Research

Project Title: Questioning Digital Didactics in School Education with the Elements of Artificial Intelligence (DI-daktika)

Project Number: P-EDU-23-1

Duration: 01/04/2025–03/04/2028

Principal Investigator: Professor Dr. Airina Volungevičienė

The aim of the project is to identify when digital didactics with elements of artificial intelligence (AI), informed by learning analytics (LA), enhance teaching, learning and assessment

The potential transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) spans all economic and social sectors, including education. While there is no single definition of what AI is, in this proposal we focus on generative AI, which is a “technology that automatically generates content in response to prompts written in natural language conversational interfaces” (UNESCO, 2023). Research confirms that AI can help teachers explain tasks to students, provide feedback to teachers, generate alternative tasks and assessment tools designed for enhancing achievement, help plan the learning process, etc. However, while a lot of attention has been on the development of AI technologies and ethical issues, there needs to be more research on LA-based evidence for didactical changes needed to use elements of AI, promoting effective transformations of digital didactic and a critical approach to the use of AI elements in teaching, learning, and assessment.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• To identify the challenges of teaching, learning, and assessment using elements of AI, informed by LA, in classroom curriculum.
• To develop a taxonomy of AI digital competence sub-set of digital competencies applicable to teachers and methodological guidelines on their development.
• To design and assess pedagogical scenarios for using elements of AI, informed by LA, to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment.
• To draw evidence-based recommendations for state institutions on how to substantiate solutions of using elements of AI, informed by LA, to improve the quality and sustainable advancement of classroom didactics and school education.

Key Project Results:

• Publication on the challenges of teaching learning and assessment using elements of AI, informed by LA, in classroom curriculum.
• Publication on the sub-set of the AI digital competences of teachers.
• A research study on the application of pedagogical scenarios for using elements of AI in teaching, learning, and assessment.
• Methodological guidelines providing context and recommendations for how taxonomy can be deployed by school teachers to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment.
• Evidence-based recommendations for state institutions on how substantiate solutions of using elements of AI, informed by LA.

The main research results will be presented at national and international research conferences and scientific events.

International Collaboration:

The project “DI-daktika” is grounded in a long-term international collaboration experience between the VMU Institute for Study Innovations and high-level experts from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Spain, and Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland, as well as other international higher education and research institutions. Multiple collaborative activities will be delivered, aiming to contribute to the internationalisation of this educational research.

Firstly, two high-level international experts/lecturers will contribute to this research. Prof. dr. Josep M. Duart from UOC is a widely recognised scholar in the application of technology in education and higher education, is the founder of EDEN Digital Learning Europe’s annual doctoral symposium and is involved in doctoral studies at universities around the world. Following his expertise, among other research activities within this project, prof. Duart will engage in theoretical analysis, analyse existing international practices, participate in the doctoral process, and contribute to paper publication and presentations.

Secondly, two international internships are planned throughout the project period, serving for both, the project researchers’ knowledge sharing and competence development, and for involving high-level experts from recognised HE institutions and research centers to share their expertise, insights, and experiences in the use of AI, informed by LA, for teaching, learning, and assessment.

Thirdly, project researchers (a PhD student and the supervisor) will participate in two international research networks/programs, sharing and extending scientific discussions at a global level, thereby realising the scope of the research problem.

Fourth, scientific publications, the research study, and presentations at international conferences will contribute to the dissemination of the research at an international level.

Finally, an international scientific event will be organised to present the project and results to international experts.

This research No. P-EDU-23-1 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: The Emerging Community of Learners in a Toddler Classroom: Well-being, Involvement, and the Sense of Belonging

Project Number: P-EDU-23-4

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Dr. Agnė Brandišauskienė

The project aims to investigate the pedagogical strategies teachers use to create learning communities with groups of young children (up to three years of age) and to propose targeted methods to improve this process.

The early development of a sense of community and belonging is an under-researched topic in Lithuania. Multiple relationships shape this dynamic experience, and teachers can significantly influence their nature. Young children learn through lived experience, which shapes their psyche. This study aims to clarify the pedagogical strategies teachers use to create learning communities with groups of young children (up to three years of age) and propose targeted measures to improve this process. The study’s results will provide new insights for the national and international scientific community on how the involvement and well-being of young children in the community promote the development of their basic skills.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Conducting empirical research in four early childhood education institutions.
• Collaboration with international early childhood education experts (LeuvenTeam, Belgium, J. White, New Zealand).
• Preparation of professional development programs for educators and recommendations on teaching strategies that promote children’s well-being, engagement, community building, and the development of basic skills.
• Dissemination of research results (participation in the ECCERA conference and SIG network, publication of scientific articles).

