Suchergebnisse

This article analyzes the position of disabled students in the lithuanian higher education institutions. The lithuanian national legislation guarantees equal opportunities for disabled people to study in higher education institutions. however, in practice disabled students face various problems and barriers while pursuing their education. using anthony Giddens's structuration theory and the paradigm of social participation, this article presents some data from rūta ruolytė-Verschoore's doctoral research. to analyze 32 semi-structured interviews with disabled students actively involved in leadership activities, the author uses grounded theory. The research results demonstrate that students with disabilities encounter the following obstacles in the lithuanian higher education institutions: a lack of access to physical and informational environment, a lack of flexibility in study organization process, the absence of special services and academic community's skeptical attitude towards their abilities to study. The research also shows that civically engaged disabled students orient their strategies of action towards changing academic community's attitudes and making study organization process more flexible. as a consequence of disabled students' actions and interactions, study routine and institutional practices in higher education institutions start to change and become more inclusive and flexible.

This article analyzes the position of disabled students in the lithuanian higher education institutions. The lithuanian national legislation guarantees equal opportunities for disabled people to study in higher education institutions. however, in practice disabled students face various problems and barriers while pursuing their education. using anthony Giddens's structuration theory and the paradigm of social participation, this article presents some data from rūta ruolytė-Verschoore's doctoral research. to analyze 32 semi-structured interviews with disabled students actively involved in leadership activities, the author uses grounded theory. The research results demonstrate that students with disabilities encounter the following obstacles in the lithuanian higher education institutions: a lack of access to physical and informational environment, a lack of flexibility in study organization process, the absence of special services and academic community's skeptical attitude towards their abilities to study. The research also shows that civically engaged disabled students orient their strategies of action towards changing academic community's attitudes and making study organization process more flexible. as a consequence of disabled students' actions and interactions, study routine and institutional practices in higher education institutions start to change and become more inclusive and flexible.

The Bologna declaration stresses the importance of education and educational co-operation in the development and strengthening of stable, peaceful and democratic societies. Additionally the declaration highlights the need to promote European co-operation in quality assurance with a view to develop comparable criteria and methodologies. The cooperative activity of universities created preconditions for students' mobility under the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates programmes. Hence, a comparison of efficiency of engineering education studies at partner institutions has become a topical issue. The paper presents the problems related to engineering education quality at different universities and suggests a system of indicators that are applicable for education quality estimation. The main idea is to compare the distinguished aspects of the education process and to evaluate quality of teaching. The efficiency of different subjects (social and engineering) is estimated by applying sets of criteria, to be implemented by incorporating a proposed system of criteria into questionnaires for students at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU), who participate in student mobility programmes. Processing of the received responses let the author achieve the ultimate aim, i.e. to trace differences in the quality of teaching. Policy implications in the field of engineering education quality management are seen as main outcome of presented research.

The Bologna declaration stresses the importance of education and educational co-operation in the development and strengthening of stable, peaceful and democratic societies. Additionally the declaration highlights the need to promote European co-operation in quality assurance with a view to develop comparable criteria and methodologies. The cooperative activity of universities created preconditions for students' mobility under the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates programmes. Hence, a comparison of efficiency of engineering education studies at partner institutions has become a topical issue. The paper presents the problems related to engineering education quality at different universities and suggests a system of indicators that are applicable for education quality estimation. The main idea is to compare the distinguished aspects of the education process and to evaluate quality of teaching. The efficiency of different subjects (social and engineering) is estimated by applying sets of criteria, to be implemented by incorporating a proposed system of criteria into questionnaires for students at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU), who participate in student mobility programmes. Processing of the received responses let the author achieve the ultimate aim, i.e. to trace differences in the quality of teaching. Policy implications in the field of engineering education quality management are seen as main outcome of presented research.

