Congratulations to the new PhD Agnė Daučianskaitė-Kubilevičienė on successfully defending her doctoral dissertation.

Congratulations to the new PhD Agnė Daučianskaitė-Kubilevičienė on the successful defence of her doctoral dissertation “Educator’s Leadership in the Educational Interaction with the Learner in the Development of Performers” (Education Sciences (S 007), supervisor – prof. dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007) and on the completion of her PhD degree in the field of Educational Sciences.

The dissertation is available at:
Vytautas Magnus University and Lithuanian National M. Mažvydas Library
The dissertation is available at:  11 Studentų St., Academy,  Kaunas district.

A brief annotation is presented below:

This study aims to illustrate and reveal the path of training a professional musician from music school to university, based on the concept of leadership in the educational process between the teacher and the learner. This dissertation research will also contribute to the development of scientific resources on professional music education at national and international level. The dissertation consists of four parts. The theoretical part analyses the general picture of artist education: it discusses the national and international context, describes the documents regulating the training of music performers, reveals the links between leadership and music education, describes the educational interaction between the teacher and the learner, and discusses the process of becoming a professional music performer. The methodology section of the research presents a hybrid methodology (bricolage), including thematic analysis and phenomenography. The philosophical paradigm of the two methodologies integrated in this thesis is identical. The philosophical basis of thematic analysis is descriptive phenomenology, which focuses on the lived experiences of the research participants (teachers, lecturers) that reveal their lived professional world (Sundler et al., 2019). The philosophical stance of phenomenography is also descriptive (interpretive) phenomenology (Marton, 1986). The methodology section of the research also introduces the sample of the empirical study, data collection, the research instrument, the methods of analysis, and informs about how research ethics were followed. The empirical part of the thesis discusses the results obtained in the study. The discussion part analyses the results of the study based on a hybrid methodology design that integrates thematic analysis and phenomenography with theoretical considerations. The thesis concludes with conclusions, recommendations and a list of references.

Dissertation Defence Council:

Chairperson – prof. dr. Asta Rauduvaitė, social sciences, education S 007, Vytautas Magnus University.
Prof. dr. Remigijus Bubnys, Social Sciences, Education S 007, Vilnius University, Šiauliai Academy;
Prof. dr. Vidmantas Tūtlys, Social Sciences, Education S 007, Vytautas Magnus University;
prof. dr. Rūta Girdzijauskienė, social sciences, education S 007, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Klaipėda University;
dr. Laura Purdy, Social Sciences, Education S 007, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom.

Education Forum “Research-Based Educational Practice in Lithuania: a Reality or a Dream?” was held.

On the 26th of March in 2024, the Education Forum “Research-Based Educational Practice in Lithuania: A Reality or a Dream?” was held. This Education Forum was dedicated to the relationship between research and practice. This time, educational theories and research were approached from the perspective of practitioners. What is the basis of educational practice in Lithuanian schools? What research-based models of education do we have? How do we work where we do not have a clear theoretical framework? When do practitioners look for researchers and researchers for practitioners? How do practitioners become researchers? How does practice change after becoming a researcher? What does it mean to be “pracademic?”. How to facilitate the translation of educational theories and research into practice?

These issues were discussed by dr. Loreta Žydelienė (historian, lecturer, researcher); Virgilijus Pupeikis (Director of the Children’s Art Studio “Diemedis” progimnasium, primary school teacher); dr. Gražina Šmitienė (chemistry teacher, associate professor at the KU Department of Pedagogy); Simona Miškinienė (deputy headmaster of Šiauliai Dubysa Aukštupio School); Vitalija Bujanauskienė (Head of the Utena Education Centre); dr. Natalija Kaunickienė (Head of Šiauliai Salduvės progimnasium); dr. Arvydas Girdzijauskas (Head of Klaipėda Vydūnas Gymnasium); prof. dr. Loreta Žadeikaitė (Chief Adviser of the Department of Studies, Science and Technology of the Ministry of Education and Science of ŠMSM). The forum was moderated by dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė (President of LETA) and assoc. prof. dr. Daiva Penkauskienė (Member of the LERA Board, Head of the Research Methodology Network). The full recording of the forum can be viewed on LERA’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFksJpDsFLs

We are kindly remind you that the Education Forum “Research-Based Education Practice in Lithuania: a Reality or a Dream?” will take place on 26-03-2024 (Tuesday) 3,00 p.m.–5.00 p.m.

XXXII EDUCATION FORUM

EDUCATION FOR LITHUANIA – RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATION

TOWARDS RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Topic

“Research-Based Educational Practice in Lithuania: Reality or Dream?”

