Education is a constantly evolving field that encompasses various approaches to teaching and learning. In our paper, we focused on qualitative research conducted with future primary level teachers using a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) approach. The research involved classroom observation, analysis of the student work, and obtaining interpretations from the students via report protocols and focused interviews. We examined the students’ learning and problem-solving strategies within STEAM-based activities as well as their perspectives on its use in primary education. Students participated in the research activity in two stages. In the first stage, further referred to as Activity 1, they followed a predetermined algorithm, instructions to construct an electronic device. The instructions for this device were developed to serve as a resource for primary education and to prepare the students for the second stage. In the second stage, further known as Activity 2, the students were tasked with creating a new electronic device together with providing the instructions. The new device was required to have a practical application. Following the completion of these activities, we collected and analyzed the procedural reflections and didactic interpretations from students. Within these interpretations, we also sought their opinions on how STEAM projects like these could help develop various aspects of STEAM competencies in children such as technical skills and knowledge, algorithmic thinking, and device architecture as well as mathematical and scientific thinking.

The integration of digital technology in education has become an essential competency for primary school teachers, particularly in mathematics education, where innovative tools can enhance learning outcomes and student engagement. This paper investigates the extent and nature of digital technology utilization among future mathematics teachers, focusing on tools like dynamic geometry software (GeoGebra), e-testing platforms (e.g., Kahoot), learning applications (e.g., Learning Apps), and immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality. Our research centers on the analysis of final portfolios submitted by graduating students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Ostrava in 2024. These portfolios, which are a culmination of the students’ educational strategies and experiences, offer a unique lens through which to assess the preparedness and innovation potential of future educators. Additionally, we surveyed the views of these students through questionnaires on the use of digital technologies in mathematics teaching. We specifically examined how these candidates plan to integrate digital technologies into their teaching practices and the innovative methods they propose to engage primary school students in mathematics. Through a qualitative study of 24 portfolios and a questionnaire survey of 15 students, we identified prevalent trends and inventive approaches in the use of digital tools. Our analysis highlights not only the variety of digital technologies incorporated into teaching strategies but also the depth of pedagogical integration, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of how to enhance learning environments effectively. The findings underscore the importance of digital literacy in teacher education and suggest that current training programs are effective in equipping future educators with the necessary skills to implement advanced technological tools. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about digital competence in education, providing evidence of emerging trends and the transformative potential of digital technologies in primary mathematics education.

Virtual reality environments (VRE) allow users to visualize both real-life and imaginary activities. For this reason, they make appropriate training fields at universities, too. However, the positive or negative effects of VRE are still a subject of research. There is a need to verify methods of their deployment, student responses and the impact of VRE implementation. Science and medicine courses are frequently exploiting VRE, while their exploitation in humanities is much less frequent. In our paper, we describe and evaluate their application in finance and marketing courses. Both courses were designed and developed as part of a larger, potentially university-wide project. The courses were enriched by mazes including 3-D rooms with course content elements. Students could explore them and communicate with their lecturers and classmates. To allow anytime/anywhere access, the VRE does not require using any special interface. The finance course was organized as a pedagogical experiment with test and control groups. Due to organizational and scheduling reasons, the VRE in marketing served just as enrichment. At the end of the term, all students using VRE were given a questionnaire assessing their satisfaction. The majority expressed satisfaction. In the finance course, positive opinion was also supported by students’ improved grades. In total, 87.5% of students agreed that the application of VRE contributed to gaining knowledge. Based on the positive experience and outcomes, the university plans to expand and to intensify its VRE-supported education.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of textbooks. They helped the learners to continue their learning in time of lockdowns. The period also raised a question: What features has to have a textbook to support learning in learner’s full or partial isolation? The objective is to identify textbook’s concepts and style leading to the isolated learner’s outcomes equivalent to those in-classroom education. The methodology has a qualitative approach; we confront subjects’ learning objectives and textbooks’ content, in particular, the presence of relevant explicit and tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge is always present because it consists of texts, illustrations, etc. Authors may forget about or occasionally neglect tacit knowledge: best practices and heuristics. The learners then cannot receive their subject’s holistic knowledge, because they are unable to complete mental lifts between Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy’s levels. As results key features of mental lifts are identified. Based on them, strategies helping to balance explicit and tacit knowledge necessary for achieving subject’s learning objectives are provided. The appropriateness of the balancing strategies is discoursed using examples from two distant subjects: Poetry and Geometry. In a stepwise manner, these examples address all mental lifts and show how such sequences can expand the learner’s knowledge. To conclude the discussion demonstrated the suitability of exploiting complete sets of mental lifts. The authors can use it to make certain that no relevant tacit knowledge will absent in their materials.