Warsaw University Research Articles

Special educational needs – self-reported beliefs about knowledge, skills and attitudes of future foreign language teachers before and after a summer school

The study involved students of the Faculty of Modern Languages at the University of Warsaw (FML UW), who attended a course within a summer school (SL) on special educational needs in language education. The study aimed to observe the changes in participants’ knowledge and skills in the area of special educational needs (SEN), as well as their attitudes towards teaching students with dyslexia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and on the autism spectrum. The second aim of the study was to check the participants’ satisfaction with the SL organization with the view of continuing this initiative at FML UW. Data were collected using a pre- and post-questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions and post-SL interviews. Data were presented using descriptive and interferential statistics. Interviews were transcribed and coded thematically in the scope of the research questions. Findings showed that SL was a successful initiative. The participants gained knowledge and skills at a significant level (p < 0.05). The participants believed that teaching students with SEN was challenging but they remained uncertain whether working with students with SEN was stressful. The participants reported a significantly more satisfactory attitude after the SL. Pedagogical implications of the findings are discussed considering the agency and well-being of language teachers.

Students’ view of Quantum Information Technologies, part 3

The article is part of a course on Quantum Information Technologies QIT conducted at the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology of the Warsaw University of Technology. The subject includes a publishing workshop exercised by engineering students. How do ICT engineers see QIT from their point of view? How can they implement quantum technologies in their future work? M.Sc. students usually have strictly declared topics for their master’s theses. The implementation of some works is at an advanced stage. The potential areas of application of QIT are defined and narrow if they are to intellectually expand the area of the completed theses. This is the idea of incorporating QIT components or interfaces into classic ICT solutions at the software and hardware level. It is possible to propose a solution in the form of a functional hybrid system. QIT systems should be functionally incorporated into the existing ICT environment, generating measurable added value. Such a task is quite demanding, but practice shows that it interests students. Solutions don’t have to be mature or even feasible. They can be dreams of young engineers. The exercise is a publication workshop related to the fast development of QIT. The article is a continuation of publication exercises conducted with previous groups of students participating in QIT lectures.

Evaluation of the soft tissue facial profile in different skeletal malocclusions in relation to age

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to assess the thickness of the soft tissue facial profile (STFP) in relation to the skeletal malocclusion, age and gender.MethodsAll patients, aged 7–35 years, who were seeking orthodontic treatment at the Department of Orthodontics, Medical University of Warsaw between 2019 and 22 were included in the study. All patients had lateral head radiographs taken before the treatment. The cephalometric analysis was performed including the STFP analysis. The patients were allocated to one of six groups based on age and skeletal relations (ANB angle). The minimum number of patients in each group was 60 with equal gender distribution. The STFP analysis included ten linear measurements.ResultsA total of 300 patients were included in the study and allocated to five groups. Group 6 (growing patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion) was not included in the study as it failed to achieve the assumed group size. There were significant differences in the thickness of the STFP in relation to the skeletal malocclusions. Adults with skeletal Class III malocclusion had significantly thicker subnasal soft tissues compared to patients with skeletal Class I and Class II malocclusions. The thickness of the lower lip in patients with Class II skeletal malocclusion was significantly bigger compared to the other groups. Children and adolescents with Class II malocclusions had thicker lower lip in comparison to the group with Class I malocclusion. The majority of the STFP measurements were significantly smaller in children and adolescents compared to adults. The thickness of the STFP in males was significantly bigger in all age groups compared to females.ConclusionsThe thickness of facial soft tissues depends on the patient’s age and gender. The degree of compensation of the skeletal malocclusion in the STFP may be a decisive factor during orthodontic treatment planning regarding a surgical approach or a camouflage treatment of skeletal defects.

Women in Analytic Philosophy: Past and Present, University of Warsaw, February 12–14, 2024

Women in Analytic Philosophy: Past and Present, University of Warsaw, February 12–14, 2024

Aleksander Dubiński (1924–2002), on the 20th anniversary of his death

The aim of the article is to present the profile and professional path of Aleksander Dubiński (1924–2002) on the twentieth anniversary of his death. A long-time researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw and a student tutor, he was interested in many aspects of turcological knowledge, with a particular emphasis on research on the culture of the Karaim minority and Lithuanian-Polish Tatars. The article also discusses the Oriental book collection and periodicals left by Aleksander Dubiński.