We are  kindly invite education practitioners, education and training researchers, masters students, doctoral students, university lecturers, education and social policy makers, representatives of scientific associations and NGOs, and all those who are interested in the implications of education research for educational practice.

The XXXII Education Forum is devoted to discussing the links between research and practice. This time we will look at educational theories and research from the perspective of practitioners and discuss with practitioners what underpins educational practice in Lithuanian schools, what positive and negative examples we have, and what we need to do in order to make educational innovations have a clearer theoretical outlook.

The Forum will address the following questions. What are the research-based models of education? How do we work where we do not have a clear theoretical framework? When do practitioners look for researchers and researchers for practitioners? How do practitioners become researchers? How does practice change after becoming a researcher? What does it mean to be “pracademic”? How to facilitate the translation of educational theories and research into practice?

Scientific and Organising Committee of the XXXII Education Forum

dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė, LERA President

assoc. prof. dr. Daiva Penkauskienė, Member of the Board of LERA, Head of Research Methodology Network

Prof. dr. Loreta Žadeikaitė, Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport, Department of Studies, Science and Technology

Contact information:

[email protected], tel. +370 655 81519

Dear all,

Lets  treasure each day and lets keep the freedom we have won, let us walk firmly and unitedly on the path of a free Lithuania!

Happy 11th of March!

                                                                                                                                   LERA team

Spring 2024 “Methodological Snacks”.

We are kindly invite youto attend the Spring 2024 “Methodological Snacks” seminars.

The Institute of Educational Research (Academy of Education, Vytautas Magnus University) is continuing its activities to develop competences in research methodology and to contribute to the quality of the research it carries out through a series of seminars on research methodology – the “Methodological Snacks”.

What a strange name, you might think:). Well, the metaphor ” snacks” was chosen not by chance. It is associated with a typical image, multi-layeredness, optimal time for eating and satiety.

The “Methodological Snacks” proposed by the Educational Research Institute are:

◦ Multilayered – the workshops are versatile, as they are oriented towards diverse audiences, inviting participants from the social sciences, humanities, health sciences, and arts, who are empirically researching various phenomena;

◦ Optimal timing – the seminars are short, with a duration of four astronomical hours per seminar;

◦ High quality – the workshop facilitators are subject matter experts (scientists, PhD students) with international and national experience;

◦ Innovative – the topics of the seminars are novelties related to practical methodological steps in empirical research;

◦ Value for money – seminar leaders share their intellectual assets, which are valued with sensitivity to the multi-layered nature of the audience.

Seminars will be held in Lithuanian.

Here you will find a list of the “Methodological Snacks” with presenters, titles, dates, description of the content of the workshop, price and registration for each workshop.

List of Spring 2024 Methodological Snacks

We invite you to actively register!

Important!

Registration is done for each workshop separately.

Participants will receive a formal certificate with a formal value of 0.15 ECTS, attesting their professional development and/or training in research methodology (Masters, PhD students).

The person is registered when the registration fee is paid.

After making the transfer, please send a copy of the payment to [email protected].

Requisites for payment:

Recipient.

Recipient’s account. No. LT917044060003105370

Payment purpose: “ETI Seminars 2024, name of seminar, date of seminar”

Communication contact: [email protected]

We look forward to welcoming you on your learning journey!

Vytautas Magnus University
Information from the Educational Research Institute of Vytautas Magnus University

Congratulations to the New PhD Oksana Mačėnaitė on the Successful Defense of her Dissertation.

Congratulations to the new doctor Oksana Mačėnaitė on successfully defending her dissertation “Changes in Self-Esteem and Social Skills of Men Experiencing Exclusion” (Education Sciences (S-007)), scientific supervisor  –  prof. dr. Jūratė Požėrienė (Lithuanian University of Sport, Social Sciences, Educational Studies, S-007)), and  after obtaining the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences in Education Field.

The dissertation is available at Lithuanian University of Sport, 6 Sporto St, Kaunas.

A brief annotation of the dissertation is presented below:

 The thesis deals with themes related to male social exclusion. After the analysis of scientific literature sources and the lack of scientific research on the issues of social exclusion, self-esteem and social skills of men, a problematic question was raised – how do sports activities and social change group contribute to the increase of self-esteem and development of social skills of men experiencing social exclusion? The object of the study is the self-esteem and social skills of marginalised men. The aim of the study is to reveal the educational impact of a sports activity group and a social change group on the self-esteem and social skills of marginalised men. The objectives of the study: 1. To identify the factors that lead to men’s social exclusion, low self-esteem and lack of social skills; 2. To theoretically justify the model of development of social skills and self-esteem of excluded men, and to develop a programme of educational impact and monitoring based on it. 3. To identify and evaluate the impact of the sports activities, social skills and self-esteem development programme on the social skills and self-esteem of excluded men.