Key Project Results:

The study’s results will be important for early childhood education researchers and practitioners, as they will provide empirical evidence and new insights into why the involvement and belonging of young children in the community are particularly crucial in the education of children under the age of 3.

The main results of the study will be presented at four international research conferences to have a long-term impact at the international level. These conferences include three EECERA (European Early Childhood Research Association) conferences in 2025, 2026, and 2027, as well as the triennial scientific congress of ISCAR (The International Society of Cultural-Historical Activity Research) in 2027. The results will also be published in two top-tier scientific journals. Presenting scientific results at the international level provides an opportunity to discuss and exchange knowledge about the peculiarities of early childhood education (up to three years of age) with researchers from other countries.

At the national level, the following sustainable, long-term results will be pursued:

• A roundtable discussion will be organized for education policymakers and leaders.
• An analysis of education policy will be prepared for policymakers, municipal education departments, and the public. This analysis will provide concise, concrete, and relevant information on early education issues.
• A scientific and practical conference will be organized for preschool (ECEC) teachers and heads of these institutions. Two hundred people from various regions of Lithuania will participate in this conference.
• Fifty preschool (ECEC) teachers will participate in a 40-hour professional development program to improve their professional competencies.
• The project results will also be integrated into the early education teacher training program. In other words, they will be used to update the curriculum for early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers.

International Collaboration:

The project involves significant collaboration with researchers with international experience. All this cooperation ensures the dissemination of project results and further opportunities for cooperation by:

• Networking and Collaboration. The involvement in international research networks will facilitate the exchange of ideas and methodologies, thereby enriching the project’s research landscape.
• Continuity. The collaboration between international researchers and Lithuanian scientists in this project will continue to ensure sustained impact and long-term contributions to educational research.

Dr. Eleni Loizou will be one of the key researchers in the project. Her participation in international education and toddlers’ research can significantly contribute to the development of research in several ways:

• Toddler’s Research Development. Dr. Loizou’s presence in the project team will have a positive impact on the development of early childhood research and analysis in Lithuania, as we currently lack a researcher specializing in the development of children under 3 years old.
• Curriculum Development. With her experience in curriculum reform, Dr. Loizou can contribute to the development of a globally relevant curriculum in early childhood education.

Leuven Team researchers from the Centre for Experiential Education, based at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven, Belgium). Its body of expertise can be related to the development and exploitation of the ‘process-oriented approach’. Today, the Experiential Education Model and its process-oriented approach have inspired practitioners, policymakers, and researchers in approximately 20 countries worldwide. This success is due to its conceptualization of ‘well-being’ and ‘involvement’ as key indicators of quality.

Researchers from the Centre for Experiential Education will provide the following training and advisory service:

• Will introduce Experiential Education approach (1) to the research team, (2) to the broader community of teachers, and (3) doctoral students.
• Will teach how to use the research instruments foreseen in the project (Adult Style Observation Schedule (ASOS), The Leuven Scale for Wellbeing and Involvement)
• Will consult the research team within the scope of their expertise.

The research tools provided by the Centre can be used not only in ECEC institutions, but very widely (for children of all ages, adolescents, and adults). Therefore, cooperation with these researchers opens up a wide range of possibilities for further joint research projects, not only for the project team but also for the young researchers involved in the training.

Professor E. Jayne White (University of Canterbury, New Zealand) will serve as the expert on the digital documentation of research materials, including video, interviews, and their use and analysis within the polyphonic approach. She is an expert in visual philosophy and ethics, as well as early childhood education, with a specialization in infants and toddlers. Prof. E. J. White will consult the research team on methodological questions and the education of toddlers.

EECERA (European Early Childhood Education Research Association) network is a vast support system for colleagues, facilitating the development of different research perspectives on the issues facing young children’s education.

Every year, the research team participates in EECERA conferences and organizes discussions with researchers from other countries. These discussions cover the project results and outline further research directions.