Inflammasome activation dynamics within the first 24 hours in patients treated with PCI for myocardial infarction is influenced by the age of patients, preliminary report

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Presented study was financially supported by the Mini-student Grant for medical students of Medical University of Warsaw, No 24/M/MG/N/21 and Grant for Young Researchers of The Medical University of Warsaw, No 2W6/1/M/MBS/N/21. Background Until today, majority of data on the possible role of inflammasome activation in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients comes from preclinical studies. Purpose We aimed to determine the dynamics of the expression profile of selected inflammasome genes and inflammasome related factors by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients in the acute phase of ACS. Methods In the study group the blood samples for RT-PCR were collected 3 times: at the beginning of the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ACS, 3h, and 24h after PCI. The study group samples were compared with blood collected from 10 patients with no significant coronary lesions identified during coronary angiography. The relative expression of evaluated genes was analyzed in relation to the β-actin gene in relation to the expression in 0-hour sample using the ΔΔCT method. Based on the literature, we defined a significant change in gene expression at a fold change of 1.5. Results For this preliminary study the population of 19 patients aged 64±13and 84% presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Expression of evaluated genes at 3h and 24h relative to 0h sample is presented in picture 1. Gene expression did not differ significantly between the study and control group except for NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 6 (NLRP6) (at 3h post-PCI: ΔΔCT=2.5425 vs 0.0005; p=0.002, 24h post-PCI: ΔΔCT=2.1794 vs 0.0005; p=0.009). However, we observed significant upregulation in samples taken at 3h post-PCI relative to 0h level for AIM2 [fold change relative to 0h 1.52 (0.63; 4.67)], IL-1β [2.81 (1.59; 5.93)], IL-18 [2.07 (0.59; 10.14)] and at 24 h for AIM2 [1.90 (0.78; 2.52)], IL-1β [5.16 (2.23; 13.32)] and IL-18 [2.20 (0.59; 5.96)] in the younger subgroup of patients (≤the median age of the study population which was equal 66 years old). We performed a comparison of younger (≤66) vs. older (>66) patients at 3h and 24h post-PCI and observed significantly higher relative gene expression in the younger subgroup compared to the older subgroup of patients at 3h in case of IL-1β (p=0.03), and at 24h in case of NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 1(NLRP1)(p=0.016), AIM2 (p=0.04), NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 12(NRLP12)(p=0.06), IL-1 (p=0.04), and IL-18 (p=0.03) – the exact fold change values are presented in Table 1. Conclusion NLRP6 is significantly upregulated in ACS patients compared to control subjects in the first 24h post-PCI. We also observed significant dynamics in NLRP3 inflammasome related factors, including IL-1β, IL-18, in the first 24h post-PCI for MI. Also, the activation of the inflammasome genes (NLRP1, NLRP12) and inflammasome effectors may present different dynamics dependent on the age of the patients, and it might be helpful in careful selection of the timepoint for the future administration of inflammasome dedicated inhibitors.Relative genes expressionFold change in gene expression

Poland's first vascular access team 3-year analysis: Insights and learnings.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Poland saw a surge in interest in midline catheters (MCs) and Long Peripheral Catheters (LPCs) for intravenous therapy. Before this, MCs were not extensively utilised in the country, and there was no formally established Polish vascular access team. MCs, which have been used for years in many countries, are now becoming increasingly common in Poland. This study aimed to analyse the use of MCs in a 3-year perspective of their introduction in daily clinical practice based on a nurse-led Vascular Access Team (VAT). The records of adult patients who received intravenous therapy with 727 MCs and 293 LPCs from January 2021 to December 2023 at the University Clinical Centre of the Medical University of Warsaw were analysed. The main indication for cannulation was expected intravenous therapy over 5 days (81.66%, n = 833), of which 71.37% (n = 728) of patients in this group had concomitant difficult intravenous access (DIVA). Over 6 years, centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs) inserted due to DIVA were reduced from n = 108 in 2017 to n = 18 in 2023. The end of intravenous therapy was the reason for the removal of 64.6% of catheters (n = 659), including death and switch to CICCs as well. Complications leading to premature removal accounted for 31.2%, such as: occlusion (14.6%), patient self-removal (7.1%) and thrombosis (3.43%). The introduction of MCs as a possible option for peripheral venous access reduces the use of CVCs. Developing MCs programmes should be based on investing in staff competencies, which increases success rates. The nurses and physicians should be trained in infusion care to achieve better results in the use of MCs and LPCs. Increasing the competence of nurses in Poland is necessary for the implementation of full-service and top-level functioning of VAT.

