Education System In Poland Research Articles

Between school and family environment. Tasks of a school social worker in the contemporary educational system in Poland

The school is an very important educational environment that, along with the family home, has a huge impact on the formation of the attitudes of the children and young people who attend it. It becomes especially important in situations where the family does not properly carry out its functions. Then the school environment has a chance to carry out tasks compensating at least in part for the shortcomings of the home environment. In addition to educators and teachers, an important tasks are performed by the school pedagogue, providing broad support to the student and his parents experiencing difficult situations, which are reflected in the functioning of the student in the school environment. An important support for the school pedagogue could be a school social worker, who, thanks to his/her special competence, could become a link between the school and the student's family environment, allowing to look at his school or social failures from a broader perspective. For that reason the article includes a proposal for schools to employ social workers. The assumptions of social work fit perfectly into the educational program of the school, which assumes, that the school supports the student in his comprehensive development, in the pursuit of self-development, to bring out his potential, discover his abilities and strengthen his self-esteem.

Projekt badawczo-edukacyjny „Ukrainian Teaching Materials 2022” dla wrocławskich przedszkoli i edukacji wczesnoszkolnej – prezentacja wyników badań sondażowych

Alongside the tragic consequences of the armed conflict, the Russian attack on Ukraine in 2022 resulted in an upheaval within the educational system in Poland. This situation posed challenges for Ukrainian children arriving in Poland as well as for teachers and students in educational institutions where refugee children were being admitted without restrictions. The author’s research and educational project “Ukrainian Teaching Materials 2022” for Wrocław’s pre – and early school education in 2022 aimed to support the development of language skills among refugee children in their native language and in Polish, and to support preschool and early school teachers in this endeavour by providing them with appropriately prepared methodological packages. A diagnostic survey identified teachers’ needs regarding methodological materials. At the same time, a follow-up focus group interview conducted 30–40 days later presented teachers’ reflections and experiences in teaching in linguistically and culturally diverse groups during the initial period of the war migration. The project was also aimed to raise awareness among teachers and to cultivate an open attitude towards using bilingual and Ukrainian-language materials in working with children with war migration experience. Due to the collected extensive research material, the research findings were divided into two parts: the first part presents the theoretical and methodological context of the project as well as the results of the survey. In contrast, the second part presents the results of the focus group research and discussion based on the literature review.

Factual and experiential understanding as the goals of the 21st century education

The author draws our attention to the importance and complexity of developing learners' understanding as the goal of education. Her starting point is the proposal of distinguishing two types of understanding, arising from different paradigms and highlighting different aspects of this process. She distinguishes factual understanding, which is the focus of traditional pedagogy embedded in the positivist paradigm, which comes down to the mental process of updating knowledge about objective reality, and experiential understanding, the importance of which is recognized by humanistic pedagogy, which assumes that the world available to a man is a reality of values and meanings, and the process of understanding should be considered as a feature of the human way of being, consisting in their constant interpretation. In the context of this duality of meanings of understanding, she considers the presence of factual and experiential understanding in the teleological pedagogical discourse - creating goals for the 21st century education. For this purpose, she reflects on leading international educational reports and documents regarding the education system in Poland (educational reports and provisions of legal acts), as well as recalls the classic taxonomy of goals, which is a model for practitioners in formulating educational goals. The analyzes lead to the conclusion that while at the level of setting the final goals, the importance of education in understanding the world in the sense of experiential understanding is indicated, this perspective changes at the level of intermediate and specific goals, where understanding has only material connotations.

Pregraduate and postgraduate education of laboratory diagnosticians in Poland

Laboratory medicine is an interdisciplinary knowledge that uses different scientific disciplines, such as basic science as well as biological, biomedical and clinical science. What’s more, the nomenclature in this field varies: laboratory medicine, laboratory diagnostics, in which several specializations can be distinguished. Laboratory medicine students during pregraduate education should be prepared to have a good foundation to the specialization from given laboratory field. This article describes the laboratory diagnostician education system in Poland on the pregraduate level of Master degree in laboratory medicine and postgraduate education within the specialization program. The article also presents the minimal educational requirements, graduate competencies and law regulations regarding the profession of laboratory diagnostician.

