhitekturi. Opredeljuje vlogo izobraževanja o grajenem okolju oziroma ...
Sustainable Development, 2013
... Unstable identities: Stable Unstability. Sustainable Development 18: 119122. Sutherland P. 1... more ... Unstable identities: Stable Unstability. Sustainable Development 18: 119122. Sutherland P. 1992. Cognitive development today. Peter Chapman Publishing Ltd: London. United Nations. 1987. Report of the world commission on environment and development. ...
Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS International …, 2006
In the paper we present the student support system e-tutor which was designed and implemented in ... more In the paper we present the student support system e-tutor which was designed and implemented in order to raise the quality of study process and outcomes. The system is part of a more comprehensive faculty development programme. First year students need special support in the process of acculturation and adjustment to the academic environment, with special emphasis on developing study skills and organisation and management skills. Third and fourth year students have more needs in career development and planning. The role of the study support system is to provide information and the data for teachers, students and at the organisational level in the process of quality assessment and organisational development. The qualitative research methodology was used for identification of key factors for effective and efficient tutoring system when developing student support services.
Purpose of this paper is to give the theoretical and empirical insight into competences developme... more Purpose of this paper is to give the theoretical and empirical insight into competences development for eParticipation through the web 2.0 facilitated societal forms. Findings are presented of a survey among students, who are facing in professional life the participatory spatial and environmental planning, based on web 2.0. Implementing the web 2.0 in higher education, and thereby, assisting teaching and learning processes, is fostering subject-specific and generic competences of graduates for participation in knowledge society. Digital literacy is considered as one of main enablers. How students approach their learning, depends on students-related factors and learning environment. For quality comprehension and higher learning outcomes, deep approach to learning has been recognized. Empirical investigation focuses on students-related factors: (1) students' use of social networks, game-based learning, mobile learning, and other resources; (2) students' perception of effectiveness of ICT-use in learning; (3) students' perception of their digital literacy, and assessment of its impact on deep approach to learning. Findings support the main argument of the paper, showing that students' perceptions of the web 2.0 and digital literacy are influencing learning; firstly, in favour of ICT-based learning, as compared to traditional learning, and secondly, by recognizing that digital literacy is influencing the deep approach to learning.
This paper presents and evaluates the development of an educational technology curriculum aimed a... more This paper presents and evaluates the development of an educational technology curriculum aimed at pre-service, primary education and undergraduates; the focus is on the incorporation of ICT competences for inclusive education. The framework was the introduction of SEVERI e-learning environment in Slovenian schools. Students were able to monitor the development and implementation of SEVERI tools for special needs pupils in Slovenian schools, and plan teaching and learning in SEVERI within their course project work. Within an educational technology curriculum, a competence framework was developed for fostering the use of ICT in the teaching of, and learning by, special needs pupils. This was achieved against the backcloth of the baseline learning objectives of autonomy, inquiry, creativity and innovation. In pre-service teacher education in educational technology, the focus is on inquiry based learning, and on planning and incorporating the innovative use of ICT into teaching; the emphasis is also on enhancing the student teachers' competences for his/her own professional development. In focussing more specifically on the use of ICT for special needs pupils, the aim is to carry into effect the principles of equality, diversity and inclusive education. The research was designed to evaluate the candidate students' learning and to consider the alignment of learning objectives and activities with learning outcomes in the new curriculum. The research questions considered within the paper are: (1) How the new curriculum assists mutual development of ICT didactical and technical competences? (2) How the project work based on SEVERI foster the learning objectives of autonomy, inquiry, creativity, and innovation in ICT implementation in inclusive classroom? (3) How is the project idea based on needs assessment in pedagogical practice? (4) How were the procedures of lesson planning conducted and how were lesson plans used in lesson performance? INTRODUCTION Inclusion or integration is an important part of equal opportunity in education. Demands for inclusive education have increased and fostered major changes to schooling and education. Students with disabilities are educated alongside their peers within the local community therefore mainstream schools are required to adapt to accommodate a diverse group of students with a variety of needs (O'Gorman, 2005, p. 377). Approaches to the inclusion of children and young people into mainstream classrooms, and the identification and recognition of special educational needs, is an integral part of daily school work. The well being and actualisation of developmental and learning potential within a diverse student population is challenging the organisation of learning settings. In the European context, educational policies have tended to be proactive with regard to the challenges and demands. Standards and competencies for all teachers are defined in The Joint Interim Report by the Education Council and the European Commission on Progress towards Education and Training 2010 (ibid.). Teacher education programmes, specifically, have responded to the needs and challenges of inclusive education within the Bologna Study Programme Reform. Within the new teacher education curriculum, the Tuning Report (González & Wagenaar, 2003, p. 83) refers to key generic competences which provide the basis for inclusive education. These include: a) the appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism in the process of identifying learner disadvantages; b) team work and skills which enable the teacher to collaborate with professionals, parents and fellow teachers in dealing with special education needs; c) sensitivity about ethical issues and ethical commitment and d) inter-personal and communication skills.