Foreign students at school in the opinions of students of preschool and early school education

The article presents selected results of a study on the perception of the presence of a foreign student at school. It was conducted among preschool and early school pedagogy students at two universities - the Academy of Special Education and the Faculty of Pedagogy of the University of Warsaw. The presented results refer to the needs, benefits and challenges that, in the opinion of the respondents, are associated with the presence of students from other countries at school. As research has shown, respondents are aware of the needs related to the presence of a foreign student at school, and they consider it to be the most important for them to master the Polish language. Respondents associated the presence of a foreign student with increasing the chances of learning or growing tolerance for others. In the context of challenges related to the presence of a foreign student in the school space, the respondents hardly noticed the high probability of their occurrence. Among the most likely ones, they indicated those having an organisational rather than ideological basis.

Ecologically Friendly Building Materials: A Case Study of Clay–Ash Composites for the Efficient Management of Fly Ash from the Thermal Conversion of Sewage Sludge

The European Union’s initiative to reduce carbon dioxide emissions has paved the way for the exploration of innovative building materials that are environmentally friendly and meet all requirements of durability and strength. These criteria can be met by combining natural resources used in the production of building materials with waste materials that would otherwise be landfilled, having a negative impact on the environment. This study focuses on such materials and presents the results of recent research conducted at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. The aim was to develop a new generation of materials fully compliant with the principles of the circular economy and sustainable development. Simultaneously, these materials should have no adverse effects on human health and be strong enough to carry the required loads. This study proposes the combination of a natural raw material—in the form of clay—with fly ash from the incineration of sewage sludge to produce a new generation of materials. Several samples were prepared using fly ash from two sources and then were fired at 950 °C. The resulting composites underwent physico-chemical and strength tests. These tests not only confirmed the high strength and durability of the obtained product but also the neutralization of the heavy metals originally present in the fly ash.

Freediving in Antiquity: Some notes on the interdisciplinary workshop ‘The Ocean Below’ held at the University of Warsaw (December 7th 2023)

Freediving in Antiquity: Some notes on the interdisciplinary workshop ‘The Ocean Below’ held at the University of Warsaw (December 7th 2023)

A Blended Approach to Inquiry-Based Learning Using the Example of the Interdisciplinary Course of BIM in Spatial Management Studies: A Perspective of Students and Professor

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is one of the most effective teaching methods to follow the trend of constructivism. Its main premise is the dominant role of the cognitively activated student, who, like the researcher, has the opportunity to pose questions, test hypotheses and solve problems by using a wide range of tools and techniques. The output of the IBL method is usually a presentation or a piece of work. In the experiment carried out, the IBL method was used during the interdisciplinary course “Building Information Modelling (BIM)”, taught at the master’s degree programme majoring in spatial management at the Warsaw University of Technology. The aim of the class was to solve a specific problem and develop a scientific and technical manuscript, which at the same time could form the basis of a scientific publication. The class was first experimentally implemented with a mixed-methods approach based mainly on IBL. Students were introduced to IBL techniques and tools as part of a project exercise, then were presented with problem and research topics. Participants in the classes chose an issue from those presented or created a topic of interest themselves. Peer learning, Montessori silent lessons or supervision were used during the implementation of the activities. Students were not assessed digitally, but their activity was marked in the form of pluses (+) and the focus was on providing quick and complete feedback (always individually to the individual or group). The class concluded with a self-assessment and a research questionnaire, which concluded that an authoritative teaching process was a far better choice than an authoritarian or liberal process.

The philosophy of Stanislaw Lem through the eyes of Professor Okolovsky. Review of the book “Stanislaw Lem and reason. Philosophical studies"

The article is a review of the publication: Okolovsky P. Stanislav Lem and reason. Philosophical studies. Minsk: Galiafi, 2022. 224 p. The author is a professor at the University of Warsaw, researching the philosophical legacy of Stanislaw Lem. The book is a collection of essays and interviews that reveal Lem's vision of resolving ontological, epistemological and axiological questions. The Russian-speaking reader is offered an analysis of the philosophy of the mature Lem: it is little known and does not fit into the canonical approaches expressing the history of philosophy of the 20th century. This publication makes a significant contribution to Lemology, allowing one to get an idea of the principles and approaches of Lem as a philosopher, and to look at his philosophical heritage against the background of the ancient classics.

