Bulgarian Schools Research Articles

Health Education in the Bulgarian Schools

The following article focuses on health education in Bulgarian schools. A systematic health education was conducted during on school term among 71 children on current health issues directly related to the health and health behavior of adolescents. The following methods are used: traditional (lectures, conversations, discussions, individual tasks), non-traditional (debate) and interactive (role-playing games, sports activities, educational film and others) pedagogical methods aimed at developing skills in adolescents in order to recognize and avoid health risk factors. The application of non-traditional and interactive methods of health education in schools in accordance with children’s age and interests is effective, which was proved by a comparative analysis of the level of knowledge and point of view of the particular group before and after the education. It is necessary to introduce the methods during the education.

Challenging Mathematic Task-Types for Students Finishing 7th Grade in Bulgarian Schools

Abstract The article analyzes the measurement properties of the multiple-choice test items from the National External Assessment for 7th grade, conducted in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Test Items that did not perform well in terms of difficulty or discrimination coefficients were searched for. Variants of the items are proposed in order to improve their measurement properties. Conclusions were drawn on the differences found in the achievements of students in the districts of Sofia-city, Plovdiv, Pleven and Razgrad.

The Digital Competences Necessary for the Successful Pedagogical Practice of Teachers in the Digital Age

The digital transformation of society is a reality. Technology is becoming integral to people’s daily lives and children are growing up in the digital age. The education systems have to reflect and adapt to the new digital reality to effectively engage and prepare students for the future. Teachers have to possess digital competences at a high level, meaning that they are successfully able to use digital tools and technologies in their teaching practices. Digital competences include digital literacy, experience using educational software and platforms, and the ability to seamlessly integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) into the organization of educational activities. The current paper aims to study the opinion of teachers in Bulgarian schools regarding the possibilities of using digital technologies to achieve educational goals and the extent to which teachers integrate digital tools in their teaching activities. Teachers’ opinions about the need for specific digital competences are important. The results of the survey show that teachers in Bulgaria actively use digital technologies in their daily teaching activities (84.8%) in order to create and provide learning content to students and to provoke their active participation, and is a convenient tool for evaluating their students’ knowledge and skills and for providing effective feedback. The conducted research also identifies the necessary competences that teachers of the digital generation of learners need—skills and competences for developing authored electronic resources in various formats for students with different learning styles, as well as for working in online environments—individually and collaboratively with other teachers.

A Study On The Usage Of M-Learning Applications Within Bulgarian Schools

The transformation of the educational model is directly linked to the key participants in the educational process. Modern pupils cannot imagine life without the usage of various digital technologies such as mobile devices. Moreover, today’s learners spend more time preparing for school using interactive mobile applications. That defines the purpose of this article: to explore the usage of m-learning applications in the educational process within Bulgarian schools. To achieve that it has been created a survey that consists of 11 questions and was distributed to 140 participants (pupils from Bulgarian schools). The results have shown that 54.28% of respondents use m-learning applications within the classroom and 72.86% of them use m-learning applications for self-study. Additionally, 60% of respondents believe that using such applications would enhance the educational process. This provides ample justification for directing efforts from all stakeholders (educational institutions, educators, and learners) toward wider and more comprehensive integration of these applications in the educational process. From the perspective of future research, there could be endeavors to conduct a more extensive and representative study by trying to utilize cluster sampling in order to overcome the limitations posed by the current research methodology.

Language as a Factor in Access to Education for School-Age Migrants

The article discusses access to education in view of the needs of students from migrant families. Linguistic problems related to migration processes in the countries of the European Union and beyond are highlighted. An emphasis is placed on the Bulgarian language training of students coming from foreign educational systems who have enrolled in Bulgarian schools. Opportunities to implement additional training in Bulgarian as a second language for students entering different secondary school grades are analyzed, with a view to the successful continuation of their education. The EU language policy to stimulate multilingualism, which is also discussed as a global trend, is focused on. Based on the experience in South Korea, opportunities for the development of multicultural education are presented.

