The department of education is an educational and research institution that focuses on a wide spectrum of pedagogical disciplines. It derives its current status from the department that has existed under different names since the foundation of the Faculty of Education and has always cared for the development of educational sciences. Currently it is a modern department which reflects contemporary trends in education while keeping to the best traditions of Czech and European pedagogy. Department staff aim towards high-quality professional preparation of educators based on the synergy of experience from teaching practice and results of their research endeavour.
The department of education offers five fields of study both in full-time and combined forms, two professional fields in a combined form, three lifelong education fields and it takes part in the pedagogical and psychological preparation phase of several other departments’ fields of study. Currently the department offers bachelor full-time and combined studies of Pedagogy and Health education with focus on education, a follow-up full time and combined master studies for Elementary and secondary school teachers in the following field: Pedagogy and Health education. It also offers a follow-up study programme Training teachers of education at higher secondary schools and colleges, bachelor combined study in Education, bachelor combined study of Teacher training in vocational education and training. As part of the lifelong learning studies the department organizes a three-semester combined study programme of Training teachers of health education at lower and higher secondary schools, and a two-semester programme Teacher training for secondary schools as well as a two-semester long combined study of Education. Moreover the department takes considerable part in so called rigorous state examination in all fields of study of education for secondary school teachers and is the educational center for postgraduate students of Education science.
The department has been the center of extensive research activities in many basic educational disciplines, above all in School and Social Pedagogy as well as in Health education. It specifically focuses on the research into school discipline and teacher authority, risk behavior in schools and the development of health literacy among educators. One of the key activities of the department is also the professionalization of educator profession in Czech educational context and the cultivation of the anthropological paradigm of social pedagogy. Over a long period of time the department has been focusing its attention on the reflective teaching practice of student teachers as well as mentoring and induction for beginning educators. From the methodological point of view innovative research approaches are being nurtured at the department, including the technique of anchoring vignettes. Students of doctoral and master study programmes take part in research activities of the department under the guidance of their supervisors. Department staff members are involved in various research projects (the most recent grants awarded by e.g. Czech Science Foundation, PROGRES etc.) and they take part in activities of several scientific institutions. The department also provides facilities for the Prague branch of the Czech Pedagogical Society which unites experts in pedagogy and education from several Prague and Central Bohemian predominantly academic institutions.
