Polish Education System Research Articles

Opinions of Polish postgraduate nursing students on medical humanization courses in relation to age, years of service, and nursing specialty

BackgroundThe Polish educational system for nurses has undergone a substantial transformation over the past two decades, with the introduction of a mandatory university education that encompasses humanization in medicine. Consequently, nurses who had been licensed to practice before the implementation of the reform returned to universities to pursue master’s degrees alongside their younger colleagues who had only recently obtained bachelor’s degrees. This distinctive learning environment, in which nurses of varying ages and years of practice study together, offers an opportunity to gain insight into their perspectives on the educational process. Accordingly, the present study aims to examine the opinions of Polish postgraduate nursing students at one university regarding medical humanization courses, focusing on the extent to which these opinions are shaped by age, years of service, and specialty of nursing care.MethodsFrom February to June 2023, an anonymous survey was conducted on the university’s online platform, involving 89 out of 169 participants in the master’s degree nursing program. The newly designed questionnaire comprised 15 primary questions and 11 metric questions.ResultsThe study population consisted of registered nurses with a mean age of 35 years (ranging from 22 to 54 years). The majority of participants were women (97.8%). The analysis revealed that older students (Spearman’s rho 0.480, p < 0.001) and those with more years of professional experience (Spearman’s rho 0.377, p < 0.001) perceived humanizing classes as a vital component of nurse training and work. Younger and less experienced students did not share this perspective. Specialization status was also identified as a differentiating factor (Chi² = 10.830, p < 0.05). However, other characteristics, including the number of positions held during the survey, the type of position, the primary employer, and the nature of work (shift or non-shift), did not exhibit statistically significant differentiation among participants.ConclusionsThis study found age- and work-experience-related differences in nursing students’ opinions toward courses teaching humanization in health care. The results suggest that changing the teaching format and involving older and more experienced students in sharing experiences with younger and less experienced students could potentially improve the implementation of learned skills in clinical practice.

THE PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE OF POLISH TEACHERS AS PRESERVED IN THEIR DIARIES FROM THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The article presents the conclusions formulated on the basis of a qualitative analysis of diaries submitted by Polish teachers in response to the competition conducted in the years 2020-2021 by the Institute of Social Economy of the Warsaw School of Economics. The analysis of the diaries made it possible to answer questions about the condition of not only the teachers themselves, but also, and above all, about the emerging picture of the state of the Polish education system. The difficult times and new circumstances of school functioning during the pandemic highlighted the importance and essence of the teacher profession. However, these experiences also revealed the weaknesses of the education system, forcing us to look at the extent to which teachers are able to adequately recognize the situation of their activities, to what extent they have the ability to recognize the essence of “what is good and right”, how their awareness of their socio-professional role is shaped, what importance they attach to their work and what are their abilities to overcome extraordinary difficulties.The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for education that have resulted in profound changes in the way we think about school and its environment and about the work and professional development of teachers.

Instrumentalization, program-centrism, objectification of the child as a shortcoming of Polish system of education

Instrumentalization, program-centrism, objectification of the child as a shortcoming of Polish system of education

Casual, customized and contemptuous relationships with education: Social solvation and young people's strategies during multi‐crisis

AbstractThis paper focuses on individual responses to education in crisis, with the strategies of students contextualised and examined within a wider multi‐crisis reality. Offering a conceptual framework of social solvation, the proposed model explains how failures in the education system at the macro (state) and meso (institutional) levels translate into young people's behaviours at the individual (micro) level. Based on the analysis of 26 in‐depth interviews with young students, we identify and discuss three main micro‐rational strategies that the interviewees relied upon to navigate their learning during the pandemic: (1) casualisation (2) customisation and (3) contempt towards the broader system. We argue that the already weak Polish education system was further impaired by the COVID‐19 crisis. In response to growing social and educational risks, young people forge and employ highly individualised strategies. As micro‐rational social actions essentially bypass the unwieldy education system in a variety of ways, they have vital implications for educational futures.

