The XXXVII Educational Forum “Teachers’ Experiences of Violence in Educational Institutions” took place on Wednesday 18, December 2024. The keynote speech “Experiences of Violence in Educational Institutions by Teachers and Other Educational Staff” was given by prof. dr. Romas Prakapas (Professor, Institute of Education and Social Work, MRU). During discussion such questons were considered: 1. What are the experiences of teachers and other educational staff of bullying in educational institutions?; 2. What are the sources and possibilities of help in case of violence and bullying?; 3. How to help the person experiencing violence and bullying and his/her environment?. The discussion was attended by Egidijus Milešinas (Chairman of the  Lithuanian education and science  professional union), dr. Jolanta Navickaitė (Head of the Education Department of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport), dr. Aistė Bakaitytė (Institute of Psychology, MRU, Applied Psychology Laboratory). Forum was moderated by prof. dr. Brigita Kairienė and prof. dr. Ilona Klanienė .The full recording of the forum  is available at  LERA YouTube channel:  here 

The XXXVI Education Forum “Vocational Training as a Field of Educational Research” took place on 21-11-2004. Prof. dr. V. Tūtlys (Professor, Department of Education Management and Policy, Vytautas Magnus University, Chief Researcher, Institute of Educational Research) presented a paper “Matching the demand and supply of skills in Lithuania and the recruitment of third-country nationals: prerequisites for sustainable development of employment and skills formation?”, dr. Lina Vaitkutė (Head of the Qualifications and Vocational Training Development Centre, Head of the Qualifications Formation Unit, Researcher at the Institute of Educational Research, Vytautas Magnus University) gave a presentation on the “Vocational Training Content Triggering Processes and their Problem Fields”, and dr. Albinas Kalvaitis (independent researcher) gave a presentation on the “Competences of Vocational Teachers Working in Continuing Vocational Training Programmes and the Possibility of Developing These Competences”.

Dr. Donatas Bakšys (Director of Panevėžys Vocational Training Centre), dr. Alicija Ramanauskaitė (Karaliaus Mindaugas Vocational Training Centre), assoc. prof. dr. Rita Mičiulienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Karaliaus Mindaugas Vocational Training Centre), and  dr. N. Pileičikienė (Director of the Kaliaus Mindaugas Vocational Training Centre) took part in the discussion. The forum was moderated by prof. dr. Raimonda Brunevičiūtė (Member of the Board of the Lithuanian Educational Research Association) and dr. Nora Pileičikienė (Director of Karaliaus Mindaugas Vocational Training Centre). The full recording of the forum  available at LERA Youtube Channel:  here

The Education Forum “Research-Based Practices in Primary Education Through the Eyes of Young Teachers” took place on 20-11-24. The presentation “Children’s Creativity Development Using Information and Communication Technologies in Primary School” was given by Kristina Saveljeva (scientific supervisor prof. dr. Rasa Braslauskienė, Klaipėda University). The presentation “Development of Third Grade Students’ Speaking Abilities by Analysing Visual Materials in Two Languages” was given by Guostė Streikutė (scientific supervisor prof. dr. Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė, Vytautas Magnus University). The presentation “Application of Timeline Tasks in Teaching Historical Time Understanding in Grade 3” was given by Otilija Ožalaitė (scientific supervisor:  prof. dr. Aušra Žemgulienė).

The discussion was attended by Jurgita Blažienė (Head of Education, Vilnius Gediminas City School, expert teacher of primary classes), Irma Dobrovolskienė (expert teacher of primary classes, Vilnius Medeina Primary School), dr. Rasa Kulevičienė (Senior Lecturer at Klaipėda State College), Raimonda Petkūnienė (Primary School Teacher-Expert at Vilnius Maironio Pro-Gymnasium, Master of Education), Darius Savickas (Primary School Teacher at Taškis Primary School, Head of the Kindergarten Taškis Unit, Master of Business Management in the Educational Leadership Programme), Nadia Venskuvienė (Chief Specialist at the Ministry of Education Science and Sports, Lecturer at Vilnius University, Master of Education), Linas Vilčinskas (Primary School Teacher-Methodologist at Kėdainiai Senamiesčio Pro-Gymnasium). The forum was moderated by prof. dr. Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė (Member of the LERA Board). The full recording of the forum available at LERA Youtube Channel: here.

On  the 26 of June, 2024, the XXXIV Education Forum-Discussion “What to Expect from Doctoral Studies?”  was held. The Forum-Discussion addressed the following questions:

• Why choose a PhD?
• What to expect from PhD studies?
• What are the challenges of doing a PhD?
• How to write a PhD thesis in 4 years?
• How to get a PhD?

Viktorija Voidogaitė (PhD student at VU Institute of Educational Sciences), Daiva Bartnikienė (PhD student at VMU Academy of Education), Danguolė Šakalytė (PhD student at MRU Faculty of Human and Society Studies), Brigita Miseliūnaitė (PhD student at KTU Doctor of Educational Studies) shared their experience and insights. The forum-discussion was moderated by doctoral student Vaiva Juškienė (LERA Doctoral Student Network Chair).

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On  the 23th of May  in 2024, the Education Forum “Problematic or Dialogical? STEAM. Education in Relation to the Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts” was held. In the  forum was considered the following issues: What is STEAM education and what are its main objectives? What is the current situation of STEAM education in Lithuania? What models of STEAM education do we have and how do they work? What are the challenges? What is the value of humanities, social sciences and arts in STEAM education? What is the relationship between these strands in current educational practice? What are the possible futures for education and the role of STEAM education?

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?

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

On 18 January this year, the event “Educology for Lithuania: Presentation of Doctoral Dissertations Defended in 2023” was organised by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport and  LERA. The Minister of Education, Science, and Sport Gintautas Jakštas, the Chair of the Joint Doctoral Consortium Committee of Vilnius University, Klaipėda University and Mykolas Romeris University of Education prof. dr. Lilija Duoblienė, the Chair of the Joint Doctoral Consortium Committee of Vilnius University, Klaipėda University and Mykolas Romeris University prof. dr. Lina Kaminskienė, the Chancellor of the Academy of Education of the Vytautas Magnus University, gave the welcome  speech ( video at: https://lera.lt/leta_files/2024/01/2024-01-17%20EDU_final.mp4). PhDs and post-docs who  have  defended their PhDs in 2023 shared their latest discoveries  the event programme here: https://lera.lt/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SMSM_kvietimas.pdf). The event was moderated by Agnė Liucilė Grickevičė (Adviser to the Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania), prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė (President of LERA), dr. Jolanta Navickaitė (Director of the Department of Education and Science Lithuana), prof. dr. Lina Kaminskienė (Vice-President of LERA), dr. Agnė Kudarauskienė (Deputy Minister of Lithuania), and dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė (Vice President of LERA). All the studies presented were relevant and interesting. Such a treasure trove of Educational Research only proves the usefulness of Educational Research for scientists, education policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and society.

Presentations of defended 2023 doctoral dissertations

dr. Valentinas Butanavičius’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Rasa Didžiulienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Garbauskaitė-Jakimovska’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Rasa Greenspon’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. AidaKairienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Aušra Kardašienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Natalija Kaunickienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Giorgi Kobakhidze’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Dovilė Lisauskienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Gitana Naudužienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Nerijus Pipiras’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Irena Raudienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Gabrielė Stupurienė’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Jelizaveta Tumlovskaja’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Jogaila Vaitekaitis’s presentation of dissertation 
dr. Lina Vaitkutė’s presentation of dissertation