Aplikacje mobilne w akademickiej dydaktyce językowej na przykładzie wykorzystania platformy Duolingo w nauczaniu języka rosyjskiego

In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in interest in the use of mobile technologies in education, especially in language teaching. In the context of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), mobile applications offer unique features such as personalization, interactivity, and access to online resources, promoting individual language learning processes and supporting traditional teaching methods. This article focuses on the analysis of the effectiveness of the Duolingo application in teaching Russian at the University of Warsaw. The study was conducted in the summer semester of 2021/2022 with a group of 78 students. The results confirmed the positive impact of Duolingo on student engagement and the efficiency of material assimilation, while emphasizing the need for technical and educational support for the full use of the application. Study participants were keen on using Duolingo, particularly appreciating the reading lessons, although exercises aimed at developing speaking and writing skills were perceived as less effective. The conclusions of the study indicate the need for further research on the application of Duolingo in foreign language teaching and the analysis of its materials in the context of glottodidactics.

Poczucie własnej skuteczności studentów w rozwijaniu sprawności pisania w języku obcym

Self-efficacy is a well-known and researched concept originating from the social-cognitive theory of Albert Bandura (1977, 1997). However, it still seems to be able to promote interesting reflections that are important for language education in higher education, both in teacher and learner activities. According to a number of studies learners acquire important skills and attitudes that are linked to a high degree of self-efficacy: they are highly motivated to learn, set ambitious goals for themselves, and are more persistent and committed to learning than those with a low degree of self-efficacy. The text analyses the results of a quantitative-qualitative study conducted among students participating in foreign language classes at the University of Warsaw. The collected data is analysed with the aim of answering the following research questions: What is the level of self-efficacy in written expression in a foreign language at B2-C2 levels? How do the students perceive the teacher-lecturer’s actions to strengthen their sense of self-efficacy? Do they see strengthening their involvement in written expression as a key element of self-efficacy? In addition, we are also interested in their opinion towards the possibilities of Chat GPT in this regard. The results are used to propose some teaching activities that will enhance students’ self-efficacy in written expression at B2-C2 levels as an important motivational factor which may result in a sense of agency.

Promowanie różnorodności językowej i kulturowej w kształceniu nauczycieli języków obcych – dobre praktyki i skuteczne rozwiązania

The aim of the article is to present good practices and effective solutions adopted in the plurilingual and multicultural education, integrated language didactics and virtual exchange courses at the Centre for Foreign Language Teacher Training and European Education of the University of Warsaw. During classes students become familiar with pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures, language didactics for tertiary education, and different aspects of intercultural communication. The classes help the students to develop plurilingual and intercultural competence, including the skill of linguistic and intercultural mediation. The students also learn how to plan and organize project work and how to promote linguistic and cultural diversity during a foreign language lesson at school. The article discusses methods and tools used during these classes and gives examples of tasks carried out by the students. These are, among others, an intercultural project, which consists in carrying out and recording interviews with foreigners living in Poland and integrated didactic tasks, during which students learn to notice and analyse relations between languages. The integrated didactic tasks concentrate on relations between the students’ mother tongue, the first foreign language (English) and additional languages which, in the case of the students of the Centre and their future learners, are German and French. The article also shows the way in which a tool for comparing national cultures (available at hofstede-insights.com), related to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, can be used. The examples of tools and tasks presented in the article are intended to show how to effectively promote cultural and linguistic diversity and how to help the students, who are future teachers of foreign languages develop plurilingual and intercultural competences.

INFLUENCE OF ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOLS ON THE AMOUNT OF SOLAR ENERGY REACHING THE EARTH’S SURFACE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF WARSAW

The efficiency of photovoltaic installations depends on a number of factors. Aerosols cansignificantly influence the available resources of solar energy and thus the effectiveness of solarpanel performance. The work was an attempt to assess the influence of atmospheric aerosols onthe transmission of solar radiation in a selected region of Warsaw. The results of measurementsof specific meteorological elements and the concentration of contaminants come from themeteorological station of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in the years 2014-2019. Theanalysis of correlation and the MLP model path were used to carry out the analysis. The obtainedresults and relationships show that there is an influence of air contaminant concentrations onthe intensity of solar radiation and insolation. High variability of the given parameters was alsorevealed, depending on the range of horizontal visibility as well as relative air humidity. The valueof the correlation coefficient r=0.80 and comparison of the intensity of measured and predictedsolar radiation of the analysed parameters make it possible to claim that the developed MLP modelfacilitates good prediction of the intensity of solar radiation based on the implemented inputdata. The analysis of the sensitivity of the model revealed that the air temperature has the greatestinfluence on the value of solar radiation intensity, and as far as air contaminants are concerned, theconcentration of particulate matter PM10 has a greatest influence on lowering its value.

