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The use of dogs in special schools
Kobylková, Anna ; Chaloupková, Helena (advisor) ; Machová, Kristýna (referee)
This thesis focuses on the possibilities of the use of dogs for children from special schools, especially children with autism spectrum disorder. Besides the literature review, a survey of knowledge of the use of dogs in special schools in the Czech Republic was also carried out and also how this is eventually implemented in practice.
The first part presents the review of existing data about the implementation of animal-assisted intervention for children with disabilities. At first inconsistent terminology is described, then selected types of disabilities and requirements regarding the dogs used in animal assisted interventions. For example the fact, that dogs are very appropriate for positive interactions with people, or that proper selection and training of the dogs is necessary. Thereafter are summarized studies about influence of dogs on the physiology through decreasing heart rate, blood pressure and level of cortisol or increasing level of hormones associated with a positive experience. This is followed by findings about the effect of a dog on children with disabilities, mentioning especially considerable impact on the social skills but also other skills and elimination of problem behaviors. It is always necessary to make the study as conclusive as possible. Finally, the need to pay attention to animal welfare and ethics during animal-assisted intervention is mentioned.
In the second part, the results of questionnaire filled in by representatives of special schools are evaluated. Out of the 59 surveyed schools 24 responded. The researched sample demonstrated a high degree of awareness of schools about the possibilities of using dogs. Where it is already used, it has been in most cases described an appropriate and correct implementation with a very good impact on a wide range of areas such as social skills, communication and gross and fine motor skills. All this corresponds with the information summarized in the first part.
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Environmental knowledge and attitudes: does it differ in urban and rural areas?
Sané, Mathy ; Hejcmanová, Pavla (advisor) ; Votava, Jiří (referee)
Environmental education plays an important role in the preservation and protection of biodiversity but also on the environment. It is for this purpose that the thesis aimed to assess the environmental knowledge and attitudes in school children in urban areas and those in rural areas in three regions of Senegal. This evaluation is focused on interviews with teachers and questionnaires administered to children. On the basis of 786 questionnaires collected in 19 schools including 7 in rural area (317 responding children) and 12 in urban areas (448 responding children), I found that children in rural area had higher environmental knowledge in comparison to those in urban areas, and it was also higher in boys than in girl with the same pattern in rural and urban areas. The level of environmental knowledge did not depend on the age of responding children. Concerning environmental attitudes, children expressed mostly similar attitudes in rural and urban areas and these were mostly negative towards environment. Regarding such results, it is recommendable to address the environmental issues through environmental education programs in order to get better knowledge and to build pro-environmental attitudes. The informal environmental education programs can provide opportunities for schools to improve their knowledge, interests, motivation and encouraged to adopt new attitudes towards the environment. The environmental education increases with theoretical and practical experience.
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Recognition of warning signal jay (Garrulus glandarius) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
Pacáková, Alena ; Obleser, Petr (advisor) ; Husinec, Václav (referee)
This elaboration focus on bioacoustics interactions between a deer/roubucke(Capreolus capreolus) living in our territory, which is highly hunted and a jay bird (Garrulus glandarius), which has abilities according to ingrained experiences and traditional folk superstitions hetero-specifically to warn against predators.
On territory of the Czech republic is a deer/roubucke one of the most widespread artiodactyl and a jay bird is one the most common birds. The acoustic communication between those two species plays a big role, but her research was paid only slight attention.
This elaboration focus on recognition is abilities of deer on warning signals received from jay bird. There was 39 records received, how roe deer reacts on jas is bird signals. All recording took place in area of Radotin in Prague. By using the sound system, there were playing control signals of magpie bird follow up with warning signals of jay bird. There were evaluated aspects like sex, bonnet, distance, size of the bunch and of curse their influences on timing of hunting season.
The outcomes helped us to closely understand of life of roe deer and their behavior when they recognize warning signals. The analysis provided us information that roe deer respond the same way to warning signals from jay birds as well as control signals from magpie birds.
Based on further outcomes of the elaboration, it is important to mention unsubstantiated correlations of received signals between sex and age of roe deer.
We assume that behavioral symptoms to warning signals are closely related to experiences of given individual roe deer.
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The development of the health condition of spruce stands with yellowing symptoms and their possible chemical amelioration in the Šumava Mts.