Who supported teachers during the COVID-19 lockdown? Online learning amidst a changing Polish educational system

ABSTRACT The authors wanted to analyse teachers and specialist councillors and compare their levels of stress, mental wellbeing, their occupational tasks, the assessment of the support received and the additional help that they expected whilst working online during the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 amidst the transformation of the educational system in Poland. Data were collected using a questionnaire, PSS 10, and the scale based on GHQ12 and GH30. The findings highlighted that the pandemic situation and the need to work remotely most likely increased the stress levels and thus lowered the mental wellbeing of the teachers and specialists surveyed, although the results indicate that stage III teachers may have experienced more difficulties, and specialists working in counselling fewer difficulties. The research showed the inadequacy of the support perceived by the teachers in relation to the difficulties experienced during remote work. Specialists provided support primarily to other specialists, but not to teachers.

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL HELP PROVIDED TO A CHILD IN KINDERGARTEN AND A STUDENT AT SCHOOL IN POLAND: LEGAL BASIS

The educational system in Poland assumes various forms of psychological and pedagogical support, which is provided to children with special educational needs in kindergarten and to students with disabilities at school. It is taken into account by legal acts regulating the matters of education and, at the same time, obliging all educational institutions to respect the principle of uniform pedagogical interactions, taking into account inclusive education. Psychological and pedagogical assistance provided to a student in kindergarten, school, and institution consists of recognizing and satisfying the student’s individual development and educational needs and identifying the student’s individual psychophysical abilities and environmental factors that affect his functioning in kindergarten and school.

Ukrainians in Polish schools

The objective of this paper is to provide an analysis of the integration of Ukrainian students in Polish schools. The Polish educational policies include preparatory classes, inclusion in mainstream classes, additional educational classes in Polish, early childhood education and vocational training. The paper also examines the Directives of the European Union regarding the integration of Ukrainian students. The European Commission directive measures regulate European Union countries education policies to incorporate Ukrainian students. While Poland has met most of the requirements of the European Union Directives, there also challenges in the Polish education system. Language barriers, policy gaps and the lack of available resources are examined. The paper provides several perspectives on education in relationship to the rapid migration of Ukrainian students to Poland. The war in Ukraine by Russia has changed Poland from an emigrant to an immigrant country. Poland has received the highest number of Ukrainians among the European countries since the start of the conflict by Russia on February 24th, 2022. The high percentage of children among the immigrants has particularly challenged the compulsory education system in Poland. / Keywords: inclusive education, education policy, Poland, Ukraine, European Union

Leadership Styles of Heads of School and Teachers’ Creative Behavior in a Time of Social Change

ABSTRACT The Covid-19 pandemic led to the transfer of the educational system in Poland to the online realm. This had a massive effect on the way in which lessons were taught, as well as on the communication system within the schools themselves. This study sought to understand the shift from offline teaching to online through the perspective of the leadership style of the head of the school, and what that style meant for the school’s teachers. In moving to a different delivery method, teachers were required to be creative – but not all teachers were equally creative or equally adaptable.

LEGISLATIVE PROVISION OF ADULT EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND AND UKRAINE: A COMPARATIVE ASPECT

Background. The analytical article is devoted to the problem of legislative regulation of adult education in the Republic of Poland and Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to highlight the peculiarities of the legislative provision of adult education in both countries. The key role currently played by adult education in solving modern challenges, overcoming social inequality, is characterized and the development of this educational direction as an integral component of lifelong education is highlighted. The progressive changes that have taken place recently in the field of legal regulation in Poland and Ukraine are outlined. Methods. The following methods were used in the research process: descriptive (description of the current legislation in the field of adult education in Poland and Ukraine), historical (identification of changes in the researched phenomenon that occurred over time), comparative (identification of common and distinctive features of legislative provision in both countries) and inductive (formulating generalizations based on specific observations). The scientific explorations of Polish and Ukrainian scientists in the field of andragogy and adult education are characterized. Results. Based on the results of the analysis of legislative and regulatory documents (laws, regulations, government resolutions), it was concluded that the adult education system in Poland is regulated by a set of laws, the main ones of which are the Law on the Education System and the Law on Promotion of Employment and Labor Market Institutions. Conclusions. The importance of normative and legal provision of adult education in Ukraine is substantiated, the importance of which is strengthened by the conditions caused by the military aggression of the Russian Federation. The current legislative acts regulating individual components of adult education in Ukraine have been analyzed. The content of the draft Law on Adult Education has been revealed. A comparative analysis of the current legislative provision of adult education in Poland and Ukraine was carried out, in particular, similar and distinctive features characteristic of both countries were identified. The progressive changes that have taken place recently in the field of regulatory regulation in both countries are outlined. It has been established that the development of adult education systems in Poland and Ukraine reflects the leading general European trends and at the same time has mental features unique to them. The results of understanding the content of the study can be useful for the development of relevant legislation in both countries.

