Abstract:

The study deals with selected aspects of qualification theses that complete the university phase of preschool teacher professional training. The aim of the study was to find out what strategies preservice teachers choose for the evaluation of proposed applied practice project for preschool children, and how the quality and scope of evaluation methods and tools used changes due to increasing demands on the teaching profession.

The study is based on quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 107 bachelor theses in the field of study Preschool Teacher Training at the Faculty of Humanities of TBU in the Czech Republic. All thesis were created between 2012 and 2019 and they reflect changes in future teachers´ training. These are so-called applied practice qualification works that do not have a research character. This type of thesis in teacher training programs is common in the Czech Republic, but without standards prescribing the content and work structure. The presented study concerns the study program, where criteria have already been created. One of the criteria is the mandatory evaluation, which includes both self-reflection and other results through the methods used. When creating a qualification thesis, the student of teaching should demonstrate not only theoretical knowledge in the field, but also the ability to create and verify a proposal in the form of a project, program, set of games, or activities for preschool children. This part of the applied practice bachelor thesis concerns two aspects - on the one hand, the verification of the didactic competence of a preservice teacher, and at the same time, his ability to choose an effective evaluation tool.

The results of the evaluation part analysis show that just as the requirements for preservice applied projects increase, so do the skills of future teachers in the field of evaluation of their work. They can also use less conventional methods, such as SWOT analysis. At the same time, however, the student's uncertainty in self-evaluation is still evident. Their evaluation is more oriented towards project implementation and organization than an in-depth reflection on their performance. The primary "mirror" and criterion of positive self-evaluation of a preservice teacher are the interest, satisfaction, non-conflicting behaviour and successful activities of the children he works with. The development of reflective skills of preservice teachers thus requires further attention in related study programs.

The study is one of the project outputs, which response to the requirement to increase the quality of qualification thesis and, at the same time, support especially beginning university teachers in the role of supervisor. The project aims to set specific standards for this type of bachelor thesis.

Keywords:

Preschool preservice teacher, evaluation methods, applied practice bachelor thesis, teacher´s self-evaluation.