Preparation of Ninth-Grade Students for the National Entrance Exams

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Autori/ Authors: Anna Kucharská      Martin Chvál      Klára Špačková      Evžen Korděnko

In: Studia Scientifica Facultatis Paedagogicae Universitas Catholica Ružomberok

ISSN: 1336-2232

Ročník/ Volume: XXV.

Číslo/ Issue: 3

Strany/ Page Range: 35-50

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: Czech

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract: The study examines how ninth-grade students in the Czech Republic prepare for national entrance exams in Czech language and mathematics. Conducted within the SmartBooks project in cooperation with the Faculty of Education, Charles University, the research originally aimed to test the effectiveness of the SmartBooks web application for independent exam preparation. Although only 21 % of students used the application as intended, the data offer valuable insights into real preparation strategies. The sample included 426 students; 139 completed a questionnaire and 70 parents provided additional exam-related information. Results show that 91 % of students began preparing early in the school year and studied on average 3–5 hours weekly. Preparation typically combined self-study, preparatory courses, and school support. Technical and motivational barriers limited the use of the digital tool. Greater preparation intensity led to stronger improvement in mathematics, though not to substantially higher overall exam scores. The findings suggest that effective preparation combines external support, internal motivation, and meaningful integration of digital tools into the school learning environment.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: Entrance exams. Ninth grade. Digital learning. Self-regulated study. SmartBooks. Student motivation.

Citácia/ How to cite:

KUCHARSKÁ, Anna; CHVÁL, Martin; ŠPAČKOVÁ, Klára a KORDĚNKO, Evžen, 2026. Příprava žáků devátých tříd na jednotné přijímací zkoušky. Studia Scientifica Facultatis Paedagogicae Universitas Catholica Ružomberok. Online. Roč. XXV., č. 3, s. 35-50. ISSN 1336-2232. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.