Church Universities in the Higher Education System in Poland. Part 1: Universities Run by non-Catholic Churches and Religious Associations

This study is a prolegomena for reflection on the legal system of church universities in Poland. This article is the first of two parts of research on this issue. In this part, attention has been focused on, firstly, the specificity of the Polish context of the issues we are interested in, and, secondly, the universities run by non-Catholic churches and religious associations. The presented specificity is also an introduction to research, which was included in a separate text “Church Universities in the Higher Education System in Poland. Part 2: Universities Run by the Catholic Church.” The material scope of Part 1 includes analyses of legal and non-legal sources regulating the functioning of non-Catholic church universities in Poland. In addition, a systemic division of these universities has been proposed, together with their description and specification of differences in legal status.

Church Universities in the Higher Education System in Poland. Part 2: Universities Run by the Catholic Church

This study serves as prolegomena to reflection on the legal framework of church universities in Poland. This article is the second of two parts of research on this issue. This installment specifically examines universities administered by the Catholic Church. The specifics of church universities within the Polish higher education system were outlined in Part 1, “Church Universities in the Higher Education System in Poland. Part 1: Universities Run by non-Catholic Churches and Religious Associations.” Part 2 explores the legal and extralegal sources governing the operation of Catholic church universities in Poland. Additionally, it proposes a systematic categorization of these higher education institutions, providing descriptions and highlighting differences in their legal statuses. The “Summary” at the end of this text encompasses both the analyses presented in Part 1 and Part 2.

The training of educational experts in the field of education in Poland: key features and characteristics

This research initiative centers on the comprehensive exploration of the training of educational experts in Poland and its comparative analysis with other countries, primarily focusing on Ukraine. The study aims to gain insights into the state of pedagogical theory and practice surrounding educational expert training, the key concepts employed in Poland, the organizational and methodological features unique to Poland, innovative approaches and technologies utilized at the University of Warsaw, and the advantages and disadvantages of the Polish system compared to Ukraine. The research delves into the cutting-edge innovative approaches and technologies employed in Poland, particularly at the University of Warsaw, in shaping the future of educational expert training. These technologies and methodologies play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality and relevance of training programs. The article describes the main concepts of educational experts training in the field of education used in Poland and how do they compare with the concepts of other countries. Besides, comparative analysis reveals the difference between educational experts training in different educational institutions, such as the Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA), the State Accreditation Committee, and University of Warsaw. These training programs include some specific features and methods that can vary based on the institution, program level, and the evolving educational landscape. The study conducts a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the Polish system for training educational experts in comparison to Ukraine, offering valuable insights for both countries and potentially informing improvements in their respective educational systems. Keywords: Training of educational experts, Polish Accreditation Committee, Quality assurance system, Education system in Poland, Expert training programs.

Możliwości wprowadzania Mindtoyness do wczesnej edukacji. Ewaluacja z perspektywy społeczno-organizacyjnej i badawczej

The article continues the issues surrounding the Mindtoynessproject, carried out between 2019 and 2021. Its summary would not be complete if it were not accompanied by a broader, social reflection on the context in which it arose and was developed. This context consists of: the change in perceptions and cognitive processes in the digital turn, turbulent social background, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic together with the reforms of the education system in Poland. When evaluating the MT project, it is also worth pointing out the possibilities of introducing the kits at the level of early childhood education, confronting them with the current core curriculum. Other aspects of project evaluation concern the possibility of conducting research at a distance, as an unavoidable consequence of a pandemic situation and conclusions relating to the differences associated with the different cultural contexts in which the researcher and collaborating actors work.