Nowadays, when the progress in society is so fast and family situation is changing a lot, more and more functions of human education are transferred to social work institutions. There are quite many studies made that reveal the concept and functions of effective management. But there are almost no studies that would reveal the specific factors of the management in social work institutions. The identification of such factors could complement the list of management factors and would be useful for preparation and selection of social work institutions managers. Besides, if such factors would be identified it would be possible to give recommendations for those social work institutions, that are just starting their work and that are willing to reach high level of the social quality service. At the moment when social work institutions gain stronger and stronger comparative authority in the aspect of society progress such studies are essential. The object of this research is the success factors in the management of a social work institution. The aim of this research is to reveal the success factors of management of a social work institution pointed out by the managers of social work institutions. To reach the aim such goals were stated: 1. To find out what are the main factors determining the successful activity of social work institution. 2. To explore what is most important for the managers of social work institutions while seeking for effective activity. 3. To identify what is "the good manager of social work institution" according to the managers of social work institutions. 4. To explore what are the main difficulties met by managers of social work institutions in their activities. 5. To find out what would the managers of social work institutions change when seeking for more qualitative development of social work institutions. 6. To define the differences in management: a) Of Christian social work institution and any non Christian social work institution; b) Non governmental social work institutions and public social work institution; c) Social work institution based in the capital and the one based in a region. While seeking the aim of the research there was made a qualitative research and made interviews with experts who are the managers of different social work institutions. Four experts were selected by purposive sampling. They manage the social work institutions that are pretty well know in public. When selecting the public social work institution it was taken into account that this institution is one of the biggest in the capital. One of the criteria when selecting the Christian and non governmental organizations was that those organizations were know as often funded and those working on many projects. Three experts that work in Vilnius and one expert that represent one of the regions of Lithuania (he works in a public social work organization) participated in this research. One of the three experts working in the capital is the manager of a non governmental social work institution – foster home, one is managing a Christian social work institution and one is the manager of public social work institution. The data gathered during interviewing is analyzed and interpreted hereunder according to the methodology of qualitative data analysis. After analyzing the data there was made three groups of success factors in the management of social work institutions, assigned the abilities of the manager in social work institutions and assigned factors according to the different profile of social work institutions.

Nowadays, when the progress in society is so fast and family situation is changing a lot, more and more functions of human education are transferred to social work institutions. There are quite many studies made that reveal the concept and functions of effective management. But there are almost no studies that would reveal the specific factors of the management in social work institutions. The identification of such factors could complement the list of management factors and would be useful for preparation and selection of social work institutions managers. Besides, if such factors would be identified it would be possible to give recommendations for those social work institutions, that are just starting their work and that are willing to reach high level of the social quality service. At the moment when social work institutions gain stronger and stronger comparative authority in the aspect of society progress such studies are essential. The object of this research is the success factors in the management of a social work institution. The aim of this research is to reveal the success factors of management of a social work institution pointed out by the managers of social work institutions. To reach the aim such goals were stated: 1. To find out what are the main factors determining the successful activity of social work institution. 2. To explore what is most important for the managers of social work institutions while seeking for effective activity. 3. To identify what is "the good manager of social work institution" according to the managers of social work institutions. 4. To explore what are the main difficulties met by managers of social work institutions in their activities. 5. To find out what would the managers of social work institutions change when seeking for more qualitative development of social work institutions. 6. To define the differences in management: a) Of Christian social work institution and any non Christian social work institution; b) Non governmental social work institutions and public social work institution; c) Social work institution based in the capital and the one based in a region. While seeking the aim of the research there was made a qualitative research and made interviews with experts who are the managers of different social work institutions. Four experts were selected by purposive sampling. They manage the social work institutions that are pretty well know in public. When selecting the public social work institution it was taken into account that this institution is one of the biggest in the capital. One of the criteria when selecting the Christian and non governmental organizations was that those organizations were know as often funded and those working on many projects. Three experts that work in Vilnius and one expert that represent one of the regions of Lithuania (he works in a public social work organization) participated in this research. One of the three experts working in the capital is the manager of a non governmental social work institution – foster home, one is managing a Christian social work institution and one is the manager of public social work institution. The data gathered during interviewing is analyzed and interpreted hereunder according to the methodology of qualitative data analysis. After analyzing the data there was made three groups of success factors in the management of social work institutions, assigned the abilities of the manager in social work institutions and assigned factors according to the different profile of social work institutions.

