ELEMENTS OF ESCAPE GAMES IN LATVIAN HISTORY LESSONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSES

The paper “Elements of Escape Games in Latvian History Lessons in Primary School Classes” reflects escape games as an application of the interactive teaching method in history lessons. Explores the game as a learning technique, as well as the history and characteristics of the escape game, summarizes the students' opinion on the application of the breakout game in lessons of Latvian history, methodological material for the use of escape game elements in history lessons in primary school classes is developed.

WORK-BASED LEARNING IN THE CONTEXT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

The aim of the work is to find out how work-based learning should be implemented in the training of future teachers. To achieve this goal, the literature was researched on work-based learning models, modern study environment, paradigm shift in education.A questionnaire was compiled to find out how work-based learning would be implemented at the Rezekne Academy of Technology, and students studying in one of the study programs were interviewed. Based on the theoretical findings and the findings obtained during the research, proposals for the introduction of work-based learning at the Rezekne Academy of Technology were proposed.

CAREER GUIDANCE FOR REMIGRANTS

People have always looked for the best opportunities for life and for a variety of reasons there has been migration from country to country. The aim of the study is to find out, through questionnaires and interviews, the reasons for people leaving and the creation of support that would encourage returns. 23 respondents were surveyed, who answered 87 questions. Emigrants were interviewed using email lists to find out what people expected from their country, what differences they see in their home country and in their country of origin. The reasons for leaving are mentioned is credit, debt, marriage with foreigner and many other reasons. Career guidance for remigrants have the task to help them to find a job that is consistent with their abilities and interests and helping to build a successful career.

FROM RESEARCH SKILLS TO RESEARCHER’S TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCE

Different intellectual traditions imbedded in cultural and education settings and theoretical approaches to the understanding of skills, competencies, and transversal skills bring about many uncertainties in the conceptualization of research skills and competencies; together with the social demands towards the quality of graduates' competencies these draw heavily on the changing process of education, quality of educational provision, and interferes with the quality of the graduates’ achievements. Doctoral students usually face a large number of theoretical sources to analyze and make an appropriate theoretical underpinning of research; they also have to meet the uncertainties, experience incompetence that interferes with the allocated time and quality of investigation. While the shift to competence approach in education is thus more complex than many accounts suggest, it does have major implications for important aspects of studies and educators' work. This article aims to initiate doctoral students' thinking of the cultural background of different intellectual traditions in education and identify the most appropriate theoretical sources for their research. The article does not, however, provide final definitions or completed ideas. Based on the experience of the most popular projects in skills’development and theoretical analysis the published considerations might trigger new problems for doctoral students’ investigation and start their navigation in the enormous pool of literature. The article introduces some approaches to understanding and defining research skills, researcher’s competencies, and researcher’s transversal competencies, their structure, and experiences of measuring.

LEARNING FOR GENDER EQUALITY IN POST-INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY: AN ONLINE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Latvian – Ukrainian project "Gender aspects of digital readiness and development of human capital in region" Nr.LV-UA/2018/3 focuses on the digitalization of education for closing the gender employment gap in the profoundly transforming labour market.The article focuses on the online program "Learning for Gender Equality in Post-Industrial Economy" for professional development of educators. The program grounds on research previously done at the project. In this article, we review the program content and provide an evaluation of its participants.

DIGITAL TEACHING AID FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPATIAL AWARENESS FOR CHILDREN WITH MIXED DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

Children with mixed developmental disorders have impaired spatial perception. When performing correction work with these children, it is necessary to look for the most effective means to achieve the maximum developmental result. The use of various non-traditional methods and techniques in teaching eliminates children's fatigue, stimulates their cognitive activity, allows optimizing the pedagogical process, individualizes teaching and significantly improves the effectiveness of pedagogical work in general. One of the ways is digital teaching aids that are systematically and purposefully integrated into correction work.The aim of the paper is to theoretically substantiate the adequacy of the digital teaching aid developed by I. Zulbina for the formation of spatial awareness for children with mixed developmental disorders in preschool.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ONLINE FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE – THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BELL PROJECT

Online acquisition of the foreign language has become particularly important lately, especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. In the framework of The European Union Capacity Building project “Enhancement of Lifelong Learning in Belarus” (https://bell-iln.by/en/) the online English course has been developed and implemented. The article summarises the professional experience of three parties. The main aim of this paper is to reflect the factors, which are essential for the development of an online foreign language course for adults. The following methods were used while doing the research: survey data analysis of project English language course’s target audience and the qualitative analysis of the data content. A questionnaire of the course participants was developed and carried out, the answers were processed. The project experience was analysed, conclusions were drawn and the proposals for future work were worked out.

SOCIAL SCIENCES’ TRANSFORMATION IN LIGHT OF COVID-19

Transformations in social sciences accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic remain under-explored. The aim of the article is to analyse scientific literature on social sciences’ transformation in light of COVID-19 underpinning the elaboration of implications for teaching a Research Methodology course to the higher education students. The present research work made use of theoretical and empirical methods. The exploratory study was of qualitative nature. The study carried out in April 2021 was based on the analysis of scientific publications selected from the Web of Science and google search by indicating the key words “COVID-19” and “Social sciences’ transformation”. The conclusion is drawn that social sciences’ transformation to the remote conduct is “a new normal” in the conditions of uncertainty. Virtual fieldwork is proposed to be a new qualitative method in social sciences’ research as some populations live mostly in digital environments. Another conclusion is that there is a need for a balance, when composing the empirical study’s sample, between respondents in the digitally divided populations, namely inclusions of both groups’ - digital and non-digital - respondents. Implications for teaching a Research Methodology course to the higher education students are presented. Research limitations are identified. Directions of further research are proposed.

ENRICHING VOCABULARY WITH ADJECTIVES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS’ READING LITERACY

The trend observed in the education system is that pupils often spend their free time using mobile phones or computers for entertainment. As a result, pupils have a rather modest vocabulary, which poses a problem to formulate and express their thoughts in the learning process, to describe the central thesis in more detail, for example, using adjectives.The research aim is to determine the methods used in teaching adjectives and their usefulness in the Latvian language class in order to improve pupils’ reading literacy. The research methods include analysis of corresponding theoretical and methodological literature, a teacher survey, and processing and interpretation of the data obtained. The most appropriate methods for teaching the topic “Adjective”, according to the teachers, are the explanatory illustrating and reproductive method; whereas the documents studied concerning the introduction of competency-based education recommend mainly the heuristic and research method, and this creates a relative mutual discrepancy. To promote the pupils’ reading literacy, teachers need to explore the children’s interests and use them as the basis for creating methodological materials about adjectives which correspond to modern reality and are fascinating and interesting to pupils. Such an approach would motivate pupils to appreciate the importance of using adjectives in everyday life. In the Latvian language class, when teaching the topic “Adjective”, teachers need to try and work as counsellors, gradually guiding their pupils to achieving the goal by noticing different patterns for adjectives, like competency-based education provides.

THE SOCIAL ASSISTENCE FOR STUDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The purpose of the resarch is to exploring opportunities for students to receive social assistance from the state and local government in the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Both theoretical and empirical research methods were used in this study. State social assistance to students would be expected by providing material support for the purchase of computer equipment. Municipal social assistance is expected both in the form of a crisis benefit and indirectly by supporting the student's family if it enters the status of a poor or low-income family.