Dissertation Defence Council

Chairperson – prof. dr. Romualdas Malinauskas (Lithuanian University of Sport, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
prof. dr. Brigita Janiūnaitė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
prof. dr. Remigijus Bubnys (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
assoc. prof. Ilona Tilindienė (Lithuanian University of Sport, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
prof. habil. dr. Bartosz Molik (Josef Piłsudski Academy of Physical Education, Biala Podlaska Branch, Warsaw, Social Sciences, Sociology – S 005).

The Education Forum “Ethical Publication of Research Results – Mission (Impossible)” was held.

On the 22nd of February, 2024 the XXXI Education Forum “Ethical Publication of Research Results – Mission (Im)possible?” was held. The keynote speech “The Researcher as Author and Reviewer: What do you Need to Know?”  was given by dr. Loreta Tauginienė (Vice President of the European Network of Scientific Integrity Services, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Academic Ethics).  The discussion was attended by assoc. prof. Vaida Jurgilė (Associate Professor, Vytautas Magnus University, Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Pedagogika); assoc. prof. Irena Stonkuvienė (Associate Professor, Vilnius University, Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Acta Paedagogica Vilnensia); assoc. prof. Irena Žemaitytė (Associate Professor, Mykolas Romeris University, Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Social Welfare Research);  PhD student Jurgita Virbalė (University of Ioannina, Greece; SMK Graduate School). The forum was moderated by prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė (Vice-President of LERA) and dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė (President of LERA).

The full recording of the forum is available at LERA YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/iwbSKDp1daQ

For technical work on the LERA website.

We would like to inform you that from  22.02.2024  00 p.m. until  25.02.2024  00 p.m. technical work will be carried out on the LERA website.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

LERA Team

XXXI Educational Forum “Ethical Publication of Research Results – Mission (Im)possible?”.

 We are kindly remind you, that the XXXI Educational Forum “Ethical Publication of Research Results – Mission (Im)Possible?” will take place tommorow, 22 February, from 3.00–5.00 p.m. 
Do you know how to ethically cite Chat GPT articles and other publications? Is it possible to publish the text of a dissertation in parts in articles? Is it compulsory to acknowledge the dissertation supervisor as a co-author of articles written from the dissertation material? Is it ethical to publish articles only in foreign languages? These and similar questions will be discussed at the XXXI Education Forum, which will take place on 22 February, 3.00 -5.00 p.m. 1 via distance learning.
The keynote speech will be given by dr. Loreta Tauginienė (Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity Expert, Vice President of the European Network of Scientific Integrity Services, Member of the Advisory Board of the French Scientific Integrity Service. Ethics Management Expert (Expert/Consultant to the European Commission, Council of Europe, Member of Advisory Boards of international projects). The discussion will be attended by the editors-in-chief of three scientific journals: assoc. prof. Vaida Jurgilė (associate professor of Vytautas Magnus University, editor-in-chief of the scientific journal “Pedagogika”), assoc. prof. Irena Stonkuvienė (associate professor of Vilnius University, editor-in-chief of the scientific journal “Acta Paedagogica Vilnensia”), prof. dr. Irena Žemaitaitytė (professor of Mykolas Romeris University, editor-in-chief of the scientific journal “Social Welfare Studies”). Jurgita Virbalė (representative of the Doctoral Students’ Network, PhD student) will also participate in the forum as the “voice of doctoral students”, who will voice the questions collected from LETA doctoral students. The forum will be moderated by prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė and dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė.

We  are kindly invite education and training researchers, postgraduates, doctoral students, university lecturers, education and social policy makers, representatives of scientific associations and NGOs, and all those who are interested in publishing the results of their research to participate.

About Key-note speaker

Dr. Loreta TAUGINIENĖ. Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Academic Ethics. Research Supervisor in the PhD programme “School, Education, Society, and Culture” at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Co-author(s) and co-publisher(s) of about 40 research papers. Research interests: research ethics, scientific integrity, citizen science, university social responsibility.

Vice President of the European Network of Scientific Integrity Services. Member of the Advisory Board of the French Office of Scientific Integrity. Expert in ethics management (e.g. expert/consultant to the European Commission, Council of Europe, member of advisory boards of international projects).

L. Tauginiene’s dissertation “Social Responsibility in the Management of University Research Activities” (supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nijolė Vasiljevienė), defended in 2013 at Mykolas Romeris University, was awarded by the Baltic University Programme as one of the best in the field of Sustainable Development (honorary recognition).

