Collective Music Making – Challenges and Perspectives

Over the past decade professionally oriented music education in Latvia has undergone a series of reforms, which significantly affects the collective musical place and role. Aim of the present study: explore the theoretical basis and the further development of collective musical promotion. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in several stages. Originally analyzed scientific literature and training programs for Latvian cultural institutions to develop a theoretical basis 1 - 4th grade professional orientation of Instrument program content creation. Researched were study programs in Latvian universities, which acquired music pedagogy. The next stage of the research were interviewed employers, music teachers and students - future music teachers and, based on the survey results, the creation of new qualifications and new courses in a number of higher education programs. Conclusions: 1. Involving learners in the collective musical process, they are provided (ensured) the ability to comprehensively develop the musical, both in general and also the movement of psychophysiological abilities. 2. Collective musical process develops the essential skills such as socialization, cooperation partners and listening skills. 3. Learners are formed as a personality by acting in musical collective, they develop different skills. 4. Students learning motivation creation and promotion is very important. Musical collective process involved not only contributes to motivation, but creates opportunities for self-realization, without which one can not become filled and self-contained.

Conceptualizing Success And Performance for Adult Learners: Merging the Contexts of Adult Education and Professional Training

This article examines the concepts of learning performance and learning success within the context of adult learners. The focus is on how these concepts have been defined in the literature, as they are anchored in different didactic theories and how they can effectively be applied to learning contexts with adults. Due to the divergent approaches and definitions in the literature, this article compares, categorizes and merges the literature, providing an overview and recommendations for practice. The overview refers to a critical examination of constructivism based approaches compared to other didactic learning theories such as cognitivism or behaviorism. Adult education presents itself as a dynamic area that can develop progressively, in both the professional and educational environments. Nowadays, it is important to be able to collect and use information quickly. This makes it possible to gain an advantage and deal with problems or questions in more focused ways. One must deal with increasing demands and a higher number of competitors not only in professional life. A synthesis of the literature can be presented by examining the terms of learning performance and learning success in different approaches, regarding implementations, definitions, historical developments as well as continuative and connected concepts, tendencies or point of views.

Children’s Books as Pedagogical Tools to Minimize Latrophobia

Latrophobia, defined as the morbid and irrational fear of doctors or hospitals, makes medical or hospital visits extremely challenging for those who suffer from it. For many people, the cause of Latrophobia or its milder forms, including dislike and anxiety, is often rooted in childhood. Therefore, a large number of children's books deal with and illustrate the topic of a “doctor’s visit”, in order to reduce the anxiety through pedagogical methods combined in the narrative. The aim of the study is to investigate the extent to which selected children's books highlight latrophobia and try to reduce it by educational means. One focus is an analysis and an evaluation of the individual works combined with a comparison of the different methods of individual books. The main aim is to prove that children’s books can have the capability to reduce latrophobia. Materials and methods. The research examines 10 international children’s books dealing with doctor (dental) visits. A field test covering 63 children (21 with potential latrophobia) provides information for pedagogical values within these books. Furthermore, a subjective assessment combined with the ongoing survey filters (un)valuable methods and approaches. Results. More than half of the 21 children showed improved results concerning their feeling of being afraid before and after reading the book(s). Nevertheless, the assessment of the books showed that there are strong differences concerning the approach of “anxiety”. The methods used in the stories to reduce anxiety are numerous, debatable (in terms of success), and even frightening (from the perspective of child readers). The pictures and the atmosphere of the story can be pointed out as major factors for pedagogically valuable content. Conclusions. Although a major part of the examined books leveraged to reduce latrophobia, there are also some books which showed no or even worse effect. Due to the depicted representations of anxiety in the books, a counterproductive effect cannot be ruled out. Children's books, which should have a pedagogically positive effect of latrophobia minimization, must be compulsorily examined in advance by parents.

What is Developing Integrated or Interdisciplinary or Multidisciplinary or Transdisciplinary Education in School?

Interdisciplinarity is a vital topicality in contemporary education and science. In general education of Latvia, the concept ‘integrated learning’ is traditionally used. The question is, if interdisciplinary teaching/learning differs from conventional approaches, or it means something completely new in terms of study content organisation and a pupil’s self-regulated learning. In order to find it out, the article analyses the concept of interdisciplinary teaching/learning in comparison with the integrated learning and identifies their common and distinctive features.

Self-Assessment of Physical Activity and Health Capacity of Students

The compulsory part of the individual life is physical activity. The physical activity is important for maintenance health capacity. Physical activity includes various kinds of components: physical activity during the leisure time (during the week days and weekend days), physical activity at home and in working place and physical activity during the transference from home to other place. Intensity of the physical activity could also be various from low to moderate and till high. Respondent of study groups were partly time students from Riga Medical College (RMC), n = 41, and from Riga Teacher Training and Education Management Academy (RTTEMA), n = 37. Respondents were students of both genders aged from 19 years till 53 years. We have provided the assessment of the principal anthropometric characteristics (height and body mass) as well the anthropometric indices (body mass index (BMI)) and physical activity level questionnaire for students. Analysis of the data of physical activity questionnaire revealed that the average physical activity for students from RMC corresponded to low level of physical activity. The respondents from RRTEMA have moderate level of physical activity.

