Due to the fact that many of the secondary school pupils who experience difficulty in choosing a career, also appear to have problems with their time perspective, an investigation into the possible link between these concepts was undertaken. A literature study was done where the major dimensions of time perspective were identified continuity/directionality and locus of control; optimism/pessimism; structure. Analyses were done on the principal factors influencing time perspective and career choice. A reliable measuring instrument was developed in order to measure the secondary school pupil's time perspective. The results of the empirical investigation indicated that time perspective does play a significant role in the career choice of secondary school pupils. Gender and intellectual potential do not appear to have a significant bearing on time perspective. The educational implications of the findings are discussed, and guidelines regarding methods of improving a child's time perspective are given to both teachers and parents. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling (Psychology of Education))

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in English / The aim of this investigation was to determine whether values, the style of discipline and father involvement, influence achievement motivation in secondary school pupils. A survey of existing literature on this subject reveals that style of discipline does influence academic achievement. Baumrind's research is a major source of information in this regard. Research also indicates a positive correlation between academic achievement and the father's ability to assume the leadership role in the family. A positive correlation between the choice of values, for example religious, social, etcetera, and academic achievement is indicated in past research on academic achievement. An investigation done in a large rural town in South Africa, however, reveals no significant correlation between the above mentioned factors and academic achievement. However, a negative correlation between achievement and popularity as an important value, suggests that under-achievement is found more frequently among pupils whose parents value popularity highly. / Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om te bepaal of waardes, die dissiplineringstyl en vaderbetrokkenheid, die kind se akademiese prestasie bei:nvloed. 'n Ondersoek van bestaande literatuur op hierdie gebied, wys daarop dat die dissiplineringstyl, akademiese prestasie bei:nvloed. Baumrind se studie is 'n belangrike bron van inligting in die verband. Navorsing dui op 'n positiewe korrelasie tussen akademiese prestasie en die vader se vermoe om die leierskapsposisie in die gesin te handhaaf Bestaande literatuur oor die onderwerp dui ook daarop dat die keuse van waardes, byvoorbeeld godsdienstige-, sosiale-, ensovoorts, positief korreleer met akademiese prestasie. 'n Ondersoek in 'n groot plattelandse dorp in Suid-Afiika, wys geen beduidende korrelasie tussen die bogenoemde aspekte en akademiese prestasie nie. 'n Negatiewe korrelasie tussen akademiese prestasie en gewildheid as waarde, word wel aangedui, wat suggereer dat leerlinge dikwels onderpresteer wanneer hulle ouers op gewildheid gesteld is. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate if teacher, pupil, curriculum and classroom environment variables were significantly related to adolescents' attitudes towards Biology. The study also investigated whether certain factors (as moderator variables) significantly influenced the relationships between pupils' attitudes towards Biology and each of the independent variables. For the investigation a sample of 426 standard eight, nine and ten pupils from three school-types completed an attitude questionnaire. Parametric statistics were used to analyse the results. Findings from the correlation and stepwise regression analysis revealed that the curriculum was the strongest correlate of attitude and accounted for most of the variance in pupils' attitudes towards Biology. An analysis of variance revealed no significant difference in pupils' attitudes towards Biology when gender, standard, parental levels of formal education and type of school were used as moderator variables. These findings suggest a complete restructuring of the Biology curriculum. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Occurrence of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) has recently become quite frequent. Even though the number of experts dealing with this issue is increasing and there is a lot of professional literature available, the numbers of children abused and neglected are on increase. Traumas and pathological behaviour, which children experience in their families, are often carried over to adulthood and new families in the form of behavioural patterns. Basic school teachers, who spend substantial part of the day with children in the classes, play an important role not only in prevention, but also in detecting CAN cases. The objective of the diploma thesis was to observe the level of awareness among teachers regarding CAN and related issues and to find out whether they know what to do in case a child is suspected of being abused or neglected. Also, it was aimed at learning whether the awareness is influenced by microregion the teachers live in and respondents? age. The hypotheses were established to observe whether the teachers of basic schools in Jindřichův Hradec have better awareness of the issues relating to CAN than the teachers of basic schools in Třeboň, and whether the teachers of basic schools in Jindřichův Hradec have better awareness of the issues relating to CAN than the teachers of basic schools in Dačice. Next hypothesis dealt with whether basic school teachers under 40 years of age demonstrate better CAN awareness than teachers above 40 years of age. A quantitative research using the method of interview and technique of questionnaire was used to verify the hypotheses. The research corpus comprised of teachers of basic schools in the microregions of Dačice, Jindřichův Hradec and Třeboň. The finite corpus comprised of 193 respondents. The teachers of basic schools in the microregion of Jindřichův Hradec did not demonstrate better awareness of the issues relating to CAN than the teachers of basic schools the microregions of Třeboň and Dačice. Also, the teachers under 40 years of age did not demonstrate better awareness of the issues at hand than the teachers above 40 years of age. Analysis of the outcomes retrieved from the performed research did not confirm validity of the hypotheses H1, H2 and H3. The outcomes of the thesis imply that awareness of the basic school teachers, who were included in the research corpora in the given microregions, regarding the issues relating to CAN do not relate either to given microregions, where teachers work, or the age of the respondents. In general, respondents showed substantial awareness of CAN. It should be noted that CAN is very serious social problem and each society should pay proper attention to it.