Digital (Non)reality: Pedagogical Approaches to Involving “Alpha” Children in the Digital World

How is the Bulgarian student doing in digital reality? How do parents and teachers contribute to the child‘s digital socialization? Is the digital educational environment in Bulgarian schools a reality or an unreality? These are just some of the questions that this article seeks to answer. It presents the results of an author‘s study among primary school-aged students. Based on the presented pedagogical perspectives of the inclusion of the Bulgarian “Alpha” children in the digital world, specific recommendations regarding their education have been formulated.

Implementing STEM/STEALM in the Elementary School Classroom

The wide popularity of the STEM approach and its varieties worldwide necessitated the introduction of its concept into modern education. The technological world we live in requires that society, especially adolescents, possess digital skills and competencies to fit into the new realities. As one of the possible reasons, we could point to the need to train personnel for the ‘professions of the future’, exercised by specialists possessing complex skills and the opportunity to apply them at the workplace. The publication describes a conducted STEALM lesson for pupils in the 3rd grade. The design, the stages, the criteria for the assessment of the activities, and the analysis of the results of the conducted observation are presented, to develop the potential for applying the STEM approach and its variants in the primary level of education in Bulgarian schools.

Trends, Challenges, Opportunities, and Innovations in STEM Education

STEM education aims to prepare students for their future jobs, providing authentic tasks and problems to solve. Usually, approaches to teaching STEM subjects are based on a constructivist learning theory that accentuates active, practical, and interactive learning approaches. Nowadays, the implementation of STEM education faces several logistical and pedagogical challenges, which can impact the effectiveness of STEM education programs. The conditions for applying information technologies in STEM education in Bulgarian schools and universities are presented. The paper proposes a conceptual model of the innovative STEM educational system, which includes personalization and optimization of the applied teaching methods.

The Role of Family and Media Environment on Aggressive Behaviour in Bulgarian Schools

The article examines the influence of two of the main social environments on students’ aggressive behaviours. On the one hand, attention is paid to the general socio-psychological climate in the family environment and the attitude of the parents towards the child; and on the other hand, a less frequently studied aspect related to aggressive manifestations of the children and adolescents towards the parents is addressed. The study explores how watching TV shows and movies, as well as video games, in which aggression and violence predominate, is connected to the frequency and degree of manifestation of types of aggression in adolescents. The survey was conducted at the end of 2017 among 992 students in 18 primary schools, secondary schools, and vocational schools/high schools in six different cities in different regions of Bulgaria. A structured questionnaire for the study of aggression in school was designed and was intended for students. The results of the study generally show that the verbal aggression towards parents (insulting and shouting) is mostly associated with verbal aggression towards both teachers and classmates. Regarding the influence of TV shows and movies containing aggression, it was found that students who watched movies with military, fighting and bloody scenes demonstrated more frequent manifestations of verbal aggression, but the TV contents did not significantly influence the manifestations of indirect aggression and physical aggression. However, the frequency of playing video games with aggressive content has a significant effect on all investigated forms of aggression, with the strongest effect on physical aggression. Aggression in social networks is a significant factor that affects the frequency of manifestation of various forms of aggression. Students who bully others on social networks stand out as the most aggressive (verbally, physically, and indirectly).

ВЪВЕЖДАНЕ НА ИЗКУСТВЕН ИНТЕЛЕКТ В СРЕДНОТО УЧИЛИЩЕ ЧРЕЗ ЕЗИКА ЗА ЛОГИЧЕСКО ПРОГРАМИРАНЕ ПРОЛОГ

The article presents the results and practical experience of the introduction of Artificial Intelligence training in secondary school. The initial stage and the current state of the introduction of experimental learning in two Bulgarian schools are discussed. Our experience in teaching students in different forms of learning and different age groups is presented, as well as the joint teaching of teachers and students. Particular attention is paid to logic programming using the Prolog language. The chronology of our approach is examined, with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in education presented in three stages – beginning, current state and future intentions. We consider the three-year period to be sufficient for approbation of the curriculum, the used methodology and teaching materials. An original approach to the training of teachers and students is proposed. A summary analysis of the learning outcomes is presented in an appropriate form. Based on the accumulated experience, a critical analysis of the used approaches and teaching aids was made. Conclusions were made for continuing the study with students and improving the methods, approaches and teaching materials.

