ERGONOMSKI VIDIK UKLJUČIVANJA KOMPJUTORSKE TEHNOLOGIJE U ŠKOLSKI OKOLIŠ

This paper addresses the issue of implementing computer technology into educational settings from an ergonomic point of view. On the basis of some latest findings in ergonomics and computer science we construct a model of ergonomic implementation of computer technology into schools and highlight some areas that still need researchers\u27 attention in the future. We also present a review of certain findings and polemics in the fields of computerized classroom environment, ergonomic use of computers and ergonomic aspects of computer hardware and software.U radu želimo razjasniti aspekt uključivanja računalne tehnologije u odgojno-obrazovni okoliš, kod kojeg je u prvom planu ergonomski vidik ovog procesa. Na osnovi sinteze pojedinih spoznaja na području ergonomskih istraživanja upotrebe računala izradili smo model ergonomskog ukjučivanja računala u školu i istodobno iznijeli neka područja, koja bi trebalo u budućnosti nadograđivati. U radu prikazujemo pregled najnovijih istraživačkih spoznaja na području opreme računalne učionice, kvalitete računalne opreme za obrazovne svrhe, ergonomske upotrebe računala i ergonomskog oblikovanja računalnih obrazovnih programa

Analiza razumevanja pojma plovnost v kontekstu njegovega prenosa od vzgojitelja na otroke

Kurikulum za vrtce (1999) vsebuje različna področja izobraževanja, ki se med seboj smiselno in celostno povezujejo. Narava je eno izmed področij, ki predstavlja otrokovo prvo spoznavanje sveta in prvo vodeno spoznavanje narave. Naravoslovne vsebine so namreč zelo primerne za raziskovanje, saj so predmeti in pojavi konkretni in za otroke bolj privlačni. Pouk naravoslovja bi tako lahko deloval kot izhodišče za vse druge vsebine, vendar poučevanje naravoslovja povzroča številne težave, predvsem s tem, kako vsebine predstaviti otrokom. To pogosto predstavlja izziv in odgovornost za vzgojitelje, saj mora biti podajanje vsebine prilagojeno otrokovi starosti, uporabljati morajo pravilno izrazoslovje, hkrati pa se morajo izogibati pretiranemu poenostavljanju in posploševanju. Plovnost je naravni pojav, s katerim se sreča vsak otrok, a ga je težko razložiti. V prispevku ocenjujemo poznavanje in razumevanje plovnosti pri izrednih študentih študijskega programa Predšolska vzgoja Pedagoške fakultete Univerze na Primorskem, ki se izvaja na različnih lokacijah po Sloveniji. Gre za študente, ki že poučujejo v vrtcih, in zato predpostavljamo, da so z navedeno vsebino dobro seznanjeni, saj so se z njo že srečali pri fizikalnih vsebinah med študijem. Preverili smo, na kašen način razložijo plovnost otrokom in če se njihovo znanje o plovnosti razlikuje glede na kraj izvajanja študija. Ugotovili smo, da je znanje študentov o plovnosti izredno slabo in pomanjkljivo. Poleg tega imajo študentje o plovnosti precej napačnih predstav, ki jih prenašajo na otroke. Z raziskavo potrdimo, da niti delovna doba niti kraj izobraževanja bistveno ne vplivata na njihovo razlago o plovnosti (p > 0,05).Kindergarten curricula (Bahovec et al. 1999, 37) cover different areas of education that are sensibly interconnected and integrated. Science is one of the areas that represent child\u27s first learning about the surrounding world and the first introduction to nature. Science education is a very suitable approach of introducing children into basic research work, since in nature objects and phenomena are more concrete, and hence the children are instinctively attracted. Therefore, science education could act as a starting point for all other areas of education. Teaching science comprises several difficulties, which are mainly connected with the way how contents are introduced to children. This is often a great challenge and great responsibility for pre-school teachers, because the scientific content needs to be explained in an appropriate way taking into consideration the child\u27s age, the use of correct terminology, and at the same time avoiding inadequate generalization and over-simplification. Buoyancy is a natural phenomenon that is experienced by every child, but which, on the other hand, is quite difficult to explain. With the present study we wished to assess the knowledge considering buoyancy of the part-time students within the Pre-school Teaching educational programme at the Faculty of Education of the University of Primorska, which is performed on different locations throughout Slovenia. These students already teach in the kindergartens and should be well acquainted with buoyancy from previously passed physics courses at the Faculty of Education. We examined how they explained the buoyancy to children in kindergartens, and whether the knowledge about buoyancy is affected by their working experience or the location of their study. The results show that the students\u27 knowledge about buoyancy is insufficient and incomplete. In addition, many misconceptions about buoyancy are transmitted to the children in the process of teaching. Furthermore, it can be stated that neither the working experience nor the location of the study affects the interpretation of buoyancy (p<0.05)