SPEECH DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES FOR UKRAINIAN CHILDREN IN FORCED MIGRATION: THE ROLE OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOCIAL CONTEXTS

This article explores the speech development challenges encountered by Ukrainian children in forced migration, with a focus on the influential roles of primary and secondary social contexts. The study delves into how these contexts shape early multilingualism, emphasizing the complex dynamics within the family and educational settings. In the primary society, we investigate family language policies, examining how language education strategies are implemented within families. In many cases, bilingualism arises by default due to the presence of both Ukrainian and Russian in the linguistic repertoire of parents and close relatives. This often leads to natural code-switching and a bilingual development pattern among children. Through survey data, we analyze the first language and home language usage of Ukrainian children, providing a detailed understanding of their initial linguistic environment. The study highlights how family-driven language policies contribute to the maintenance and development of both Ukrainian and Russian languages, despite the challenges posed by displacement. In addition to the primary societal influences, the article scrutinizes the impact of the Polish-speaking educational environment, representing the secondary society. The integration of Ukrainian children into Polish pre-schools introduces a new linguistic dimension, fostering the development of active trilingualism. We examine how exposure to Polish, alongside Ukrainian and Russian, influences the children’s speech development and cultural adaptation. The findings underscore the intricate relationship between home and educational environments in shaping the linguistic trajectories of Ukrainian children in forced migration. By navigating through familial bilingualism and the demands of the Polish educational system, these children develop unique multilingual capabilities.

Teacher agency in the times of crisis: a situational analysis of school environment after the 2022 Russian invasion in Ukraine

From February to May 2022, the war in Ukraine prompted Poland to accommodate 3.37 million refugees from conflict zones, in addition to 850 thousand Ukrainian economic migrants already residing in the country. A substantial proportion of these refugees, primarily mothers with children, swiftly integrated into the Polish educational system, with some children commencing schooling within a week of their arrival. This influx significantly diversified the then predominantly monolingual landscape of Polish schools. Given the uniqueness of this situation and the fact that Poland has historically remained mono-national and monolingual for decades, Polish teachers suffered from a lack of preparedness, resources and expertise to effectively navigate their teaching practices in multilingual classes. To understand the specificity of this situation, taking especially into account the perspective of educators, we have designed a qualitative study drawing on focus group and individual interview reports. We were particularly interested in determining how teachers' agency was activated in times of crisis. The findings reveal how the newly-emerging linguistic and cultural heterogeneity is perceived by teachers, how it is manifested in school and home environments, and the extent to which possibilities for synergies exist between the two. The findings also highlight the fact that, despite teachers' inexperience and unpreparedness for the new educational context, they instantly responded to the challenges that emerged. This can be exemplified by teachers' collaboration in material design as well as the willingness to participate in courses sensitizing to migrant students' needs (e.g., linguistic, educational, or emotional ones).

Ocena funkcjonalna w doświadczeniach nauczycieli w projekcie Specjalistycznych Centrów Wspierających Edukację Włączającą. Doniesienie z badań

Introduction: In June 2023, the pilot program for implementing the first Specialist Inclusive Education Support Centers into the Polish educational practice concluded. The authors conducted evaluative research within the Specialist Inclusive Education Support Centers (SIESCs) in Łódź, Poland. Research Aim: The purpose of the research aim was to evaluate the support provided to teachers in mainstream educational institutions, and the purpose of the article was to show the experience of conducting functional assessment in recognizing the diverse needs of students. Method: The research method employed was focused group interviews with teachers and school principals, along with content analysis of the opinions expressed by participants in the self-study network. Results: The research results are their selected statements, evaluating against different areas of support, the experience of using school functional assessment. Conclusions: The conclusions of the research confirm teachers’ concerns about functional assessment, perceived as a new form of educational diagnosis, but also highlight significant needs in this area arising from the inclusive approach in the Polish education system. The staff of special schools serving as SIESCs, can be instrumental in implementing the functional assessment process for inclusion purposes.