“Canada Is Where You Belong. Poland Is The Past”: Images of Polish History and Culture in Heather Kirk’s Warsaw Spring

Polish characters appear in both mainstream Canadian books and children’s literature, but they usually function as either side characters or antagonists. The fiction of Heather Kirk is a noteworthy exception. This Canadian writer, who spent two years in Warsaw in the late 1970s working as a lecturer at the University of Warsaw, devoted her first two young adult problem novels, Warsaw Spring (2001) and A Drop of Rain (2004), to Polish Canadians and Polish history and culture. The article argues that in Warsaw Spring Kirk shows that the teenage protagonist has to experience the history and culture of the country of her ancestors before she can incorporate it into her own transcultural repository of memory. The article demonstrates how the experience of traveling to Poland and meeting with the representatives of the older generations, often survivors of the Second World War and communism, influences the formation of the protagonist’s Polish Canadian identity and cultural memory. Finally, the article shows that despite Kirk’s praiseworthy attempts to introduce young readers to Polish history, the way she portrays Poland is problematic because the country emerges as an exotic, post-Second World War heritage site of memory for Eva, a Canadian teenager whom all of the novel’s Poles seem to treat as superior.

Józef Rotblat – zapomniany noblista

Józef Rotblat was born in 1908 inWarsaw, and in 1938 he received a PhDin physics fromthe Faculty ofMathematics and Natural Sciences of the University ofWarsaw. From 1939 he worked at the University of Liverpool, and in 1944 at the Los Alamos laboratory. In 1946 he became a British citizen and from 1949 he was a professor of physics at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London.He was a signatory of the Einstein-RusselManifesto in 1955 and co-founder of the Pugwash Conference on Science andWorld Problems. In the years 1957-1973 he was the Secretary General of Pugwash, and in the years 1988-1997 its President. In 1995, they received the Nobel Peace Prize jointly: Pugwash (50%) and Józef Rotblat (50%). He died in London in 2005.

Professor of physics at three Imperial Universities of Russia B.V. Stankevich: milestones of scientific biography and stages of teaching activity

The article considers the main stages of the scientific and pedagogical activity of one of the students of the great Russian physicist A.G. Stoletov – Professor Boris Vyacheslavovich Stankevich (1860–1924), who taught at three Imperial universities of Russia during his long-term teaching career. A set of little-known facts about his biography are reported. The research work of B.V. Stankevich at the Imperial Warsaw University is briefly described, indicating the main scientific works he prepared. He is characterized as a talented theoretical physicist and talked about his scientific work in the fields of geophysics and observational astronomy. The pedagogical activity of B.V. Stankevich at three Imperial Universities – in Warsaw, Novorossiysk and Moscow – is described in more detail. Particular attention is paid to his service at Moscow University in 1911–1917, since until now this question has been poorly covered in historical and pedagogical research. The state of physics education at Moscow University in those years is studied, including the structure of the experimental physics lecture course that was given at that time, the staffing of the educational process, and the general situation at the university’s physics department. An assessment is made of B.V. Stankevich’s contribution to the development of physics teaching at the Imperial Moscow University in the crisis pre-revolutionary period.

The Oldest Bryophyte Herbarium Specimens from Central Europe, Collected by M. E. Boretius in 1717: Taxonomy, Nomenclature, Datation and Ethnopharmacology

The WA Herbarium at the University of Warsaw houses a collection of plants created in 1717 by Matthew Ernest Boretius. They were gathered in former East Prussia, near Angerburg, now Węgorzewo (Poland). It is the oldest plant collection from this part of Europe. Boretius compiled the herbarium as a collection of all the surrounding plants, but their folk names (Polish and German) recorded in the herbarium confirm the ethnobiological or ethnopharmaceutical importance of some species. We identified bryophyte species and checked the accuracy of their original identifications recorded in the herbarium. We provided their Latin (scientific, pre-Linnaean) nomenclature together with German and Polish vernacular names. We contextualised this information within the history of the medicinal use of bryophytes around 1717, when the plant collection was created. We also investigated whether the specimens could have come from Northeastern Poland. Mosses and liverworts from the herbarium were identified nomenclaturally (by means of their original scientific polynomial names written on herbarium sheets) and taxonomically. The herbarium holds two species and one subspecies of liverwort and 27 species and one variety of moss. The accuracy of the original identifications was assessed, with a particular focus on the species considered medicinal at the time. We found that bryophytes were poorly known in the time of Boretius, which was the last period in bryology before the introduction of magnifying devices into this science (this crucial step was made by Dillenius in 1741). The vernacular names used in the herbarium were recorded for Marchantia polymorpha and Polytrichum commune—the only two species with confirmed medicinal use by the year 1717.