Czech Students Research Articles

How Czech students perceive action and time in their mother tongue: A case study

Based on 207 questionnaires that investigated how undergraduate students of Czech Philology perceive action and time, it was found that their understanding of these terms varies. Students’ interpretation was influenced not only by the knowledge they had and the language rules they applied, but also by their intuition and natural language perception, which inherently complement the process. We concluded that more attention should be paid to deverbal adjectives because their recognition proved to be particularly challenging.

A problemática do consumo de bebidas alcoólicas na comunidade estudantil universitária Angolana e Checa

This article presents us with one of the most pressing problems facing our society, excessive drinking. It aims to analyze the problem of alcohol consumption among university students, Angolan and Czech students participated in the sample. To achieve our purpose, we resorted to a descriptive-cross-sectional study, using questionnaires with 20 questions on a sample of 100 Angolan and Czech university students. The results show that Czech students are the ones who consume alcohol most frequently, the ones who consume it earlier, on the other hand, Angolan students showed to be the most socially influenced to consume alcohol, the ones with greater abstinence within the family. The Czechs use alcohol to improve their mood and good mood, while the Angolans enjoy the pleasant taste. It was concluded that, in both groups, there are only attitudinal and not behavioral differences, suggesting the need for preventive efforts.

Path analysis reveals cross-country differences between Czech and Chinese university students in effect of internet and smartphone addiction, mental health, and personality traits on academic achievement in the post-pandemic era

Despite extensive evidence on the impact of various mental health issues including smartphone/internet addiction, and personality traits on academic achievement, little is known about the complex interactions between multiple of these factors simultaneously, as well as cross-country differences in these nuanced relationships. In particular, understanding the role of the mentioned addictions has become increasingly important in recent years in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this cross-country study was to investigate, using path analysis, the complex relationships between mental health determinants (depression, anxiety, stress, resilience, and smartphone/internet addiction) and academic achievement in 1785 Czech and Chinese university students using an online battery of psychological tests. The results confirmed the previously described effect of multiple factors (anxiety, stress, resilience, smartphone/internet addiction, personality traits, and sex, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness) on academic achievement, overlapping in most cases for both groups of students. At the same time, however, different country-dependent patterns of interactions emerged. For the Czech students, the variables formed a complex network of interacting factors, whereas for the Chinese students, the effect of each cluster of factors was separate for individual domains of academic achievement. These cross-country differences have implications particularly for planning and targeting the most effective interventions to promote and develop academic achievement.

A comparison of psychosomatic symptoms and coping strategies of 14‐ to 19‐year‐old Czech students with and without specific learning disabilities in stressful circumstances

AbstractThe study focused on comparing the prevalence and type of psychosomatic symptoms in Czech students aged 14 to 19 years (N = 459) without and with specific learning disabilities (SpLDs), as well as their tendencies towards selected coping strategies. No statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence and type of psychosomatic symptoms between students without SpLDs (n = 366) and those with SpLDs (N = 93). The most common psychosomatic symptoms reported by both groups under stress were abdominal pain (61%; N = 459), extreme fatigue (60%; N = 459), tremor (56%; N = 459) and headache (53%; N = 459), with the frequency of occurrence ranging from sometimes to very often. There were no differences observed in the use of negative and positive coping strategies during stressful situations, except for alcohol use, which was more prevalent among students without SpLDs (p = 0.024). Correlations were found between anxiety, withdrawal and crying, and the six most frequent psychosomatic symptoms. Furthermore, students with SpLDs more frequently reported attempting to eliminate the cause of the problem (80%; N = 93) and searching for different solutions (80%; N = 93). Therefore, the study's findings suggest that SpLDs do not present a higher risk for increased psychosomatic symptoms or a preference for negative coping strategies.