The dynamic role of the English language in contemporary Poland

AbstractSince the 2014 World Englishes report on English in Poland, the country has undergone shifts in education, politics and immigration. In this article, we summarize the key themes that have emerged in recently published research on English, including its use in everyday life, its impact on the Polish language, and its status and role in the Polish educational system, including K‐12 and higher education. We also discuss the impact of shifting national politics on the status and attitudes toward English in contemporary Polish society. In particular, we show how the growing neo‐nationalistic movement and the heated public debates on gender and sexuality play out in English language classrooms. We conclude the article with a discussion of future trends in English language use, teaching and learning.

The family as a key context for positive youth development. Legal, organizational, and psychological opportunities for integrating the family into the network of support and development of adolescents

This article presents the importance of the family as a context for adolescent development. The concept of positive youth development was presented, which emphasizes strengthening adolescents' strengths, resources and potential, as opposed to theories focusing on the deficits and difficulties of adolescence. The idea is to propose creative forms of spending free time as a way to "break away" from various risky behaviors typical of the turbulent times of adolescence. The basis is the assumption that everyone regardless of previous functioning and experience, has the potential to develop and self-realization. To achieve this, it is necessary to believe in the teenager's abilities and to be surrounded by appropriate mentors who show development paths and create a support network. Among them, teachers, trainers, educators and extended family play an important role, but the primary role can and should be played by parents. The article presents the practical use of the theory of positive youth development in the Polish educational system - both legal possibilities and limitations that require research and development of interdisciplinary cooperation.

The War in Ukraine: Challenges for the Polish Education System

The article takes a closer look at the most relevant issues related to the sudden influx of refugees from Ukraine fleeing from the war to Poland. A significant part of them, according to Polish law, is of an age that is subject to compulsory education or schooling. In view of this, in a short period of time, almost 200 thousand pupils from Ukraine were placed in the units of the Polish education system. The purpose of this article is to present the scale of the problem – statistical data on pupils who are refugees, citizens of Ukraine, the measures taken by the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Ministry of Education and Science that were necessary to meet the considerable challenges, primarily the legal regulations and financial resources allocated from the state budget to provide these measures. According to the reported data, almost 198.3 thousand children and pupils who have arrived from Ukraine since 24 February 2022 (currently more than 182 thousand) are listed in the units of the Polish education system (in pre-school education, primary and secondary schools). Children and pupils – refugees from Ukraine can be found in all 16 provinces, all across Poland, although almost 40% are concentrated in provincial cities, with the highest number in Warsaw – 17 thousand and about 8 thousand in Wrocław and Kraków each. Faced with this situation, a number of ad hoc systemic changes have been introduced and financial resources of around PLN 3 billion have been allocated from the state budget. The war in Ukraine and the exodus caused by it has become a considerable challenge for the Polish education system. Poland, despite the lack of external financial assistance (including from the European Union), opened the doors of its borders, homes and schools from the first days of this military conflict, providing the necessary support to refugees and introducing the necessary systemic changes to enable the absorption of such a large number of children and young people, in a short period of time, in the middle of the school year.

„Przemieszczone dzieciństwo” czynnikiem włączającym dzieci uchodźcze z Ukrainy w strukturalne ramy edukacyjne w Polsce

Russian aggression against Ukraine has far-reaching consequences not only for the oppressed country, but for the whole world. However, it affects refugee children from Ukraine, who are experiencing ‘displaced childhood’. Additionally, burdened by trauma, culture shock and identity destabilization, they may experience many disorders (e. g. post-traumatic stress disorder) that resonating throughout their adult lifes. In order to minimize the negative effects of ‘displaced childhood’ these individuals are being included into by inclusive children the Polish education system and theseby lives are being structured. A stabilizing role is also played by bibliotherapy taking place in the Voivodeshi and Municipal Public Library in Gorzów Wielkopolski, which is a form of desensitization for refugee children. This article also draws attention to the challenges faced by Polish educational institutions and cultural institutions in the face of the mass influx of young immigrants to Poland.