The subject of this paper is development of usability monitoring principles for Lithuanian state institutions websites. After analyzing usability evaluation methods suggested by J. Nielsen and international Usability Professionals' Association and practice of usability monitoring in public sector of Great Britain, Norway, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, it was decided to recommend Lithuanian state institutions to use heuristic usability evaluation. In addition, as usability monitoring is closely connected with websites management, main principles of state institutions website management with integrated usability monitoring and usability recommendations were defined. The reason for this research was lack of usability monitoring principles for Lithuanian state institutions websites. According to most recent computer literacy research performed in the end of 2005, Lithuanian state institutions websites are not very widely used. In addition, the main legal document Common Requirements for State Institutions Websites setting basic principles for Lithuanian state institutions websites development doesn't define enough of usability requirements and even doesn't mention usability monitoring. As usability monitoring is considered to be a part of websites management, United Kingdom Government recommendations for state websites management were analyzed and used for defining Lithuanian state websites management principles. The main principles for usability monitoring were defined and usability monitoring was integrated with websites management process. Analysis has shown that public websites usability monitoring differs from private sector websites usability monitoring because of different websites context that sets the goals for websites. Furthermore, analysis has shown that the best usability evaluation methods for Lithuanian state institutions websites is heuristic evaluation because it is relatively simple, flexible and doesn't require much costs. In addition, it is mostly used in public sector of reviewed countries. Heuristic evaluation depends on heuristic model (set). Implemented heuristic model for evaluating Lithuanian state institutions websites encompasses basic state institutions website components: contents, contents presentation, and user interface. Proposed model consists of 61 heuristics. Some of these heuristics may be verified using software tools. Proposed methods should be used in usability monitoring process as a part of websites management. The methods allow evaluating usability effectively, comprehensively and reliably because it has been integrated with websites management (that means management of monitoring is clearly defined), it has been developed considering websites model and context (that means it is comprehensive), and it is based on mathematical relations. Principles for Lithuanian state websites usability monitoring were used during experimental evaluating of 15 Lithuanian state institutions websites. The results of experiment showed that Lithuanian state institutions websites have usability gaps and usability recommendations for these websites were defined. It will be recommended to Information Society Development Committee under the Government of Republic of Lithuania to use these recommendations when updating Common Requirements for state institutions websites. This paper might be useful for persons working in Lithuanian state institutions and responsible for websites, students of information technologies sciences who are interested in public sector websites and Information Society Development Committee under the Government of Republic of Lithuania which is responsible for updating Common Requirements for state institutions websites.

The subject of this paper is development of usability monitoring principles for Lithuanian state institutions websites. After analyzing usability evaluation methods suggested by J. Nielsen and international Usability Professionals' Association and practice of usability monitoring in public sector of Great Britain, Norway, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, it was decided to recommend Lithuanian state institutions to use heuristic usability evaluation. In addition, as usability monitoring is closely connected with websites management, main principles of state institutions website management with integrated usability monitoring and usability recommendations were defined. The reason for this research was lack of usability monitoring principles for Lithuanian state institutions websites. According to most recent computer literacy research performed in the end of 2005, Lithuanian state institutions websites are not very widely used. In addition, the main legal document Common Requirements for State Institutions Websites setting basic principles for Lithuanian state institutions websites development doesn't define enough of usability requirements and even doesn't mention usability monitoring. As usability monitoring is considered to be a part of websites management, United Kingdom Government recommendations for state websites management were analyzed and used for defining Lithuanian state websites management principles. The main principles for usability monitoring were defined and usability monitoring was integrated with websites management process. Analysis has shown that public websites usability monitoring differs from private sector websites usability monitoring because of different websites context that sets the goals for websites. Furthermore, analysis has shown that the best usability evaluation methods for Lithuanian state institutions websites is heuristic evaluation because it is relatively simple, flexible and doesn't require much costs. In addition, it is mostly used in public sector of reviewed countries. Heuristic evaluation depends on heuristic model (set). Implemented heuristic model for evaluating Lithuanian state institutions websites encompasses basic state institutions website components: contents, contents presentation, and user interface. Proposed model consists of 61 heuristics. Some of these heuristics may be verified using software tools. Proposed methods should be used in usability monitoring process as a part of websites management. The methods allow evaluating usability effectively, comprehensively and reliably because it has been integrated with websites management (that means management of monitoring is clearly defined), it has been developed considering websites model and context (that means it is comprehensive), and it is based on mathematical relations. Principles for Lithuanian state websites usability monitoring were used during experimental evaluating of 15 Lithuanian state institutions websites. The results of experiment showed that Lithuanian state institutions websites have usability gaps and usability recommendations for these websites were defined. It will be recommended to Information Society Development Committee under the Government of Republic of Lithuania to use these recommendations when updating Common Requirements for state institutions websites. This paper might be useful for persons working in Lithuanian state institutions and responsible for websites, students of information technologies sciences who are interested in public sector websites and Information Society Development Committee under the Government of Republic of Lithuania which is responsible for updating Common Requirements for state institutions websites.