Game-based virtual learning environments are fostering new teaching and learning approaches, ensu... more Game-based virtual learning environments are fostering new teaching and learning approaches, ensuring the worldwide collaboration of students and teachers. The paper presents a model of simulation-game-based virtual learning environment in four countries, in Finland, Slovenia, Germany and Estonia. Paper presents the classroom management model, outlining teaching and learning methods and assessment for virtual learning environments, where students may collaborate internationally, benefiting from guidance of international teacher teams. Simulation-game-based learning environment aims at assisting students in acquiring competences which will enable them to autonomously involve in their professional fields. Intended competences to be achieved are competences of working in the national, European and global tourism business environments. Quality assurance instruments were developed upon formative and summative evaluation. Investigated are new organisational solutions, which meet educational changes and are necessary so as to ensure international collaboration of students and teachers.
• Learning resources that are used in the education of university students are often available on... more • Learning resources that are used in the education of university students are often available online. The nature of new technologies causes an in-terweaving of formal and informal learning, with the result that a more active role is expected from students with regard to the use of ICT for their learning. The variety of online learning resources (learning content and learning tools) facilitates informed use and enables students to create the learning environment that is most appropriate for their personal learning needs and preferences. In contemporary society, the creation of an inclusive learning environment supported by ICT is pervasive. The model of Universal Design for Learning is becoming increasingly significant in responding to the need for inclusive learning environments. In this article , we categorize different online learning activities into the principles of Universal Design for Learning. This study examines ICT use among university students (N = 138), comparing student teachers with students in other study programs. The findings indicate that among all students, activities with lower demands for engagement are most common. Some differences were observed between student teachers and students from other programs. Student teachers were more likely than their peers to perform certain activities aimed at meeting diverse learner needs, but the percentage of students performing more advanced activities was higher for students in other study programs than for student teachers. The cat-egorization of activities revealed that student teachers are less likely to undertake activities that involve interaction with others. Among the sample of student teachers, we found that personal innovativeness is correlated with diversity of activities in only one category. The results show that student teachers should be encouraged to perform more advanced activities, especially activities involving interaction with others, collaborative learning and use of ICT to plan and organize their own learning processes.
International journal: emerging technologies in learning, 2018
Inclusion has brought diversity into 21st-century classrooms and introduced challenges for teach... more Inclusion has brought diversity into 21st-century classrooms and introduced challenges for teachers who must adapt their teaching to diverse groups of children. Related research findings indicate that information and communication technology (ICT) can be used to provide personalized learning and support inclusion. Our research compared the school- and leisure-related computer use of students in inclusive classrooms. The frequency of computer use, types of ICT-supported activities, and attitudes toward computer use were examined. Consistent with those of previous studies, our findings show that students with special needs (SN) and their peers use computers more frequently for leisure activities than for school activities. Compared with their peers, students with SN use computers less frequently and are more resistant to computer use. No correlation was found between the presence of SN and a student’s desire to use a computer or a student’s opinion on whether computer use improves learning success. A comparison of male and female students revealed that boys use computers more frequently, and have a stronger belief that computer use improves learning success. This study discusses ICT integration in inclusive classrooms for personalized learning in all domains of learning, the cognitive, affective–social, and psychomotor domains. The main conclusions derived from the study inform teachers in planning their ICT integration for cognitive, social and emotional scaffolding of students in inclusive classrooms.
odobna pedagogika, 2019
The main objective of this paper is to present an in-depth analysis of the conception of the teac... more The main objective of this paper is to present an in-depth analysis of the conception of the teacher's role in ICT-supported foreign language (FL) instruction among teachers in basic and secondary education. In Slovenia, to date, no studies have been conducted in this research field. Therefore, our study aims to fill this research gap. An online survey was used to explore teachers' beliefs about the change of their role in ICT-supported FL instruction in comparison to their role in traditional instruction. The results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses show that the majority of the participants believed that the role of the teacher as a lecturer and information provider changed to that of a facilitator of student learning and provider of student-centred instruction. A minority of the participants perceived their role first as lecturer; for them, ICT is only a tool with its advantages and disadvantages but with minimal or no influence on the traditional role of the teacher. Even though the majority of the teachers believed that their role had changed, the results do not indicate a major shift in the FL teaching paradigm.
