During the final this year's meeting of the Scientific and Technical Council of the ZNU, Professor of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Educational Activities of the Faculty of Social Pedagogy and Psychology, Yevhenii Klopota, reported on his stay at the Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic). That internship was possible thanks to the awarded grant under the International Academic Program "Erasmus+".
At the beginning of his speech Yevhenii Klopota told the audience about the peculiarities of the functioning of the Masaryk University. This higher educational institution was founded in 1919. Today, it trains more than 40,000 students at 9 faculties. The structure of university includes such faculties as Pedagogy, Law, Physical Education and Sports, Economics, Medicine, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Natural Sciences and Philosophy. The Masaryk University has a strong scientific and educational base, it is a part of the European University Association and ranks second in terms of the number of students studying in the Czech People's Republic.
As Professor Yevhenii Klopota has told, his internship was based on the Faculty of Pedagogy of the Masaryk University. By the way, during his stay at university, he conducted a series of lectures and practical classes with students. In addition, he cooperated with his colleagues on the specifics of the Ukrainian and Czech higher education systems. So, he was assured that the Faculty of Pedagogy paid a lot of attention to the modern methodology, the development of innovative psychological and pedagogical methods of teaching and, most importantly, the students’ practical activities.
It is worth noting that the university carries out training of different categories of students both young and older, as well as students with special needs. The distance learning form is being developed. The University has modern equipment and a good library, which can be used by any student regardless of their health.
It is interesting that an electronic system operates in the university, there are no paper journals and student’s record books. Moreover, an assistant professor has a time sheet of 3-4 hours for a week. Duration of the class is 45 minutes. The teacher's time sheet includes preparation for lectures and practical classes, scientific paper writing and international internships.
Another impressive thing is a really barrier-free environment, which the Masaryk University creates for students and teachers with special needs: it starts from the elevators equipped with sound devices and braille marks for people with visual impairments and ends with the activity of a powerful and modernly equipped center for support of students with special needs "Theresius".
During a long communication, the specialists of the Center "Theresius" demonstrated the most modern technologies and equipment aimed at the organization of a barrier-free environment, adaptation and availability of teaching materials for entrants and students of various nosologies. By the way, a lot of students who have serious impairments of hearing, vision, locomotor system, speech, intelligence, etc. study at the Masaryk University.
In addition, the colleagues from the Faculty of Pedagogy invited Professor Yevhenii Klopota to the "International Integration Symposium". This event was held jointly with the experts from the University of Minnesota (USA). The symposium is aimed at discussing the problems and perspectives of the process of internationalization of higher education that is taking place now in the world.
At the end of his speech, Yevhenii Klopota concluded that international internships under the programs of academic mobility allow scholars and pedagogical workers of ZNU to exchange knowledge, skills and scientific achievements. They also allow the accumulation and implementation of new learning technologies in various fields of higher education. Besides, such events strengthen the positive image of Zaporizhzhya National University on the international stage.