Scientific and Organising Committee of the XXXI Education Forum

Head – prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė

Members:

assoc. dr. Vaida Jurgilė,
assoc. prof. dr. Irena Stonkuvienė,
dr. Loreta Tauginienė.

Contact information:

[email protected], tel. +370 686 39 529

Dialogue Lab 2024. The Prestige of the Teaching Profession 2025: Are We Getting Closer or Further Away?

We are kindly invite to  register and mark 27 March 2024 in your calendars. On that day, for the third time in Lithuania, the “Dialogue Lab 2024: The Prestige of the Teaching Profession 2025: Are We Moving Closer or Further Away?” will take place in a unique format on education policy and practice.

We bring together education practitioners (teachers, educators), education administrators (school leaders), education policy makers, academics, doctoral students and researchers for a dialogue.

The Dialogue Lab provides an opportunity to collaborate, share knowledge, raise uncomfortable questions and generate futuristic ideas. This event format creates a sense of community, energy and authorship of new thinking and identity that emerges from the discussions and contributes to the process of shaping, embedding, sustained interest and co-creation of advanced practices.

The Dialogue Lab is not a meeting with presentations only “up front”, with participants sitting passively in chairs. It is not a consultation on the documents produced, proposing amendments. The format of this year’s Dialogue Lab 2024 will surprise participants – the pace, the exchange of ideas, the generation of evidence, the modelling of good practice – such exciting collaborative and know-how-based work awaits in the activity and adoption sessions.

The Dialogue Lab is an opportunity for practitioners, administrators, policy makers and researchers to create dialogue and polylogue through the sharing of best practice evidence-based experiences and practice-based design.

From a broader perspective, the Dialogue Lab opens up a broader discussion on how the concerns under discussion can be understood and addressed in research design, education policy and practice.

REGISTRATION

https://forms.office.com/e/8LaJTy1QRX

Event programme:

Dialogue_Laboratory_2024_programme

The event is organised by the Institute of Educational Research, Academy of Education, Vytautas Magnus University.

Information from the Institute of Educational Research, Vytautas Magnus University Academy of Education.

For more information: https://svietimas.vdu.lt/renginiai/svietimo-renginys-dialogo-laboratorija-2024-mokytojo-profesijos-prestizas-2025-artejame-ar-tolstame/

11 of February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated worldwide. It highlights the importance of science and gender equality in achieving the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals. The day has been celebrated since 2015, when the United Nations adopted a resolution in the General Assembly to designate 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in order to ensure the full and equal participation of women and girls in science, to accelerate the implementation of gender equality and to increase women’s participation in science.

Dear Colleagues,

We need to have constancy and, above all, self-confidence. We must believe that we are gifted at something (Marie Curie).

LERA team

Congratulations to the new PhD Donata Lisaitė on the successful defence of her doctoral dissertation English as a Foreign Language in the Context of Integrated Subject and Foreign Language Learning: Effective Task Design for Students’ Fluency (Education Sciences (S 007), supervisors – prof. dr. Brigita Janiūnaitė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Education, S 007) and prof. dr. Tom F. H. Smiths (University of Antwerp, Belgium, Social Sciences, Education, S 007)), and obtained a doctor  degree of Social Sciences in the field  Education.

The dissertation is available at:
Kaunas University of Technology Library ( 50 Gedimino  St , Kaunas)

The dissertation is available at:
https://ktu.edu/mokslas/doktorantura/disertaciju-gynimas/

A  brief annotation of the dissertation is presented below:

Fluency is one of the most frequently expressed aspirations when learning a foreign language. Changes in the tradition of language pedagogy have led to more effective ways of teaching languages. At the end of the 20th century, task-based language teaching (TBLT) was proposed.
The main research question is: Which task design in the context of content-based instruction (CBI) is most effective for achieving fluency in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing? A quasi-experiment was conducted to test which criteria of the task as a construct are conducive to achieving writing fluency; the criteria proposed by Ellis and Shintani (2014) for defining a task were chosen as the basis for the task design. Data were collected and analysed using the keystroke logging tool Inputlog; quantitative (i.e. metadata of keystrokes made by participants) and qualitative (i.e. written texts as products) data were collected. The study included 121 participants from three study programmes. The quantitative analysis was carried out on the basis of metadata generated by the Inputlog tool. Based on descriptive statistics, similar trends were found in all the study programmes in terms of fluency as a product (i.e. text length and production rate) and fluency as a process (i.e. P-flow length, pause time). Statistical analysis revealed that the task design criterion Gap is crucial for fluency, but statistical analysis did not confirm that the task structure criterion Meaning focus is favourable for fluency.