The authors focus on innovating the research tool Urban’s Test of Creativity to enhance the evaluation and efficiency of the educational process. This paper presents the possibility of measuring creativity and spatial imagination in the SketchUp virtual environment. Teachers and HR professionals in modern companies require an overview of the key competencies of students and graduates, essential for the transformation towards Industry 5.0. The authors utilize the proven concept of Urban’s Test, modify it into a digital format, and integrate new elements that assess spatial visualization and functional creativity. Teachers and HR professionals gain an efficient tool that is easy to evaluate, time-efficient, and requires minimal infrastructure. The modified research tool is suitable for conducting action research and allows for comparing respondents’ results using quantitative methods. This pilot study aimed to validate the modified test and its properties. A total of one hundred respondents, divided into five groups based on age and education (approximately 10 to 25 years old), were tested. The results confirmed that the concept of Urban’s Test of Creativity can be successfully adapted for commonly available 3D modeling environments. Moreover, it was confirmed that within the target group, the level of spatial visualization improves gradually with age.

This paper aims to examine preservice teachers' views of the School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPAITE) regarding the skills of online teachers-counselors and the effectiveness of distance education during the pandemic of COVID-19. The aim of the conducted study is related to a continuous effort of research so as to ameliorate potential teachers' effectiveness in distance education. Firstly, attention will be drawn to the concept-key term of distance education, and afterwards, we are going to proceed into an extensive presentation of its basic principles and characteristics: active teaching, leadership and management, active learning of students and technological abilities. The results of the conducted research show that the role of teacher/counselor in distance education is a multiple one, as he or she must utilize and apply not only formal and informal qualifications as used in conventional education but also additional ones that bridge the gap of physical absence.

Higher education is increasingly emphasizing sustainable development due to the growing awareness of environmental issues. Educators must be able to integrate sustainability principles into teaching, inspire students to behave responsibly, and promote environmental protection. In this article, we present an innovative approach through the secondary use of recycled electronic components to reduce electronic waste and practically teach students about sustainability. The project of making clocks from E-waste included stages from design to testing, providing students with practical skills and emphasizing the importance of recycling in technical education.

The term “Distance Education” (hereafter DE) is gaining popularity amid new global trends in cross-cultural studies of transnational education. The main objective of this article is to identify the academic research development and future research goals in the Distance Education domain using the Scopus database in the last decade (2012–2022). To this end, a bibliometric analysis was performed examining the distribution of publications, the most influential scientific publication venues, the most productive authors, and regions and concluding with an explanation of the keywords co-occurrence in line with the VOSviewer program. The outcomes revealed that the most frequently examined topics in the field of DE can be detected, which focused on distance learning, online teaching, online education, moocs, ICT, and constitute subgenres of the literature under consideration. All in all, the paper can help scholars understand and decipher current trends, keep up with DE research directions, and finally enable them to conduct their future research more effectively.

Since ancient times, music has been an element of people’s daily life, so today it is considered a part of companionship, entertainment, relaxation, relaxation and admiration for people. The role of emotions it evokes, the therapeutic effects on mental health, the role of music therapy but also the involvement of artificial intelligence in the production and distribution offer a fertile ground for further research. The aim of the present study is to investigate the music influence in the mental health of a person and generally in the mental health status. Moreover, the role of music therapy will be addressed as well as the crucial role of artificial intelligence in music production and distribution. The type of the research followed was quantitative, using a questionnaire addressed to 177 people. Furthermore, statistical methods are used for the interpretation of the data, and the valid analysis of the findings. The findings highlight the crucial aspect of music and technology in mental health, paving the way for further research in these areas. Overall, the article offers a multidimensional overview regarding the relationship between music, technology and mental health.

Příspěvek se zabývá použitím 3D tiskáren a laserového plotteru na