The Adult Learner: Self-Determined, Self-Regulated, and Reflective

This article refers to the increasing importance of lifelong learning due to changes in the structure of work and society. Learners, teachers and companies need to understand how successful adult learning can look like, which factors of influence exist, and which models are to be applied. As the current academic discussion shows, the area of self-determined and self-regulated learning is becoming increasingly important. Another relevant success factor in this context is the competency to reflect. This article deals with the question of how the three recognized success factors can be linked with each other and brought into line with adult learning. Based on literature review and the author's experience as an adult educator, this article discusses the importance of self-determination, self-regulation and reflection for the successful learning of adults, and highlights the connections between these three influencing factors. The discussion begins with the elaboration of the peculiarities of adult learning in the context of lifelong learning. The three identified influencing factors - self-determination, self-regulation and reflection - are then examined in more detail. These three factors and their influence on adult learning are presented and explained in a basic model. The associated implications for the application in teaching-learning process provide indications for the successful design of learning processes as well as an outlook for future research questions.

Cognitive Analysis of 9 to 11-Year-Old Children With Intellectual Development Disorders

Cognitive development significantly influences efficiency and results of child’s understanding and comprehension of the world. Attention and cognition play a significant role to ensure academic achievement and success. Attention is essential for purposeful planning of action and systematic work. Attention is necessary to follow the study material and for physical survival in everyday life. Cognition is significant in decision making and evaluating possible outcomes, being especially important in children with cognitive development disorders. The aim of the present study was to find out the peculiarities of the cognitive processes in 9 to 11-year-old children with cognitive development disorders. Previous literature suggests that children with intellectual development disorders are at increased risk of general cognitive disorders. To test this assumption and establish cognitive abilities in children with intellectual development disorders, the following subtests of the Vienna Test System (VTS) were used: CPM/S2 (Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices), B19 (Double Labyrinth Test) and WAFF (Perception and Attention Functions: Focused Attention). VTS is one of the leading computer-based psychophysiological testing systems in Europe. In addition to testing, behavioural observations were also carried out. Study results reveal that children with a shared diagnosis are not as similar when it comes to cognition and attention. Not all children within the sample group exhibited reduced attention and concentration, although the whole participant sample was diagnosed with intellectual development disorder. Meanwhile, risk factors hindering normal cognitive development were identified.

Reflecting Team as an Evaluation/learning Instrument for Self-reflection of Teachers

The Reflecting Team (RT) is a method derived from systemic therapy in the 1980s by the social psychiatrist Tom Andersen. It is increasingly being used in training and evaluation contexts. The aim of the method is to create a space for the development of diverse perspectives and appropriate ideas and solutions in which the integrity of the students/customers/clients is preserved and the acceptance of proposals is facilitated. To this end, the systems involved (advice seekers, consultants, and observers) enter a common process of alternately directed and non-directed communication. The RT is not only suitable to address communication problems in group work and other educational situations, but it can also help to consider the traditional teaching and learning processes in a reflective way. Reflecting teams can also significantly improve the feedback and quality of teaching and learning. The article deals with the use of RT in the context of the collective exchange of teaching staff with their students. It uses a problem as an evaluation form and learning instrument to reflect on their pedagogical approach and, at the same time, their relationship with students during the lessons. This is to present the RT method for collegial exchange (Process Flow: Advice-seeker, teacher, Interviewer, RT) and their need for teacher reflection as well as the experience of self-efficacy (empowerment and self-sufficiency).

Action Approach in Promoting the Development of the Learner’s Personality

The article reveals the act of upbringing as a pedagogical tool in pupils’ development. Purposeful guidance of development in the pedagogical process is directed towards the formation of a humane personality. The formation of free consciousness, independence and responsibility of the growing personality in the action represents its core. The article presents the procedure structural model of the action. Its essence is the interaction of the objective - the subject, means and product of the action - and the subjective - needs, the aim, knowledge, skills, self-experience and action components. The cooperation model that is important means of enriching the mutual experience among both the peers and the adults is developed on the basis of this model. The action theory analyzed in the article can facilitate a more purposeful organization of the pedagogical process in school and higher education institution. The procedure structural approach of the action can be applied by the academic staff, students, teachers and pupils in different types of the action. The phenomena analyzed in the article and the presented models are based on the pedagogical (H. Gudjons, M. Klarin, A. Špona) and psychological (A, Leontyev, Ļ. Vygotsky, E. Erikson) theories applying the categories of pedagogy and psychology.

The Opinion of Latvian Teachers About the Most Suitable Teaching Methods and Possibilities to Make Lessons Interesting

Student’s learning motivation and learning outcomes depend on the ability of the teacher to interest students, the chosen teaching methods and proficiency to manage the learning process. Teacher who can successfully choose teaching content, material resources and different teaching methods is able to cause interest about his subject. Teacher who is interested in teaching process himself can help students to learn a subject. The aim of the study was to find out the Latvian teachers' opinion about the disturbing factors affecting the achievement of high learning outcomes for students, the most suitable teaching methods and the possibilities to make lessons interesting. The survey of teachers of different schools in Latvia regarding their students’ learning motivation was carried out. The data from 482 teachers’ answers were analysed. The results of the research showed that the majority of surveyed teachers consider that learning motivation of Latvia students has decreased during the last few years. Teachers point out several factors, which do not allow students to reach high learning outcomes, the most important of them are: the inability of students to link career and success with learning and lack of life goals; inability of students to concentrate attention during lessons; indisposition of students to do homework. The teachers consider laboratory works, discussions, project works, group works and teacher’s presentations and narrative of new material as the most suitable teaching methods. Teachers consider that the most important personality trait of teachers and learning motivation for students to improve their skills is the teacher’s ability to teach the subject in an interesting way. Teachers believe that lessons can be made interesting if modern technologies and teaching methods are used during lessons and when the teacher is able to connect the subject with real life.