The term 'diagnostics' originates from the Greek word 'diagnosis', which encompasses several meanings, including:

- Understanding.

- Determining a condition, assessment, evaluation.

- The process of recognition, such as diseases.

- Testing techniques.

- An activity providing objective knowledge about the examined phenomenon.

From an educational perspective, various diagnostic disciplines are delineated based on their objectives, the subject of study, and the individuals authorised to conduct diagnostic activities. Counseling psychodiagnostics, for instance, is an applied psychological discipline dedicated to identifying and measuring an individual's psychological traits that influence their performance in specific areas, such as school. It also involves assessing fundamental characteristics of a group, like a family or a school class, within which the observed individual is situated. This discipline is firmly grounded in personality psychology and differential psychology and falls under the purview of psychologists.

Special education diagnosing, on the other hand, focuses on identifying the conditions, progression, and outcomes of education for individuals with special educational needs. Special educators are entrusted with the responsibility of conducting diagnostic activities in this domain.

Educational diagnostic assessment, viewed as a science, is defined variably by different experts. It is often construed as a theoretical (scientific), practical, or theoretical-practical discipline.

a) Scientific Conception:

Theoretical approaches to educational diagnostic assessment centre on the theory and methodology of diagnosing within educational settings. According to Gavora (2001, p. 237), educational diagnostics entails the objective identification, assessment, and evaluation of internal and external conditions, as well as the progression and outcomes of the educational process. It encompasses the objectives, subject matter, strategies, and methods of diagnosing and shares methodological similarities with educational research.

b) Scientific and Practical Conception:

Educational diagnostic assessment can also be viewed as a field encompassing both educational theory and the methodological practices derived from it. Mojžíšek (1987) defines it as the theory and methodological practice aimed at identifying, recognising, classifying, assessing, and evaluating the pedagogical development level of a student's personality or a group of students, shaped by pedagogical action.

c) Practical Conception (Part of the Curriculum):

According to Zelinková (2001, p. 12), educational diagnostics is a multifaceted process directed towards comprehending, assessing, and evaluating the educational process and its participants. It is characterised as a prolonged and iterative process. Similarly, Tomanová (2006, p. 7) perceives educational diagnostics as direct diagnostic activities integrated into the pedagogical process. Educational diagnosing necessitates theoretical knowledge, methodological expertise, practical experience, considerable time, and effort, not only in executing diagnostic activities but also in their evaluation. Ethical conduct is imperative.

Educational-psychological diagnostic assessment, at the intersection of educational and psychological diagnosing, represents a frontier area bridging two scientific disciplines and professional domains. It is concerned with understanding and evaluating the individual peculiarities and specifics of participants in the educational process, as well as examining the conditions, progression, and outcomes of educational activities.

According to Mertin and Krejčová (2016), the primary objective of educational diagnosis for a student is to gather information about the individual's knowledge, skills, and competencies. Conversely, psychological diagnosis primarily seeks to gather information about the student's attitudes, values, and relationships with teachers and peers, i.e., their personality traits and dispositions. Actors involved in the educational and psychological assessment of a student in a school environment may include teachers, parents, and specialists such as psychologists and school counselling staff.

Educational diagnosing can be conceptualised as a process aimed at understanding the student in an educational context, in relation to their personal development and external influences impacting their growth. It is grounded in the student's life history (anamnesis), current status (diagnosis), and anticipated educational progress (prognosis). Abroad, this process is often referred to as "diagnostic assessment". According to Nitko and Brookhart (2014, pp. 5, 83), it serves two main purposes: a) identifying which learning objectives the student has achieved, what knowledge and skills they have acquired, and which objectives (knowledge and skills) they have not met; b) understanding the reasons and causes behind the achieved level. The teacher's diagnostic activity is aligned with the curriculum, its goals, and teaching strategies (curriculum-based assessment). Its objective is to determine the student's outcomes in the subject matter being studied, relative to both general and specific objectives, analyse the student's strengths and weaknesses, and derive further educational strategies based on the results (Mertin & Krejčová, 2012, pp. 32, 33).

Educational diagnostic activities encompass various methods, including standardized and non-standardized (clinical), as well as tools offered within the scientific field of educational diagnostic assessment. These methods vary in their complexity and require a certain level of expertise for their implementation. Standardized methods and tools adhere to strict protocols for administration, conduct, and result processing, as outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (2001), which are accessible to teachers. However, teachers predominantly rely on non-standardized methods in their practice. Even with non-standardized methods, adherence to general diagnostic principles, including recording conditions and circumstances, is essential. The fundamental requirements for educational diagnostic methods include validity and reliability. Even for clinical methods and tools, it's crucial to ascertain whether they measure the intended constructs effectively (face validity) and align with the conceptual definition of what is being measured (content validity). In essence, methods and tools must align with the objectives of the diagnostic activity.

