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Prešov Children's University

(Prešov Children's University)

Aims and goals:

The aims of our Children's University are: - to raise children's interest in cultural heritage of the region as well as the country within Europe's multicultural frame - to get children familiar with the university study - to motivate them in life long study - to stimulate their discovering instincts - to stimulate their imaginative skills

Organization

Organization name Institute of Research into Children's Speech and Culture, Faculty of Education of Prešov University in Prešov (Kabinet výskumu detskej reči a kultúry, Pedagogická fakulta Prešovskej univerzity v Prešove)
Organization type Academic
City Prešov
Country Slovakia

Activities & Offers

Since Jul 2007
Scheduling Regular: one major event once a year (Comment: the second week in July)
Kinds of activities DEMONSTRATION, EXCURSION, LECTURE, VISIT, WORKSHOP
Activities per year 32

Participants & Target Groups (Part 1)

Age of main target group For all types of activities from 7 to 14 years (Comment: students are divided into two main age groups: 7-10 (primary school level) and 11-14 (secondary school level))
Activities for other target groups Yes: The students of the Faculty of Education of Prešov University in Prešov working as tutors, helping by animating the activities for children in their free time and helping by organization

Participants & Target Groups (Part 2)

Effect on the participants - stimulation of children’s interest in obtaining the scientific knowledge and new information - checking their knowledge in new ways and situations - cultivation of their senses and sensibility for the unusual and extraordinary things and situations in everyday life - opening the tolerant dialogue in multicultural surroundings - inspiration for the future career – motivation for the life-long study - meaningful activities for the leisure time - new friendships
Reliable data concerning the children's social background available no
Subjective estimation: Tendencies concerning social background Children have to pay some fee for CU
Specific efforts to include children of every social background / of every social and educational level yes: We have applied for several national projects
Documentation available yes

Lecturers

Lecturers Academic staff of several universities, Non-academic staff,
Universities/Explanation Prešov University in Prešov, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Catholic University in Ružomberok, J. A. Comenius University in Bratislava, Warszawa University, Poland

Lecturers Support

Lecturers support Advice: Advice refers mostly to short introduction of target group (younger/older children), the spam of time and the material (computer technology, handouts and other) support.
Lecturers support is mandatory No, it is optional
Effect of the Children's University on lecturers new teaching approaches and ways of popularization of the science; re-evaluation of the effectivity of provided scientific knowledge to the very young students; inspiration for the future scientific projects; creating the database for the future partial research projects related to children’ s speech and culture
Written material available No

Administration & Cooperation

Organizationally located within a university/institution of higher education Yes, within Prešov University in Prešov, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Catholic University in Ružomberok, J. A. Comenius University in Bratislava, Warszawa University, Poland
Venue is a university/institution of higher education Yes, partly: Prešov University, Evangelical College in Prešov, several cultural and educational institutions in Prešov and surroundings
Cooperation between institution and external partners concerning Children's University activities Yes..., with: Basic School of Arts, libraries, museums, TV and Radio
Cooperation between institution and other organizers of Children's University activities Yes, occasionally, with: Prešov University in Prešov, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Catholic University in Ružomberok, J. A. Comenius University in Bratislava, Warszawa University, Poland
In contact with an organization which is intending to start a Children's University No
Cooperation between the Children's University and schools/single teachers Yes, with one/several schools: The schools (mostly in Prešov and Košice region) inform their pupils about the CU through the leaflets.

Concept & Documentation

A policy paper / code of practice / manual is available Yes
Evaluation results are available Yes (Comment: There are evaluations from children, parents and students available on the website of the Prešov University - www.pdu.pf.unipo.sk)
Publications about or from this Children's University Yes: Prešovský Korzár, TASR, TA3, STV1, Slovenský rozhlas

Planning/Organization & Implementation

Thematic Priorities No thematic priorities
Coming up with subjects/topics of activities Advising/consultation: The organizers usually meet together and share the ideas and proposals concerning the CU. This year we discussed some issues for the future CU with our Mentoring partner., By chance, Curriculum, Proposals, given by children,
Imitation of „academic life”
Number of people involved in the planning/organization 10 (7 women)
Number of people involved in the implementation 60 (40 women)
Comments on the number of involved people The number of people differs according to the number of students and variability of activities

Participation

Conditions for participation none
How is the Children's University advertised? through internet - sending the notice to the schools with the help of the Prešov City Government - Education, Culture and Sports Directorate; through the posters and leaflets - in the libraries, schools, museum and other cultural and educational institutions; through our web-page
Actively inviting certain groups no
Offering incentives to promote regular participation yes: The children can graduate during their regular participation - from Little bachelor to Little master
Charges participation fee Flat fee per period of activities (about 40 EUR)

Gender Aspects

Percentage of female participants 56%
Percentage of female lecturers 60%
Subjects/topics are chosen considering gender aspects No
The Children's University is considering gender aspects concerning the target group No
Documentation concerning the consideration of gender aspects available No

Project Details

Project information:

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