The aim of the article is to present the benefits of cooperative learning in mathematics in distance teaching conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In longitudinal studies, six math teachers formed a collaborative network and developed scenarios for three projects to be implemented by students on an educational platform. During their eight-week implementation, the principles of cooperative learning, using the methodical implications of the self-determination theory (SDT) have been followed. Mathematical problems were solved using the capabilities of the Teams platform. Among students (N = 104) from five sixth grades of primary school who took part in the study, measurements of social-emotional skills were carried out using the Distance Learning Climate questionnaire (DLC-21), designed for the study. The students have shown a high level of mathematical performance (84.8%), the significant increase of the relatedness to the group and the significant decrease in a sense of situational fear. The results also indicate a high level of students' sense of competence and satisfaction associated with the implementation of mathematical projects. The obtained results should be included in further research on the effectiveness of distance mathematics teaching methods.

The 25th anniversary of the Salamanca Statement is a good opportunity to summarize to what extent the challenges described in it have been implemented by the signatory countries, all of which are members of UNESCO. This article presents a balance of achievements in implementing inclusive education in Poland, as well as a catalog of challenges for the future. Although the commitments to provide inclusive education for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) arise from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), which have both been ratified by Poland, systematic work on the implementation began only in 2010. The key measure was the Regulation of the Ministry of National Education on the principles of planning and organization of psychological and pedagogical support for pupils with SEN. Currently, in cooperation with the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education intensive work is underway to create a coherent system for recognizing the needs and possibilities of children and adolescents based on the functional diagnosis model. Therefore, this article presents the assumptions of this model with reference to the implemented or planned changes to the educational law.

Education in Poland tries to keep up with the extremely dynamic civilisation changes in order to prepare students to face the challenges of the future. However, it must face the historical burden symbolically defined as homo sovieticus – a man giving up his own agency to the system and authority. The aim of the article is to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of the assumptions of self-determination theory (SDT) in developing the emotional-social competences of students (described using the original TROS-KA model) and gaining school achievements. The study was conducted among 10–11-year-old students (n = 94), parents (n = 94) and teachers (n = 28). It confirmed that the annual teaching cycle based on SDT assumptions was more effective (compared to standard practices) both in terms of developing a sense of competence (measured using the TROS-KA scales) as well as school achievements (measured by school grades). Moreover, teachers and parents noticed an increase in the emotional-social competences of the students, their greater involvement in the learning process and an increase in their independence. SDT can be a key strategy in the process of increasing the autonomy of the Polish school and, consequently, in the process of reducing the presence of homo sovieticus features in the mentality of Polish teachers.

The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a universal macro-theory that comprehensively explains the mechanism of arousing and sustaining intrinsic motivation through six mini-theories. International research conducted for more than four decades indicates the applicability of the assumptions of SDT in educational practice, providing a multifaceted inspiration, both in the education and upbringing of the younger generation. The article presents the results of empirical explorations, verifying the theory's assumptions. In addition, tools developed on the basis of SDT that can be applied in the context of teaching-learning have been discussed. Potential challenges in the process of implementing the assumptions of SDT into the practice of education and upbringing have been also presented.

Worldwide school closures which were happening during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 created a great lesson about the conditions for effective teaching. As temporary school closures seem very likely to occur in the forthcoming school year(s), at least locally, it is worthwhile to exploit this lesson to learn more about the capacities and resources that can be utilised in both emergency remote teaching (ERT) and regular teaching, beyond the pandemic. This research was initiated in the third week of ERT, on 13 April 2020, and involved 154 teachers in 87 schools in Poland. Its purpose was to identify predictors of subjective effectiveness of emergency remote teaching (SEERT) that might be important for remote teaching pedagogy in general. The results show that the best predictors of the SEERT are self-efficacy, digital competence and peer support from other teachers. The situation of the pandemic in a sense confirms the key role of transferable resources in the performance of teachers’ professional duties and sets a path for strengthening these in teacher training and continuing professional development programmes to increase capacity for both regular and remote teaching.