CONSUMER LEARNING AS A PART OF LIFELONG LEARNING SYSTEM IN SPECIAL TECHNICAL SUBJECT AREA IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Milan ĎURIŠ, Ján PAVLOVKIN

Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Matej Bel

Tajovského 40, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic

duris@fpv.umb.sk pavlov@fpv.umb.sk

+421 48 4467214, +421 48 4467218

Summary

Implementation of the National strategy for sustainable development in Slovak republic is being performed through the use of an Action plan for sustainable development of SR for the years 2005 – 2010. This plan defines specific goals, which help raise the long term competitiveness of SR while respecting the sustainable development. In the education system area the Action plan defines preferred spheres that also include the area of lifelong learning on national, regional and local level.

Authors of the article pay attention to both, general and specific, ways to partial results of currently being solved scientific project VEGA no. 1/1401/04 titled System of lifelong learning in special technical subjects area in the information society. Consumer learning that significantly influences sustainable development in SR is also becoming a part of the lifelong learning system. In particular it deals with the reinforcing of the legal conscience, change in the value orientation of the inhabitants, nurture in both strict and broad sense of the word and with the very edification through the use of special technical subjects at primary and secondary schools in SR as well. Learning in given area for sustainable development should also be implemented with the support of open school system.

In 2006 the Ministry of Education of the Slovak republic has elaborated a project of operational program of Education. This program is a referent document on the basis of which, using national resources and resources of European Social Fund, will be the support for human resources development provided. This program defines the global goal, priority axis, precautions and open activities that will be supported in field of goals of Convergency and Regional competitiveness and employment in time period 2007 – 2013. From the geographical point of view it covers whole Slovak republic. Operational program is elaborated in line with European community orders for structural funds with focusing of National Strategic Reference Framework. Its framework was harmonized along with other strategic documents that are specialized on employment and education on national and European level.

One of the prime goals of operational program is to support and develop the lifelong education as the base principle of knowledge society. This is also in line with strategic documents of Slovak republic in field of sustainable development (National strategy for sustainable development of Slovak republic).

On the base of SWOT analysis of above mentioned goal the given document for sustainable development says:

Requirement: Enhance the ratio of major population that participate on further education (this can be primary and secondary school teachers teaching special technical subjects who are more than five years in service).

Strengths: good access to educational institutions (faculties that prepare teachers of special technical subjects and methodic-pedagogical centers in each regions of SR); increase of interest in education in information communication technology field (ICT) and special education as well; important education value as individual priority.

Weaknesses: environment not enough stimulated for further education of teachers, inadequate care about human resources development in educational system/pedagogical process, low share of labor force including teachers and managers in education participating on lifelong education.

Opportunities: political emphasis on lifelong education necessity as the one of the four priorities for Slovak society development; building-up pedagogical scientific research base that will systematically be dealing with educational reforms; educational opportunities for pedagogical employee , selected seasoned teachers – multipliers.

Risks: insufficient level of computer literacy among teachers and public administration and on corporate level; insufficient acknowledgement of informal education from the point of view of the public as well as employers.

Implementation of The national strategy of sustainable development of the Slovak republic is performed by the Action plan of the sustainable development of the Slovak republic in 2005 – 2010. It defines concrete aims, which will minister long-term competitiveness of the Slovak republic with respect to the sustainable development. In the educational department Action plan defines priority areas, which include lifelong education on national, regional and residential level and a rising level of informational technology in the educational system that is closely related to the lifelong education.

This is because one of the main instruments of achieving the adaptability of the primary and secondary graduates on the labor market is the acquirement and development of key competencies of the teachers and pupils and primary and secondary schools. One of the key competencies is also the digital literacy (readiness to use modern ICT), which within the educational reform is addressed to the following activities (Operational…., p.115):

· innovation of the educational methods with emphasis on IKT employment in the educational process

· formation and realization of interactive educational programs.

In the Slovak republic the technical education at the primary and secondary schools, which is the part of general education, is provided by technical subjects.

One part of the technical education is formed also by the consumer learning.