FLIPPED CLASSROOM AND TRADITIONAL METHOD IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN BULGARIAN SCHOOL

Flipped learning is an educational technique in which students engage with instructional materials outside of class (such as films, texts, or interactive tutorials) while using class time for active learning tasks such as problem-solving, group work, and discussions. Flipped learning can be a particularly effective strategy in the context of school-based mathematics education. By allowing for greater differentiation, engagement, and interactivity, it can help to support the learning needs of all students and promote deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. This article looks at some key aspects of the implementation of the flipped classroom in mathematics education and suggests a possibility for its combination with the traditional model of mathematics education in Bulgarian schools to achieve more efficient and effective learning.

Проектно базирано обучение за социално-емоционални и техноло- гични умения чрез програмата „Умения за иновации“

Skills for Innovation is а program for secondary education established by the global company Intel. The program includes over 200 hours of STEM learning resources, project-based methodology and training for teachers and principals, and technological resources that prepare students for the jobs of the future. The program has been implemented in Bulgaria since the beginning of 2021 by Center for Creative Training, a partner of Intel. The program aims to inspire the next generation of innovators and develop cognitive, technical and social-emotional skills in students. It creates a bridge between the learning objectives and real life and facilitates the development towards a technological and innovative classroom. The pilot stage study of the Skills for Innovation program in 4 Bulgarian schools demonstrates that a key factor of transformation is targeted teacher training, in addition to good methodology and resources and suitable digital technology. Quality digital transformation is led by confident teachers with resources and technology they can rely on.

Online physical education in Bulgaria - advantages and challenges

The aim of the research was to study the advantages and disadvantages of online physical education teaching in the country during the first stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study participants were 138 teachers (100 female and 38 male) aged between 24 and 68 years, who had different pedagogical experience and were representatives of all regions of the country. A specially developed international questionnaire with closed-ended questions was applied. As an alternative analysis, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the results. Teachers rated online teaching in physical education as relatively good. At the same time, the educational work of sports pedagogues during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced their motivation for professional activity. Sports teachers rated highly their competencies in using online technologies to conduct physical education classes. The three most significant negative consequences of online physical education and sports training for Bulgarian schools, as pointed out by sports pedagogues, are: reduced contact with students, lack of control over the quality of training and limited opportunities to monitor student progress, while the three most important advantages of online education are: possibilities of using modern technologies in practice, individual approach to students and greater student control and independence. No significant differences were found in teachers’ responses to any of the questions based on gender, age and pedagogical experience criteria.

Съдържателни, функционални и технологични особености на развиването на граждански умения за ученици от българските училища в чужбина

The article discusses issues related to developing the civic competence of students from Bulgarian schools abroad. An analysis is made of current curricula and the key competencies embedded in them. A comparative analysis of these programs with Italian normative documents related to the development of civic culture is also offered. A variety of digital learning content is being argued as an effective resource for civic skill formation.

Изучаването на мерни единици за бинарна информация – учудващо упорстващ проблем за българската образователна система

For decades SI prefixes have been used incorrectly in the IT world to define volumes of binary information. Kilo, mega, giga, etc. were widely accepted all over the world for powers of 2 instead of powers of 10. The introduction of new binary information prefixes kibi, mebi, gibi, etc. started in 1999. This change was proved difficult, because the old prefixes already gained very wide adoption in the society. Most hardware and software manufacturers refused to use the new units of measurement, probably because it was not profitable for them from marketing point of view. Some software companies even refused to start measuring correctly with the new values for the old prefixes. This problem was transferred into the Bulgarian education system, where the innovation was met with strong conservatism and even an outright reluctance of teachers to teach the new units. The article examines the problem from a pedagogical point of view and suggests some guidelines for effective teaching of the new units in the Information Technology curriculum for the Bulgarian schools.