The aim of study "Resocialization peculiarities of youth, returned from confinement institutions" – to analyze resocialization conception in scientific literature, to research what kind of programs are used for youngsters, returned from confinement institutions, how governmental programs help for adaptation and reintegration to the society of young offenders. The study represents the youth, returned from confinement institutions resocialization research results. 180 respondents have participated in the research: 30 officers from correction inspections (age average – 34,80, SD = 5,80) and 150 youngsters, returned from confinement institutions (age average – 19,72, SD = 1,31). In conclusion we can say that, programs proved by Prison department at the Ministry of Justice of Lithuanian Republic are only educative, not approved for real situation, non-effective. There are no programs for resocialization of youngsters, returned from confinement institutions under 18 years old. The main problem which youngsters meet after returning from confinement institutions is to find job. The officers in helping for youngsters get to "traps" of law. Sometimes law system doesn't help, but block resocialization. For resocialization process of youngsters, returned from confinement institutions very important are social support from family, the officers and community motivation to help for young person, the motivation of youngsters to change themselves and their behavior, the negative influence of surrounding environment. In Correction inspections there is lack of psychologist, and there is lack of psychological help and support for offenders. The respondents suggests that for resocialitation of youngsters, returned from confinement institutions improvement are necessary to change law system and initiate structural and organizational changes in correction inspections, to invite and involve more non-governmental, public organizations to the resocialization process if we want non-fragmental resocaliotaion process, but systematic and complex. The recommendations for youngsters, returned from confinement institutions resocialization process improvement are represented in the study for Prison department at the ministry of Justice of Lithuanian Republic.

The aim of study "Resocialization peculiarities of youth, returned from confinement institutions" – to analyze resocialization conception in scientific literature, to research what kind of programs are used for youngsters, returned from confinement institutions, how governmental programs help for adaptation and reintegration to the society of young offenders. The study represents the youth, returned from confinement institutions resocialization research results. 180 respondents have participated in the research: 30 officers from correction inspections (age average – 34,80, SD = 5,80) and 150 youngsters, returned from confinement institutions (age average – 19,72, SD = 1,31). In conclusion we can say that, programs proved by Prison department at the Ministry of Justice of Lithuanian Republic are only educative, not approved for real situation, non-effective. There are no programs for resocialization of youngsters, returned from confinement institutions under 18 years old. The main problem which youngsters meet after returning from confinement institutions is to find job. The officers in helping for youngsters get to "traps" of law. Sometimes law system doesn't help, but block resocialization. For resocialization process of youngsters, returned from confinement institutions very important are social support from family, the officers and community motivation to help for young person, the motivation of youngsters to change themselves and their behavior, the negative influence of surrounding environment. In Correction inspections there is lack of psychologist, and there is lack of psychological help and support for offenders. The respondents suggests that for resocialitation of youngsters, returned from confinement institutions improvement are necessary to change law system and initiate structural and organizational changes in correction inspections, to invite and involve more non-governmental, public organizations to the resocialization process if we want non-fragmental resocaliotaion process, but systematic and complex. The recommendations for youngsters, returned from confinement institutions resocialization process improvement are represented in the study for Prison department at the ministry of Justice of Lithuanian Republic.

Equal opportunities to study in higher education institutions for disabled people are guaranteed by national legislation. However, in practice students with disabilities face various kind of problems while pursuing for education. The goal of this dissertation is to create a grounded theory about disabled students participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions. The research questions were formulated: how are disabled students implementing their agency while participating in the study process in higher education institutions? How does the creation of studying conditions take place in higher education institutions regarding the interaction between disabled students and the members of the academic community? How does the disabled student's identity change during participation in higher education? The Grounded Theory was chosen here as the methodology of qualitative research. There have been conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with students having different kind of disabilities. Grounded theory about disabled students' participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions was created. This theory does reveal that the reasons of disabled students' individual acts are the restrictions of participation in institutions as well as their aspiration of equality. Disabled students are starting to eliminate the restrictions of participation according to their capacities. Empirical data is analyzed in the light of A. Giddens' theory of structuration, models of disability, changing identity and other researches in this field. Created grounded theory about disabled students participation does confirm the main idea of A. Giddens theory of structuration that disabled students starts to reproduce the structure of higher education institution while implementing their agency and the structure in turn does restrict their actions.

