PISA 2009 and 2012 results have revealed there is clearly room for improvement as far as the academic achievement of Slovenian youths is concerned. With regard to this the European guidelines and practices of some other countries indicate it is advisable to devote special attention to fostering the academic achievement of those youths who fail to achieve the basic levels of reading, mathematical and scientific literacies.
As part of the project “Raising Awareness and Opportunities of Lifelong Learning for Low Achievers”, the Educational Research Institute organised panel discussions where the issue of underachieving youths has been addressed together with teachers of different school subjects, counsellors and head teachers of upper-secondary schools and different approaches to improving the youths” academic achievement have also been developed during a plenary debate.
Panel discussions consisted of short plenary presentations, followed by development- and practice-oriented workshops. The following discussions took place:
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Workshops for teachers, counsellors and head teachers |
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| Set 1:Student Achievement in PISA | Set 2: Attitudes, Relationships, Perspectives and Emotions | Set 3:
Practical Knowledge and Student Achievement |
| Mojca Štraus: An Analysis of Specific Reading Literacy Sample Tasks in PISA 2009 and Achievement of Slovenian Students | Tina Rutar Leban: How to Help Youths Understand and Manage Their Emotions? | Franc Cankar and Blaž Zupan: Innovation Can Be Learnt |
| Klaudija Šterman Ivančič: How to Encourage Students to Read? | Tina Vršnik Perše: Teachers” and Youths” Views on Teaching | Marja Medved and Andreja Lenc: What Does International Mobility Bring About for Us? |
| Janja Žmavc: “You always think you need to have the final say in everything, don”t you?!” – on arguments and other means of persuasion | Alenka Gril: Attitude to Knowledge and Student Achievement | Polona Kelava: Non-Formal and Informal Knowledge in School |
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Workshops for students |
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| Set 1:I am confident in expressing my emotions and presenting arguments | Set 2: I am creative, innovative and mobile |
| Tina Rutar Leban: What are emotions? Why do we experience fear, anger, love, happiness? What to do when you experience a certain emotion? | Franc Cankar and Blaž Zupan, M.Sc.: I am creative and innovative |
| Ana Kozina: So, how”s your self-confidence? | Marja Medved and Andreja Lenc: What does international mobility bring about for me? |
| Janja Žmavc: “You always think you need to have the final say in everything, don”t you?!” – on arguments and other means of persuasion. | |