HOW TO TEACH AND BE TAUGHT? – CHALLENGES OF REMOTE EDUCATION IN THE LIGHT OF IPISS RESEARCH

When the pandemic began, the remote learning model became widespread in the Polish education system. However, it was not without its difficulties. Based on a review of the literature on the subject, the article discusses the main challenges faced by teachers and participants in remote classes at that time.The next part of the paper analyses the results of research (qualitative and quantitative) carried out by the Institute of Labour and Social Affairs later – in 2022 – in order to: identify the changes that occurred during the 2 years of the pandemic, identify the practices used in remote teaching in Poland and assess their effectiveness from the point of view of teachers and recipients of education. Based on the data obtained, conclusions were also formulated regarding the needs of implementers and recipients of distance learning programmes.

Adaptation of Children From Refugee Families in the Context of Their Experience of Stress and Trauma

Abstract The aim of the article is to theoretically consider the adaptation of refugee children in relation to the stress and trauma they experience. The adaptation of children from refugee families is not easy, as they have experienced traumatic events, and the situation of forced migration results in the occurrence of many stressors. Children coming to Poland face many difficulties that arise as a result of their experiences. Trauma, stress and its effects affect the child, who can often feel lost in a new situation. Therefore, the Polish education system creates opportunities to learn Polish and organizes psychological and pedagogical support. Working with children from refugee families is challenging, so learning about the problems that affect refugee children is crucial to help them effectively.

Education of Ukrainian children in Poland - basic information

Aim. The aim of the study was to attempt to familiarise the subject of the systemic and local solutions introduced in Poland in order to minimise problems related to the admission of Ukrainian children to educational institutions.&#x0D; Concept. The study reviewed the legal acts and recommendations of the Ombudsman concerning the education of children, mainly Ukrainian, in Polish schools.&#x0D; Results and conclusions. The inclusion of a large number of Ukrainian children in the Polish educational system required the cooperation of representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, school boards, non-governmental organisations and local authorities, as well as teachers and educators themselves. In response to the difficulties, the Polish Ombudsman recommended simplifying the process of recruiting teachers and cultural assistants from Ukraine to Polish educational institutions. International classes were created and anti-discrimination and multicultural education was implemented to integrate refugees especially during distance learning. The Ministry of Education immediately responded to all recommendations with concrete actions, including planning multicultural classrooms. In addition, alternative options were suggested, such as the establishment of new educational institutions based on the Ukrainian system and the provision of remote education as an alternative to enrolling students directly in preparatory or mainstream classes. The importance of developing information in Ukrainian and Russian, such as enrolment details and electronic diary information (recommendations of the Polish Ombudsman), was also highlighted (RPO-rekomendacje (2022).&#x0D; Cognitive value. The work makes it possible to become familiar with the wide range of activities undertaken for the admission of children, mainly Ukrainian, to Polish educational institutions. It provides an opportunity to identify the problem of adjusting the Polish educational system to the reception of a large number of refugees in a short period of time.

Teksty historyków rzymskich na lektoracie języka łacińskiego we współczesnej szkole wyższej i w dawnym polskim szkolnictwie – zarys historyczny i wybrane zagadnienia dydaktyczne

Texts of Roman Historians on the Latin Language Course at a Modern University and in the Former Polish Educational System – Historical Outline and Selected Didactic Issues In this article the author focusses on two problems: these are a reception of Roman historical texts in the former Polish educational system and methods that can be used while working with students on translation and analysis of Roman historical texts in Latin classes at a modern university. In the first part of the paper, in a short outline the author presents which texts of Roman historians were read and how they were worked on in Polish schools from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. In the second part of the article the author deals with selected didactic issues, which are often focused on during Latin classes nowadays. The author discusses here her own didactic experiences and presents some methods of working on reading, translation and analysis of Latin historical texts that can be used to make teaching and learning interesting and inspiring for both a lecturer and student.

