SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS

Project activity is a faculty priority, among other things because it is an important condition for gaining accreditation and the subsequent development of study programmes delivered by the faculty. At the UWB and FE there exists a well-structured system for internal project support (such as SGS, SVK, GRAK or BAMAPE), in the framework of which dozens of small projects are taking place every year. Below we focus on some of the most important projects by external suppliers which have been carried out in recent years and brought results of both national and international relevance.  

Didactics A – Humans and Nature (2017-2019) This comprehensive project, financed by the European social fund and state budget of the Czech Republic, dealt systematically with the issue of essential areas in the primary school curriculum in biology, chemistry, physics and geography. A significant role was played by active teachers. The outcome of the project consisted in more than ten professional articles and five monographs (one general in nature, the others for each individual subject) describing the research and at the same time offering practical suggestions for solving essential issues in the relevant areas. Further information, including the outcomes of the project, is available here 

A child with epilepsy in the school environment: development of an appropriate structural model (2016-2018): This junior project of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic carried out a unique piece of research focused on the school life of children with epilepsy and the influence this has on various factors relating to the children themselves, as well as their parents, classmates and teachers. The outcome of the project was a monograph entitled Dítě s epilepsií, which, in addition to a general summary of the given issue (including a structural model which can be of use in subsequent efforts at improving the quality of life of children with epilepsy), also contains a number of practical recommendations for parents and teachers of children with epilepsy. 

Didactic application of the regional history of Pilsen and the Pilsen region (2013-2016): was the most significant project of applied research at the FPE in recent years. The project was carried out in the framework of the Programme for supporting applied research into national and cultural identity (NAKI), financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. A number of faculty departments were involved in the programme (history, geography, German, IT) and its primary benefit consisted in establishing an integrated methodology for teaching regional history, including among other things, an interactive map of immovable monuments in the Pilsen region, an interactive textbook on the history of Pilsen and the Pilsen region, plus other materials used in teaching history and other subjects. Further information is available here.   

Common European Framework of Reference in Visual Literacy (CEFR_VL, 2014 –2016):European thematic network of the pedagogy of art – code: 538568-LLP-1-2013-1-DE-COMENIUS. In the framework of the European project Comenius a proposal was created within the European framework of reference in visual literacy. Specialists from the Department of Arts and Culture at the FE were one of the partners from six European countries who participated in the creation of a European curriculum for art. The outcome of the project was an extensive monograph. 

Support of art education for equal opportunities (2017-2020)from the operational programme of the Czech Ministry of Education “Research, Development and Education” (MŠMT, CZ.02.3.62/0.0/0.0/16_037/0004850). 

Current teaching practice at art schools shows teachers’ lack of awareness of methods for working with children with special educational needs. Similarly, there is clear lack of awareness of educators of specific teaching methods in relation to such pupils when teaching art subjects at primary and secondary schools. There is no comprehensive approach in this area. The problem of methodological competence of teachers is directly connected with the insufficient openness of art schools to accepting pupils and students with SEN for study. The project dealt with methodological and didactic materials for individual and group work in collaboration with teachers of arts subjects. 

Further information on the faculty’s project activity is available on the project centre webpage (CS only)