Morong, Jindřich ; Vacek, Stanislav (advisor) ; Karel, Karel (referee)
The main aim of this work was to learn about the health condition (foliage and yellowing) the structure and the growth of the spruce forest stands on two research areas at Stožec in the Šumava Mts., one of which area is fertilized by the product SILVAMIX MG and the second area is checking. Yellowing and defoliation of spruce forests in Šumava due to a lack of magnesium were repeatedly noticed in the eighties of the twentieth century. There was an experiment focused on the research reaction of spruce forest application of magnesium fertilizer (SILVAMIX MG NPK) in 1998. Fertilizer was applied manually in the spring of 2000 in the spruce-beech and spruce forest vegetative stage at a dose of 96,5 kg Mg/ha. On the fertilized areas was a significant improvement in the health condition of forest and also a reduction of yellowing. In 2005, yellowing symptoms of Norway spruce (Picea abys) almost disappeared. There is an every year yellowing and defoliation stands on the unfertilized control areas except the year 2006. There was a slight improvement in the health condition of stands in this year. We can say that the application of appropriate fertilizer leads to a significant improvement in the health condition of stands and it helps to their overall stability.
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Quality of life in children with chronic diseases of heart
BORSKÁ, Aneta
The bachelor thesis "Quality of life at children with chronic diseases of heart" summarizes, in its theoretical part, an issue of children´s cardiology including the heart anatomy, examination methods in cardiology, causes and a classification of arrhythmias and, last but not least, their treatments, including the use of methods such as cardiac stimulation and implantable cardioverter {--} defibrillator. Further the quality of life is characterized and specified, its conception extent and an importance of the evaluation. The final of the theoretical part is dedicated to a chronically ill child and its developmental and social aspects. The practical part is composed of an aim of the bachelor thesis and a stated hypothesis. This is followed by a methodical description of the research methodical process and used techniques. The chapter {\clq}qResults`` reports on the carried-out investigation in a form of graphs with verbal descriptions, these are then compared in a discussion. The goal of the thesis is to map the quality of life and other related issues of the children´s cardiology focused on a group of children with implanted pacemakers. To focus on major problems and to try to propose an optimal solution. An aim of the thesis is to find out to which extent the implanted pacemaker affects the quality of children´s life. Data from respondents were obtained by an interrogation method, a technique of a non-standardized questionnaire, dealing with three domains {--} physical, mental and social. Based on the results it is shown, that children perceive their limitations in comparison with an optimal state. There are evident differences comparing the children´s view of their own body after the implantation of the pacemaker in terms of gender. The theoretical part as well as the research results can serve as a summary of findings of the issue in a part of the children´s cardiology, dedicated to the heart rhythm disorders, which are necessary to be solved by a pacemaker implantation in relation to the quality of life and also it is about an experience of the disease depending on the developmental aspects of the child. It can be used by parents, clinical children´s psychologists, general practitioners for children and adolescents or the others who want or need to obtain more detailed information concerning the topic.
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Personal view of a child on upbringing which took place outside their own families. (Analysis of case reports)
ŠVECOVÁ, Valentyna
Abstract This thesis focuses on an analysis of a publicly available monograph, which was chosen deliberately. It deals with an autobiographical story of a girl who grew up in institutional care since the age of four. The work is conceived as a systematically organized set of information. It consists of a theoretical and an empirical part. The theoretical part discusses issues concerning the child's personality, development and basic needs, including family influence on the child. It also describes the system of alternative educational care for children with emphasis on the psychosocial aspects, concerning a child living outside its own family. The empirical part presents the research itself. The aim of the thesis is to find out more about the girl´s personal experience and the way the child perceived the education outside its own family. The main research question reads: How has the institutional education affected the life of the child? This relatively broad research question was further divided into several specific questions: 1. What impact has the child's relationship with its parents had on the life of the child growing up outside its family? 2. What influence has the child's relationship with its siblings had on the life of the child growing up outside its family? 3. What effect has the child's relationship with the educators and to the children's home in which the kid lived had on the life of the child growing up outside its family? The research was conducted as a qualitative investigation on the principle of grounded theory using analysis of the monograph in the form of data collection technique. For our individual case we utilized the method of intensive study with emphasis on a categorized overview, including basic characteristics of the individual's personality, its development, significant experience and attitudes, as well as the individual´s relationships with parents, siblings and wider social environment. The detection of the personal experience and of the opinion of the child on its education outside its own family was carried out by means of qualitative research using grounded theory technique. The data was transferred into the hermeneutic matrix program ATLAS.ti and evaluated using a three-stage coding. The methodological analysis procedure was based on inductive procedures according to the grounded theory technique. In the first step, the data was reduced to the information related to the research. After that, particular codes were created through open coding. These codes were divided into individual categories. In the chapters graphics are used, formed as a part of the coding in the analytical software ATLAS.ti. The results were described, analysed and processed. By research survey, we concluded that the personal view of the child concerning the education outside its own family is positive. This thesis could be beneficial for children's homes and diagnostic institutions. The results of the research could be used to better understand the situation of children in institutional or foster care, by the members of staff and foster parents, as well as by the people who grow up or are brought up outside their own family. This paper could also represent an incentive to perform more extensive research, which would focus on the verification of the generated hypotheses.