The meaning of the word consumer (Kulčáková M., Richterová, K., p. 13) is a natural person, who buys products or uses services for direct personal consumption of natural persons, mainly for him/herself and for the members of their household. A consumer is also a corporate body, who buys products or uses services on his/her own use.

The term consumer learning includes in its meaning the dimension of enlightenment and teaching as a part of the individual’s socialization, which is provided by the organization of the school activities and curriculum, fulfilling the aims of the individual subjects, especially subjects of technical nature and in the out-of-school activities. The consumer learning as a part of the over-all education is one of the fundamental conditions that define the economical potential and the population’s consumption. From our point of view the consumer learning is a process of the formation of conscious consumers, who decide rationally about their limited resources in relation to the personal values and are aware of their consumer decisions towards the economy and living environment.

In the system of the teaching subjects at key stage 2 at a primary school (PS) the teaching subjects of Technical education has its strong position and cannot be replaced by any other subject. Technical education is of a markedly interdisciplinary character, because it is perceived as a practical application of the knowledge from several mainly natural science subjects (mathematics, physics, chemistry, economics, living environment etc.). Its role is to show practical solution when solving a particular problem using theoretically known facts.

The subject of Technical education has underwent in the last more than ten years extensive changes. It is positive that the conceptual changes, which are specified in the teaching curriculum of the technical education (valid from 1.9.1997) fully accept the change of philosophy regarding the new content. Apart from the traditional thematic units also units, (comprising more than 70 per cent from total content), whose content is in the present day informational society a necessity, became a part of the above mentioned teaching curriculum. This is considering the changed economical-societal environment in the Slovak republic is being accounted for.

The educational process in the technical education should aim for the necessary technical literacy of a pupil, i.e. (Krušpán, I., Ďuriš, M., p.4):

· a pupil acquired knowledge about technology and technological versatility at a suitable level,

· was able to solve technical problems,

· created a rational relationship towards technology

· knew the relation between science and technology and knew how to apply it,

· was supported in developing a creative technological thinking.

Technical education enables the pupils to find and select values to obtain their own experience with creating attitude in the contradictory world of values (using critical thinking). Selecting values stimulates the pupil and enables him to orientate and be of use in the world of science and technology. Trough the use of the subject of the technical education the consumer learning is implemented, because the principle of the connection between school and life, with the accent on the development of the technical creative thinking, is being dominantly brought into the subject. The consumer learning prepares the student for the technical environment in which he lives, exists and at the same time prepares the student for the world and the labor market. In the content of the subject to the technical education in the 5. to 9. year, there are examples and applications in the basic and alternative subject matter that positively help with the orientation and guiding of the pupils in the world of technology as the potential users of the state of art scientific and technical equipment when creating values. New thematic units (70 % of the over-all content) are included in the content of the subject, as mentioned above, which is the reason why it was necessary to methodically guide and acknowledge the teachers of the technical education with the new ways and methods, but especially with the opportunities to teach new things in the technical education with the support of a PC. To fulfil the given task it was necessary to suggest and check the educational system, which was intended for teacher of the technical education in the pedagogical practice. We managed to accomplish the given name with the help of a scientific grant VEGA of The Ministry of Education of the Slovak republic no. 1/1401/04 under the title The system of lifelong learning in special technical subjects area in the information society. The scientific project was being solved at Faculty of Natural Science University of Matej Bel in Banská Bystrica (doc. PaedDr. Milan Ďuriš, CSc. – master participant) between 1. 1. 2004 and 31. 12. 2006. Other departments participated in the project namely Pedagogical Faculty of University of Konstantin Filozof in NItra (prof. Ing. Tomáš Kozik, DrSc.,- master participant substitute), Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences of the Prešov University in Prešov (doc. PaeDr. Jozef Pavelka, CSc., - master participant substitute). By submitting and positive evaluation of the final report of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak republic in January 2007 the project was successfully finished. On the basis of implemented pedagogical experiment as the major scientific method in the solved project and the verified system of the lifelong education we came to the clear conclusion (Ďuriš, p.8), that:

· the further education of the technical education teachers is justified and necessary, while the suggested content in the given modules (module 1 programs of general technical education in the Slovak republic and in the member states of EU; module 2 didactical and methodical approaches to the implementation of the concept of teaching the technical education; module 3 implementation and use of ICT in teaching of technical education; module 4 creating of managerial and legal conscience of a technical education teachers) was confirmed but it is necessary to add the following into the given areas:

1. To simulate the teachers of the technical education to continuous self-education, improvement of special and pedagogical competence. To implement education at faculties preparing teachers of technical education.

