Why teach mathematics

Ko pri začetnem pouku matematike otroku predstavljamo matematične vsebine, največkrat izhajamo iz abstraktnih temeljev in ne iz izkušenj, ki jih otrok že ima, s čimer je pretrgana vez med matematiko in stvarnim svetom oziroma med matematiko in tistim matematičnim svetom, ki ga otrok že pozna. V nasprotju s tem bi moral učitelj učenca usmerjati, da skladno s svojimi izkušnjami in sposobnostmi viša raven matematične pismenosti, obenem pa gradi abstraktni matematični odsev stvarnega sveta ter bogati svoj matematični jezik. V zadnjem času se poudarja pomen igre oziroma dejavnosti, v katerih naj bi bil otrok aktivno udeležen. Z vživljanjem v problemsko situacijo in v razreševanje le-te naj bi spoznaval nove koncepte in strategije. Poraja pa se dvom, ali je v učni praksi res zaživel tak način pouka ali pa se dejavnosti uvajajo zgolj kot neka začetna motivacija, ki izzveni v prenašanje oziroma sprejemanje faktografskega znanja. Otrok mora nova spoznanja sproti prilagajati že usvojenim znanjem in povezovati matematiko z realnimi situacijami. Le tako občuti varnost, zadovoljstvo in uspeh ter je motiviran za doseganje novih znanj, s čimer učenje in poučevanje matematike dobita pravi smisel.When first introducing mathematical contents to children as part of early mathematics instruction, we tend to refer to abstract notions rather than to the experience that children already have, by which we break the link between mathematics and the material world or at least between mathematics and the kind of mathematical world that children already know. Contrary to that, teachers should give pupils guidance to help them increase the level of their mathematical literacy in line with their experiences and abilities and at the same time build abstract mathematical reflection of the material world and to enrich their own mathematical language. Recently, the importance of play or those activities in which children are actively involved has been emphasised. Through personal identification with a problem situation and problem solving, a child is supposed to learn about new concepts and strategies. However, doubts have emerged as to whether this kind of instruction has really come to life in teaching practice or whether such activities have been introduced merely as an initial motivation which fades away into mere transmission or reception of factographic knowledge. Children must regularly adjust the newly acquired knowledge to the priorly mastered knowledge and link mathematics to real-time situations. This is the only way for them to feel safe, satisfied, and successful and to be motivated for attaining new knowledge, through which mathematics instruction gets a true meaning

Sedanjost in prihodnost visokošolskega izobraževanja

This issue of Studies in Adult Education and Learning is a result of the Innovative Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (INOVUP) project, which is taking place in all three public universities in Slovenia: the University of Ljubljana, the University of Maribor and the University of Primorska. Along with these three institutions, which represent the majority share of higher education in Slovenia, the project consortium also includes the Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto. Financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport with funds from the European Social Fund, the purpose of INOVUP (www.inovup.si) is to investigate and improve the quality of higher education teaching in Slovenian universities. Our goal is not only to analyse the current state but to use various forms of training to encourage higher education teachers to reflect on their own practices and to equip them with the skills they need to introduce new approaches into their teaching.Tokratna številka Andragoških spoznanj je nastala kot rezultat projekta Inovativno učenje in poučevanje v visokem šolstvu (INOVUP), ki se izvaja na vseh treh javnih slovenskih univerzah: Univerzi v Ljubljani, Univerzi v Mariboru in Univerzi na Primorskem. Poleg teh treh institucij, ki zajemajo večino slovenskega visokošolskega prostora, v konzorciju sodeluje tudi Fakulteta za informacijske študije v Novem mestu. Osrednji namen projekta INOVUP (www.inovup.si), ki ga financira ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport prek sredstev Evropskega socialnega sklada (ESS), je preveriti in »prevetriti« visokošolsko didaktiko na slovenskih univerzah. V projektu ne želimo zgolj analizirati stanja na tem področju, temveč prek različnih usposabljanj spodbuditi refleksijo visokošolskih učiteljev o lastni praksi in jih usposobiti za vpeljavo novih pristopov v poučevanje

Geodesy Students in Slovenia and Information & Communication Technology

The implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in university curricula is important for the development of graduates' competences and their preparation for the labour market. ICT use encourages the development of collaboration, creativity, leadership, and other generic and subject-specific competences. In this paper, the results of a survey among Slovene geodesy students conducted in 2009 are presented. The survey focuses on the modes in which students use ICT in learning and on their views of the impact that ICT use has on their studies. The results cover (1) ICT literacy and competences for learning with ICT, (2) actual ICT use in learning and other activities, (3) preferences for ICT use in learning, and (4) assessment of the impact ICT use has on university studies. The results are significant for higher education policy planners, curriculum designers and for ICT infrastructure-related managerial and administrative decision making in higher education institutions; they are also an important source of information for teachers who want to modify their teaching methods. The results of similar surveys in the UK, Germany, the US and Australia are also presented. Findings of the survey among Slovene geodesy students show that they rank their general ICT literacy higher than their competences for learning with ICT. They believe that ICT literacy and competences for learning with ICT should be further developed. Results show that preferences for ICT use are higher than actual ICT use. The impact assessment of ICT use in the study shows that orientation to ``digital'' approaches to learning and the actual use of such approaches are ranked higher than those in which ICT is used for assisting traditional study approaches