Equal opportunities to study in higher education institutions for disabled people are guaranteed by national legislation. However, in practice students with disabilities face various kind of problems while pursuing for education. The goal of this dissertation is to create a grounded theory about disabled students participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions. The research questions were formulated: how are disabled students implementing their agency while participating in the study process in higher education institutions? How does the creation of studying conditions take place in higher education institutions regarding the interaction between disabled students and the members of the academic community? How does the disabled student's identity change during participation in higher education? The Grounded Theory was chosen here as the methodology of qualitative research. There have been conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with students having different kind of disabilities. Grounded theory about disabled students' participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions was created. This theory does reveal that the reasons of disabled students' individual acts are the restrictions of participation in institutions as well as their aspiration of equality. Disabled students are starting to eliminate the restrictions of participation according to their capacities. Empirical data is analyzed in the light of A. Giddens' theory of structuration, models of disability, changing identity and other researches in this field. Created grounded theory about disabled students participation does confirm the main idea of A. Giddens theory of structuration that disabled students starts to reproduce the structure of higher education institution while implementing their agency and the structure in turn does restrict their actions.

Equal opportunities to study in higher education institutions for disabled people are guaranteed by national legislation. However, in practice students with disabilities face various kind of problems while pursuing for education. The goal of this dissertation is to create a grounded theory about disabled students participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions. The research questions were formulated: how are disabled students implementing their agency while participating in the study process in higher education institutions? How does the creation of studying conditions take place in higher education institutions regarding the interaction between disabled students and the members of the academic community? How does the disabled student's identity change during participation in higher education? The Grounded Theory was chosen here as the methodology of qualitative research. There have been conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with students having different kind of disabilities. Grounded theory about disabled students' participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions was created. This theory does reveal that the reasons of disabled students' individual acts are the restrictions of participation in institutions as well as their aspiration of equality. Disabled students are starting to eliminate the restrictions of participation according to their capacities. Empirical data is analyzed in the light of A. Giddens' theory of structuration, models of disability, changing identity and other researches in this field. Created grounded theory about disabled students participation does confirm the main idea of A. Giddens theory of structuration that disabled students starts to reproduce the structure of higher education institution while implementing their agency and the structure in turn does restrict their actions.

Equal opportunities to study in higher education institutions for disabled people are guaranteed by national legislation. However, in practice students with disabilities face various kind of problems while pursuing for education. The goal of this dissertation is to create a grounded theory about disabled students participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions. The research questions were formulated: how are disabled students implementing their agency while participating in the study process in higher education institutions? How does the creation of studying conditions take place in higher education institutions regarding the interaction between disabled students and the members of the academic community? How does the disabled student's identity change during participation in higher education? The Grounded Theory was chosen here as the methodology of qualitative research. There have been conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with students having different kind of disabilities. Grounded theory about disabled students' participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions was created. This theory does reveal that the reasons of disabled students' individual acts are the restrictions of participation in institutions as well as their aspiration of equality. Disabled students are starting to eliminate the restrictions of participation according to their capacities. Empirical data is analyzed in the light of A. Giddens' theory of structuration, models of disability, changing identity and other researches in this field. Created grounded theory about disabled students participation does confirm the main idea of A. Giddens theory of structuration that disabled students starts to reproduce the structure of higher education institution while implementing their agency and the structure in turn does restrict their actions.

Equal opportunities to study in higher education institutions for disabled people are guaranteed by national legislation. However, in practice students with disabilities face various kind of problems while pursuing for education. The goal of this dissertation is to create a grounded theory about disabled students participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions. The research questions were formulated: how are disabled students implementing their agency while participating in the study process in higher education institutions? How does the creation of studying conditions take place in higher education institutions regarding the interaction between disabled students and the members of the academic community? How does the disabled student's identity change during participation in higher education? The Grounded Theory was chosen here as the methodology of qualitative research. There have been conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with students having different kind of disabilities. Grounded theory about disabled students' participation in Lithuanian higher education institutions was created. This theory does reveal that the reasons of disabled students' individual acts are the restrictions of participation in institutions as well as their aspiration of equality. Disabled students are starting to eliminate the restrictions of participation according to their capacities. Empirical data is analyzed in the light of A. Giddens' theory of structuration, models of disability, changing identity and other researches in this field. Created grounded theory about disabled students participation does confirm the main idea of A. Giddens theory of structuration that disabled students starts to reproduce the structure of higher education institution while implementing their agency and the structure in turn does restrict their actions.