Congratulations to dr. Jurgitas Tuitaitė after successfully defending her doctoral thesis ”Professional Identity Formation in Medical Students Patient and Doctoral Educational Interaction Applying Narrative Medicine” (scientific supervisor – prof. Dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007), and after acquiring doctoral degree in social sciences(educology).

The dissertation is available at the National Libraries of Vytautas Magnus University, Klaipėda University, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius University, and Martnas Mazvydas library.

The dissertation is available at: 11 Studentų Str.  Academy, Kaunas district.

The brief summary is presented below.

The aim of the dissertation research is to reveal the formation of the professional identity of medical students through the educational interaction of patients and medical students. Patients with epilepsy were purposefully selected as the research participants, as epileptic seizures are usually not seen during meetings with physicians, but only described by the patient and therefore require physician’s capability to reflect.
The methodology of the grounded theory was chosen to analyse the data of the empirical research. Grounded theory is an inductive method by which a theory is constructed from the obtained qualitative data (Glaser, Strauss, 1967). According to Charmaz, the paradigm of social construction was applied in the formation of the constructivist underlying theory. According to Berger and Luckmann (1966), the constructivist theory of social reality defines “knowledge” and “reality,” where “knowledge” is interpreted as certainty and “reality” as a property of phenomena.
The results of the research allow us to assume about the inclusion of narrative medicine (reflection) in the training of future doctors and about the dynamic formation of the medical students’ professional identity that is constantly moving vertically and horizontally and is used in order to become a professional doctor. The underlying theory of “Opening up” reveals the importance of educating the future physician’s ability to reflect in shaping their professional identity and the limitations of the institutional environment in shaping the professional identity.

Dissertation was prepared at Vytautas Magnus University in 2017–2021. The right of doctoral studies was granted to Vytautas Magnus University jointly with Klaipėda University, Mykolas Romeris University and Vilnius University, on 22 February 2019, by the decision No. V–160 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Scientific Supervisor:
Prof. habil. dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education Sciences, S007).

Dissertation Defence Council
Chairman:
Prof. dr. Remigijus Bubnys (Vilniaus University Šiauliai academy, Social Sciences, Education Sciences, S007).
Members:
Assoc.prof. dr. Eglė Stasiūnaitienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education Sciences, S007).
Assoc.prof. dr. Ilona Tandzegolskienė Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education Sciences, S007).
Prof. dr. Darius Leskauskas (Lithuanian University of Health sciences, Health sciences, Medicine, M 001).
Assoc.prof. dr. Tomas Butvilas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education Sciences, S007).

Congratulations to dr. Renatas Kondratavičienė after successfully defending her doctoral dissertation
Primary School Students’ Critical and Creative Thinking Skills in Mathematics and Their Devekopment Through Virtual Learning Enviroments  (Vytautas Magnus University, social sciences, educology, S 007), and a doctorate in social sciences.
The dissertation is available at the libraries of Vytautas Magnus University, Klaipeda University, Mykolas Romeris University, and Vilnius University.
The dissertation is available at: 11 Studentų Str,  Academy, Kaunas district.

The brief summary is presented below.

For the first time in Lithuania, the doctoral dissertation examines the 4th grade students’ critical and creative thinking skills in mathematics and their development through virtual learning environments. Doctoral dissertation extracted answers to the following problematic questions: what are the components of critical and creative thinking skills in mathematics? What are the pedagogical strategies for developing critical and creative thinking skills through teaching mathematics? How to assess the impact of using the tools of virtual learning environments in developing students’ critical and creative thinking skills?
The doctoral dissertation distinguishes five categories of critical and creative thinking skills, enabling to assess the 4th grade students’ skills to analyse, synthesize and draw conclusions, evaluate, study, and generate ideas, formulate questions, and search for solutions. An empirical research instrument to measure critical and creative thinking skills has been developed and justified. A diagram of critical and creative thinking skills, tools for virtual learning environments and components of the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) developed by the author is presented. The latter was tested practically during the quasi-experiment in the virtual learning environment Moodle developed by the author of the learning course.
The findings of the dissertation study suggest that the results in critical and creative thinking skills development can be achieved by applying 5E stages in virtual learning environments tools, engaging students with a mathematical problem, involving research, mathematical concepts interpretation, deepening and self-assessment activities.

The dissertation was prepared at Vytautas Magnus University in 2016–2021. The right of doctoral studies was granted to Vytautas Magnus University jointly with Klaipėda University, Mykolas Romeris University and Vilnius University, on 22 February 2019, by the decision No. V-160 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Scientific supervisor
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Viktorija Sičiūnienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education S 007).

Council of defence of the doctoral dissertation:
Chair
Prof. Dr. Habil. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education S 007).

Members:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Violeta Jegelavičienė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education S 007).
Prof. Dr. Erno Lehtinen (Turku University (Finland), Social Sciences, Education S007).
Prof. Dr. Romas Prakapas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education S 007).
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aušra Rutkienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education S 007).

The Education Forum “Revealed the Reality of Education and Practical Solutions for the Future” took place on 30^th of December.  The  dissertations in the field of education (007 S) defended in 2021 were presented at this forum and discussions were held on the topics of the prepared dissertations. Over 50 participants attended. The introductory speech was given by prof. habil. dr. Vilija Targamadze (Deputy Chairman of the Education and Science Committee of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania), prof. habil. dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė (Chairwoman of the Joint Doctoral Committee for Education of Vytautas Magnus, Mykolas Romeris, Vilnius and Klaipėda Universities), prof. dr. Romualdas Malinauskas (Chairman of the Joint Lithuanian Doctoral Committee for Sports, Kaunas Technology and Vilnius University Education), doc. Salomėja Vanagienė (Chairwoman of the Lithuanian Young Scientists’ Union). During the forum, dissertations were presented by new doctors of education – those who defended their doctoral dissertations in 2021: dr. Lina Bairašauskienė, dr. Sandrita Škėrienė, dr. Renata Kondratavičienė, dr. Vilius Šadauskas, dr. Ilona Gedminienė, dr. Skaistė Kovienė, dr. Agnė Diana Liubertaitė. New doctors’ supervisors  participants of the discusions participated in the forum.  The conclusion was given by prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė (President of the Lithuanian Educational Research Association). prof. dr. Loreta Žadeikaitė (Chief Adviser of the Department of Studies, Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Science and Sports). You can view the full forum post on your Youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln3cziQcnJI