Sustainability, 2018
Sustainable development (SD) is a multidimensional issue. However, research findings report a div... more Sustainable development (SD) is a multidimensional issue. However, research findings report a divide between students' awareness and behavior. It is identified that study programs are designed more for awareness outcomes, and not so much for behavioral outcomes. For higher-order learning outcomes manifested in a sustainable development behavior, the authors argue for a model based on an understanding of learning as boundary crossing. Based on this model, learning for sustainable development occurs in relating social practices, lifestyles, academic practices, professional practices, and students' digital practices. To inform teachers' approaches to teaching as an important driver of institutional change, we conducted a survey among students of urban and spatial planning in Slovenia. Examined factors included personal, academic, and digital predictors for sustainable development awareness, lifestyle, and behavioral intention. We hypothesized that a significant predictor for sustainable development behavior, which was measured as sustainable lifestyle and sustainable development behavioral intention, would be learning in social practices, and that learning in social practices would predict preferred teaching methods. The findings of hierarchical regression analysis indicated personal factors as the most important predictors of SD behavioral intention, and academic predictors as the most important factors for SD awareness. Digital practices were found to be the most important predictors of a sustainable lifestyle. Social practices of sustainable lifestyle, digital practices, and perceived teaching methods predicted students' preferred teaching methods. We discuss the future directions of sustainable development education, considering digital social media practices as essential boundary crossers.
—Social network sites (SNSs) have become strategic networking tools for employment-related activi... more —Social network sites (SNSs) have become strategic networking tools for employment-related activities. They shape professional identity and influence professional and career practices, providing new paths for career, employment and recruitment processes. Students' professional identity is influenced by their career management and work experience. There is a lack of research on the use of SNSs for students' on-line career management competenc-es. A survey was conducted to examine students' attitudes regarding the use of SNSs for career management competences and professional identity development. The student's attitudes revealed career control, networking for learning, career reflection, self-presentation and work exploration as predictors for stu-dents' actual use of SNSs for career management and professional identity development. For the career competences the main influencing predictors were found to be students' beliefs that SNSs support work exploration, processes of self-presentation and career control. For professional identity development, the main influencing predictors were students' beliefs that SNSs support career control and students' engagement in professional events through networking for learning. Findings could contribute to understanding and facilitation of the SNS-related career management competences.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that e ective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, quali cation of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insu ciently quali e in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with de ciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have su cient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that eeective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, qualiication of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insuuciently qualiie in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with deeciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have suucient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that e ective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, quali cation of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insu ciently quali e in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with de ciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have su cient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes ... more e inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream regular elementary school classes brings a professional challenge to teachers. A review of articles on teachers' attitudes towards inclusion published during last three decades was conducted. e review of research ndings indicates that eeective implementation of inclusion depends on the teacher's attitude to inclusion, which is found to be linked to the teacher's gender, years of work experience in teaching children with special needs, qualiication of teachers, and the type of special need. A survey was conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school teachers who teach in 7th, 8th or 9th class and have in their class at least one student with special needs. e ndings indicate that teachers have a neutral attitude to inclusion. Teachers believe that they are insuuciently qualiie in teaching children with special needs, and that they need more training in this particular area. ey are most in favor of inclusion of children with deeciencies in certain areas of learning, children with chronic disease, and children with speech and language disorders. ey disfavor the inclusion of children with mental development disorders. ey hold a neutral attitude to the use of ICT in inclusive education, and that the use of ICT contributes more to a child's cognitive, than social development. ey believed that they do not have suucient competences in ICT supported learning and assistive technologies. e ndings of a survey of Slovenian teachers have shown neither a link between a teacher's attitude to inclusion and the teacher's gender, years of work experience, experience in teaching children with special needs, nor the teacher's opinion of his/her own teaching competences for inclusion. e ndings are discussed in light of related studies in other countries.
ABSTRACT Bibliografija na koncu prispevka, Izvleček ; Abstract
Bibliografija na koncu prispevka, Izvleček ; Abstract
The International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology
Soavtorji: Andreja Istenič-Starčič, Matevž Juvančič, Tomaž Novljan, Maruška Šubic-Kovač, Špela Ve... more Soavtorji: Andreja Istenič-Starčič, Matevž Juvančič, Tomaž Novljan, Maruška Šubic-Kovač, Špela Verovšek, Tadeja Zupančič, Bibliografija
Urbani izziv, 2009
workers and teachers adequate qualifications to provide the knowledge in the field of the built e... more workers and teachers adequate qualifications to provide the knowledge in the field of the built environment, in relation to sustainable environment. Concretisation signifies the selection and visualisation of actual topical occurrences in physical space for a specific targeted public (the article provides representative models). It also contributes to the development of "cultural" dimension of spatial development sustainability. The efforts made to strive towards the lifelong learning of architecture and its influence on our everyday lives and our future.
International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 2014
ABSTRACT Our behaviour towards the environment depends on our beliefs about the environment. Beli... more ABSTRACT Our behaviour towards the environment depends on our beliefs about the environment. Beliefs, however, are a subject of change, particularly during important life transitions such as the transition to adolescence, because this is a period when an individual develops the ability of complex and abstract reasoning. Understanding this transition is therefore crucial for understanding and predicting the attitudes and courses of action in terms of sustainable development later in life. Due to many methodological constraints, the number of empirical studies examining these issues is very limited; the current study aimed to collect empirical data to explore the origins of our beliefs about the environment-related issues. We devised a picture association test and used it to compare children’s and adolescents’ beliefs about our environment in the context of the means of transportation. A large sample of 2264 participants aged 6–18 years took part in the study. The data supported the claim that children’s beliefs about environment share egocentric properties. The findings represent an important puzzle into the whole picture of children’s thinking and offer us great insight into the origins of beliefs about environment-related questions in adults. Educational implications are addressed.
Urbani izziv, 2009
Prispevek je usmerjen k celovitemu sooblikovanju pogojev za tvorno izobraževanje o učinkovitih, k... more Prispevek je usmerjen k celovitemu sooblikovanju pogojev za tvorno izobraževanje o učinkovitih, konkretnih prispevkih k trajnostni razvojni usmeritvi, s poudarkom na grajenem okolju oziroma arhitekturi. Opredeljuje vlogo izobraževanja o grajenem okolju oziroma ...
Sustainable Development, 2013
... Unstable identities: Stable Unstability. Sustainable Development 18: 119122. Sutherland P. 1... more ... Unstable identities: Stable Unstability. Sustainable Development 18: 119122. Sutherland P. 1992. Cognitive development today. Peter Chapman Publishing Ltd: London. United Nations. 1987. Report of the world commission on environment and development. ...
Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS International …, 2006
In the paper we present the student support system e-tutor which was designed and implemented in ... more In the paper we present the student support system e-tutor which was designed and implemented in order to raise the quality of study process and outcomes. The system is part of a more comprehensive faculty development programme. First year students need special support in the process of acculturation and adjustment to the academic environment, with special emphasis on developing study skills and organisation and management skills. Third and fourth year students have more needs in career development and planning. The role of the study support system is to provide information and the data for teachers, students and at the organisational level in the process of quality assessment and organisational development. The qualitative research methodology was used for identification of key factors for effective and efficient tutoring system when developing student support services.
Purpose of this paper is to give the theoretical and empirical insight into competences developme... more Purpose of this paper is to give the theoretical and empirical insight into competences development for eParticipation through the web 2.0 facilitated societal forms. Findings are presented of a survey among students, who are facing in professional life the participatory spatial and environmental planning, based on web 2.0. Implementing the web 2.0 in higher education, and thereby, assisting teaching and learning processes, is fostering subject-specific and generic competences of graduates for participation in knowledge society. Digital literacy is considered as one of main enablers. How students approach their learning, depends on students-related factors and learning environment. For quality comprehension and higher learning outcomes, deep approach to learning has been recognized. Empirical investigation focuses on students-related factors: (1) students' use of social networks, game-based learning, mobile learning, and other resources; (2) students' perception of effectiveness of ICT-use in learning; (3) students' perception of their digital literacy, and assessment of its impact on deep approach to learning. Findings support the main argument of the paper, showing that students' perceptions of the web 2.0 and digital literacy are influencing learning; firstly, in favour of ICT-based learning, as compared to traditional learning, and secondly, by recognizing that digital literacy is influencing the deep approach to learning.
