Cross-border integration of universities as a possible research topic in border studies

The text deals with the cross-border co-operation of universities as a possible new research topic in border studies. We identified two important associations of universities operating in border areas in the EU core and two associations gathering universities from Czech, Polish and Slovak areas. Then we tried to identify the areas in which these universities co-operate. It turned out that the principal difference is in significantly higher level of functional cross-border integration of the universities in the EU core, which is evidenced mainly by higher number of joint study programmes. We believe that the topic is promising and deserves much higher attention, as it points at new and not really exploited cross-border integration potential for universities located in border areas of V4 countries

XXIV. mezinárodní kolokvium o regionálních vědách

Title in English: 24th International Colloquium on Regional Sciences: Conference proceedings. The conference proceedings consists of papers presented at the 24rd International Colloquium on Regional Sciences that was organized by Department of Regional Economics and Administration FEA MU. It contains 79 articles arranged by topic. The individual articles deal with e.g. socioeconomic disparities among regions, regional policy, territory attractiveness, tourism or regional public administration

Assessing the Educational Potential of Geosites: Introducing a Method Using Inquiry-Based Learning

Geosites are suitable locations for field teaching of Earth sciences. However, their educational potential does not always correlate with the scientific significance of geosites, as for educational purposes, the visibility and comprehensibility of the phenomenon are much more important. The educational potential also depends on the target group, as a location suitable for the education of adults may not be suitable for the education of younger pupils. The article describes an experiment in which a method of assessing the educational potential of geosites was developed based on the analysis of the outputs of inquiry-based learning tasks during field teaching on geosites. The method is based on the gradual implementation and evaluation of the inquiry-based learning program for different categories of target groups, proceeding from more experienced and older to less experienced and younger participants. Although the method is relatively time-consuming, it provides very accurate results that can be applied to different target groups. The use of this method can help schools, institutions implementing extracurricular education programs, and geoparks to identify correctly suitable geosites

Potencjał geoturystyczny libereckiego granitu

Liberecká žula je jednou z nejikoničtějších českých hornin. Je vysoce estetická, její těžba má tradici, zajímavou historii a produkty z ní vysokou kvalitu. V širším okolí Liberce tato hornina vytváří mnoho atraktivních skalních útvarů. Přesto její současná prezentace směrem k potenciálním turistům je prakticky nulová. Článek analyzuje potenciál jednotlivých témat spojených s libereckou žulou, navrhuje, jak zaujmout turisty, a popisuje silné prvky, na kterých je možné vybudovat budoucí propagaci. V závěru je představena virtuální naučná stezka Příběh liberecké žuly, která by měla pomoci tento lokální produkt zpropagovat.Reichenberger Granit ist einer der ikonischsten tschechischen Mineralen. Es ist sehr ästhetisch, sein Bergbau hat eine Tradition, interessante Geschichte und Produkte von hoher Qualität. In der weiteren Umgebung von Liberec/Reichenberg schafft dieser Felsen viele attraktive Felsformationen. Doch seine aktuelle Darstellung gegenüber potenziellen Touristen ist praktisch Null. Der Artikel analysiert das Potenzial einzelner Themen im Zusammenhang mit Reichenberger Granit, Touristen anzuziehen und beschreibt die starken Elemente, auf denen es möglich ist, zukünftige Propagation aus bauen. Am Ende wird ein virtueller Lehrpfad namens Die Geschichte von Reichenberger Granit vorgestellt, der dazu beitragen soll, dieses lokale Produkt zu fördern.Liberec granite is one of the most iconic Czech rocks. It is highly aesthetic, its mining has a long tradition, an interesting history and it is currently used to make high-quality products. In the wider vicinity of Liberec, this rock creates many attractive rock formations. Nevertheless, its current presentation towards potential tourists is practically zero. The article analyzes the potential of individual topics related to Liberec granite to attract tourists. It also describes the strong elements on which it is possible to build future promotion. In the Discussion chapter, the virtual educational trail “The Story of Liberec Granite” is presented, which should hopefully help to promote this local product.Liberecki granit jest jedną z najbardziej charakterystycznych czeskich skał. Jest bardzo estetyczny, jego wydobycie ma tradycję, ciekawą historię a produkty z niego wytwarzane są wysokiej jakości. W szerszej okolicy Liberca skała ta tworzy wiele atrakcyjnych formacji skalnych. Jednak obecnie nie jest prawie wcale prezentowana potencjalnym turystom. Artykuł analizuje potencjał poszczególnych zagadnień związanych z libereckim granitem, proponując sposoby zainteresowania turystów i opisując mocne strony, na których można oprzeć promocję. Na zakończenie zaprezentowano wirtualną ścieżkę dydaktyczną pn. Historia libereckiego granitu, która powinna przyczynić się do wypromowania tego lokalnego produktu

Uplatnění dopravní sociologie v regionální geografii

The transport plays one of the key roles in the life of the present-day society. Within one day, everybody usually travels somewhere several times, be that to work, school, shops, looking for entertainment or anywhere else. The location of the places a person visits, their type and the selected transport mode show a lot about the person’s lifestyle. The housing location often strongly influences this style, and vice versa, the inhabitants’ lifestyle shapes the spatial structure of the locality. This poses a question how the housing location influences the transport behaviour of the inhabitants and how this transport behaviour is reflected in the land use of municipalities and cities. Modern lifestyle trends significantly influence spatial structure of municipalities; however, this is not always a positive phenomenon. One may observe creation of barriers, impeding or preventing regional development, conflicts between groups of different lifestyles, assertion of unilaterally advantageous solutions, non-observance of the sustainability principles and many other lapses, whose accumulation may impact negatively the development of the region for years. Conversely, by creating a suitable multi-functional backbone structure, in particular the transport structure, it is possible to create an environment that stimulates development. However, during its planning, it is necessary to take into account the mobility of individual groups of inhabitants and the social inclusion conditioned thereby

Using a Geotrail for Teaching Geography: An Example of the Virtual Educational Trail “The Story of Liberec Granite”

Geotrails are valuable resources for the field teaching of geography and natural history, as they amusingly explain the phenomena associated with inanimate nature and geoheritage. However, not all geotrails are frequently used for field education, in fact, most of them are only used sporadically. In order to identify the key elements needed for a geotrail to be used frequently and successfully for field education, an evaluation of the virtual nature trail “The Story of Liberec Granite”, which is one of the most used trails for educational purposes in the Czech Republic, was carried out. The evaluation was conducted using a questionnaire survey and structured interviews with teachers and other educational staff who have used the geotrail at least three times in their teaching. The results of the evaluation showed that the proximity of the geotrail to the school building is very important, that all geotrail materials must be developed with the target group in mind, i.e., school-age children, and that they must be professionally designed to appeal to the pupils. The geotrail should be accompanied by materials that can be used in field education (such as worksheets), containing tasks for pupils so that they do not remain only the passive recipients of information but become active participants in discerning information. Teachers will also appreciate it if there are methodological materials accompanying the geotrail that explain how to design the fieldwork