Department of Didactics in Science, Psychology and Pedagogy

Our department belongs to the younger departments of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. Its main goal is to train pre-service teachers able to teach at primary schools (grade 6-9), 8-year secondary schools (grade 6-13) and 4-year secondary schools (grade 10-13) in biology, chemistry, geography, and environmental studies.

The staff of the department consists of teachers of didactics of biology, geography, chemistry as well as two psychologists, a pedagogist and a philosopher. Such teacher´s staff composition is unique in Slovakia and enables close cooperation which is positively reflecting in the training of pre-service teachers as well as in scientific research work. Our students are provided with knowledge and skills in three main areas: in pedagogical-psychological area, in science disciplines, and in didactics. Students can practice their knowledge and skills at various primary and secondary schools in Pedagogical Praxis along the bachelor and master study.

The Study Programmes in Education and Pedagogical Studies

The department´s focus is on the training of pre-service teachers in following study programmes:

  • Education of Biology (In Combination)
  • Education of Geography (In Combination)
  • Education of Chemistry (In Combination)

Combinations:

Biology – Chemistry, Biology – Geography, Environmental Studies – Biology, Environmental Studies – Chemistry, Mathematics – Biology, Mathematics – Geography, Chemistry – German, Chemistry – Slovak, Geography – History

Subjects

Compulsory common subjects:

Psychology, General Didactics, Philosophical Aspects of Education, School Management, Pedagogical Diagnostics, Methodology of Pedagogical Research, Digital Technologies in Education,

Compulsory specialized subjects:

Didactics of Biology / Chemistry / Geography; Techniques and Didactics of School Experiments in Biology / Chemistry. Excursion of Slovak Geography for Teacher Studies; Digital technologies in education in Biology / Chemistry / Geography; Pedagogical Practice in Biology / Chemistry / Geography.

Facultative subjects:

Activating Methods in Teaching, Development of Cognitive Skills in Science Subjects, Environmental ethics – Education for Sustainability, Family Education, Introduction to Philosophy, Mobile Science Teaching, New Concepts of Teaching, Prevention of Drug Addictions, Rhetoric for Teachers, Specific Learning Disabilities in School Praxis, STEM Strategy for Pre-service Teachers, The Art of Presentation and Communication.

Department´s Cooperation With Foreign Universities Over The Last 30 Years

Education of Biology:

  • Czech Republic – Charles University,
  • United Kingdom – University of Dundee.

Education of Chemistry:

  • Czech Republic – Charles University, University of Hradec Králové, J. E. Purkyně University, Masaryk University, University of Ostrava,
  • Germany – Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg,
  • Poland – University of Opole, Jagellonian University in Krakow, University of Gdansk,
  • Turkey – Trabzon University,
  • United Kingdom – University of Dundee.

Education of Geography:

  • Czech Republic – Charles University, Masaryk University,
  • Ireland – University of Glasgow,
  • Poland – Wroclaw University,
  • United Kingdom – University of Dundee, The University of Edinburgh.