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Communication with pupils or parents, or helping a child with epilepsy – some aspects of teacher training are difficult to practice. That’s why the Faculty of Education has a so-called virtual classroom, where various scenarios can be safely simulated and tested. Two projects focused on developing these technologies have now succeeded in a national competition of technology-focused projects.

„The research team is working with a prototype of a proprietary application that combines virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Once the project is completed, the application will be used nationwide – both at universities training future teachers and in professional development courses for in-service teachers,” explains Lucie Rohlíková, the lead investigator of one of the projects and Vice-Dean for Strategy and Projects at the Faculty of Education. The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has been a long-term collaborator in developing the virtual environment.

Support for children with epilepsy in the school environment is the main topic for Dana Buršíková, Vice-Dean for Research and Creative Activities. “Research shows that teachers often don’t know how to respond, so we want to help them overcome fear, gain confidence, and prepare for situations they may face in their teaching careers,” says Buršíková. Her project also uses VR to allow teachers to practice correct procedures when working with pupils with epilepsy.

According to Dana Buršíková, the projects significantly strengthen the faculty’s research profile: “These grants broaden our professional base and create opportunities for collaboration with new partners, such as the Department of Paediatric Neurology at Motol University Hospital.” She adds that the projects will also help transfer new knowledge into teaching – an area in which the faculty has long excelled, drawing on experience from previous research.

The faculty’s third and highest-rated project within the TAČR Sigma call is led by Václav Stacke, head of the newly established Center for Educational Research (CPV). Building on topics developed by the Department of Geosciences, the project will create a methodology for teachers on how to develop and implement virtual field-based teaching. This will allow pupils and students to experience fieldwork, labs, workshops, museums, or excursions – even if they would not otherwise be able to access such activities. “This supports the inclusion of students with limited opportunities, whether due to health, geography, or social disadvantage. Experiencing space and place is irreplaceable in education. Thanks to virtual reality, we can deliver it remotely,” explains Stacke.

The faculty is also working on a fourth project, EDUCARE, in collaboration with Masaryk University and Charles University. Its goal is to create a professional development framework for people who care for preschool-aged children outside of the formal education system. The team from the Department of Primary and Pre-primary Education, led by Eva Koželuhová on behalf of the Faculty of Education, will contribute to this effort.

“All four projects have one thing in common – they aim for a tangible impact in practice, whether in schools, childcare groups, or teacher training. They combine insights from pedagogy and psychology with modern technology, emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, and will produce practical outcomes,” adds Rohlíková.

The Faculty of Education has prior experience with TAČR projects. Between 2020 and 2022, it implemented a project led by Jiří Kohout that aimed to create an online tool to help teachers and school leaders identify pupils’ problems during distance learning. The tool enables analysis of student performance and other factors and provides recommendations for effective pedagogical interventions. It addressed challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and helped improve teaching conditions in times of crisis.