Economic and social transformations – taking place in the context of the introduction of free-market mechanisms – bring with them many new, often unexpected and socially perceived as highly negative consequences, such as: mass unemployment, the reduction of the state's welfare role, and the decline in the quality and availability of social infrastructure services that, until recently, had been maintained through subsidies and government funding. It is worth noting that estimates of the extent of social poverty presented in Polish mass media vary widely and controversially, ranging from 2.5 million to as many as 18 million citizens of the Republic of Poland. The analyses undertaken by various authors regarding the subjective and objective consequences of social differentiation (including the pauperization of certain groups or social environments) are often based on a conviction long ago expressed by the patriarch of Polish sociology, Professor Jan Szczepański: that the transformations occurring in every society, driven by technological progress and far-reaching social change, are a source of considerable psychological tension for its members. These changes can, in fact, be viewed through the lens of a certain type of social impairment. Of course, the issue of impairment, when examined in the context of social poverty, is not approached from the perspective of special education, but rather through the lenses of social pedagogy, social policy, sociopathology, and numerous other academic subdisciplines. Poverty is considered not only as an economic issue, but above all as a psychosocial problem, especially when we think in terms of taking preventive and compensatory action. Marginalization or social exclusion is a phenomenon that – as we know – has reached unprecedented proportions in today's Poland. The key issue has become answering the question: How can we halt or reverse current development trends that are generating new areas of social marginality (such as homelessness, begging, poor public health, crime, deviance, etc.)? The emergence of these phenomena is related, among other things, to the conditions of social reality, which is characterized by certain elements of anomie as conceptualized by R. Merton. This, in turn, leads to diverse forms of adaptation to the experienced reality by social actors (as exemplified by underclass environments or groups trapped in permanent unemployment and poverty). Also significant is the specific system of social mobility, which often does not operate according to the principles of meritocracy or the functionalist idea that the investment made by an individual performing a social role should correspond to the benefits they receive. These analyses prompt numerous suggestions for optimizing the functioning of the employment system, education, social welfare institutions, and for aligning their operation with the current needs of society. In this context, many tasks emerge that pose a challenge for the field of social pedagogy.

The article addresses the issue of contemporary society at the beginning of the 21st century from the perspective of pedagogical sciences. At the end of the 20th century, many synthetic and analytical works appeared concerning the state and life prospects of humanity in the 21st century. Some of them had an onomastic and aesthetic character, such as the concept of postmodernity; others took on a catastrophic tone, for example, Francis Fukuyama's concept of the "end of history" or Federico Mayor’s warning that "a specter is haunting the world: the specter of a fragmented society." The longest-lasting concept is that of Ulrich Beck’s "risk society." Therefore, it is still worthwhile today to reflect on its relevance and its relation to pedagogical sciences, particularly social pedagogy. From the very beginning, representatives of social pedagogy in Poland adopted a leading methodological paradigm in their theoretical considerations and organizational practice, which can be called environmental integrism. In a universal sense, it implies taking into account the influence of all elements and factors of the natural, cultural, and social environment on individuals, human groups, and communities — regardless of their value. However, considering the specific cultural context of human behavior within a particular environmental setting, it is also of interest to pedagogical analysis to distinguish and recognize the elements that are especially significant for the favorable (desirable, successful) development of individuals or groups. These elements may be real or potential in nature, or, in the words of Helena Radlińska, form an "invisible environment" from which a person may yet draw benefit. These include components of everyday life such as devices of technical, information, or economic civilization, as well as cultural-social and educational structures (e.g., models and patterns of direct cultural participation, types of specialized institutions in both close and broader surroundings, customs, ideas, beliefs, and activation programs).