Developing innovation competences in schools. A practical perspective

This article argues that the development of innovation competences should take a more formalised role within the national education curriculum. The authors have developed a list of eighteen competences based on literature review and consultations with experts, with empirical results from a national study commissioned by the Polish Ministry of Development. The main purpose of the study was to propose a set of measures and recommendations in regard to the national reform of the education system in Poland. Based on extensive empirical data from that study the authors propose a set of hypotheses necessary to further investigate the possible relationships between variables analysed during the study commissioned by the Ministry, which include some of the demographic characteristics of Polish teachers in regard to their attitudes towards those competences. Although this is not the first endeavour in research on education to develop such a set of competences, the added value of this particular study is the acceptance and implementation of the research findings as a national benchmark in the Polish national education system. The results are of value to both teachers and teacher educators, and we position our research as Translational Research, attempting to bridge the gap between basic research and the world of practice, which involves teachers, as well as school and system-level leaders.

Inclusion of students coming to Poland from abroad

While analyzing the teaching and attitudes of Pope Francis, we decided to devote this article to the issue of inclusion. Considering the sphere of our interests – education, broadly understood – we focused on the inclusion of students coming from abroad, in the education system in Poland. In our publication, we rely on legal regulations, the results of research and control carried out by the Supreme Audit Office in the field of education of children of foreigners and Polish citizens returning to the country, studies by researchers of the above-mentioned issues, and we discuss a case study. The conclusions are clear: there are more and more students coming from abroad into Polish schools; despite declarations, schools are not fully prepared for their admission when all responsibility for the organization of education rests with school principals and teachers. The role of pedagogical supervision in this respect is insufficient. It is worth paying special attention to practical guidelines for teachers in order to effectively implement the pedagogy of inclusion.

Specialization training of doctors in the surgical specialties in Poland

Introduction: The specialisation education system in Poland is subject to constant changes, the aim of which is to adapt it to changing needs, while ensuring the highest quality of education. The need for reform is indicated by the doctors themselves who undergo specialisation training, and who know its strengths and weaknesses best. Potential changes should be evaluated and implemented on an ongoing basis to ensure the continuous development of the specialisation education system. Moreover, the quality of education should be constantly monitored to maintain its appropriate level.
 Aim of the article: The study aims to characterize the changes taking place in the system of specialisation education in nine selected treatment areas of medicine as well as in anaesthesiology and intensive therapy in 2011-2020, with particular emphasis on quantitative changes.
 Material and methods: The material for analysis consists of data from the register of doctors undergoing specialisation training conducted by the Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education of Warsaw (CMKP) from 2011 to 2020, data provided by The Supreme Medical Chamber (NIL) and the Medical Examinations Centre (CEM) in 2011-2018. The material analysis was quantitative and was carried out with the use of Microsoft Excel.
 Results: The data analysis carried out indicates that in the analysed set of specialisations in 2011-2020:
 
 the number of doctors undergoing specialisation training has increased,
 the share of doctors undergoing specialisation training as part of residency has increased,
 the share of women in the group of doctors undergoing specialisation increased,
 the number of training places has increased,
 the number of accredited units has increased,
 the use of training places has decreased (the number of training places per specialist doctor has increased), and
 the average age of a person undergoing specialisation has decreased.
 
 Conclusions: The postgraduate education system for doctors in Poland in 2011-2020 was subject to numerous reforms and was constantly developing. Modular Specialisations have been introduced to improve accessibility and reduce the time to complete Specialisations that were formerly Detailed Specialisations. The number of doctors in in the surgical specialisations in Poland shows a growing trend.

