Research

DPChVE research strategy is diversified into 2 aims: field-expert knowledge and didactics. The focus is on compact and consolidated research teams across fields with tight collaboration with MU research infrastructures (RIs) to increase the publication activity in high impact journals. There will be a strengthening of collaboration with the network of faculty schools to enhance the mutual knowledge transfer focused on application-oriented didactics research.

The theoretical and practical aspects of subject methodology will be investigated to support the evolution of schoolbooks and demonstrational experiments. The main aims will be oriented towards exploratory learning, inquiry-based science education, talented pupil development and increasing public awareness of technical oriented education to support the challenging transformation into a technology knowledge-based economy. Specific attention will be paid to contributing to Security and Strategic Studies at MU focused on the security of citizens in emergency situations.

Physics and Chemistry are very demanding fields in terms of research infrastructure (RI). Naturally, this RI is not available at FE MU and it is not feasible to establish such RI alongside the highly successful (and expensive) RI at FSc MU/CEITEC, in accordance with MU’s policy of rationalization and sharing RI. The DPChVE benefits greatly from HR sharing with FSc MU, where the DPChVE’s academics conduct high quality physical and chemical research. Besides specialist research in Physics/Chemistry, pedagogical research in Physics/Chemistry is focused on didactics of both, i.e., research-oriented teaching or remote laboratory. Vocational education is focused on didactics of technical and economic courses, and Security and Strategic Studies at MU (members of MU rector’s board) is focused on the security of citizens in emergency situations.

The Dept. of Physics, Chemistry and Vocational Education performs research in physics, chemistry and other STEM associated fields related to financial literacy, public and private safety, and Industry 4.0. The research of DPChVE covers educational related research (didactics, historical and theoretical aspects of science).Members of the department also perform field-related research at the Faculty of Science. Details of publication activities of members of DPChVE is listed at MU central repository page.

R&D at the DPChVE is conducted in highly decentralized manner by research teams assembled ad hoc or individuals focused on dedicated R&D projects. The DPChVE has no accredited doctoral study programme and therefore Ph.D. students are involved through the supervision of members of the DPCHVE at other universities.

The DPChVE has harvested the fruits of the successful transformation of the faculty and the foundations laid by the wise leadership and hard work of our predecessors in past decades, for example, the faculty’s photovoltaic power plant and education laboratories and workshops to name but a few. However DPChVE has a specific position at the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University (FE MU). It is the STEM department at an otherwise humanities and social sciences-oriented faculty. This leads to specific R&D demands, which can be fulfilled only on the basis of the whole university RIs sharing policy.

DPChVE is a holder or associate holder of several research project grants focused on leading the DPChVE education activities towards the 21^st century needs, e.g., digital literacy, digital competences, praxis-oriented education, Industry 4.0 to name a few.