The subject of interest in this article is scientific language—the conceptual and categorical apparatus used in scholarly communication to describe phenomena in special education pedagogy. This issue is also addressed in the research program "Theoretical and Methodological Foundations of Specialized Scientific Terminology in Education" (2001, No. 1/8004), part of which involves examining similar problems in special education pedagogy, briefly discussed later in the article. Scientific language consists of a set of terms, concepts, and categories that are used in the communication process both within a given discipline and in relation to other disciplines. The scientific language of special education pedagogy can be assessed from various perspectives, especially through the lens and criteria of linguistics. However, this issue will not be discussed here, as it exceeds the scope of the scientific specialty under analysis. This article attempts to define selected basic concepts and categories used in special education pedagogy, to classify them, to indicate their interrelations, and to trace the development each concept has undergone or is currently undergoing. It is important to fully recognize that the conceptual and categorical apparatus is dynamic in nature—that is, it is difficult to definitively state that such an apparatus exists in a fixed form or that it is universally accepted. Despite ongoing changes, efforts to refine and clarify the scientific language of special education pedagogy must not cease. If terminological issues were to be arranged hierarchically, the order might be as follows: (I) defining the field (its subject and system), (II) identifying the objects of special concern, (III) defining the fundamental activities related to the field.

The subject of this study is oligophronologopedics—a speech therapy specialization concerned with the development of speech in children with varying degrees of intellectual disability—as well as the term oligophronologopedist, a more established designation in special education, referring to a speech therapist whose rehabilitative, therapeutic, or revalidation work focuses on intellectually disabled children with speech-related issues. Both terms stem from oligophrenopedagogy—a branch of special education whose representatives seek to identify the foundations for educating and teaching intellectually disabled children and formulate conclusions within the scope of this discipline. Special education sets out the goals, principles, and methods—and above all, the "philosophy"—of teaching and educating individuals with disabilities. This is inevitable, as special education is a branch of general pedagogy and, like it, is a humanistic science with social value and practical significance, reflected in both the theory and practice of education. This position of special education within pedagogy is largely owed to M. Grzegorzewska. It can be said that as long as special education continues to formulate the theoretical and practical foundations for the processes of teaching and educating children and youth with disabilities—individuals requiring special care, those with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities—it will remain a branch of general pedagogy. "Its subject is educational activity, whose broad objectives include equipping the whole of society, and particularly the younger generation, with knowledge, professional skills, interests, value systems, and the formation of attitudes and beliefs." Furthermore, ever since John Amos Comenius (considered by scholars the father of modern pedagogy) published The Great Didactic, laying out foundations for the organization of teaching processes, special education has acknowledged the tasks placed before it by both science and society. The scope of special education is very broad. Most often, however, it is emphasized in processes aligned with the needs of educating individuals who deviate from the norm. This includes processes such as revalidation, resocialization, rehabilitation, therapy, and orthodidactics. The complexity and ever-expanding scope of research topics within special education—as well as the broad range of disability categories it addresses—justify statements regarding the interdisciplinary nature of its fundamental research. This fact is particularly evident across the various branches of special education, regardless of the typology of individuals who diverge from the norm or the classification system applied.

The new dimensions of social life in Poland at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries have been marked by an in-depth and wide-ranging discussion on the nature of the development of special education pedagogy—both as a theory and in terms of its social functions. This has become particularly relevant as education and special support for people with disabilities are expected to align with the standards adopted in most European countries, following the principle: “a person with a disability is a full-fledged citizen of Europe.” The countries of the European Union primarily advocate for the convergence of educational systems and the implementation of priorities related to: equal opportunities in life and education, improvement and modernization of the quality of education, vocational and social rehabilitation, adaptation to labor market needs and employment, as well as normalization of life in the realms of culture, art, and sports. Issues related to investing in human capital are especially significant when it comes to the living situations and needs of people with disabilities, who are particularly vulnerable to psychological anxieties and socio-civilizational threats in today's world—a world characterized by both crossroads and hopes. The theoretical and empirical achievements of special education pedagogy—most evident in its practical applications—primarily concern the formation of new philosophical concepts regarding the meaning of life, development, and education for individuals with disabilities. Methodological pluralism, interdisciplinarity, complexity, pragmatism, praxeologism, and empirical realism have contributed to new theoretical paradigms for conducting research, while also emphasizing the value and quality of each human life as the ultimate goal of pedagogical sciences and their related disciplines—especially social and resocialization pedagogy. Contemporary scientific and research orientations are characterized by a continuous search for theoretical contexts for the development of special education pedagogy. These contexts reflect a clear shift “from traditionalism to postmodernity” in various problem areas, current methodological perspectives, interdisciplinary interrelations, and social conditions.