This research No. P-EDU-23-4 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: Improving Teachers’ Professional Knowledge and Situational Skills

Project number: P-EDU-23-7

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Professor Dr. Erno Lehtinen

The aim of the research is to investigate the formal and non-formal knowledge, as well as the practical skills, necessary for high-quality teaching and successful student learning. The study will also examine how this knowledge and these skills can be improved in the education of future teachers and in the practical activities of in-service teachers.

The study focuses specifically on mathematics and science teachers due to insufficient motivation and achievement in these subjects among Lithuanian students. Additionally, the updated curriculum presents new challenges for these teachers due to the absence of advanced training and textbooks for students, societal and political pressure to enhance TIMSS results, and more.

The project’s activities and results will improve our understanding of the complexity of teachers’ professional activities and development by highlighting three components: the teacher’s professional vision, situational awareness, and practical classroom scenarios. Previously, all three components have been studied separately. This project will allow us to investigate the structure of the professional knowledge of mathematics and science teachers more closely and the role of different knowledge components in the teaching process. This will provide evidence-based research on how to better implement training and qualifications for future teachers by integrating new knowledge into teachers’ professional knowledge structures.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• The first phase is dedicated to a meta-analysis and secondary analysis of data from TIMMS, TALIS, and other international studies. This analysis will determine how different aspects of professional development and teacher competencies relate to pupils’ learning and their learning achievements.
• In the second phase, quantitative research and eye tracking studies will be conducted, with in-service expert teachers of mathematics, and science, as well as pre-service and novice teachers participating.
• In the third phase, an intervention programme will be developed and implemented to strengthen the conceptual professional knowledge of mathematics and science teachers, and to improve their professional vision and situational awareness skills.

Key Project Results

Scientific results of the project:

• 9 scientific articles published in high-level scientific journals.
• 1 monograph developed summarizing the most important research findings.
• Based on the results of the study, recommendations were made for the professional development of mathematics and science teachers to improve the quality of education and student achievement.
• Three research internships for doctoral students have been implemented at the Universities of Augsburg and the Open University Netherlands.

Practical results of the project:

• Pedagogical interventions involving 90 experienced, novice and pre-service mathematics and science teachers.
• Analysis comparing the differences in professional vision and situational awareness of experienced, novice and in-service mathematics and natural sciences teachers, to help model and adapt the educational process.
• A pilot curriculum for mathematics and science teachers developed and tested with 40 teachers.

The main results of the research will be presented at national and international scientific conferences such as EARLI, ATEE and others, and an international conference with UNESCO IBE will also be organized.

This research No. P-EDU-23-7 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: Soft Skills Training Model for Pedagogues, Promoting Job Satisfaction, Responding to the Needs of Educational Processes in the Context of LLL

Project Number: P-EDU-23-11

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Professor Dr. Genutė Gedvilienė

Relevance of the research is defined by the following factors: changing educational processes and their societal context create new demands for the soft skills of pedagogues related to teaching in the context of digitalization, expanding inter-cultural inclusiveness of educational provision (migration), learner-centered pedagogies, creative adjustments to the changing demands of knowledge and skills in the world of work, co-shaping of the changing models of citizenship and related attitudes. This requires from the teachers both: to develop their own soft skills, as well as to be able to help students in acquiring and developing these skills. Pedagogues’ job satisfaction is one of the essential factors in increasing the attractiveness of this profession. The changing role of a pedagogue influenced by the growing relevance of facilitation and guidance of the learning processes significantly increases the importance of professional calling and satisfaction with work in this profession. Soft skills, attitudes and values provide important predispositions for nurturing the calling and job satisfaction of pedagogues. There is a lack of research-based knowledge about the implications of development pedagogues’ soft skills for their job satisfaction

