Type, scope, and methods of educational activities: Final State Examination subject

Number of credits: 14

Recommended semester/trimester of study: 10th

Level of study: Joint first and second cycle (Bachelor’s + Master’s level)

Prerequisites:-

Recommended literature:

Relevant national and international academic sources, depending on the focus of the diploma thesis.

Conditions for successful completion of the course:

The defense and presentation of the diploma thesis must address a topic related to the field of primary education.

Grading scale:

• A (100–91%) – Excellent results

• B (90–81%) – Very good results

• C (80–73%) – Good results

• D (72–66%) – Satisfactory results

• E (65–60%) – Sufficient results

. Fx (59–0%) – Insufficient results

Slovak

Course outline:

- The diploma thesis as a creative dialogue between the thesis supervisor and the student.

- The diploma thesis as a contribution to the field of Teaching and Educational Sciences.

- Observance of linguistic accuracy, spelling norms, formal requirements, and valid citation standards.

- Development of the theoretical background of the thesis – consistent selection of relevant academic sources.

- Practical part of the thesis – adherence to appropriate methodology (both didactic-methodological and scientific approaches).

- Upon submission, the thesis must include a plagiarism check report (degree of text similarity compared to the Central Register of Theses and Dissertations database); both the supervisor and opponent comment on the similarity percentage.

- The final thesis must not constitute plagiarism or violate copyright laws.

- Formal and technical formatting of the thesis must comply with internal regulations of Comenius University and the Faculty of Education.

Defense of the thesis – presentation of the objectives and methodology, response to questions from the reviews, and professional discussion with the committee members.

Learning outcomes – aims and expected results:

The written diploma thesis must be prepared in accordance with the internal regulations of Comenius University (regarding scope, formatting, ethics of academic writing, etc.). The learning outcome aligns with the Long-Term Intent of the Faculty of Education, its mission and strategic goals, the description of the study program, and with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF/SQF/DD). It also conforms to the profile of the graduate, the objectives and learning outcomes of the courses in the study plan, and other relevant documents.

Type, scope, and methods of educational activities: Final State Examination subject

Number of credits: 12

Recommended semester/trimester of study: 10th

Level of study: Joint first and second cycle (Bachelor’s + Master’s level)

Prerequisites:-

Recommended literature:

State education program for primary education. 2023. https://www.minedu.sk/data/files/11808_statny-vzdelavaci-program-pre-zakladne-vzdelavanie-cely.pdf

Specialized resources for profile subjects:

Primary education didactics, inclusion and practice, Fundamentals of mathematics: from logic to numbers; Programming with didactics I; Plane geometry; Spatial geometry; Programming with didactics II; Dependencies, relationships, and working with data; Spoken and written production in the Slovak language I.; Spoken and written production in the Slovak language II.; Spoken and written production in the Slovak language III.; Written production and factual reception; Developing Means of Communication; Art Education; Music Education; Laws of Inanimate and Living Nature; Introduction to the Educational Area of Man and Society; Technical Literacy; Physical Education and Sports

Conditions for successful completion of the course:

The quality of graduates is assessed in the state examination by a state examination board whose composition and structure are approved by the relevant authority in accordance with the regulations. The individual members of the board are also experts in the field of primary education didactics, specializing in individual areas of the primary school curriculum. The state examination is a final examination whose content is directly related to the subject Didactics of Primary Education, Inclusion and Practice and the profile subjects of a didactic nature of the individual educational areas of the primary education curriculum: Language and Communication, Mathematics and Informatics, Man and Nature, Man and Society, Man and the World of Work, Art and Culture, Health and Physical Education.

Grading scale:

• A (100–91%) – Excellent results

• B (90–81%) – Very good results

• C (80–73%) – Good results

• D (72–66%) – Satisfactory results

• E (65–60%) – Sufficient results

• Fx (59–0%) – Insufficient results

Slovak

Course outline:

1) The framework content of the theoretical-didactic part of the state exam focuses on the educational area:

- Language and communication – language and communication literacy, written and spoken production, factual and experiential reception, communication interaction in primary education,

- Mathematics and informatics – mathematical and IT literacy, mathematical practices (modeling, representations, language, communication, and argumentation); numbers and operations with numbers; dependencies, relationships, and working with data; geometry in primary education,

- Man and nature – scientific literacy, scientific work skills (strategies and procedures),

- Man and society – social science literacy, civic, historical, ethical-personal and geographical components in primary education,

- Man and the world of work – technical and professional literacy, technology, entrepreneurship and initiative, and career education in primary education,

- Art and culture – artistic literacy, music education, art education in primary education,

- Health and physical activity – physical and health literacy, physical skills, sports and physical activities, protection and safety of life and health of the population, physical fitness and physical performance, health and lifestyle.

2) Outline of the application-didactic part of the state exam:

- The student thinks in advance and then selects from their portfolio an application assignment that they consider to be didactically valuable (selection from any educational field).

- Students present a proposal for a specific educational goal (objective) that corresponds to specific didactic procedures, including the specification of principles that respect the individual and inclusive needs of students. (The use of digital skills with the application of digital technologies and STEAM principles in education is recommended).

Learning outcomes – aims and expected results:

Through the state examination, graduates demonstrate that they have the necessary qualifications to perform the profession of primary school teacher. The state examination consists of two parts: a theoretical-didactic part and an applied-didactic part.

1)The theoretical-didactic part consists of an oral exam in primary education didactics and the didactics of primary education subject areas, which tests the student's professional knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ability to argue by connecting knowledge and specific didactic-methodological procedures.

2) The application-didactic part consists of a presentation and professional discussion of a task from the student's portfolio, in which the student applies the acquired pedagogical-didactic knowledge in practice. Through the critical selection of their own portfolio assignment, its presentation, and professional discussion, students demonstrate their level of knowledge and understanding of (their preferred) didactics in the field of education and its application in practice.