The aim of this article is to describe an empirical research project and to assess the usefulness of multimedia computer programs in speech therapy. Such research has not yet been conducted in Poland, which makes the initiative both timely and well justified. Today, the use of computer equipment has become standard across society. Thanks to information technology, it is now possible to broaden access to speech therapy and enrich it with new possibilities. However, the use of computers in speech therapy has so far faced numerous limitations. These included, among others, the lack of computers in speech therapy offices, the absence of specialized software, or the high cost of such programs. For this reason, a package of multimedia computer programs was developed, and an attempt was made to evaluate their usefulness in correcting speech disorders. The computer programs are an integral part of a comprehensive textual study concerning child speech development, phonological and phonetic hearing, as well as issues of speech therapy diagnosis and treatment. The package also includes a traditional exercise workbook. Thus, the developed package represents an innovative and holistic approach to speech therapy, enabling the optimization of the therapeutic process.

The article identifies the fundamental issues of didactics, its content, and developmental trends. Like any other scientific discipline, didactics cannot remain isolated—it requires conceptual and coordinated actions in implementing changes to its content and structure, as well as in the preparation of future teachers, which is also discussed in the article. Humanity progresses because it does not need to rediscover everything from the beginning; it can build upon what has already been verified and accepted. Didactics and educational technology facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge and skills. As the authors of the book “Školní didaktika” state: “Knowing how” (technological and cognitive knowledge) is always linked to “knowing what” (fundamental, descriptive knowledge) as well as to beliefs and convictions about “how it should be” (a system of values). The article outlines the content of general didactics, focusing on the areas of emphasis over the past decade and the interrelations among its various domains, which stem from different values and are marked by diverse methodological approaches and the complexity of social phenomena. This diversity creates space for new research, where it becomes possible to expand the scope of human knowledge. Education, as a global concern, should not be limited to isolated elements or components. Rather, it must be student-centered. Only in this way can we achieve meaningful changes in students’ awareness and behavior—educating them to become creative, active, independent individuals, capable of self-reflection, self-education, self-assessment, and embodying humanistic values—well-prepared to enter the third millennium. To make this work meaningful, it is compared with international approaches, and all that the authors find inspiring from abroad is adopted. The article demonstrates that didactics contains many areas that positively influence the process of educating and raising young people.

Each learner develops their own learning style, which depends on their previous educational experiences acquired at successive levels of education, the social and cultural context of the family in which they were raised, the patterns adopted from peers, and the media tools used in both institutional and informal education. Today, computers are increasingly used in education to support both the teaching process and the learning process. Moreover, the higher the level of education the learner represents, the more frequently they use (or are even required to use) online services, including a vast number of databases, knowledge bases, and informational websites. This means that educational materials are increasingly accessed not only from computer drives but also from the Internet. Learners more and more often use a broad and diverse array of media tools that work with computers, including digital cameras, scanners, and software for editing video and audio, sound clips, and digital images, allowing them to create animations and implement simulations into prepared presentations. For these reasons, the learner is influenced by a variety of factors that increase their motivation to learn, their interest in the content being taught, the evolution of their learning style, and the development of certain common aspects of learning styles among learners in both traditional and virtual classrooms. Before we analyze the most common learning styles using global electronic media, let us recall the basic definitions and learning styles of adults, as well as the styles they prefer as shaped by electronic media.

The Internet is a medium used in virtually all areas of life. It also plays an important role in both traditional and distance education. At present, it serves as a teaching environment that is being used on an increasingly wide scale. The creation of a wide-area network offering new services marked a key moment in the development of distance education, influencing changes in the forms and methods of instruction. Internet-based educational programs are generally easily accessible, and their users are typically individuals seeking specific information. Learners who take advantage of this form of education are usually characterized by a high level of self-discipline and intrinsic motivation, which contributes to greater educational effectiveness. Educational materials published on the Internet should meet certain structural criteria. The primary conditions concern content quality, methodological approaches, and technical solutions. The construction of educational materials must take into account cognitive and constructivist theories, which underpin modern didactics. It is also very useful, when determining the principles for selecting instructional content, to consider how suitable the material is for computer-based presentation. These criteria enable the appropriate selection of educational content included in the program. The applied technical solutions allow for distance education to be conducted in two modes: synchronous and asynchronous.