The aim of the project is to develop a model of pedagogues’ soft skills training that would meet the requirements of the educational process and enhance teachers’ job satisfaction. In Lithuania, both scientific and methodological literature widely discuss the general competences of pedagogues. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive overview and systematisation of generic competencies, as well as research on interventions and their evaluation. New didactic methodologies and new models of implementing them, as well as new methods and tools, are necessary for the contribution to the improvement of the subject in question.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Development of a methodology for the soft skills and job satisfaction of pedagogues (scientific literature and document analysis, quantitative research instrument). Planning and implementation of a survey of teachers in 60 municipalities in Lithuania. 2000 teachers from urban and rural schools will be surveyed.
• Qualitative research on the relevance of soft skills in teacher training in higher education institutions. Planned focus group discussions with 50 participants (with the participation of undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Academy of Education and staff from the Academy of Education) will be used to determine the extent to which soft skills integrated into curricula can make an impact on pedagogues’ job satisfaction.
• Development and testing of experimental soft skills training modules (5 modules: communication and teamwork skills, creative and intercultural interaction skills, self-development and critical thinking skills, emotional intelligence and self-confidence development skills, digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) skills) based on the results of previous quantitative and qualitative research results.
• Editing and uploading educational modules as Open Educational Resources on an online Lab platform for research and experimental development, which was adopted from project international partners.
• Developing guidelines for the development of soft skills for teacher training to enhance their job satisfaction.

Key Project Results:

• Based on scientific literature and documents analysis the development of teachers’ soft skills model, focusing on the needs of the educational process and pedagogues’ job satisfaction.
• Prepared scientific articles and a scientific study based on national quantitative and qualitative research for the development of teachers’ soft skills and their job satisfaction.
• Five experimental modules (5 modules: communication and teamwork skills, creative and intercultural interaction skills, self-development and critical thinking skills, emotional intelligence and self-confidence development skills, digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) skills) based on the results of previous quantitative and qualitative research results) for the development of pedagogues’ soft skills will be developed and tested.
• Implementing the experience of international partners through the creation of a Lab platform.
• Guidelines for the development of soft skills in teacher training created and presented to the key stakeholders at the conference. The guidelines will be uploaded into the Lab (a platform for open educational resources).

Impact of project results:

Short-term results:

• Increased awareness among teachers of the importance of soft skills and their impact on job satisfaction.
• Improved quality of professional development for educators through the integration of soft skills into the curriculum.
• Teacher education programmes should aim to integrate soft skills, improving the quality of teacher-student relationships.

Long-term results:

• Sustained increase in teacher job satisfaction leading to more effective implementation of lifelong learning.
• General competences of Lithuanian teachers systematically strengthened, improving the quality of education in the long term.
• The soft skills of Lithuanian teachers are likely to have the potential to reach the OECD average, which would be reflected in international assessments of education quality.
• Teachers’ job satisfaction is likely to increase with more stable and effective participation of teachers in voluntary professional development activities.

International Collaboration:

One of the strategic strengths of the project lies in its integrated and multidimensional approach to international research collaboration. Partnership with Tallin University is structurally embedded within the project’s research design, methodology development, implementation, and dissemination phases. The collaboration has both epistemic (knowledge-building) and instrumental (capacity-building) value.

The primary international partner in the project is Tallinn University, School of Educational Sciences – a recognized institution in the European Higher Education Area with demonstrated expertise in educational reform, professional teacher development, and innovative pedagogy. The university contributes its Educational Learning Lab (ELL) methodology, a research-informed, practice-oriented framework designed to develop transversal competencies and reflective teaching practices.

Key contributors from Tallinn University include:

• Prof. Dr. Krista Loogma – senior researcher, expert in educational reforms and teacher professionalism.
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meril Ümarik – researcher specializing in VET, educational innovation, and digital pedagogies.

Both have longstanding research experience, international project leadership, and prior involvement in the development and application of the ELL methodology under the CEITER (Change in Educational Institutions as a Learning Laboratory) project.

The collaboration with Tallinn University brings substantial added value by enhancing research quality, enabling knowledge transfer, and supporting the internationalization of the project. Tallinn University expertise in innovative teacher training methodologies, particularly the Educational Learning Lab (ELL), allows for the adaptation of a proven model to the Lithuanian context. This exchange ensures that the project is grounded in internationally validated practices while remaining locally relevant.

Through joint events, and shared academic networks, the partnership increases the project’s visibility and impact on both scientific and policy levels. It also aligns with key European education priorities, such as the OECD’s Future of Education and the EU’s Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, contributing to broader efforts to strengthen teacher professionalism across borders.

It is important to note that this collaboration lays the groundwork for future joint research initiatives, shared learning platforms, and long-term institutional partnerships, ensuring the sustainability and transferability of project outcomes.

