Author, Institution: Julija Kubova-Semaka, Kaunas University of Technology
Science area, field of science: Social Sciences, Education, S007
Research Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hab. Palmira Jucevičienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Education, S007)
Dissertation Defence Board of Education Science Field:
Prof. Dr. Jolita Horbačauskienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Education, S007) – chairperson
Prof. Dr. Remigijus Bubnys (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education, S007)
Prof. Dr. Brigita Janiūnaitė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Education, S007)
Prof. Dr. Jenny Pange (University of Ioannina, Greece, Social Sciences, Education, S007)
Prof. Dr. Saulius Šukys (Lithuanian Sports University, Social Sciences, Education, S007)
Dissertation defence meeting will be at Rectorate Hall of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio 73-402, Kaunas)
The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (Gedimino 50, Kaunas) and on the internet: J. Kubova-Semaka el. dissertation.pdf
© J. Kubova-Semaka, 2026 “The text of the thesis may not be copied, distributed, published, made public, including by making it publicly available on computer networks (Internet), reproduced in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to, electronic, mechanical or other means. Pursuant to Article 25(1) of the Law on Copyright and Related Rights of the Republic of Lithuania, a person with a disability who has difficulties in reading a document of a thesis published on the Internet, and insofar as this is justified by a particular disability, shall request that the document be made available in an alternative form by e-mail to doktorantura@ktu.lt.”
Annotation: The dissertation examines the development of the competence of master’s students in education to use potential learning environments, focusing on the challenges encountered throughout this process and the ways of overcoming them. The study is grounded in the Theory of Educational and Learning Environments and the concept of holistic lifelong and life-wide learning. It explores how individuals can not only identify their surrounding contexts as potential learning environments but also consciously use them for learning “always” and “everywhere”. The empirical research employed the praxis methodological approach and a qualitative single-case study design with 21 embedded units of analysis. Data were collected through document analysis, observation, and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using content analysis and triangulation. The study conceptualizes and substantiates the competence to use potential learning environments, identifies the key challenges affecting its development, reveals their underlying causes, and proposes ways of overcoming them. A prototype seven-step teacher–student interaction model for developing this competence was designed based on the empirical research results and theoretically explained. The findings contribute to the further development of the Theory of Educational and Learning Environments and may be applied in the studies of master’s students in education as well as in the enhancement of university studies involving radically new information.