This dissertation thesis is focused on the theme of the integration of foreign pupils into Czech primary schools. The aim of this thesis is to map and describe in detail the process of integrating and educating foreign pupils in a Czech primary school, and what procedures and strategies the school uses in integrating and educating foreign pupils. The theoretical part of the work provides a basic theoretical and empirical basis, which is based on Czech and foreign literature. Furthermore, the concept of a foreign pupil, including their characteristics and needs in the educational process, is defined. The legislative context of the issue is outlined. An important concept is the emphasis on removing obstacles and barriers in the education of foreign pupils. The thesis deals with the concepts of integration, inclusion, thought of ideas of equality of educational opportunity, multiculturalism, and pedagogical constructivism as ideas to which the Czech school should aim. The theoretical background is then applied in the empirical part, which aimed to achieve an answer to the basic research question: How does the Czech school integrate foreign pupils into the educational process at the primary level? Other specific research questions were formulated. The design of qualitative research was chosen for the...

The thesis deals with the construction of inequalities in the access to the tertiary education with the special emphasis on entrance exams to the universities. The aim is to explore how the entrance exams as the gate to the universities are perceived by students - the actors who are the most affected by these inequalities in education, according to relevant research of these inequalities. The thesis studies how these actors perceive their position and situation within the entrance process, what situations (if any) are constructed as unequal by these actors, who is affected by such inequalities and how does he/she copes with them. The research question is seen from the perspective of interactionist constructivism and answered by applying methods of grounded theory and semi-structured in-depth interviews.

The challenges faced by mathematics education reflect the more immense difficulties of the schooling system as a whole. This thesis investigates such challenges in the light of an ethical learning foundation and aims for a transformation through the use of technologies as learning tools.  Interaction design methods are used to craft constructivist learning kits that aim to move mathematics students from passive receivers of knowledge to active learners. The proposed tools modify new technologies by adapting them to teachers’ and learners’ needs to be best suited for mathematics classroom adoption. Additionally, social, political, and economic issues that may hinder the adoption of constructivist learning are presented and critically discussed.  Finally, this thesis paves the way for future designers who aim to design mathematics educational kits by providing a design framework based on the learning theory and the design process presented in this thesis.

The thesis deals with the process of construction of mathematical knowledge of an individual and a group of pupils. At the outset, some concepts are discussed which belong to the theoretical background of our research (knowledge construction process and its mechanism, typology of mathematical knowledge, character of a mathematical structure, constructivist approaches to the teaching of mathematics, creative teaching, action research). Some results of selected local and foreign research focusing on constructivist approaches and action research in mathematics education are given. The methodology mainly consists of teaching experiments which can, to a certain extent, be seen as cycles of cooperative action research. The target group consists of pupils of lower secondary grammar school. The data gathered through traditional methods of qualitative research (participation observation, audio and videorecordings, pupils' artefacts, notes of an external observer, etc.) were analysed using the techniques of grounded theory. The research has generated results of three types: (1) The categories of individual and group constructions in mathematics have been described in depth including their dimensions (the measures of the teacher's influence on the construction, of the pupils' cooperation, of pupils' formal acceptance...

This dissertation deals with the developing and development of EFL learners' communicative competence in writing in a blended learning course. The dissertation addresses issues related to the conceptualization of developing communicative competence and measuring learners' progress as well as using ICT in foreign language teaching. The underlying research question was whether learners' communicative competence changed after using a series of online discussion tasks, and if so, in what manner. The empirical research was conducted as a case study in which 18 learners in an EFL course at the CEFR A2 level participated in three discussion tasks conducted online, using asynchronous discussion forum. The discussions were built on social constructivist learning theories. Methods of data collection and analysis included pre- and post-tests, learner corpus compiled from the texts written by the students in two online discussions and its analysis, and a questionnaire survey. The results showed that learners' overall level of communicative competence in writing improved. Specifically, the syntactic complexity of learners' language produced at the beginning and at the end of the course increased and learners' perceived fluency in writing improved. These findings support the claim that learners' active participation in...

Master thesis analyzes strategic behavior of the PRC in the region of the Northeast Asia in direct relationship with regional missile defense. The aim is to analyze motives of China`s regional strategic behavior with respect to the specific technological element (= Theatre Missile Defense) on the basis of predetermined analytical levels: realistic, liberal and constructivist. But there are great differences in technological configuration of individual missile defense systems or in the configuration of the relationship of regional actors with the PRC. Thus the thesis will comprise of case studies analyzing the complex relationship of the PRC and regional actors (that are creating regional missile defense). The creation of regional missile defense can endanger China`s vital strategic interests (in the region of Northeast Asia) under specific conditions. But the regional strategic behaviour of the PRC is moderate. The aim is to explain, why the PRC does not change its regional strategic behavior in direct connection with emerging theater missile defence.