38 помощник-учители по английски език ще преподават в български училища и университети през учебната 2022/2023 г.

This article examines the useful collaboration in the classroom between the foreign language teacher and the native speaker. With the help of the Fulbright Foundation, assistant teachers from the United States who have earned bachelor's degrees and have teaching experience are helping in Bulgarian schools and universities in English language classes.

STEM образователни практики за българския учител

In 2021, through the National program “Building a School STEM environment”, the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science financed the construction of school centers with a focus on STEM. Projects for building STEM centers in schools were financed in two categories: small (up to 50,000 BGN) and large (up to 300,000 BGN). 150 Bulgarian schools already have built or are currently building a modern base for preparing students for 21st century skills have been funded thus far. Naturally, the question for training the teachers for working in new learning environment arises, both from a technical point of view and in terms of the educational resources that are to be used. The article provides a brief overview of the digitization process of the Bulgarian schools in two directions – administrative and methodological, examines the challenges in front of the teachers when building scenarios for a STEM lesson, provides a brief overview of the materials that would be useful when teaching the content and analyzes the challenges and difficulties they face in building scenarios for a STEM lesson.

ПРОЕКТ „DIGITAL BULGARIA IN PROLOG“

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the logic programming language Prolog. In this regard, the authorsreceived an invitation from the creator of the language – Robert Kowalski, to participate in a multi-year international initiative known as „The virtual Prolog ‘School Bus’ activity“. The initiative aims to acquaint students mainly with logical programming and Artificial Intelligence through the Prolog language. The article presents an idea for a project called „Digital Bulgaria in Prolog“, which was confirmed as part of the above international initiative. Furthermore, the structure of the project and the possibilities for involving students from Bulgarian schools are discussed. The main topics of the project, such as Bulgarian cultural-historical heritage, folklore, history, geography, language, literature, etc., are also presented. Some examples demonstrating the application of logic programming to implement knowledge repositories and suitable inference engines, regardless of the subject, are presented as well.

STEM IN THE CONTEXT OF COMPETENCY-BASED APPROACH IN EDUCATION

One of the contemporary approaches in education is related to integration of knowledge from different subject areas. The current article highlights STEM competency – its essence, main components and structure, based on global research and reports from UNESCO, EC and others. Using the results from an inquiry among Bulgarian teachers, an analysis of competencies developed through STEAM, is derived, and presented. There is a growing need for the implementation of such an approach in Bulgarian schools in order to increase students’ interest toward natural sciences and math, while combining theoretical knowledge and practice in the process of development of key competencies.

Компетентностите на учителя по музика като отговорност на музикалнопедагогическото образование

The subject of this study is the professional competence of music teachers, as well as the complex relation between the musical competencies acquired in different musical disciplines during musical and pedagogical education on the one hand, and the specific manner of their complex functioning in music lessons on the other hand, considering the goals and tasks of this subject in general education. The aim of the study is to consider the necessary competencies of the music teacher for the accomplishment of practical learning outcomes, as well as to compare them with some aspects of the training in professional music pedagogy that is subject-oriented. An extensive database and regulations were surveyed, analysed, and then compared to the peculiarities of teaching as part of general education. In the course of this study, we came to the conclusion that the goal of the professionally studied music disciplines and the purpose of music education in Bulgarian schools are generally different. At school, the competencies of the teacher should not be adapted. They should function in a different way and with a different purpose. The current study proposes two models that would be effective for future teacher training. The first one suggests that, during the training of future teachers, integrativity should be intentionally demanded between the subjects studied. The second model considers the possibility of introducing elective music disciplines that would comply with the competencies set out in the training curriculum in music.