Visualization of multidimensional data using symbol plots

Visualization of multidimensional data is presented here as a tool for displaying quantitative content of data. The aim of visualization methods is to arrange information about the data file in such a way that new visual information is descriptive and informative enough and able to commu- nicate ideas easily and intuitively. With the using of graphical information it is possible to reach more profound understanding of the data and derive relevant information and knowledge from the data. This article is concerned with the categorization of visualization methods and brings extensive references related to this field. It focuses on selected symbol plots (profiles, polygons, face diagrams) in more details. The article describes fundamentals of these selected visualization techniques and also their advantages and disadvantages. It studies the characteristics of symbol plots when different mapping methods of attributes or different methods of placement of the sym- bols are used. Package “symbols” was designed and developed in the range of R language, which can change placement of symbols in the graph. This way it allows such an arrangement of symbols that is useful for visual identification of clusters with similar subjects. Data from public database is used here for the presentation of methods and possibilities of the software as well. This paper pre- sents new implementation which allows displaying symbols either in coordinate system of suitably chosen attributes or in coordinate system of two principal components. The new arrangement in placement of objects helps a user to discover associations and/or mutual relations in attributes, as well as to find clusters or structures of similar objects in data file

Prediktory osvojení vybraných anglických fonémů u českých studentů

The study investigates predictors of the acquisition of selected English phonemes in a foreign language context. University students’ pronunciation was diagnosed by two tests; their ability to produce seven selected phonemes was assessed. Furthermore, data regarding the students’ learning histories was obtained through a questionnaire. Then a multiple regression analysis was conducted in order to identify predictors of the acquisition of the selected phonemes. The analysis uncovered several factors, the most significant being pre-school exposure to English and positive attitudes to English in adolescence, which appeared to influence the subjects’ pronunciation positively. Interestingly, several factors which relate to learning English at school appeared to exert a negative influence on the acquisition of the selected phonemes. Furthermore, the study underscored the importance of metacognition in relation to autonomous learning.Studie zkoumá prediktory osvojení vybraných anglických fonémů u českých mluvčích učících se angličtinu jako cizí jazyk. V jejím rámci byla diagnostikována schopnost univerzitních studentů produkovat vybrané fonémy v angličtině. Dále byly prostřednictvím dotazníku zkoumány individuální příběhy učení anglickému jazyku těchto studentů. Vícenásobná regresní analýza identifikovala prediktory osvojení vybraných fonémů, z nichž nejvýznamnější vliv měl kontakt s angličtinou v předškolním věku a pozitivní postoj k tomuto jazyku. Ukázalo se také, že několik faktorů vztahujících se ke školní výuce angličtiny ovlivnilo osvojení vybraných fonémů negativně. Studie také ukázala na důležitost metakognice v souvislosti s autonomním učením

Equal opportunities in the field of inclusive education, support for students with specific needs in the Czech republic and an example of good practice the University of Pardubice

Příspěvek se orientuje na problematiku rovných příležitostí v oblasti inkluzivního terciárního vzdělávání a shrnuje zkušenosti v oblasti vzdělávání a podpory studentů se specifickými potřebami (SP) na Univerzitě Pardubice.The contribution focuses on the issue of equal opportunities in the field of inclusive tertiary education and summarizes the experience in the field of education and support of students with specific educational needs at the University of Pardubice

Predictors of the Czech learners’ acquisition of selected English phonemes

The study investigates predictors of the acquisition of selected English phonemes in a foreign language context. Czech students’ pronunciation was diagnosed by two tests; their ability to produce seven selected phonemes was assessed. Furthermore, data regarding the students’ learning histories was obtained through a questionnaire. Then a multiple regression analysis was conducted in order to identify predictors of the acquisition of the selected phonemes. The analysis uncovered several factors, the most significant being pre - school exposure to English and positive attitudes to English in adolescence, which appeared to influence the subjects’ pronunciation positively. Interestingly, several factors which relate to learning English at school appeared to exert a negative influence on the acquisition of the selected phonemes. Furthermore, besides the importance of long-term exposure to English starting before the age of six, the study also underscored the importance of metacognition in relation to autonomous learning

Equal opportunities in the field of inclusive education, support for students with specific needs in the Czech republic and an example of good practice the University of Pardubice

Příspěvek se orientuje na problematiku rovných příležitostí v oblasti inkluzivního terciárního vzdělávání a shrnuje zkušenosti v oblasti vzdělávání a podpory studentů se specifickými potřebami (SP) na Univerzitě Pardubice.The contribution focuses on the issue of equal opportunities in the field of inclusive tertiary education and summarizes the experience in the field of education and support of students with specific educational needs at the University of Pardubice