Stališča študentov razrednega pouka do učenja in poučevanja angleščine v otroštvu

Considerable attention has recently been invested into researching the influence of affective variables, such as attitudes and motivation on foreign language learning and teaching. The topic is timely and relevant especially at the time when English is being introduced as an obligatory subject in the first cycle of primary school in Slovenia. Two key issues are addressed: attitudes towards learning and teaching English as a foreign language and the profile of the young learners\u27 language teacher. The article presents the results of a small-scale research conducted with a group of primary education students on their attitudes towards learning and teaching English. The results suggest that trainee teachers have moderately positive attitudes towards learning English but diverse attitudes towards teaching a foreign language.Številni strokovnjaki ugotavljajo, da stališča pomembno vplivajo na učinkovitost učenja in usvajanja tujega jezika. V prvem delu na osnovi pregleda relevantne literature ugotavljamo, da so stališča tesno povezana z motivacijo in uspešnostjo pri tujejezikovnem pouku. Večina raziskav na področju stališč in motivacije do učenja tujega jezika je bila opravljena na učencih jezika, razmeroma malo pa je raziskav, ki bi se osredotočale na učitelje oziroma bodoče učitelje. Ob tem je poudarjen pomen razlikovanja med učitelji razrednega pouka in diplomiranimi učitelji angleščine, saj smo domnevali, da se stališča teh dveh skupin bistveno razlikujejo. V drugem delu prispevka so predstavljeni rezultati preiskovalne raziskave, v kateri smo raziskali stališča študentov razrednega pouka do učenja in poučevanja angleškega jezika. Uporabljena sta tako kvantitativni kot kvalitativni pristop. Raziskava je pokazala, da so stališča večine vprašanih do učenja angleščine kot tujega jezika zmerno pozitivna, medtem ko se stališča do poučevanja tujega jezika razlikujejo v več vidikih

Does homework as a learning strategy stimulate additional student overload?

This paper questions if homework is a learning strategy that represents compulsory, optimum or additional indefinite student overload. In the pedagogical theory and practice there are opposite stances as to the mentioned dilemma. It is necessary to analyse the overall overload with school commitments and homework in this context. The results of the research presented in this paper, which are based on empirical evidence, point to the total student overload from the first (6.4 hours per day) to the eighth grade (10.4 hours per day). Analysing the total expected student overload and adding demands relative to homework, it is evident that students are overburdened in Croatian compulsory education. The results of the research conducted suggest that homework as a learning strategy additionally burdens students in Croatian compulsory education. It is necessary to solve the problem of overloaded students in a systematic manner. Disburdening students, which is inevitable, involves dimensioning and forming homework, as a factor of overload in students and it must therefore be modified

Delovno mednarodno srečanje v Ljubljani (Slovenija) o sodobni frazeologiji kot vitalni jezikoslovni vedi

On December 16, 2022, a bilateral Slovenian-Croatian phraseology working meeting was held at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana, at which the state of phraseology in Slovenia and Croatia was updated in a very concise manner. The organizer was the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana and, within this institution, the Department of Slovene Studies. The expert discussion took place according to thematic blocks, namely: 1) Methods, approaches and reviews, 2) Phraseology in dictionaries, 3) Teaching and learning phraseology, and 4) Current phraseological research. It has been confirmed that such working international meetings with the much-needed exchange of expert opinions and experiences are necessary for the smooth development of the profession and at the same time are also invaluable for their vision within the wider linguistic activity.16. decembra 2022 je na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani potekalo dvostransko slovensko-hrvaško frazeološko delovno srečanje, na katerem so frazeologi strnjeno aktualizirali stanje frazeologije v Sloveniji in na Hrvaškem. Strokovna razprava je potekala po tematskih sklopih, in sicer: 1) metode, pristopi in pregledi, 2) frazeologija v slovarjih, 3) poučevanje in učenje frazeologije in 4) aktualne frazeološke raziskave. Potrdilo se je, da so takšna delovna mednarodna srečanja z izmenjavo strokovnih mnenj in izkušenj nujna za nemoten razvoj stroke, hkrati pa tudi neprecenljiva za njeno vizijo v okviru širše jezikoslovne dejavnosti. Tarptautinis darbo susitikimas Liublianoje (Slovėnija), skirtas šiuolaikinei frazeologijai kaip gyvybingai kalbotyros mokslo sričiai 2022 m. gruodžio 16 d. Liublianos universiteto Filosofijos fakultete įvyko dvišalis Slovėnijos ir Kroatijos frazeologų susitikimas, kuriame glaustai buvo aptarta frazeologijos padėtis Slovėnijoje ir Kroatijoje. Renginio organizatorius Liublianos universiteto Filosofijos fakultetas, o šioje institucijoje – Slovėnistikos institutas. Ekspertų diskusija vyko pagal teminius blokus: 1) Metodai, požiūriai ir apžvalgos, 2) Frazeologija žodynuose, 3) Frazeologijos mokymas ir mokymasis ir 4) Šiuolaikiniai frazeologiniai tyrimai. Buvo patvirtinta, kad tokie reikalingų ekspertų frazeologijos srityje tarptautiniai susitikimai, kai galima pasikeisti nuomonėmis ir patirtimi, yra būtini sklandžiam srities vystymuisi. Reikšminiai žodžiai: frazeologija, tarptautinis susitikimas, slovėnų kalba, kroatų kalba