Educational professionals play a crucial role in the upbringing and education of learners, as the quality of instructional practice significantly influences children’s comprehensive and optimal development. To ensure effective teaching, teachers must rely on didactic principles, while well-designed and high-quality learning materials can serve as valuable support. Since mainstream primary schools include students with special educational needs, learning materials must be adaptable and flexible to accommodate diverse learning profiles. This master’s thesis examines how primary classroom teachers and providers of additional professional support conceptualize high-quality learning materials and what criteria guide their selection. Furthermore, the study investigates the extent to which teachers use digital learning resources - particularly interactive textbooks and instructional materials, their level of competence in using them, and whether differences exist in the frequency of using interactive textbooks for students with special educational needs compared to students without such needs.
For the purposes of this research, a measurement instrument in the form of a questionnaire was developed. The study sample consisted of 91 participants, including 47 providers of additional professional support and 40 primary classroom teachers. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings indicate that both teacher groups most frequently employ printed learning materials, as they perceive them to be the easiest to use. The use of open educational resources and materials with a higher level of interactivity (e.g., digital applications, interactive learning platforms) appears considerably less common, suggesting a degree of reluctance and/or lower levels of confidence and competence in working with them.
Both groups identified clarity, transparency, and appropriate visual design as key quality criteria of learning materials. These criteria are primarily associated with the capacity of the material to facilitate student comprehension and provide a structured learning experience.
Participants assessed their professional competence as higher when working with conventional learning materials, such as worksheets and workbooks, whereas they expressed greater uncertainty in using digital materials. This highlights the need for additional professional development and support in the areas of digital literacy and the implementation of contemporary didactic approaches.
The findings of this master’s thesis contribute to the field of educational pedagogy and hold important practical implications for teachers, educational material authors, and teacher educators.
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