Kandydaci na nauczycieli o edukacyjnej (nie)codzienności w czasie pandemii COVID-19. Raport z badań

During the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the system of education in Poland was obliged by ministerial regulations to implement the solutions of distance learning. The aim of the research was to learn the opinions of students – prospective teachers – about their educational usual routine during the pandemic, when distance learning, for many years treated as supplementary to traditional education, became the basic way of learning and teaching. The research interests included many dimensions of educational routine, referring both to students’ subjective/personal space (i.e., mental and physical dimension) and the external space in which they had to function (i.e., material, practical, and socio-emotional dimension). The research objective was to diagnose the existing situation and find out which elements of the educational routine considerably contribute to assessing distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic as effective. The study was carried out using a diagnostic poll. Students of early education at the Pedagogical University of Krakow were asked to complete an original anonymous online questionnaire. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the collected empirical material was used to describe the educational (un)usual routine of the participants. Based on the analysis, a statistically significant correlation was found which showed that the students’ assessment of distance learning effectiveness is determined by the following elements of educational (un)usual routine: teachers’ use of equipment and software that ensures good communication with the students, teachers’ fluent use of distance learning tools, teachers’ skills of sharing knowledge and experience with students, teachers’ skills of activating students, easy communication with teachers, teachers’ empathetic attitude, and students’ high assessment of their own digital competence. The discovered regularities can be used to formulate guidelines whose implementation may contribute to raising the quality of online university teaching.

Managing Education and Teaching Team During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Systematic Review

Circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many challenges for all entities constituting the education system in Poland. The article aims to present the specific character of managing education and the teaching team in this demanding unusual reality. Contemporary principals and managers of various levels of education, often burdened with a multitude and diversity of tasks and requirements imposed on their role and the organisation of work of the managed entity, regardless of the circumstances of management, require and expect adequate support. The article reviews current empirical research on the problem of the functioning of schools in the pandemic, including such aspects as the situation of teachers, principals, students and their parents. The results are set within the practical, day-to-day management of education, focusing on the implementation of statutory tasks and the circumstances of cooperation between the principal and the staff team (e.g., concerning communication, fulfilment of needs, conflict resolution). Reference has also been made to own empirical research dedicated to managerial talent in education and the specific character of conflict management in an educational institution.

Deploying and Maintaining Standards of New Pharmacy Services Provision in Poland-Introducing the National Pharmacist Competencies Assessment Tool: Pre-Registration Exam–Results of the Pilot Project

Despite the functioning of the Bologna Declaration, the knowledge and skills of graduates educated in different countries may differ significantly. Therefore, this article aims to present the differences in results of the final exam in pharmacy among Polish pharmacy students. This exam was modeled on the British national exam supervised by the General Pharmaceutical Council. The exam was conducted in three cities in Poland, among a total of 175 final-year students (a full sample of those eligible was 451 with 276 refusals (38.58% response rate)). Taking the exam was voluntary and anonymous. The results indicate that none of the Polish students achieved the 70% mark required to pass the Great Britain exam. Significant differences in test results were noticed between cities. Students achieved the best average exam result in Bydgoszcz (46.35%), then in Warsaw (38.81%) and Łódź (38.35%). The pharmaceutical education system in Poland requires complete changes that will prepare future pharmacists for clinical work.

Historical Transformations of the Higher Library Education System in Poland

The aim of the study is to determine the features of the cognitive and organisational components’ formation of the Polish higher library and information education model in the main historical periods of its development. The article highlights the history and current status of Poland’s higher library education system and clarifies its place within the European system of university training of library and information professionals. The research methodology is based on heuristic frameworks of systematic and historical approaches, source and comparative methods, and content analysis of bachelor’s and master’s curricula in Library Studies. The scientific novelty of the research is to prove common and different in the systems of higher library education in Poland and Ukraine, to introduce the results of the curriculum in library content and structure analysis of leading Polish universities scientifically. It is noted that Poland, before other post-Soviet European countries, has successfully implemented all the basic principles of the Bologna Process into educational practice. It helped to improve the quality of librarians’ training and their competitiveness in the European labour market. Conclusions are made on the main periods of the Polish model of the higher library education institutionalisation, with its formation being influenced by various socio-cultural, geographical and political factors. It is determined the specifics of the Bachelor, Master and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees’ training in the “Library and Information Studies” speciality in leading Polish universities, with the profiles and content of their educational programmes been characterised. The study determines the organisational features of the library and information staff’s training at different academic levels and gives characteristics to the key competencies that students acquire during their mastery. Emphasis is placed on promising for Ukraine achievements and innovations of the Polish model of training library and information specialists, which should be implemented within a single integrated programme subject area 029 “Information, Library and Archival Studies”.