This research No. P-EDU-23-11 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: Evaluating School Effectiveness and Improvement: Prototyping a 3D Triangulation Methodology

Project Number: P-EDU-23-12

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Professor Dr. Gediminas Merkys

The aim of research is to develop and test a new methodology for evaluating schools, discovering a combination of characteristics of school culture (in the broadest sense) that differentiate highly efficient schools from schools that lack efficiency, whose mission is poorly defined. Efficiency and development are understood as the ability of a school to ensure the conditional progress of academic and psychosocial development over a longer period for the largest possible percentage of pupils, regardless of their initial learning achievements and level of well-being. The research is multimethodical, triangulational. Pupils’ progress in developing cognitive and non-cognitive personality traits, as well as school culture, will be studied holistically, within the organic ontological unity of the three components. If the study is successful, it will be possible to radically improve: a) the current system of monitoring and evaluation of schools; (b) the certification of school leaders and teaching staff; (c) the evaluation of school governance at the founding level. Finally, it will be possible to open up a concrete path for accelerated change and improvement for each school.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Analysis of pupils’ achievements for the period 2017-2025 (big data of NMPP, PUPP, VBE tests), recognizing and classifying schools that are able to guarantee the relative academic progress of pupils and fail to do so.
• Quantitative research of school culture in selected “contrast” schools in the country.
• Qualitative-ethnographic research in municipalities, in specific “contrast” schools.
• Generating a comprehensive criterion-based knowledge of what essential characteristics distinguish an effective (good) school from a school whose mission remains dysfunctional for a long time.

Key Project Results:

The main results of the Research will be presented at national and international research conferences and highly-ranked scientific journals. On the basis of the research results, a scientific monograph has been planned.

From the big data, the following will be identified: 1) schools that are characterized by the ability to effectively carry out their social mission, regardless of the level of achievement in the school rankings and the level of the available pupil contingent, capable of guaranteeing the ability for each pupil to achieve individual psychosocial and academic conditional developmental progress; 2) Sophisticated multidimensional statistics will identify schools with a weak social progress mission. In this way, the methodology for recognizing “contrast” schools is applied. Before the study is completed, interventional and case management measures may be applied to contrasting schools, especially those lagging behind, (founder specialists, NEA specialists, associated structures of school leaders, university departments). After refining the methodology for recognizing contrasting schools from big quantitative data, identifying what distinguishes highly capable and dysfunctional schools by qualitative methods, innovative assessment methodologies will be developed. Potential users of the methodologies are NEA’s, school founders and its local education units, individual schools, their administrations and communities. In the West, school evaluation methodologies are usually divided into: 1) big data research; 2) quantitative studies of individual schools or clusters; 3) qualitative anthropological research on the quality of school culture.

This research No. P-EDU-23-12 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: COMPASS. Improving Curriculum Coherence: A Study in Assessment Policies and Practices

Project Number: P-EDU-23-15

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Professor Dr. Natalija Mažeikienė

This study aims to deepen interdisciplinary scientific knowledge of assessment policy and practice, strengthening curriculum coherence and improving the assessment literacy of key stakeholders. The project will contribute to the successful implementation of the ongoing curriculum reform in Lithuania by addressing the issue of insufficient coherence between the different components of the curriculum, namely planned education (competencies to be developed), the implemented curriculum (actual education) and national-level assessment practices (exams and tests). It will pilot innovations in assessment at school and classroom levels, such as constructed response tasks, projects, collaborative tasks, and educational technologies including game environments and artificial intelligence. Taking a communication disciplinary approach, the project will analyse public discourse and perceptions of education (including exams and tests) in the media. This will reveal public understanding and identify policy trends and issues concerning the public related to assessment. The project will promote international cooperation, as well as fostering assessment literacy and research competence within the scientific community, particularly among young researchers and doctoral students.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Analysis of assessment policies and practices, and piloting of assessment innovations. This research will involve several stages and various strategies, including policy analysis, surveys, discourse analysis, group-level assessment (GLA), focus groups, individual interviews and action research.
• Presentation of project results at international scientific conferences. The project team will actively participate in several international conferences focusing on education, assessment and educational technologies. These will include the annual conferences organised by the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA), the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) and the International Conference on Education and Artificial Intelligence Technologies (EAIT), as well as the World Conference on Qualitative Research and others.
• Publication of scientific articles in high-level journals.
• Involvement of researchers from abroad in research activities and the doctoral process, e.g. inviting them to give lectures and consult with doctoral students. The project will collaborate with researches from Saarland University in Germany and Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in Bulgaria. Members of the COMPASS project team will join the Cambridge Assessment Network and participate in its activities, including training sessions. This will give them valuable opportunities to network, learn about the latest research and expand their knowledge of evaluation.
• Inclusion of assessment topics in various teacher training programmes and the doctoral programme.
• Organisation of national scientific events on the results of the COMPASS project for Lithuanian scientists, doctoral students and assessment stakeholders.