The thesis is focused on the description of Personal and Social Education as a subject in teaching languages in primary schools. It describes the changes in the educational system of the Czech Republic and deals with the explanation of Personal and Social Education in different contexts. The aim is to determine how teachers understand targeted integration of this topic and how they work with it during language lessons. The results of how teachers perceive this subject, how it is classified and how they are successful in achieving the goals specified in the FEP are also part of this work.

This thesis deals with the analysis of curricula, plans, civic education textbooks and civic education in the late eighties and nineties of the 20th century. The aim of this work is to analyze the today's approach to teaching civic education in the establishment of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and change of it before and after the revolution of 1989 by establishing a democratic regime. The work involves the analysis of textbooks and curricula from this period. The work is divided into two parts which are loosely linked. In the theoretical part of the thesis, there is the general definition of school textbooks, which are recorded features, concepts, structures, meanings, status, research and research methods according to various educational authors who dealt with analysis of school textbooks. This section is of narrower extent complemented by a variety of observations and comments of author. The practical part of the thesis is based on a detailed analysis of textbooks and curriculum of civic education that is embedded in the space of two historical periods of our country, at the turn of ending socialism and emerging democracy. The work focuses on the individual thematic subject which is then incorporated into the teaching curriculum of the elementary school years by the author. Here examines the appropriateness, timing and similarity teaching materials during the period of socialism with a democratic system of our state. Research component consists of a questionnaire survey work, where the former teachers are asked and current civic education. There are recorded difficulties of teachers and complicated transformation of the subject of the socialist epoch to the present democracy, referred to herein examines the issue of textbooks and curricula. In the practical part, the descriptive part analyzes composition of textbooks, curriculum demands for student motivation and graphic form of textbooks, educational goals and the interpretation of textbook materials for pupils.

This dissertation work focuses on societal climate of an elementary school class. The work is dividend into a theoretical part and a practical part. The theoretical part concentrates mainly on the knowledge related to the climate, explanation of the terms such as social group, class and school climate, environment and atmosphere. I characterize the younger school age of examined pupils in detail. Then there are other factors that have an influence on class climate. The practical part concentrates on the research of the actual and ideal school climate both in cities and in the country. I also focus on the difference of perception of the climate between boys and girls. This research was conducted at schools in Jihlava region, specifically in the fifth grades. ?My Class Inventory? questionnaire was used for the research and the results are arranged in charts and graphs with a commentary.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to assess the climate in the classroom on the second substage of the elementary school in the context of the ongoing reform of the education system. In the theoretical section are explained basic concepts - for example social group, social roles, positions in groups, school climate, class climate. There are also described determinants of class climate, climate participants and there aren´t missing current approaches to study the class climate. The conclusion explains what is school reform. In the practical part are defined objectives and assumptions. There are further specified measurement method and the measurement process. At the end assumptions are authenticated.

The aim of this thesis is to describe the content of the work of the school counselor at elementary school and emphasize the importance of his position there. The thesis concentrates also on his cooperation with other counseling organizations and the organization of the whole counseling system in our country. The theoretical part of this work is focused on the explanation of basic terminology from this field. The look at the history of the school counseling in our country and in English speaking countries then follows. This part also describes legal regulations which provide a model for the school counselors. On their base they provide their services. The following chapters concentrate on the description of the content of the work of school counselor and the description of the organizations with whom he often cooperates. The practical part of this work is created from the dialogues realized with the school counselors. The aim of it is to analyze what is the real content of the work of the school counselor, with who he usually cooperates during the problem solving and what are the opinions of the school counselors on the system of school counseling in our country generally.

The topic of the diploma theses are specific learning difficulties. It specialises in experience with specific learning difficulties of pupils of upper primary schools. The diploma theses is divided into two parts, four chapters. The first chapter is focused on specific learning difficulties. The second part deals with occurence of specific learning difficulties. The third chapter deals with self image of pupils with learning difficulties. The practical part concentrates on a research. It finds out how pupils of upper primary schools understand their difficulties in learning. It finds out how much they reflect them, if the difficulties affect their self confidence, their integration into the group. The core of the theses is the work with the individual interviews, their analyses, interpretation.