2. To raise the key competence of the teachers of technical education (information, educational, cognitive, communicative etc.).

3. To provide teachers with the latest information from the didactics of the technical education as well as pedagogy and related sciences. To implement especially problem, project and cooperative education into the educational process. To develop the pupil’s technical, creative and critical thinking.

4. Trough the technical education in the subject of technical education to develop the pupil’s consumer learning in line with the principle of the connection between school and life. To consciously prepare the teachers of technical education for implementation of consumer learning for selected group of students at the second level at a primary school and following at the secondary school.

5. To help teachers to acquire ICT skills and materialize education with the support of PC and multimedia.

6. Teacher’s consecutive acquiring of knowledge from the school management area and school legislation (labor law, discretions and duties of the teacher at the workplace, health and safety rules at the workplace).

At this point it is necessary to emphasize, that the further education becomes a necessity for the teacher of technical education within the lifelong education in those areas, which from the point of view of the development of the science and technology are actual and necessary for the teacher as well as pupil. Teacher should acquire the need to educate him/herself and so gain and improve his/her competence, use new concepts of education, new knowledge from didactics of technical education. Only such prepared teacher who works in pedagogical practice at given type of school will be able to provide the students with up to date information and create their correct value orientation.

To enable a change from a traditional school into a modern school it is necessary that the teacher improves his technical and pedagogical abilities, technical and informational literacy, so that he can gain advance in front of the pupil for whom the literacy has the same value and it is necessary to pass it on to the pupil as soon as possible.

At a different place we have mentioned that the consumer learning is a part of the technical education and it is explicitly and implicitly integrated into the content of the subject of technical education at the second level in a primary school. The consumer learning is closely related to the values. The consumer learning is considered to be a value education which is based on the economical meaning of the money value and material meaning of the public and environmental responsibility. By values we understand everything to which human being is related or enjoys. By selecting values a human being shoves what is important for him/her, what he/her prefers and takes responsibility for selecting a goal and his/her effort. Education is based on values, it is realized by values and it aims to values, it is fulfilled by them and fulfils them. Education delivers values, it protects them, passes them on, develops them, co-creates and realizes them in the form of the results of human activities and qualities of a human being him/herself. The fact that technical educational at the second level at a primary school implements technical education, consumer learning and accordingly the value education by its content, we try to present by particular examples.

In the teaching curriculum of the subject of technical education for the 8. year, there is implemented a thematic unit with the title Technical, economical, ecological balance of the household investment.

To the goals of this thematic unit we can include (Krušpán, I., Ďuriš, M., p. 19):

· to teach the pupils the basic criteria for evaluating the household equipment from different point of view,

· formation of esthetic sense, ecological conscious, the ability to synchronize the required features with technical parameters and economical expedience,

· development of technical creative thinking.

To the content of the thematic unit belongs the area of economical calculations in households, consumption and price of hot and cold water, electric energy, gas and other car expenses calculation. Among knowledge requirements and skills of the pupils in the given thematic unit according the education standard we can include (Kuzma, J., p. 26):

1. to be able to prepare the consumption and price of water and electrical energy calculation based on the information on the particular available appliances.

2. to be able to calculate the basic car (motorcycle) expenses.

3. to be able to define and calculate entry expenses for the production of a particular product. To be able to judge independently and select optimal alternative.

In this relation it is necessary to mention the energy efficiency as one of the criteria for selecting particular appliances for the household. In the available market network of the white or black technology (refrigerators, freezers and their combinations, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, cookers, air condition units, lights, boilers, televisions, audio and video technology etc.), these appliances are tagged with the energy label (pict.1).