Teachers utilize various methods and tools for screening, diagnostic classification, intervention planning, and program evaluation, as detailed in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (2001). In diagnostic activities, it is advisable to judiciously combine educational diagnostic methods and not rely solely on any single approach. The aim is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the student based on data obtained from diverse sources, contexts, and methodologies. A plethora of methods are available, including oral exams, written and graphic assessments, didactic tests, experimental assessments, analysis of student activity results, observations, interviews, questionnaires, anamnesis, sociometry, and examination of educational documentation and student portfolios.

Direct diagnostic activities manifest in various forms. Zelinková (2007) distinguishes several types of educational diagnostics:

a) Informal diagnostics - micro-diagnostics involve continuous assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors, among other factors, on an ongoing basis.

b) Formal diagnostics entail clearly defined diagnostic situations at specific stages of teaching, accompanied by record-keeping and the use of specific methods.

c) Formative diagnostics aids in shaping student development by providing feedback on their progress. It is closely intertwined with formative assessment, both aiming to identify strengths and weaknesses in the learning process and inform instructional decisions.

d) Summative diagnostics determines a student's level of achievement at a particular juncture, typically at the culmination of a period, school year, or educational intervention.

e) Normative diagnostics involves comparing an individual's performance with that of a representative sample of the population, serving societal needs and aiding in placement decisions.

f) Criterion-referenced diagnostics evaluates student performance against predefined criteria, typically articulated in educational programs.

g) Individualized diagnostics compares a student's progress against their own prior performance, facilitating personalized assessment and motivation.

h) Differential diagnosis helps distinguish between difficulties stemming from similar manifestations but differing causes, such as discerning between behavioral issues arising from ADHD versus environmental factors.

Collaboration with experts is integral for quality diagnosis, often involving specialists associated with school counseling centers or similar facilities. These include educational counselors, school psychologists, special education teachers, and other professionals. These facilities provide a range of services, including psychological and educational support, consultations for students and parents, preventive care, and assistance in educational planning and decision-making.

Regulations, such as Regulation No. 72/2005 Coll., govern the activities of school counseling facilities, ensuring adherence to established standards and guidelines in delivering counseling services within educational settings.

It's evident that the outcomes of a teacher's diagnostic efforts play a crucial role in defining learning objectives, both on an individual and group level. This involves a collaborative effort to achieve goals, wherein it's essential to discern between objectives set by the teacher and those set for the students themselves. By tailoring educational content and selecting appropriate teaching strategies, the teacher actively contributes to the comprehensive development of students. This is achieved by sensitively addressing the diverse needs of students in the classroom and providing constructive feedback that fosters their accountability for their learning outcomes. Thus, the teacher assumes a novel role as a "diagnostician" of the educational process.

The role of a diagnostician, as described in evidence-informed practice (Pollard et al., 2014), entails possessing competencies for educational diagnosing and making informed decisions based on reliable data. This aspect is also highlighted concerning a teacher's professional attributes (Tomková et al., 2012). The concept of diagnostic and intervention competence encompasses various teacher knowledge and skills, including:

- Recognizing the diverse learning needs and potentials of individual students and addressing them with empathy,

- Actively gathering information about students and their requirements through appropriate means (e.g., interviews, student portfolios),

- Responsively incorporating students' direct and indirect cues during teaching into the instructional process,

- Assisting isolated and marginalized students within the classroom,

- Tailoring teaching methods to suit the capacities and needs of individual students, striving for each student's personal progress,

- Maintaining records of individual students' needs and potentials (e.g., through systematic observation or student portfolios),

- Utilizing deliberate observation and other suitable data collection methods to monitor students' learning progress,

- Fostering classroom cohesion and collaboration among students,

- Analysing classroom dynamics and employing appropriate interventions to foster positive relationships.

Possessing diagnostic competence offers numerous advantages in teaching. With a deeper understanding of students' abilities and unique requirements, teachers can better tailor the educational process to individual needs, thereby enhancing its effectiveness and enabling students to reach their full potential. Ultimately, this contributes to a more conducive atmosphere of mutual respect, safety, and cooperation in the classroom.