Hedges and boosters in L2 (Czech) Master's theses and published research articles: A contrastive analysis

AbstractThis article studies the use of lexical hedges and boosters in English‐medium Master's theses by L2 (Czech) graduates in English language and literature programmes. Drawing on the metadiscourse framework and adopting a corpus‐based approach, the study analyses the frequency, realisations, and function of hedges and boosters in a corpus of 48 Master's theses in linguistics, literature, and education. The results are also compared to a reference corpus representing L1 English published academic discourse in the same disciplines. The analysis shows that the Master's theses of Czech students use fewer hedges and slightly more boosters than L1 expert writers and thus display a somewhat less cautious stance. The results also indicate that Czech graduates show a strong preference for content‐oriented hedges and emphatics as boosters. This suggests that the rhetorical choices of Czech graduates bear features of learner discourse and may be affected by the merging of L1 and L2 academic conventions and the power relations between the student‐writer and the examiners inherent to the Master's thesis. Based on these findings, the article draws some implications for L2 writing pedagogy.

THE INFLUENCE OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON THE INTEREST OF CZECH AND FINNISH STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY

Extracurricular learning plays a key role in shaping students' interest in (not only) biology. The research examined which extracurricular areas related to biology can make biology more attractive for the participating Finnish and Czech students. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 178 Finnish and 195 Czech 9th-grade lower-secondary school students. Cronbach's alpha, Varimax rotation and Mann–Whitney U-test were performed. Factor analysis identified 7 areas: Family trips, My career, Biology lessons, Healthy lifestyle, Institutions, Nature-related hobbies, and Information sources. For Czech, hobbies related to nature and family trips are significant contributors to fostering interest in biology, and an informal educational environment is crucial for cultivating a lasting relationship with biology. For Finns, biology classes and career orientation have a more significant influence on students, demonstrating the effectiveness of formal educational strategies in increasing students' interest in biology. Increasing interest in biology among the students observed in both sociocultural environments is significantly influenced by family involvement and the use of information sources. Further research should explore how specific ECA can support the connection between family and school environments and their impact on students' interest and engagement in biology lessons. Keywords: extracurricular activities, interest in biology, lower secondary school students, questionnaire

Students' Knowledge about HIV and their attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS in the Czech Republic: analysis of the school environment and recommendations for prevention.

The main objective of the questionnaire survey conducted by the National Institute of Public Health in Prague was to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes and to identify changes since the previous survey in 2015. A secondary objective was to gather more detailed information on how HIV/AIDS topics are taught in schools, as reported by school prevention coordinators. The questionnaire was distributed to 48 randomly selected educational institutions and the humanitarian organization MRIYA UA z.s. between October 2022 and January 2023. Data on 21 questions focusing on HIV/AIDS issues were collected anonymously from Czech and Ukrainian students. The survey included a representative sample of students from the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades in primary schools and multi-year grammar schools. Each institution received a questionnaire for the prevention coordinator, who answered 12 questions. A total of 3,011 students completed the questionnaire. The average score for HIV/AIDS knowledge was 13.5 points out of a maximum of 22 points. Students' knowledge gradually increased with higher grades: students from multi-year grammar schools scored an average of 15.9 points, while primary school students scored an average of 13.2 points. Czech students scored an average of 13.6 points, whereas Ukrainian students scored an average of 12.4 points; the 1.2-point difference was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Compared to the 2015 survey, there was a slight overall decline in adolescents' knowledge levels. Students' attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS positively correlated with their knowledge about HIV/AIDS: the better their knowledge, the more favourable their attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS. Students' main sources of information about HIV/AIDS were school (37.1%) and the Internet (36.6%). According to school prevention coordinators, 95.7% of the surveyed schools address the topic of HIV/AIDS, most commonly in biology or health education classes, dedicating an average of 8.7 instructional hours to the subject. The most frequent teaching method is video lessons, used by 87.2% of the surveyed schools. Schools expressed a preference for improving the quality of education by utilizing presentations with professionally approved content, with 74.5% of schools supporting this option. The survey highlighted a gradual increase in HIV/AIDS knowledge with advancing school grades, a significant disparity in knowledge between Czech and Ukrainian students, and a slight overall decline in knowledge compared to 2015. The Internet and schools were the main information sources, though the role of schools declined significantly. It also underscored the need for enhanced educational programmes and continuous professional development for educators to improve health literacy and HIV/AIDS prevention among adolescents.

