The Possibilities of School- University Partnership in the Course of Change of Education System

Jolanta – Gertruda Knyvienė, a postgraduate of Vilnius Pedagogical University, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Department of Educology has presented a thesis under the title ‘The Possibilities of School – University Partnership in the Course of Change of Education System’, that was written under the supervision of associated professor Loreta Žadeikaitė. The changing society has set and is still in progress with new requirements to an individual and at the same time to the education system, in which an individual is nurtured. In Lithuania’s and the European Union’s documents extensive attention is paid to the isolation of educational institutions and, thus, the objective is set to establish collaborative relationships among educational institutions, companies and institutions of scientific research. The changing concept of teachers’ and principals’ activity and teacher preparation program itself, has set the goal to redefine and establish partnership ventures between schools and universities which prepare teachers. The objective of this thesis is to research and analyze the possible modes and conditions for school-university partnerships as well as to evaluate their importance in the course of change of education system. Having followed the scientific-theoretical approach and examined the possibilities of school-university partnerships, it can be claimed that cooperation is important for both the institutions as it could help to ensure their further development based on scientific research. This kind of cooperative ventures could also contribute to creation and spread of new scientific ideas and positive experience. The analysis of existing school-university partnerships has revealed attempts to realize theoretically the idea of school-university partnership in the practice of Lithuania’s education system. However, these attempts are rather scarce and not systematic initiatives, therefore, causing various organizational difficulties while implementing them. A survey has been carried out in order to find out school teachers’ and university professors’ attitudes towards the modes and conditions for school-university partnerships and to research the present spread of such ventures. One hundred and fifty-one teachers from five schools and one hundred and fifteen professors from three pedagogical universities have been asked to supply their answers on the issue. The results of the survey have revealed that there are differences not only between teachers’ and professors’ attitudes but also between the currently existing and the desired pattern of school-university cooperation. The analysis of the survey data permits to draw the conclusion that collaboration between schools and universities preparing teachers is not sufficient, due to that, such an important field of cooperation as student teaching practice is not efficient enough. In view of the survey results, the recommendations have been submitted to the Ministry of Education and Science, universities which prepare teachers and schools. The analyzed possibilities of school-university partnerships could be useful for both types of institutions; namely, establishing, maintaining and improving mutually beneficial relationships, that could serve the purpose of teachers’ preparation and their professional development which, no doubt, greatly influences the quality and progress of education.Švietimo akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta