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Thematic Areas for Final Bachelor’s State Examination in Education and Psychology
Valid from 10th
February 2020.
The examination comprises of a 40-item multiple-choice test with one correct answer out of four
options. A correct answer is awarded by 1 point, .25 point is deducted for an incorrect answer, an item
without an answer is awarded by 0 points. The test takes 45 minutes. The minimal score for successful
test passing corresponds to the theoretically smallest possible score when answering correctly 50
percent of the test, i.e. test score 15. The test items reflect the studied subjects in the bachelor study
program at the Faculty of Education, MUNI: Introduction to Education and Psychology, Theory of
Education, Educational Communication, Research in Education, Special and Inclusive Education,
Pedagogical and Psychological Diagnostics, Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology.
Introduction to Education
1. Education: the field of study, educational science disciplines, selected models of education
(pragmatist approach, pedocentrism, democratic schools, learner-centred education, etc.).
2. Teachers and teaching assistants: teacher development, reflection, and self-reflection of a
teacher (Korthagen – ALACT).
3. Pupils: characteristics of pupils (gender, social status, social and cultural capital, elaborated
and restricted language code, etc.).
4. Curriculum: objectives and aims of education, forms of curriculum, Czech national curriculum
(Framework Educational Programmes).
5. School: critics of state schooling, ISCED classification of education, Czech educational system,
results and effects of education (PISA).
Wood, K. (2012). Education: The Basics. Routledge.
Wyse, D., Hayward, L., & Zacher Pandya, J. (2016). The Sage Handbook of Curriculum, Pedagogy and
Assessment (chapters 4, 5, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19). Los Angeles: Sage.
About PISA. OECD. URL: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/aboutpisa/
Key Features of the Education System. EURYDICE. URL: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-
policies/eurydice/content/czech-republic_en
Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education. Praha: MŠMT URL: www.msmt.cz
Korthagen, A. J., Kessels, J. et al. (2001). Linking Practice and Theory: The Pedagogy of Realistic Teacher
Education (chapters 7, 8). London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
The Theory of Education
1. Education: goals, process, phases of education, authority.
2. Cross-sectional areas of education in the Czech Framework Educational Program: personal and
social education, education for democratic society, environmental education, medial
education, global and European education, multicultural education. Traditional areas of
education (moral education, aesthetic education, professional education, sport education,
health education).
3. Moral education: phases, values, discipline, principles of moral education, the methods of
moral education.
4. Education in the family: the functions of a family, educational styles, goals, processes.
Relations between school, family and society.
5. Alternative Education: general principles of Montessori pedagogy, Waldorf pedagogy, Dalton
plan, Jena plan
6. Leisure time education: experience and reflective learning, leisure time activities, the methods
and forms of education, institutions.
Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education. Praha: MŠMT URL: www.msmt.cz
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Hand, M. (2016). A Theory of Moral Education. London: Routledge
Moore, T. W. (2010). Philosophy of Education. An Introduction. London: Routledge.
Sivan, A., Stebbins, R. A. (2014). Leisure Education: A Cross-National View. London: Routledge
Woods, P. A., Woods, G. J. (2009). Alternative Education for the 21st Century: Philosophies,
Approaches, Visions. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Educational Communication
1. Classroom communication and classroom interaction, verbal communication (spoken, written),
nonverbal communication, the use of space in classroom communication, proxemics, the emotional
aspects of classroom communication, teacher's questions (according to teaching methods, to cognitive
and affective goals), teacher's feedback, dialogic teaching, communication with parents.
Brookhart, S. M. (2017). How to Give Effective Feedback to your Students. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.
Bender, Y. (2005). The tactful teacher: Effective communication with parents, colleagues, and
administrators. Nomad Press. Available at: https://epdf.pub/the-tactful-teacher-effective-
communication-with-parents-colleagues-and-administ.html
Cazden, C. B. (2001). Classroom Discourse: the Language of Teaching and Learning. Portsmouth:
Heinemann.
Special and Inclusive Education
1. Inclusive education: theoretical and legislative background. Child, pupil, student with special
educational needs/disability (SEND) – definition, classifications. The methods and forms of
work with students with SEND. Teaching assistant.
2. Educational support for students with SEND: communication, means of support, counselling.
Support according to SEND: (a) health disability/condition (physical, sensory disabilities,
intellectual impairments, autism spectrum disorders, impaired communication abilities), (b)
cultural environment (ethnic and cultural minorities, asylum-seekers, socially and
economically disadvantaged backgrounds), (c) students at substantial risk of school failure (risk
of behaviour disorders).
Heward, W. L. (2014). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Pearson: Harlow.
MoE. (2004). Act no. 561/2004 Coll. of 24 September 2004 on Pre-school, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary,
Professional and Other Education (2011). URL: http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/skolstviv-cr/act-no-
561-2004-coll-of-24-september-2004-on-pre-school
Research in Education
1. Research in education and psychology: quantitative research designs, qualitative research
designs, mixed methods designs. Process of conducting research, research project (literature
review, research problem, research question, hypothesis, operationalization, variables;
sample, representativeness), research report, APA style (bibliographical references).
2. Research methods: data collection methods (observation, interview, questionnaire, rating
scales, tests), data analysis methods (quantitative and qualitative analysis).
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and
Qualitative Research. Pearson.
APA (2018, 6th, resp. last edition). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (s. 9-
11, 21-39, 169-224). Washigton: APA.
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The Basics of Pedagogical Assessment
1. Pedagogical assessment: measurement, assessment, diagnostics, the forms of assessment activities,
diagnostic process, teacher´s errors in diagnostic activities, legal and ethical aspects of diagnostics,
individual educational plans, educational support plans.
2. The methods of pedagogical assessment: observation, interview, anamnesis, product analysis,
projective techniques.
Woolfolk, A. (2010). Educational Psychology. New Jersey: Merrill.
Brookhart, S., & Nitko, A., J. (2019). Educational Assessment of Students. Pearson.
Kratochvílová, J. et al. (2019). Pedagogical Diagnostics and Pedagogical Diagnosing. Study
material. Brno: FE MUNI. URL: https://is.muni.cz/el/ped/jaro2019/SZ6610/learning_text/
Introduction to Psychology
1. Psychology as science and its development. Cognition, sensation and perception.
2. Attention, memory, imagination. Thinking, problem solving. Thinking and speech. Intelligence,
abilities. Creativity.
3. Learning. Learning outcomes, types of learning. Emotions.
4. Personality: concept, definition, structure, and dynamics. Motivation needs. Stress, stressors,
burnout syndrome, psycho-hygiene. Volition a volition process, decision-making.
Noel-Hoeksema, S., Fredrickson, B. L., Loftus, G. R., & Wagenaar, W. A. (2014). Atkinson & Hilgard's
Introduction to Psychology. Cengage Learning EMEA.
Developmental Psychology
1. Developmental psychology: the methods of developmental psychology, the principles of
periodization of mental development, the principles of developmental changes, the
characteristics of development stages. Cognitive and social characteristics of a child at school
age.
2. Theories related to the aspects of mental development: cognitive development (Piaget), moral
development (Kohlberg, Gilligan), psychodynamic concepts of development (Freud, Jung,
Winnicott, Mahler), psychosocial development (Erikson), attachment theory (Bowlby,
Ainsworth), emotional development and emotional deprivation (Langmeier, Matějček).
Langmeier, J. & Matějček, Z. (1976). Psychological Deprivation in Childhood. University of Queensland
Press.
McInerney, D. & Putwain, D. (2016). Developmental and Educational Psychology for Teachers.
Routledge.
Social Psychology
1. Socialization, social phenomena from a perspective of evolutionary psychology, social brain
hypothesis (Dunbar). Social cognition: social stereotypes, social biases, halo effect, attribution
theory, attribution errors). Early childhood social relations (influence of early social experience
on later life), social influences in personality formation at different ages, role behaviour, the
theory of social learning.
2. Inter-group relations: the theories of intergroup behaviour, the role of social groups in social
life. Social identity and self-concept: the way an individual is affected by membership in social
groups; social traits, attitudes. Social group dynamics: social facilitation and inhibition, social
loafing, conformity, desirability, obedience to an authority, the influence of a social role on
behaviour of an individual.
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3. Emotion: non-verbal communication, basic emotions, the role of non-verbal behaviour in
teaching. Aggression: the theory of aggression, frustration. Conflict: types and the course of a
conflict, conflicts at school and solutions.
4. The influence of school: the role of a teacher in human development, the characteristics of a
small social group, group influence; patterns, types and possibilities of using group dynamics
in working with children.
Hogg, M. A., & Vaughan, G. M. (2013). Social Psychology. Harlow, UK: Pearson.