Ukrainian Pupils in Czech Schools and History Lessons – Teaching Materials, Knowledge, Testing and Assessment

The study presents the results of a questionnaire survey on the involvement of Ukrainian students (who arrived as a result of the war conflict) in the teaching of history at Czech elementary schools. It is part of a broader research, and this study focuses on the results related to the availability of teaching materials, the knowledge of Ukrainian students, their testing, and evaluation. The results indicate that in the spring of 2023, teachers did not agree on the state of availability of history teaching materials for Ukrainian students. If anything was lacking, it was most commonly worksheets and textbooks. They also often lack assistants for Ukrainian students. An interesting aspect is the effort of Czech teachers to incorporate Ukrainian history into Czech history education. Most respondents cannot assess the historical knowledge of Czech and Ukrainian students. Those who compare them mostly state that the knowledge of Ukrainian students is inferior, citing the different thematic placement of history classes in Ukraine as the main cause. It is positive that Czech teachers generally observe improvements in the history skills of Ukrainian students. They attribute this improvement primarily to the enhancement of their language skills. In the case of testing Ukrainian students in history, teachers most often choose a combination of written and oral exams, usually in the Czech language. Ukrainian students can frequently use an online translator, especially during written tests. Only a minority of Ukrainian students have an assistant available. During the research period (spring 2023), they were mostly tested on a reduced curriculum. Evaluation is usually done using grades, but a common approach is a combined form where the evaluation is supplemented with verbal feedback. Ukrainian students are generally assessed less strictly than Czech students. The results are compared and contextualized with the findings of other research.

Acoustic and Articulatory Visual Feedback in Classroom L2 Vowel Remediation.

This paper presents L2 vowel remediation in a classroom setting via two real-time visual feedback methods: articulatory ultrasound tongue imaging, which shows tongue shape and position, and a newly developed acoustic formant analyzer, which visualizes a point correlating with the combined effect of tongue position and lip rounding in a vowel quadrilateral. Ten Czech students of the Swedish language participated in the study. Swedish vowel production is difficult for Czech speakers since the languages differ significantly in their vowel systems. The students selected the vowel targets on their own and practiced in two classroom groups, with six students receiving two ultrasound training lessons, followed by one acoustic, and four students receiving two acoustic lessons, followed by one ultrasound. Audio data were collected pre-training, after the two sessions employing the first visual feedback method, and at post-training, allowing measuring Euclidean distance among selected groups of vowels and observing the direction of change within the vowel quadrilateral as a result of practice. Perception tests were performed before and after training, revealing that most learners perceived selected vowels correctly already before the practice. The study showed that both feedback methods can be successfully applied to L2 classroom learning, and both lead to the improvement in the pronunciation of the selected vowels, as well as the Swedish vowel set as a whole. However, ultrasound tongue imaging seems to have an advantage as it resulted in a greater number of improved targets.

„Z” generation in research with Polish and Czech students. A selected comparative analysis in building and understanding relationships.

The main object of the theoretical narrative and research conclusions of the article are selected components of characteristics representative of Generation Z. The project Love in the Era of the Self , published in 2019, made it possible to select analyses of relationship scripts representing young people studying in universities from Poland and the Czech Republic. The main research objective was to ask what patterns of partner relationships are preferred and practised by young people studying in the neighbouring countries and what differentiates them?This allowed for several conclusions regarding the socio-cultural changes within the activities of today's youth and the perceived dangers of penetrating digital contact scripts, strongly codified by interfaces. This may exclude empathy in the future and generate an existential emptiness that will be satisfied by urges, reinforce self-criticism, and reduce well-being in relationships. This presents a new field of challenges for educators.