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School social worker - Attitude of Pedagogical workers in Elementary schools
HODKOVÁ, Eva
In this Bachelor Thesis I am dealing with the topic of school social work. Its main objective was to determine the elementary school teachers' attitude towards school social workers. A partial objective was to determine the pedagogues' opinion on whether the function of a school social worker could have a positive impact on functioning of schools and a healthy social climate. Up until now, the terms School social work and School social worker have not been very well-known in the Czech Republic. They are neither well-established nor do they have any legislative backing. In isolated cases a similar position exists in some community type elementary schools. In recent years the topic of introducing school social workers has gained momentum, however, up until now, mostly on academic level. The theoretical part of my bachelor thesis is devoted to mapping the school social work throughout the world, where school social workers have been active for many years. The U.S. have the longest history of school social work, that is why most of the first chapter is devoted to the history and present of the American school social work. In the U.S. school social work dates back to 1877 when the Child Labour Act has been adopted followed later by the Compulsory Education Act. At that period the social workers' main job was to ensure that children attend schools. Later, once school social work had been officially introduced, their authorities have gradually broadened. At present their school and out-of-school activities are very extensive and according to the School Social Work Association of America they provide services to three main target groups: students, parents and family, and school staff. Besides the U.S., school social work has also evolved in Europe. The next section of the first chapter is devoted to England, Germany and Slovakia. The history of school social work in Slovakia is the shortest, however, considering our common history and similar educational systems, provides the most relevant comparison and experience. In the theory oriented chapter two I describe the Czech educational system and analyse the current situation at elementary schools. I outline how counselling services have evolved, how new working positions are being created, such as the school prevention methodologist or the education counsellor. In this chapter I also strive to describe specific activities by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports implemented in form of national projects the cost of which is partially being covered by the ESF. The projects aim to improve the educational and preventive function of schools, develop counselling services, and improve the know-how and competences of educational workers. In the practical section of my thesis I strive to uncover opinions of educational workers on establishing a new position of a school social worker. To carry out the survey I have used a qualitative research strategy and the semi-controlled interview technique. The research sample included elementary school teachers from the Vysočina region. I was able to interview a total of 21 respondents. When evaluating the interviews, I have used the tuft formation method. The results of my survey suggest that a school social worker would be a welcome addition to the team, however, it is not entirely clear whether he/she is currently needed. Considering the fact that the research was done while the "Common education" concept was being introduced at schools, the teachers did perceive the necessity of introducing other positions. To answer the partial question of my thesis, we could say, that if we had school social workers at schools, their work would have a positive impact on the overall school climate.
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Stressful Situations in Home Mothers Vojtecha in Prachatice and their Impact on Social Care Workers
ŠKRDLOVÁ, Ludmila
This work deals with stressful situations at the Home of Mother Vojtěcha in Prachatice and their impact on social service workers. The purpose was to find out which stressful situations are the social services workers at the Home of Mother Vojtěcha in Prachatice encounter. Interest was also focused on coping with stressful situations and experiences with supervision. The work is divided into theoretical and empirical part. The first chapter of the theoretical part describes old age and associated processes, problems of dementia and Alzheimer´s disease. The second chapter of the theoretical part is focused on typology and characteristics of stressful situations, the issue of mental health and burnout. The third chapter is focused on social services, possibilities of using social care services, specifies who may do the profession of social service and describes the Home of Mother Vojtěcha in Prachatice. In the practical part is determined the main research question "How social services workers at the Home of Mother Vojtěcha in Prachatice perceive stressful situations? " Following is description of used methods, the target groups and process of the research, which was conducted by qualitative research, with semi structured interview technique. The research suggests that workers at the Home of Mother Vojtěcha in Prachatice, who participated in research, face the stressful situations every day. The most common and also the most stressful situation for them is communication with aggressive clients and clients with symptoms of dementia. All respondents agreed that the most important thing for them is peace of a mind in work and enough information about what is happening on their workplace and the organization in which they work. Symptoms of stress from everyday stressful situations like a aversion to work, loss of energy and tiredness the respondents manifested in the form of irritability, and impulsive behaviour. To cope witch stressful situations, most respondents used spending time with their families, talking about the problem with another workers and supervision, with which they have good experience. The way to minimize the stressful situations is, according to respondents, good leadership, good team, good organization and division of work and good salaries. All data from interviews are summarized in tables and they can serve the employers as a source of information and inspiration to improve the workplace condition and quality of service.