This paper presents and evaluates the development of an educational technology curriculum aimed a... more This paper presents and evaluates the development of an educational technology curriculum aimed at pre-service, primary education and undergraduates; the focus is on the incorporation of ICT competences for inclusive education. The framework was the introduction of SEVERI e-learning environment in Slovenian schools. Students were able to monitor the development and implementation of SEVERI tools for special needs pupils in Slovenian schools, and plan teaching and learning in SEVERI within their course project work. Within an educational technology curriculum, a competence framework was developed for fostering the use of ICT in the teaching of, and learning by, special needs pupils. This was achieved against the backcloth of the baseline learning objectives of autonomy, inquiry, creativity and innovation. In pre-service teacher education in educational technology, the focus is on inquiry based learning, and on planning and incorporating the innovative use of ICT into teaching; the emphasis is also on enhancing the student teachers' competences for his/her own professional development. In focussing more specifically on the use of ICT for special needs pupils, the aim is to carry into effect the principles of equality, diversity and inclusive education. The research was designed to evaluate the candidate students' learning and to consider the alignment of learning objectives and activities with learning outcomes in the new curriculum. The research questions considered within the paper are: (1) How the new curriculum assists mutual development of ICT didactical and technical competences? (2) How the project work based on SEVERI foster the learning objectives of autonomy, inquiry, creativity, and innovation in ICT implementation in inclusive classroom? (3) How is the project idea based on needs assessment in pedagogical practice? (4) How were the procedures of lesson planning conducted and how were lesson plans used in lesson performance? INTRODUCTION Inclusion or integration is an important part of equal opportunity in education. Demands for inclusive education have increased and fostered major changes to schooling and education. Students with disabilities are educated alongside their peers within the local community therefore mainstream schools are required to adapt to accommodate a diverse group of students with a variety of needs (O'Gorman, 2005, p. 377). Approaches to the inclusion of children and young people into mainstream classrooms, and the identification and recognition of special educational needs, is an integral part of daily school work. The well being and actualisation of developmental and learning potential within a diverse student population is challenging the organisation of learning settings. In the European context, educational policies have tended to be proactive with regard to the challenges and demands. Standards and competencies for all teachers are defined in The Joint Interim Report by the Education Council and the European Commission on Progress towards Education and Training 2010 (ibid.). Teacher education programmes, specifically, have responded to the needs and challenges of inclusive education within the Bologna Study Programme Reform. Within the new teacher education curriculum, the Tuning Report (González & Wagenaar, 2003, p. 83) refers to key generic competences which provide the basis for inclusive education. These include: a) the appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism in the process of identifying learner disadvantages; b) team work and skills which enable the teacher to collaborate with professionals, parents and fellow teachers in dealing with special education needs; c) sensitivity about ethical issues and ethical commitment and d) inter-personal and communication skills.
Game-based virtual learning environments are fostering new teaching and learning approaches, ensu... more Game-based virtual learning environments are fostering new teaching and learning approaches, ensuring the worldwide collaboration of students and teachers. The paper presents a model of simulation-game-based virtual learning environment in four countries, in Finland, Slovenia, Germany and Estonia. Paper presents the classroom management model, outlining teaching and learning methods and assessment for virtual learning environments, where students may collaborate internationally, benefiting from guidance of international teacher teams. Simulation-game-based learning environment aims at assisting students in acquiring competences which will enable them to autonomously involve in their professional fields. Intended competences to be achieved are competences of working in the national, European and global tourism business environments. Quality assurance instruments were developed upon formative and summative evaluation. Investigated are new organisational solutions, which meet educational changes and are necessary so as to ensure international collaboration of students and teachers.
• Learning resources that are used in the education of university students are often available on... more • Learning resources that are used in the education of university students are often available online. The nature of new technologies causes an in-terweaving of formal and informal learning, with the result that a more active role is expected from students with regard to the use of ICT for their learning. The variety of online learning resources (learning content and learning tools) facilitates informed use and enables students to create the learning environment that is most appropriate for their personal learning needs and preferences. In contemporary society, the creation of an inclusive learning environment supported by ICT is pervasive. The model of Universal Design for Learning is becoming increasingly significant in responding to the need for inclusive learning environments. In this article , we categorize different online learning activities into the principles of Universal Design for Learning. This study examines ICT use among university students (N = 138), comparing student teachers with students in other study programs. The findings indicate that among all students, activities with lower demands for engagement are most common. Some differences were observed between student teachers and students from other programs. Student teachers were more likely than their peers to perform certain activities aimed at meeting diverse learner needs, but the percentage of students performing more advanced activities was higher for students in other study programs than for student teachers. The cat-egorization of activities revealed that student teachers are less likely to undertake activities that involve interaction with others. Among the sample of student teachers, we found that personal innovativeness is correlated with diversity of activities in only one category. The results show that student teachers should be encouraged to perform more advanced activities, especially activities involving interaction with others, collaborative learning and use of ICT to plan and organize their own learning processes.