Key Project Results:

The main findings of the research will be presented at national and international conferences and published in scientific journals. A policy brief on evaluation practices will be written and presented to policymakers. A forum for Lithuanian researchers, doctoral students and assessment stakeholders will be organised. The project will impact policy and practice, creating good research practices to strengthen cooperation between researchers and various stakeholders, including teachers, curriculum experts, the Ministry of Education and Sport, and educational agencies. The project will strengthen research on assessment and create prerequisites for improving assessment policy and practice in Lithuania, with a focus on competence- and performance-based assessment. It will also develop a new field of educational research: assessment innovation using educational technologies, such as game-based assessment and assessment using artificial intelligence.

This research No. P-EDU-23-15 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: Redesigning school education system for the diversity of learners based on inclusive education in the universal design for learning framework

Project Number: P-EDU-23-17

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Professor Dr. Alvyra Galkienė

The aim of the research is to identify the factors and their intersections that are relevant for the transformation of the school education system towards an inclusive education based on a Universal Design for Learning approach, which provides conditions for the well-being of children with different needs and for the development of their personal potential.

This project builds on the research cycle on inclusive education, which began with the identification of inclusive educational processes in different national contexts (2014–2017), continued with the development of inclusive education based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach (2019–2021), and then moved on to identifying the factors that enable education to be sustainable in critical contexts (2021). The project will conclude with a search for transformative factors in school educational systems in terms of cultural, managerial, and pedagogical practices.

Solutions are sought to ensure the universality of the educational process, addressing the conflict between providing overall learning support through UDL strategies and offering individual support based on the traditional concept of special education, which excludes pupils from the learning experience as a whole. In addressing the issue of the inclusion of children who have fled the war in Ukraine, it is important to take into account their traumatic war experiences, their sense of purpose in life, the preservation of their national identity, and the uncertainty surrounding their return to their homeland.

The study aims to substantiate the factors that ensure universal education and optimal support, eliminating the possibility of segregation; ensure the well-being of all pupils and the development of their personal potential, and assess pupils’ achievements in a way that recognises their differences. The study also seeks to answer why school education systems are slow to transform, and which factors could help accelerate this process.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Researchers and practitioners from Iceland, the United States, Ukraine, and Lithuania are working together to carry out research and share their experiences.
• The organisation of student support in Iceland’s inclusive education system and the use of UDL practices in experienced US schools will be observed and analysed.
• Discussions will be held among teachers, educational assistance specialists, school and pre-school leaders, and groups of teachers from Lithuania, Iceland, and the USA, as well as with schools in Poland and Germany educating children who have fled the war in Ukraine. These discussions will address issues of concern and share practical experience. The discourse of these discussions will be analysed.
• Conversations will be held with mainstream pre-school and school-age children, as well as with children with special educational needs and those who have fled the war. Their experiences and expectations will be analysed.
• An international questionnaire survey of teachers implementing inclusive education will be organised.
• A model for transforming the school education system to deliver inclusive education through a UDL approach will be developed and tested in Lithuanian schools.

Key Project Results:

• The research report and its recommendations will be published in Lithuanian to help education policy-makers, pre-school and compulsory school leaders, teachers, and education support professionals achieve targeted, evidence-based changes to the school education system that promote inclusive education.
• The study, which will be published in English by a well-known academic publisher, will contribute to the global scientific discussion about developing inclusive school education systems based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
• The voices of children with special educational needs who are living in disadvantaged social conditions and have experienced the trauma of fleeing the war in Ukraine will be used as reference for modelling education systems that promote the well-being and successful learning of all children. It will be discussed in the article “Children’s Well-Being and the Development of Individual Capacities in the Inclusive Education Process: Voices of Children with Special Educational Needs Living in Disadvantaged Social Conditions with Traumatic Experiences of Fleeing War”.
• The article “Sustainable Factors and Interactions in School System Redesign that Predict the Quality of Inclusive Education in Schools” will highlight the factors that drive the redesign of school education systems for children’s well-being and quality inclusion.
• A research symposium, co-organised with researchers from the UNESCO/UNITWIN network, on “Teacher Education for Social Justice and Diversity” will discuss the results of this project and other research from the network on the topic of “Challenges of Inclusive Education in a Changing World”.
• The results of this research will be presented at the Lithuanian Educational Research Association’s (LERA) Science Forum, “Overcoming War Trauma in Inclusive Education Contexts”, to LERA researchers and teachers of children who have escaped war in different European schools.
• The forum, which is taking place at the Educational Research Institute of VMU, will be attended by the university’s educational researchers, PhD students, and the project’s international research team.  The forum will discuss issues related to researching the implementation of inclusive education in schools.
• A debate on the development of inclusive education in a universal design approach will be organised at the International Doctoral Summer School.
• The research results will be presented at three scientific conferences, both in Lithuania and abroad.

This research No. P-EDU-23-17 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: Lithuanian Language for Immigrant Students: Assessment, Teaching, and Success

Project Number: P-EDU-23-24

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Dr. Laura Kamandulytė-Merfeldienė

The aim of the study is to investigate the spoken and written Lithuanian language skills of immigrant students in their first, second, or third year of studying in Lithuania. The project seeks to:

• Develop a formative assessment framework aligned with CEFR language proficiency levels A1–B1;
• Create evidence-based methodological recommendations for teaching Lithuanian as a foreign language using a communicative approach;
• Examine the factors that influence successful Lithuanian language learning in school settings.

Target Group

The research focuses on learners aged 9 to 14. The primary emphasis is on investigating their speaking and writing skills, while also analyzing how attitudes and motivation influence the teaching and learning process.

It is expected that this study will contribute to inclusive education research, as immigrant children represent a group of students with additional (special) linguistic needs. Due to language and cultural differences, they often experience linguistic, cultural, and social exclusion. Data collected during the project – including language samples from immigrant students and interviews with their parents and teachers – will help identify the key challenges in these children’s education (both linguistic and socio-cultural) and will propose ways to address them. The project will also contribute to teacher training and professional development by providing empirical data supporting the communicative teaching principles of Lithuanian as a foreign language.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Develop tasks for researching children’s language skills.
• Prepare sociolinguistic questionnaires for students, parents, and teachers.
• Collect and annotate corpora of children’s spoken and written language.
• Study sociolinguistic factors, language learning strategies, learning experiences, and motivation.
• Conduct comparative studies of immigrant and native students’ (control group) Lithuanian language using corpus linguistics methods and statistical analysis tools.
• Develop an assessment inventory for Lithuanian as a foreign language at levels A1–B1.
• Prepare methodological guidelines for teaching Lithuanian as a foreign language to school-aged children.
• Compile a collective monograph.
• Publish scientific articles.
• Develop recommendations for the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport regarding the education of immigrant students and assessment of their Lithuanian proficiency.
• Prepare guidelines for Lithuanian schools on the linguistic and cultural integration of immigrant students.
• Develop recommendations for teacher training institutions in Lithuania.

Key Project Results:

• Scientific outputs: a monograph and scholarly publications.
• Recommendations for the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport regarding the education of immigrant students and the assessment of their Lithuanian language achievements.
• Recommendations for all Lithuanian schools on the linguistic and cultural integration of immigrant students.
• Recommendations for Lithuanian teacher training institutions regarding the linguistic integration of immigrant students.
• Evidence-based tools and solutions to improve teaching practices, including a formative assessment framework and methodological guidelines for teaching Lithuanian as a foreign language, all grounded in research.
• Training and consultations for teachers, other educational staff, PhD and Master’s students.

Potential Long-Term Impact

The project may significantly contribute to long-term and sustainable improvements in the quality of education. The research findings will provide a conceptual foundation for improving teaching of Lithuanian as a foreign language in schools and will open up long-term perspectives for enhancing Lithuanian language didactics.

The project outcomes will support the linguistic integration and academic success of students arriving from abroad, offer clear guidance for curriculum and material developers, and provide tools for formative assessment. It is expected that the results will help achieve national development goals and will promote positive educational changes based on best practices.

This research No. P-EDU-23-24 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.