General technical education, as a part of general education, requires new solutions both in terms of objectives and content, as well as in methodological and organizational approaches. These demands stem from civilizational changes—for example, the transition from an industrial society to an information society, transformations in the role of humans in professional work systems, and developments in pedagogical and psychological sciences. The education reform implemented in the 1999/2000 school year introduced significant changes in general technical education, including a reduction in the number of hours allocated to technical subjects. This situation necessitates the search for solutions that allow the most effective use of the time designated for technical lessons. Within this search, educational methods occupy a central role. In general technical education, practical methods—centered on learning through doing—have traditionally been used. These methods have been refined over many years, yet they remain time-consuming. The reduction in technical class hours compels the search for and implementation of new teaching methods that involve students’ practical activities and also require a broader use of methods based on other forms of student engagement. Special attention should be given to learning through discovery, which in the didactic process is realized through teaching methods collectively known as "problem-based methods." These methods enable students to acquire knowledge independently and support the development of their creative activity, thus fostering creative thinking. Psychologists, particularly those from the humanistic tradition, argue that everyone has the potential to think creatively. However, when undertaking educational activities that involve learning through discovery, it is even more important to acknowledge the claim that the ability to think creatively can be developed. According to Dorota Ciechanowska, such development depends on rich and varied stimulation.

The subject of this article is an analysis of the process of computer-assisted support for selected areas of development in six-year-old children—areas that influence their achievement of school readiness. The main cognitive objective of the designed empirical research was to determine the possibilities and effectiveness of using computers, along with educational software programs intentionally selected to support the process of shaping school readiness in preschool children. The praxeological objective was to raise awareness among preschool teachers and parents of preschool-aged children, to formulate and justify the rationale for including computers among the media that support the process of achieving school readiness. The practical objective was directly aligned with the cognitive one and focused on defining the role of the computer in a child’s life and its connection to the educational process already occurring at the first stage of institutional education. The empirical research initially involved an analysis of the functioning of preschool education institutions that use computer equipment both in the didactic and educational process, as well as in the management and administration of the preschool. The preschools selected for the study were mainly located in the Silesian Voivodeship, while supplementary research materials were collected through a survey conducted among preschool teachers from the Pomeranian, Masovian, and Lower Silesian Voivodeships. To achieve the established objectives, the primary method used was a natural pedagogical experiment, which served as the basis for drawing conclusions and making assertions in the course of the study.

The introduction of media education was motivated by three main factors: the rapid development of mass media and hypermedia and their dominant influence on the current cultural transformations; the leading role of media in institutional, parallel, and lifelong education; and the difficulty in navigating the rich variety of programming content, which differs greatly in both form and substance. All of this compelled the Ministry of National Education to introduce, starting in 1999, the educational pathway “Reading and Media Education” into schools as part of the National Curriculum. This article presents teachers’ opinions regarding the implementation of media education content in middle schools in the form of an interdisciplinary pathway. It also includes the results of research conducted to assess the state of media education four years after its introduction into the National Curriculum. The issue at hand can be summarized by the following question: Are media education contents being properly implemented by teachers at the subject-specific level of education? The study involved middle school teachers from the Silesian Voivodeship. A total of 80 survey questionnaires were distributed across three schools. Responses were received from 46 educators representing the humanities, math and science subjects, foreign languages, technology, computer science, and school librarians. To gain insight into the teachers' perspectives, a survey was developed using a combination of open-ended, semi-open, and closed-ended questions. The closed-ended section included alternative, disjunctive, and conjunctive question formats. This structure was intended to elicit as broad a range of teacher reflections as possible on what, for many of them, were entirely new educational contents within the field of media education. Today's educators grew up in different conditions than the current generation — free from the flood of information constantly streaming from mass media. The challenge of implementing the interdisciplinary media education pathway at the middle school level also stems from the need to appropriately divide its content across all subjects.

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