„Structures of uncertainty”

inclusive education in Central and Eastern European countries

OUR PARTNERS

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ABOUT OUR PROJECT​

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Dorota Prysak
Director of Marketing
In the project, I am responsible for developing the theoretical framework and research methodology, as well as analyzing and preparing the research results. I also manage the informational side — updating the project website and social media channels.
Kacprzak
Director of Research & Communications

The V4 countries are societies with one of the highest uncertainty avoidance rates. New, uncertain, and ambiguous situations are not accepted in such societies and are perceived only as threats and dangers. This research aims to show teachers’ „structures of uncertainty” in the V4 countries. Working in different periods of political, economic, and social transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, they experienced many changes, especially those related to the school and education system, which determined the development of their career path. This project asks questions about what, in teachers’ perception, „structures of uncertainty” occur and what defines them. What are the differences in perceiving change and adapting to it? This research aims to bring closer the conditions, tasks, and challenges facing inclusive education, the core of which should be professionally prepared teachers. This research assumes that each teacher constructs their social world, and three factors determine its shape. Firstly, situational circumstances that the teacher recognizes as determinants coming from the outside, and therefore, on the one hand, as limitations on possible actions, and on the other, as resources or stimuli that encourage taking specific actions. Secondly, each teacher has a unique biographical situation, a cumulative sum of their experiences, which determines their current goals, intentions, and situation assessment. Thirdly, each teacher has a unique “resource of everyday knowledge” they draw on when taking action. In the presented research project context, asking how a person perceives their everyday life systematically is necessary. What social events do they notice? What phenomena, situations, and events are essential to them? To what extent is this microsocial space of life saturated with uncertainty, threat, a sense of lack of stability, a constant challenge, and the need for change? Additionally, the practical dimension of the research project is to develop a model for supporting inclusive education in the V4 countries. The proposed activities will be addressed to teachers of kindergartens and primary and secondary schools from the V4 countries. Multi-faceted recommendations for inclusive education will be developed jointly by the project participants, combining and promoting social and educational practices.

PROJECT LEADER

Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach, Wydział Nauk Społeczny, Instytut Pedagogiki
University of Silesia

MEET UNIVERSITY OF SILESIA

The University of Silesia in Katowice is one of Poland’s largest and most dynamically developing public universities. Founded in 1968, the University of Silesia quickly established a reputation as a vibrant academic institution and an essential interdisciplinary research hub. With a tradition of launching new programs to meet the best needs of rapidly changing labor markets, the University of Silesia offers students a variety of programs and specialized fields of study. We are an essential player in the global research arena with outstanding research teams and well-equipped laboratories. We actively participate in European Commission initiatives focused on educational and scientific development and realize projects within the Horizon, Creative Europe, Erasmus +, Interreg, Visegrad Funds, EEA Funds, Structural Funds, etc. The University of Silesia currently runs 318 projects with various outside institutions, domestic and foreign, including business organizations. A substantial part of our research prioritizes innovation and practical applications for the economy. The internationalization of research and education is one of the priority directions of the development of the US.

The University of Silesia gives its students a unique possibility to develop their interests, fulfill their passions, and gain practical skills necessary in the constantly changing job market. In the academic year 2023/2024, we offer 86 programs and almost 205 specializations designed to help our students and alums meet the challenges of changing reality and the labor market. We also provide a stimulating learning environment where individual interests can be pursued and academic ambitions achieved. The University of Silesia serves almost 21,000 students in full-time and part-time studies. Our community also consists of nearly 1900 teachers and researchers. The University of Silesia also offers numerous doctoral degree programs (26 disciplines), allowing students to deepen their knowledge of various disciplines and provide them with opportunities to conduct exciting and innovative research projects. Internationalization is a priority for the University of Silesia. Our efforts in this regard translate into various EU-financed initiatives directed at students and academics alike. These undertakings focus on developing and upgrading our research and educational infrastructure and, simultaneously, are oriented toward advancing learning that caters directly to the region’s development. The University of Silesia in Katowice has extensive experience in cooperation with many entities on the national and international level: hundreds of cooperation agreements with foreign partners, over 2100 contracts, agreements, and letters of intent concluded with business, scientific, local government, and business environment entities. The University of Silesia in Katowice is implementing over three hundred research and educational projects.

PROJECT CAPITALIZATION

Obtained project budget: 28,950.00 EUR.

The project is co-financed by the goverments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe. The V4 countries are societies characterized by one of the highest levels of uncertainty avoidance. In such societies, new, uncertain, and ambiguous situations are not accepted and are perceived solely as threats and dangers.

The aim of this research is to reveal these „structures of uncertainty” among teachers in the V4 countries. Working through various periods of political, economic, and social transformation, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic, they experienced many changes, particularly those related to the education system, which influenced the development of their professional careers. This project seeks to answer questions such as what „structures of uncertainty” exist in the perception of teachers and what determines them? What are the differences in how change is perceived and adapted to? The research aims to shed light on the conditions, tasks, and challenges faced by inclusive education, which should be driven by professionally prepared teachers. Additionally, the practical dimension of this research project is to develop a model for supporting inclusive education in the V4 countries. The proposed actions will be directed towards teachers in kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools in the V4 countries. Multidimensional recommendations for inclusive education will be created, developed collaboratively by the project participants, combining and promoting social and educational practices.

Przewijanie do góry