Energy label of the appliance:

- indicates the electric energy consumption and classifies the appliances into 7 energy classes:

- class A - the most efficient appliance,

- class G - the less efficient appliance.

Energy class A appliances are approximately 45 % more economic than appliances of energy class C and D. A⁺ and A⁺⁺ class appliances are even more efficient.

Further advantages of an efficient appliance:

- guarantee of useful investment

- comfortable handling

- lower energy expense

- higher article quality and satisfaction for saving the environment and own health.

In the table you can see the advantages of efficient appliance:

Table 1 Economic return when buying an energy saving refrigerator

	A class refrigerator	B class refrigerator
Consumption according the energy label	310 kWh/year	450 kWh/year
Yearly electric energy expenses	35,185.-€	51,119.-€
Efficiency when buying A class refrigerator	15,933.-€ /year
Overall for 15 years	238,996.-€

In connection with given thematic unit and with above mentioned currently being solved scientific project VEGA was issued an book publication with CD-ROM under the title Technical, economical, ecological balance of the household investment (authors: M. Ďuriš, J. Hôrecky). The publication is intended for teachers of the subject technical education at second stage of the primary school. It freely knot on technical education schoolbook and correspond with the thematic unit content of the same title. The aim of the publication is to provide the teachers of technical education and consequently the pupil with the suitable educational script. This educational script presents easy way to clarify the given set of issues by using practical examples. Authors are also trying to accept the principle of the connection between school and life. The publication also includes the CD-ROM, using which the authors present the alternative of teaching the technical education with support of the ICT. The publication consists of five chapters. Titles of the themes in each chapter are presented in table no.2

Table 2 Content of the publication

Title of the chapter	Themes in the chapter
WATER	Partition and consumption of water
WATER	Ecology and water energy, water and water sources protection
HEAT, GAS AND HEATING	Form of heating
	Alternatives for heat, gas and heating expenses cut-back
	Ecological using of heat energy, alternative heat sources
LIGHT AND ELECTRIC ENERGY	Types of electric lighting
	Electric appliances in household
	Expenses cut-back of electric energy
	Ecological using of electric energy, alternative electric sources
BALANCE OF THE HOUSEHOLD INVESTMENT	Buying a house and flat
	Buying a new or used car
	Buying a new or refurbished PC
	Household economy, investment effectivity evaluation
	Ecological aspect of the set of issues concerned with the waste in household
	Ecological aspect of motor vehicle using
EDUCATION SOFTWARE	Home economy
EDUCATION SOFTWARE	Balance of the household investment

The education software Household economy is software for earnings and spending evidence in household. Functionally is divided into three categories: Finances, Consumption and Miscellaneous. These also have other subcategories. The software is set for practicing the skills of compilation and management of household calculation. In this software pupils can simulate various household situations in the tree given categories.

In the software Balance of the household investment and economical calculations (Ďuriš, M., Hôrecky, J., p. 79-80) are available these categories:

· Household maintenance (furniture repair, doors repair, appliances repair, walls repair, water fittings).

· Energy in household (energy saving and economical calculations).

· Operating expenses (operating expenses calculations).

· Price-to-expenses ratio (comparison of expenses for appliances).

· Car (buying a car, comparison of prices of different kinds of cars).

· Buying a house or flat (comparison of flat prices).

· Worksheets (checking the pupil’s knowledge).

· Practical examples (checking the pupil’s knowledge).

· Aids (informative energy calculation).

Here is a brief example from category Car. When buying a car we try to consider it financially and practically. Bought car should have got economic operation, be financially appropriate and reflect our needs. We can choose from two alternatives and buy a car with either diesel or petrol engine. Basically we just compare the consumption of both aggregates by co-equal performance. Information from table no.3 may give as a little help (Ďuriš, M., Hôrecky, J., p.54):

Table 3 Comparison of the benefits of diesel and petrol engine cars

Benefits of petrol engine car	Benefits of diesel engine car
Lower expenses for buying a new vehicle.	Better chance to sell a used car.
Higher top speed.	Lower consumption. 20 % better utilization of heat energy from spent fuel.
Better acceleration.	Lower diesel fuel price in most of the countries
Quicker engine heat up, quicker heating action.	Higher engine braking efficiency, more efficient operation.
Lower vehicle weight.	Higher torque performance and better tire grip at lower revolutions.
Lower insurance spending.	Longer engine life – cca 500 000 km.