METODOLOGIJA VREDNOVANJA I PRAĆENJA UČITELJA - MENTORA I UČITELJA-PRIPRAVNIKA

In Slovenia new teachers are required to complete a ten-month probationary period in a school. In this period they are supervised by a teacher-mentor, who does not have any detailed documentation on how to supervise the probation teachers. The research we have done investigated how teacher-mentors evaluated their own mentoring experiences. The study involvedd 160 teachers and 77 headmasters from Slovenian schools. The data received from the questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively. We found out that the teacher probationary period is suitable. Teachers are satisfied with their menthorship role, because it is a challenge for them and they can gain new knowledge. A lot of teachers think that they would need an additional qualification and an additional material for their work with the probation teachers. Teacher mentors are not enough qualified for their mentors work, therefore they need support in workshops with examples of good practice and detailed guidelines for their work.U Sloveniji se od mladih učitelja koji su završili sveučilišni studij i dobili diplomu zahtijeva da odrade svoj 10-mjesečni pripravnički staž u školi. U tom razdoblju njih nadzire učitelj-mentor. Međutim, za učitelja-mentora ne postoji nikakva detaljna dokumentacija o nadzoru učitelja-pripravnika. Svrha ovog istraživanja bila je pokazati kako su učitelji-mentori vrednovali vlastita mentorska iskustva. U ispitivanje je bilo uključeno 160 učitelja i 77 ravnatelja u slovenskim školama. Da bi prikupili podatke koristili smo upitnik. Podaci su analizirani na razini kvantitativne statistike. Utvrdili smo da je trajanje pripravničkog staža odgovarajuće. Učitelji su zadovoljni svojom ulogom mentora jer im je ona izazov i daje im priliku stjecanja novog znanja. Mnogi učitelji misle da bi trebali dodatno usavršavanje kao i dodatni materijal za svoj rad s učiteljima-pripravnicima. Mentori nisu dovoljno kvalificirani za svoj mentorski rad i zato im je potrebna podrška kroz radionice s primjerima dobre prakse te detaljne smjernice za posao koji rade

Determination of the Strength of Adhesion between Lipid Vesicles

A commonly used method to determine the strength of adhesion between adhering lipid vesicles is measuring their effective contact angle from experimental images. The aim of this paper is to estimate the interobserver variations in vesicles effective contact angle measurements and to propose a new method for estimating the strength of membrane vesicle adhesion. Theoretical model shows for the old and for the new measure a monotonic dependence on the strength of adhesion. Results obtained by both measuring techniques show statistically significant correlation and high interobserver reliability for both methods. Therefore the conventional method of measuring the effective contact angle gives qualitatively relevant results as the measure of the lipid vesicle adhesion. However, the new measuring technique provides a lower variation of the measured values than the conventional measures using the effective contact angle. Moreover, obtaining the adhesion angle can be automatized more easily than obtaining the effective contact angle

Body Mass Index and Triceps Skinfold Thickness in Prepubertal Children in Slovenia

The main aim of this study was to analyze overweight and obesity in children on the basis of body mass index (BMI) and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF). The sample included 5,613 children, aged 6 to12 years (X=9.23; SD=1.69) from Slovenia. Children were classified as non-overweight, overweight and obese according to age and sex specific BMI cut-off points. The results show that 18.3% of boys and 18.5% of girls are overweight and 6.5% of boys and 6.7% of girls are obese. The correlation between BMI and TSF in boys (r=0.785) and girls (r=0.783) are almost equal. Body weight has a lower correlation with TSF in boys (r=0.691) and in girls (r=0.631). The c2 test show that there is a significant difference (p<0.001) in TSF according to weight status. The results show that TSF and weight status of prepubertal children are closely related and that the criterion for the determination of weight status on the basis of BMI is well defined

FIZIČKO OPTEREĆENJE UČENIKA TEŽINOM ŠKOLSKIH TORBI U RAZDOBLJU PRIJELAZA IZ OSMOG U DEVETI RAZRED OSNOVNE ŠKOLE

The article shows the empirical research which was carried out to present how children are overburdened by the weight of their school bags. 107 pupils who are now in the fifth grade and this year are finishing the eight-year-primary school and next year they are continuing in the nine-year- primary school were included in the research. We confirmed the finding that at average the weight of a school bag of eleven years old pupil does not exceed 10 per cents which is the highest value at one hour burdening. At twelve years old pupils the weight of school bags increases for 3, 59 % of body weight of a pupil and that represents 13, 17 % in relation to body weight. And there the critical point is exceeded. Obviously, there is a statistical discrepancy in the weight of school bags between eleven and twelve year’s old pupils. The reasons for the increase of weight should be looked for in school schedules for both grades and in the increase of the use of textbooks in the seventh grade of nine-year primary school.Rad prikazuje empirijsko istraživanje, koje se provelo sa svrhom rasvjetljavanja opterećenja učenika težinom školskih torbi. U istraživanje je bilo uključeno 107 učenika, u 5. razredu osnovnog školovanja koji su narednu godinu počeli u 7. razredu, sa programom devetogodišnjeg obrazovanja. Potvrđena je hipoteza, da u prosjeku težina školskih torbi kod 11-godišnjaka ne iznosi više od 10 %, što je najviša moguća gornja granica kod jednosatnog opterećenja. Kod jednu godinu starijih učenika (12-godišnjaci) ustanovili smo, da se je težina školskih torbi u prosjeku povećala za 3,59 % tjelesne težine učenika i tako predstavlja u odnosu na tjelesnu težinu 13,17%. Ustanovljeno je da se prekoračuje kritična granica. S obzirom na to, postoji statistički značajna razlika u težini školskih torbi između jednu godinu starijim odnosno mlađim učenicima (11-godišnjaci, 12-godišnjaci). Uzroke je potrebno pronaći u nastavnim planovima obiju razreda i većem broju nastavnih gradiva u 7. razredu devetogodišnje osnovne škole

Numerical Study of Membrane Configurations

We studied biological membranes of spherical topology within the framework of the spontaneous curvature model. Both Monte Carlo simulations and the numerical minimization of the curvature energy were used to obtain the shapes of the vesicles. The shapes of the vesicles and their energy were calculated for different values of the reduced volume. The vesicles which exhibit in-plane ordering were also studied. Minimal models have been developed in order to study the orientational ordering in colloids coated with a thin sheet of nematic liquid crystal (nematic shells). The topological defects are always present on the surfaces with the topology of a sphere. The location of the topological defects depends strongly on the curvature of the surface. We studied the nematic ordering and the formation of topological defects on vesicles obtained by the minimization of the spontaneous curvature energy