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Awareness of the Roma population in dental care
KARÁSKOVÁ, Pavla
The diploma thesis is focused on the issue of the dental care of the Roma patients. Major fields of interest were the awareness of Roma in different aspects of the dental care and the willingness of dentists to register Roma patients in their surgery. For this thesis was originally planned to use the qualitative research but the pilot study showed that quantitative research would be better option. Dentists were willing to fill in questionnaires but they had no time for interviews due to the big amount of their work duties. I chose questionnaires also for Roma respondents. Thanks to them I gathered more pieces of information from majority of Roma population than if I had used the qualitative research. For each group involved in the research were created different questionnaires. Questionnaires were created by me. The first aim of this thesis was to find out how informed and how willing are Roma population in case of preventive dental examinations. Results show that the willingness to undergo preventive examinations has more than half of respondents. Positively answered 61 percent of registered Roma and 57 percent of dentists answered that Roma undergo preventive examinations. When we compared the awareness of registered Roma respondents with unregistered Roma respondents, registered Roma respondents are more informed than unregistered Roma respondents. For example in the case of information about payments for medical acts which are paid by health insurance companies, 70 percent of registered Roma respondents and only 30 percent of unregistered Roma respondents have awareness about it. The second aim of this thesis was to find out the willingness of dentists to register Roma in their surgeries. It was obvious to me that most of the dentists don't accept new patients due to the capacity. For this reason I asked a question: "If you accept new patients, will you accept Roma?" 57 percent of dentists answered that they would register Roma. If there does exist cooperation between Roma and social worker, the willingness of dentists to register Roma increases and reaches 84 percent. This big difference corresponds to negative experience which dentists have with Roma. It means that assistance of the social worker can positively affect relationships and communication between dentists and Roma patients. Problem in communication is not only on the side of Roma population. All health workers should compulsorily study the issue of multicultural education. If they understand historical values and customs of different cultures, there is a possibility to eliminate culture barriers, intolerance, prejudice and discrimination. These facts perhaps in hidden form are mostly the main reason not to accept the patient. In case of effective communication and building mutual trust Roma patients can better understand rules which are required by dentist and gain information which are important to prevent problems with toothache, financial expenses, and ultimately, with esthetics. The research revealed that Roma, according to answers of dentists, neglect dental hygiene and dental care of their children. Dental hygiene of Roma patients was identified as inadequate by 54 percent of dentists. Only 14 percent of dentists are satisfied with the dental hygiene of children. It would be very suitable to use in preschool facilities services of dental hygienists that can help children learn appropriate hygienic habits and through "homeworks" pass gained information to other family members. A summary of possible solutions to problems of dental care of Roma is therefore effective communication between Roma patient and dentist which would be possible by implementation of multicultural education of all health workers and cooperation with the social worker as a mediator between them.
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Adolescence of child from the mother´s perspective
NOVÁ, Jana
The thesis deals with mothers´ view of adolescence. In the theorethical part, the period of adolescence is defined where the characteristics particularly physical, cognitive, emotional and social development are described. The next chapter is focused on the family with adolescent. Particular attention is paid to relationships between parents and adolescents and their transformations. The transformation of their mutual communication is also take into consideration. Then the relationship between mother and child is described, including attachment.The different types of attachments but also the transformation of attachment in adolescence are mentioned. The last chapter is focused on the relationship between mother and teenage daughter and teenage son. The main objective of this research is to find out, how the mothers look at the adolescence of their children. Qualitative research which is based on semi-structured interviews showed that mothers experience changes in behavior and social changes rather negative. On the contrary they experience physical and cognitive changes quite positive. Then it was found out that the coping of these changes is quite difficult for most mothers. Some mothers stopped to deal with the situations. The rest of the respondents dealt with changes with their loved ones. The relationship between mothers and their teenage children in most cases deepened, rarely has been weakened or unchanged. Although mothers experienced these changes quite negative, most of them perceives adolescence of their children quite positive.
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