ON THE WAY TO OBSERVE HOW FUTURE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS REASON ABOUT FRACTIONS

In our contribution we focus on the possibility to use an educational tool called Concept Cartoons in future primary school teachers’ education, as an instrument for observing how future primary school teachers reason about fractions. In the introduction section we present Concept Cartoons, and also the primary school level of the fractions topic. In the first part of the research we analyse data obtained when future primary school teachers were solving a problem in the Concept Cartoon form. The task which we adapted to this form belongs to primary school mathematics, it focuses on the concept of a fraction per se (on the parts-and-whole decision and on comparison of two pre-partitioned models with diverse wholes). Using Concept Cartoons, we can observe which statements about the issue our respondents consider as correct, and which kinds of reasoning they use in their justifications. In the second part of the research we analyse problems that the respondents themselves posed in the Concept Cartoon form, with particular focus on tasks devoted to fractions

ON THE WAY TO DEVELOP OPEN APPROACH TO MATHEMATICS IN FUTURE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

In our contribution we focus on the possibility to develop open approach to mathematics in future primary school teachers during a university course on mathematics conducted in inquiry-based manner. In the first part of the research we analyse data obtained in the beginning and in the end of the mathematics course with respect to two main aspects related to open approach to mathematics: searching for all solutions of a task, and acceptance of different forms of notation of a given solution. Data analysis revealed in the participants three different shifts towards open approach to mathematics, and showed that after the active participation in the course each of the participants improved at least in one of the monitored aspects, and that none of the participants got worse in any of the aspects. In the second part of the research we analyse problems posed by participants several months after the end of the course, again with respect to the two aspects related to open approach to mathematics. As a special diagnostic instrument in our research we use an educational tool called Concept Cartoons

Notes to the use of Aulacoseira taxa in the palaeoecological reconstruction of the Bohemian forest lakes

Aulacoseira taxa are the most abundant members of diatom assemblages in Prášilské Lake (Czech Republic) during the Holocene. These dominant diatom taxa were studied in freshwater lacustrine sediments in order to harmonize data for subsequent diatom-based palaeoecological reconstruction. Nine taxa were distinguished within the genus, six of them (A. alpigena, A. lacustris, A. laevissima, A. lirata, A. perglabra, A. valida) showed clear features for identification, the rest three taxa (A. nivalis, A. pfaffiana, A. aff. tenella) required deeper analysis. We decided to use taxa in species rank, A. nivalis (W. Smith) English et Potapova and A. pfaffiana (Reinsch) Krammer, in spite of their hardly odds and the earlier suggested merging. Morphology of A. aff. tenella was also discussed in detail. Despite all endeavours, to distinguish some specimens belonging to the A. distans species complex using light microscope is impossible and a classification into the aggregates is needed. We suggested counting the valve face views and the valve mantle views separately, in order to repair subsequent potential misidentifications more simply

TEACHING TACIT KNOWLEDGE: CAN ARTIFICAL INTELIGENCE HELP?

In the paper we first examine students´ ability to use tacit knowledge. We conducted the experiment to test whether the students are able to transfer and use tacit knowledge they obtained in the basic course of Strategic management. As tacit knowledge is difficult to transfer to another person we used course design with several experiential techniques to increase the students´ abilities in the field of Strategic management. For the evaluation experiment we chose to play a board game “Power Grid”, where we tested whether the students were able to use knowledge they had been taught in the basic course. As the result we found out low students´ ability to use tacit knowledge even despite the fact that in the basic course where they obtained the knowledge we used experiential techniques which force students to acquire a skill and therefore, according to Polanyi (in Schmidt, Hunter, 1993), they also acquire corresponding understanding that defies articulation, therefore tacit knowledge. According to the result of the experiment we propose the business game with the artificial intelligence as a teaching tool which can be further discussed as a tool for teaching specific tacit knowledge in the paper

COMPARISON OF RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT OF PHD STUDENTS AT VARIOUS STUDY PROGRAMS AT CULS PRAGUE: AN INTRODUCTORY STUDY

In an attempt to improve the quality of doctoral studies and the satisfaction of PhD students at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS Prague) the authors disseminated online questionnaire among all PhD students in May and June 2014. The questionnaire covered areas related to doctoral study, PhD supervisors, doctoral scholarship, research publications, and last but not least, to satisfaction with the doctoral study. In this article responses related to research, such as allocation of time to doctoral studies, allocation of time to research, involvement in research projects and satisfaction with research outputs. The authors provide comparison of all above mentioned domains according to faculties as well as form of doctoral studies at CULS Prague

INNOVATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES AT THE FEM CULS PRAGUE

Research results and university performance measures have been frequently discussed topic in the Czech higher education system. Performance can be improved by establishing innovations in education in many areas. At higher education sector the performance within research activities is of the same importance. Various authorities have been making an effort to establish a set of measures to assess research performance at institutional level. This paper focuses on the assessment of research activity within an institution – the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM), Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS) Prague – with the use of Data Envelopment Analysis model (DEA). The measured units (DMUs) are 12 FEM departments. Based on the findings revealed by the DEA model application various measures adopted by the faculty in order to improve research and education performance are introduced. Following the widespread trend in many countries the focus of the effort is in training of university teachers and students. This aim is being partially accomplished by the Project Operational Program Prague – Adaptability (OPPA), which is focused on the innovation of the Ph.D. studies at the FEM. The main project aims are i) to improve students’ research experiences, ii) to provide appropriate conditions for Ph.D. students at the departments/faculty and iii) to launch tools for better communication among Ph.D. students and their supervisors

Climate-fit.city Online Analytical Platform Needs

Urban areas are very vulnerable to the impacts of climate changes, because of the high concentration of people, infrastructure, and economic activity, but also because cities tend to exacerbate climate extremes such as heat waves and flash floods. This article focuses on project Pan-European Urban Climate Service - PUCS Grant Agreement Number: 730004, Service Name: Climate-fit.city. Climate-fit.city translated the best available scientific urban climate data into relevant information for public and private end-users operating in cities across a range of different sectors. The service will quantify the impacts of climate (change) on a range of urban sectors and propose relevant solutions to customers. For Czech republic the main topic is urban planning. The sectoral service on urban planning is focused on the (cor)relation between urban climate (heat) and urban land use structure and development. The first step of the project was to define the needs and expectations for an aplication of online analytical platform (one of the project products). The platform will also allow dedicated tailored scenario analysis based on climate change modelling and varying urban land use datasets. In three pilot areas, Prague, Ostrava and Hodonín, administration responsible for urban planning and strategical planning defined the needs and expectations. In this article will be described in more detail why these three pilot cities were involved and how different expectations and needs representatives have for these three areas