Evaluating secondary school students’ science literacy with the Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS)

As solutions to today’s global challenges, such as climate change and environmental protection, will increasingly depend on technological and scientific innovation, it is essential for Generation Z to gain a solid foundation in science. The Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS) was used to assess the level of science literacy of students. This paper presents the results of the TOSLS testing of students aged 16-19 in several grammar schools in the Czech Republic in 2023 and compares them with the results of the TOSLS testing of students in the Slovak Republic in 2015. We found that Czech students in their final year of high school performed statistically significantly better on the TOSLS test in approximately two thirds of the items than Slovak students. For both groups of students, we observed good results in skills focused on evaluating scientific information, reading and interpreting graphical representations of data, and solving problems using quantitative skills, including basic statistical skills. On the contrary, the students had difficulty with skills related to understanding the elements of research design and their impact on scientific findings and understanding and interpreting basic statistical data.

The sense of security in the face of the war in Ukraine. Comparative study of Poland and the Czech Republic

The article examines the impact of the war in Ukraine on the sense of security among university students in Poland and the Czech Republic, comparing their perceptions and susceptibility to disinformation. The study reveals that while the majority of students in both countries feel safe, a significant portion experienced increased fear immediately after the war began. The research highlights the differences in attitudes toward the European Union's and national governments' actions, with Czech students generally more positive. Additionally, the study finds a concerning level of belief in conspiracy theories related to the war, especially among Polish students. The article emphasizes the need for further research to understand the interplay between disinformation, security perceptions, and political attitudes in these countries.

Vaste combinaties van werkwoorden met voorzetsels in het Nederlands en het Tsjechisch

This paper describes the results of a pilot contrastive study that focused on the differences and similarities between Dutch combinations of verbs with fixed prepositions and their Czech equivalents. Since the use of the correct prepositions in the combinations with verbs belongs to the typical learning problem of Czech students of Dutch as a foreign language, the results of the research can help clarify the causes of these difficulties. The pilot study showed that the majority of Dutch constructions have an equivalent construction with a fixed preposition in Czech. Only more than a tenth of the Czech equivalents do not contain a preposition. However, the bigger issue for students may be the fact that one Dutch preposition can correspond to several Czech prepositions and that some Dutch verbs are combined with various fixed prepositions.

Success Rate of Czech Students’ Performances in Language Memory Test

Abstract This article, originating from the Faculty of Education at the University of Hradec Králové, investigates auditory linguistic memory and attitudes toward foreign language learning among Czech primary and lower-secondary school students. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design featuring recordings of 10 different languages, the study aimed to measure the efficacy of auditory memory in language recognition and gauge student attitudes. While a generally positive disposition toward learning foreign languages was observed, the data did not support the hypothesis that prior music education enhances language recognition abilities. The findings suggest a nuanced relationship between musical training and language learning, opening up new considerations for educational strategies in foreign language instruction.

Analysing gender gaps in foreign language proficiency self-assessment in comparison to test performance among Czech students: the role of foreign language teachers and class grades

ABSTRACT Gender gaps in students’ foreign language proficiency self-assessment can negatively impact their educational careers and position in the labour market. We investigated how female and male students self-assess their English as a foreign language (EFL) proficiency in comparison to their EFL test scores. We further examined the potential differential effect of EFL class-related factors – having a teacher from abroad who is perceived as an English L1 teacher (PEL1T) and an excellent grade in EFL class – on females’ and males’ EFL proficiency self-assessment. Data were collected from 1,399 Czech lower secondary students, who were asked to assess their EFL proficiency on a 7-point rating scale ranging from None to Expert. Our results show that when comparing self-assessment of a female and a male with the same test score, the female would, on average, select a lower self-assessment value than the male. Also, having a PEL1T and having an excellent grade in EFL class are significantly positively associated with higher EFL proficiency self-assessment. However, these positive effects are smaller for females compared to males.