Strategies of teachers towards Muslim students in Polish schools

Due to over 40 years of seclusion behind the iron curtain (until 1989) and the myth of a single ethnicity, single religion nation, the Polish education system lacks exposure to a multireligious classroom environment. With EU accession in 2004, the situation is gradually changing. Although higher education facilities provide teachers with comprehensive training in this matter, the actual first-hand experience is rare and new. In this paper, we used an exploratory study, based on qualitative data collected in autumn 2022, using an interpretative approach, to identify and describe strategies for the best practices of teachers when working with Muslim students in a Polish classroom. The empirical data was derived from 37 interviews with teachers (25) and with Muslim students (12) covering 5 voivodeships. We aim to provide a valuable source of information for professionals on how to create an inclusive classroom environment. The exploratory study is part of a larger research project that received funding from the EU, titled EMPATHY: Challenging discourse about Islam and Muslims in Poland, [101049389 CERV-2021-EQUAL]. In effect, we identified 2 predominant strategies of teachers for engagement with Muslim students and several best practice examples on how to overcome obstacles to classroom inclusion.

Ewolucja egzaminu maturalnego z języków obcych na przestrzeni sześciu dekad

Matura is an important high-stakes examination present in the Polish education system since the late 18th century. It is taken on completion of high school and is compulsory for those who want to apply for higher education. As a result of an examination reform, in 2005 the exam took on a new form. Since then it has been a professional, external, standardised assessment used for the analysis of school and student performance, and – most importantly – in lieu of university entrance exams.&#x0D; The article looks at the evolution of the foreign language component of the Matura exam over the last six decades: from an internal test prepared by local authorities and by schools, assessed arbitrarily by the test-takers’ teachers, to a professional examination prepared by expert institutions in compliance with quality standards and assessed by trained markers according to elaborate grading criteria. The paper follows the changes occurring in the assessment starting from 1960 up to 2023, when another examination reform brought about new modifications in the foreign language exam.

Are Polish Kindergartens Ready for The Outdoors? The State of (Im)maturity of the Polish Educational System and its Selected Members for Outdoor Education

As human beings, we are moving dramatically away from nature, which results in negative consequences for both mental and physical health. Highly developed countries see a special need to restore contact with nature as early as possible (Simonienko 2021, 74). Are Polish kindergartens also ready to provide children with education in nature? This article aims to describe the regulations of the educational law related to outdoor education in Polish kindergartens and to present the offer of educating teachers of early childhood education in the field of outdoor education at universities in Poland. Outdoor education is a term that does not have a clear equivalent in Polish. Depending on the translation and understanding, we can attribute different origins and meanings to it. The article presents terminological inaccuracies regarding outdoor education in Poland. The functioning of the education system is based on the activities performed by teachers, working both with the students and (indirectly) with parents. The last part of the text presents a description of selected attitudes of parents and children attending a forest kindergarten towards outdoor education.

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.

A child/student with a severe intellectual disability in the Polish education system(with particular emphasis on inclusive education)

The article describes the issue of the rights of every human being, with particular emphasison the rights of people with disabilities, including the right to education in principle.On the basis of the analysis of the rights of people with disabilities, the situation of inequalitiesin access to education for children, adolescents, people with a deep intellectualdisability, who until now do not have the status of a student in Poland, but only the statusof a pupil, participant in the so-called rehabilitation and educational classes. This inequalityby the educational authorities is generally justified by the specificity of the developmentand psychophysical and psychosocial functioning of these people and the lack of theso-called core curriculum. In view of the above, an attempt was made to present possibleactivities for the education of children and adolescents with a deep intellectual disabilityin the status of a student, focusing not so much on the field of special education, but onthe field of inclusive education.