Project Title: Fostering Research on Innovation through STEAM-Oriented Interdisciplinary Project Based Learning

Project Number: P-EDU-23-29

Duration: 01/04/2025–31/03/2028

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Dr. Ilona Södervik

The primary aim of the study is to implement a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) training programme tailored for both pre-service and in-service teachers and to examine the effectiveness of various PjBL scenarios and their impact on educational outcomes.

Despite continuous investment in the Lithuanian education system, student performance remains below international averages, with growing disparities influenced by social, geographical, and gender-related factors. One of the key reasons for this situation is the limited implementation of innovative teaching methods—such as Project-Based Learning (PjBL)—in general education practice. Teachers often lack methodological support, practical experience, and systematic training necessary for integrating PjBL into the curriculum, especially in the field of STEAM education.

This study seeks to address the identified challenges by developing and implementing a comprehensive PjBL training programme, assessing its impact on teachers’ professional competencies as well as student achievement and motivation. The study will analyse the barriers to PjBL implementation, evaluate regional and social disparities, and develop adapted assessment models. The results will provide a foundation for scaling effective PjBL strategies in Lithuanian schools.

Project Objectives and Main Activities:

• Conduct an effectiveness study of the teacher professional development programme related to PjBL implementation, with a focus on identifying key challenges in delivering and sustaining PjBL practices.
• In collaboration with schoolteachers, organize practical implementation of PjBL in schools and assess its impact on learning improvement, as well as the academic performance of students in grades 5–8.
• Investigate the impact of PjBL practices on teachers’ professional and transversal competencies.
• Evaluate existing PjBL assessment models and develop an optimal PjBL assessment framework aligned with the national curriculum.

International Collaboration

The research will be carried out in close collaboration with the Universities of Helsinki (Finland) and Penteada (Portugal) and Tartu (Estonia) particularly in the field of STEAM education and didactis. International partners will contribute to joint research activities focused on STEAM didactics, provide methodological input, share assessment frameworks, and support the international validation of the PjBL methodology.

Collaborative activities will include:

• Co-authoring scientific publications,
• Participation in international research networks and working groups,
• Joint development and comparative analysis of methodological materials,
• International research exchanges and seminars,
• Comparative analysis of PjBL practices across different educational systems (Lithuania–Finland–Portugal).

This international collaboration strengthens the scientific quality of the research, expands its scope of application, and ensures the international relevance and credibility of the study’s outcomes.

Key Project Results:

• The main findings of the research will be presented in five scientific articles and disseminated at national and international research conferences and through peer-reviewed journals.
• Educational materials will be developed and made available for teacher use.
• A national conference on PjBL will be organized.
• At least five pilot interventions will be implemented in diverse Lithuanian schools, including both urban and rural contexts.
• A comprehensive impact study will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the PjBL methodology, assessing both short-term changes in teaching and learning practices and long-term transformations in educational processes.

Anticipated Impact

• Professional growth of teachers: Teachers participating in the programme will acquire practical skills for implementing PjBL, particularly in STEAM disciplines, and will improve their ability to integrate project-based learning into curricula and assess student performance holistically.
• Improved subject teaching quality: Practical school-based activities will foster more active and problem-oriented learning, especially in grades 5–8.
• Identification of real-world implementation challenges: Data collected through questionnaires and pilot interventions will highlight authentic barriers to PjBL integration in Lithuanian schools.
• Accessible teaching materials: Developed methodological resources will be readily usable by teachers in their day-to-day practice.
• Sustainable implementation model: A complete framework for teacher training, curricular integration, and assessment—aligned with the national curriculum—will support the long-term institutionalization of PjBL in school systems.
• Enhanced student outcomes and engagement: The long-term goal is to raise student academic achievement and increase interest in STEAM subjects.
• Policy relevance: The findings, disseminated through publications and conferences, will contribute to shaping and improving educational policy.
• Context-sensitive solutions: Interventions in different types of schools (urban and rural) will help identify effective approaches suited to diverse social and geographical contexts.
• Sustained teacher development: Upon completion of the professional development programmes, teachers will have a robust toolkit to continue applying and refining PjBL strategies in their classrooms.

This research No. P-EDU-23-29 is co-funded by the European Union (the project “Breakthrough in Educational Research” No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1^st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 17^th April 2025 Joint Activity Agreement with Vytautas Magnus University.