Writer-reader interaction in L2 learner academic discourse: Reader engagement in Czech students’ Master’s theses

Writer-reader interaction in L2 learner academic discourse: Reader engagement in Czech students’ Master’s theses

TVOŘIVOST A JEJÍ VNÍMÁNÍ STUDENTY V CZ/USA SPOLEČNÉM VÝTVARNÉM SEMINÁŘI: VÝZKUMNÁ STUDIE ZALOŽENÁ NA UMĚNÍ

Creativity is one of the most emphasized competencies in education. Despite the consensus on its importance, the concept of creativity is understood differently in various cultures. This study presents selected aspects of research on the perception of creativity among Czech and American art students in a joint online class. The project was realized by Art Based Research (ABR) method during the winter semester 2022/23 at KVKTT PdF, UHK, with 11 Czech students and 10 American students of Bc. studies. The project findings show different evaluations of creativity, self-efficacy, and creativity of artworks between the two groups. They make visible the formative influence of cultural context and education on creativity, even within the art discipline. The chosen method demonstrates the possibilities of action research, which, through the process, enables the participants' knowledge to be shaped through active participation. The mutual confrontation or overlapping of different concepts of creativity thus offers inspiration for teaching creative disciplines.

Wireless microphones for students who are deaf and hard of hearing: Czech teachers' perspective

AbstractWireless remote microphones (WRM) are used as secondary assistive listening devices for students with hearing aids or cochlear implants to limit the negative effects of noise and distance for understanding speech. WRM technology is not yet widespread in the Czech Republic. The aim of this study was to use teachers' perspectives to compare the benefit of WRM in different situations and settings for students who are DHH. A final sample consisted of 36 teachers who had experience with and without WRM with their particular student. Bayesian statistical methods were used to analyse the data. When using a WRM, teachers reported better overall student responses, greater engagement of the students in the classroom, better management of multiple instructions and a reduction of the students' need to ask questions and the confusion of similar‐sounding words. The WRM technology might help to mitigate the effects of hearing loss and advance equal opportunities in education. The use of these technologies should thus be more supported among Czech students, their caregivers and teachers.

International Comparison of Higher Education Representatives’ and Students’ Attitudes Towards Feedback Learning

The study was conceptualized as a pilot to establish a methodology for comprehensive research with respect to the impact of the proposed learning design on learning outcomes. The aim of the paper is to find out how representatives of higher education institutions and master's students in engineering studies in the Czech Republic and in the countries of Belgium, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Poland perceive the absence of feedback learning aspects by monitoring the progress of learning. There are many findings on the learning process documented in the literature, but less available are studies of a perceptual nature that identify differences in the attitudes of students and university representatives. The differences between Czech students and International Business Week (IBW) students studying in the Czech Republic and the differences between students and higher education institutions in and outside the Czech Republic are analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The strongest absence of the aspects examined by the researchers was found among students from the IBW program studying at Czech higher education institutions. Czech students are the least lacking in these aspects. From the perspective of higher education institutions, partner schools from other countries perceive the absence of the examined aspects in teaching less than higher education institutions from the Czech Republic. The study has theoretical implications for the scientific field, as it has laid the conceptual basis for further research. The study has practical implications for the way higher education teaching is conducted.

Students’ perception of bioeconomy as an important factor in communicating and further development of the bioeconomy in Slovakia and the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the issues of bioeconomy perception of students at forestry faculties in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Bioeconomy is seen as a great window of opportunities, hence there is increased demand for bioeconomy education. This paper can help answer this demand and improve the curricula of universities providing bioeconomy-related education. The survey was conducted at the Technical University in Zvolen and the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague among 367 students. The results show that 70% of students have heard about bioeconomy, while this number is significantly higher amongst Slovak students. Considering bioeconomy awareness, we identified significant differences between different study programmes. The main information source about the bioeconomy issues turns out to be university courses followed by news. Czech students turned out to be less satisfied with bioeconomy involvement in curricula, and who also find it necessary to increase bioeconomy focus within their study curriculum. Our results show that targeted communication of bioeconomy is a key factor for general acceptance of bioeconomy and its further development among students and the general public. The results obtained can be used to increase the extent to which bioeconomy is being addressed in study programmes within the analysed universities.