While calculating the investments into a household, in particular by operating the motor vehicle is important to have the feedback about how much of the family budged is necessary to invest to motor vehicle operating. There is a chapter about this set of issues in the publication too. To make the pupils able to comprehend the basic of the car operating we have made out simple software. In this software, by entering the data, pupil can receive quick information about motor vehicle operating. As an example we present a dialog box from given software (pict. 2).

In this software the pupil can recon the whole propellant expenses (PH) by entering the actual statement of average consumption, number of passed kilometres and price of 1 litter of the propellant. He also can calculate the average consumption of PH and amortization of the vehicle. To calculate the whole expenses for motor vehicle operating is possible as well.

Education software is interactive and they correspondently supplement the subject matter. Pupil works individually and on the base of his/her own interest about given set of issues and experience learning gains continual practical knowledge.

Figure 2 Dialogue window teaching program

To conclusion we can allege, that the subject of technical education as the subject with technical orientation fulfils the principle of the connection between school and life in extenso. Trough the teacher the content of the subject builds in pupils the system of value orientation. Trough the experience learning is also realized the consumption learning as the base for the further development at higher – secondary school level. Technical education graduate profile predicts that the pupil will become useful member of the selected special community at secondary school. This way he/she will have better chance to be able to participate in the labor market what is becoming necessary for sustainable development in Slovak republic.

Bibliographic references

1 ĎURIŠ, M.: Záverečná správa z riešenia vedeckého projektu VEGA MŠ SR č. 1/1401/04 pod názvom Systém celoživotného vzdelávania v oblasti technických odborných predmetov v informačnej spoločnosti. Banská Bystrica: FPV UMB, 2007, 35 s., s. 8.

2 ĎURIŠ, M., HÔRECKÝ, J.: Technické, ekonomické, ekologické zhodnotenie investícií do domácnosti s CD ROM. Banská Bystrica: FPV UMB, 2006, 85 s., 54, 79-80.

3 KRUŠPÁN, I., ĎURIŠ, M.: Učebné osnovy technickej výchovy pre 5. až 9. ročník základnej školy (zložka technická výchova). Bratislava: MŠ SR, 1997, s.4.

4 KULČÁKOVÁ, M., RICHTEROVÁ, K.: Spotrebiteľ na trhu. Bratislava: Sprint, 1997, s. 13.

5 KUZMA, J. Vzdelávací štandard s exemplifikačnými úlohami z technickej výchovy pre 2 stupeň základnej školy. Bratislava: MŠ SR, 2002, s.26.

6 Operačný program Vzdelávanie (referenčný dokument). Bratislava: MŠ SR, 2006, s. 52-53, 115.

Bibliography

Milan Ďuriš was born in Nitrianske Rudno, Czechoslovakia in 1954. He received the PaedDr. (MSc.) degree in 1982 of Theory teaching of physic, PhD. degree in Theory teaching of technical specialist subjects in 1993 Carls University in Prague. Since 1997 he is Associate professor of Theory teaching of technical specialist subjects. Contemporary, is the Head of Department of Techniques and Technology. He is the author and co-author of a large number of papers. His research and educational activities are oriented in the area Didactics of Technology Educations. He is member commission of minister’s educational Slovak Republic for lifelong education.

Ján Pavlovkin was born in Krupina, Czechoslovakia in 1955. He received the Ing. (MSc.) degree in 1981, the PhD. degree in Automation and Control at the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava 2005. Now, he is senior assistant in the Department of Techniques and Technology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Matej Bel in Banská Bystrica. He is the author and co-author of a large number of papers. His teaching includes automations and robotics, informatics system, multimedia technology. His research is concentred in the areas of automation and robotics, exploitation modern didactic systems RoboLab and rc2000.