This thesis is focused on use of the critical thinking techniques into the courses of information education. The study describes links and relations among the critical thinking as one part of constructivist teaching and information, critical and reading literacy. A literature review of the thesis also includes description of programme for critical thinking development called "Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking". A finding and methodology section is divided into two parts. First one analyses questionnaire of the critical evaluation of information quality organized for students of Czech University of Life Sciences. Following part describes case study (method based on Yin, 2009) of application critical thinking techniques into the courses of information education in Czech University of Life Sciences. This part, due to chosen method, includes description of current state of information education in the university, its environment and influences. It also gives in detail description of "Course of information literacy for PhD students" which used critical thinking techniques from "Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking" programme. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Statistics on the gender profile of academics in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) reveal women academics are still concerted at the junior levels of the hierarchy with a small number of women at professorship. By the time of this report, in South Africa there were 4034 associate professors and professors. Of this 4034, 2174 (54%) were full professors. Of this 2174, only 534 (25%) were female professors. The fundamental aim of this research was to tell the story behind these statistics by exploring, describing and giving explanation to the subjective experiences of women academics. The objectives of the research were broken down into: (1) to examine studies that explain discourses for women in academia, identify success and inhibiting factors to career development of women academics, identify gaps in knowledge and explain how this research seeks to address the gaps identified, (2) to investigate models and theories of career development, particularly in so far as they affect women, (3) to explore, describe and explain the career development trajectories of senior women academics in HEIs in SA, and (4) to develop a substantive career development theory that explains career trajectories of women in academia. Utilizing data from 13 in-depth interviews with women professors and associate professors in a diversity of higher educational institutions in South Africa and different fields of study, this research situates the senior women academics’ experiences within the social constructivist context. I posed the question: “Tell me how your career journey as an academic started, up to the level where you are now”. The questioning revolved around family background; social context; educational history; career development trajectory; professional experiences; and work-family integration. All interviews were audiotaped and then transcribed. The analysis and interpretation of data was informed by the theoretical underpinnings of the study, which is located within feminism and social constructivism. The mean age of the participants was 53 years; years in service, 10 years and more. The findings revealed four themes associated with the career success of women academics: enabling and constraining factors; intrapsychic factors, behavioural patterns and differentiated career development trajectories. All these factors are inextricably linked and mutually affect the career success of women academics. The study ended up with a career development theory that came up with five phases and explained preoccupations at each phase. The phases are career exploration, career establishment, career maintenance, work life adjustment and disengagement. These phases are neither age related, nor cyclical at all times, but they are related to the stage in career development, and the needs of women academics / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The purpose of this essay is to examine documentary photographs using art-science methods. The subject of the analyzes is photographer Lauren Greenfield’s project Generation Wealth, which reflects the Western consumer culture of our time. From a social-constructivist perspective, three photographs from this 25-year project are examined. These three photographs follow the theme of money and portray three different occasions that are not related to each other, but which are linked here as three subsequent steps in the theme. With the help of Erwin Panofsky's iconological interpretation model, the photographs are examined to reach a deeper meaning than merely documents about an event or of specific individuals. The iconological interpretation helps to put the photographs in a wider context which makes them symbols of our time. On the basis of the preparatory analyzes, connections are made with art historical works that both visually and contextually becomes keys in the interpretation. The photography of Phoebe 17 years becomes a symbol of the role of young people, especially girls, as objects in a consumer system. Eli Broad Dinner Party symbolizes how money controls the art market while this photograph also play with gender order. The photograph of Florian Homm becomes evidence of the emptiness that comes with the quest to constantly achieve financial success.  The analyzes also discuss the division between documentary photography and art photography with the conclusion that such a division inhibits the photograph's sub-meanings. Such a division becomes a clear sign of social constructions and it’s need to categorize and place them in different fields. The essay discusses photography as a reality portrayal. This is a complex discussion which determines of the context in which the photograph is located. By simultaneously seeking an understanding of photography as a medium and by reading photography as a text, the photographs shows how social constructs are inherited and contribute to standards that keep people trapped in the culture of consumption.

Despite credible research to support a constructivist-based approach in early childhood programs, policymakers continued to push for a more academic-based philosophy in an effort to reach standardized testing goals. Reggio Emilia, a constructivist-based early childhood philosophy that originated in Northern Italy, has been shown to be an excellent model to facilitate optimum learning in young children. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate parental experiences when choosing the constructivist-based early childhood program, Reggio Emilia, for their children and to explore parents' perceived benefits after their children attended. A constructivist conceptual framework was used to provide context for the Reggio Emilia philosophy. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to select a Reggio Emilia inspired program, Foundations Early Learning Center, in the American Midwest. Five parents who had enrolled their children at Foundations Early Learning Center for a minimum of 6 months participated through in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed, categorized, and clustered into similar themes that described the phenomenon. Results indicated parents identified an overall satisfaction for choosing a Reggio Emilia experience for their preschool children. Ten perceived benefits from parents were identified that were associated with their children after they attended the Reggio Emilia inspired program. Findings of the current study have the potential to bring awareness to policymakers and early childhood program directors when making decisions on what type of educational philosophy to implement into early childhood programs with results favoring the choice of a constructivist-based Reggio Emilia inspired program over alternative options.