Mixed-Reality Simulations in the Training of Future Educators: A Systematic Literature Review

The article considers aspects of pedagogical partnership between participants in the educational process in educational institutions and preschool institutions as an effective factor of interaction. The article analyzes the principles, opportunities and ways of partnership pedagogy as a system of effective interaction between teachers, educators and parents for the purpose of personal development of participants in the educational process. The concepts of "partnership", "partnership pedagogy", "social institutions" in the system of relations between all participants in the educational process (teachers, future educators, employees of preschool educational institutions, parents) are revealed. The paper focuses on the criteria that determine the effectiveness of the idea of developing partnership relations as the most productive system of relations in the context of pedagogical interaction. The article highlights the social and pedagogical partnership as a separate form of social interaction of an educational institution with individuals and the importance of the determining role of a higher educational institution in the implementation of its personal and developmental functions in the training of future educators, which includes family, teachers, and the administration of educational institutions. The article considers the purpose and objectives of social and pedagogical partnership as the establishment of partnership relations between participants in the educational process to determine the value orientations of joint activities and ways to achieve partnership. The issues of organization and social and pedagogical partnership as the most effective form of involving parents in the structure of technology, designing a model of partnership interaction between educational institutions and family in the training of future educators are outlined and justified.

The article raises issues of introduction of ICT in the educational process of higher education institutions. The phenomenon of the concept of ICT is substantiated and the peculiarities of the application of information and communication technologies in the professional training of future educators as a factor in improving the educational process in higher education institutions are outlined. The potential opportunities for the use of ICT in the professional training of future educators of preschool institutions contribute to improving students' knowledge of various educational tasks and solving pedagogical situations; practicing the skills of higher education seekers in the use of ICT in further professional activities; providing a personality-oriented, differentiated, integrated approach to the training of future educators in higher education institutions; motivating students to lifelong learning and self-education. The following theoretical research methods were used: analysis and generalization of scientific sources in order to determine the essence of the basic concepts of research; generalization and systematization of the experience of leading teachers to form their own views on the issue; generalization and formulation of research conclusions. Positive practice of application of ICT in the educational process of higher education institutions are noted by all teachers-innovators; the use of ICT can motivate students to educational activities, promote their professional development, stimulate self-education; introduction and active use of ICT tools by teachers in the educational process of the university, implementation of individual research tasks, development of ICT tools for their own professional activities form the readiness to use ICT in working with preschool children.

The article examines the relevant needs of methodological support for the training of future educators to design an information educational environment in the process of course planning (topics, modules, units, and educational sessions). The purpose of the article is to determine the specifics and main directions of methodological support for the professional training of future educators in the process of studying the course “Pedagogical Design” whose main task is to teach the design of a holistic information educational environment. The development of methodological support for the training of future educators to design an information educational environment required completing the following tasks: studying the state of readiness for designing an information educational environment by future educators, as well as practicing educators; analysis of the requirements for the information educational environment and the current state of the problem in practice; identifying the leading methodological aspects of work in a digital educational environment that is modern, accessible and personal-centred. In order to find out the contradictions and gaps in the methodological support of the educational environment, related to the specifics of distance learning with Moodle tools, a SWOT-analysis was used, in which both students of master’s degree level and teachers were involved. Using the methods of theoretical analysis and synthesis of scientific and pedagogical research, modern approaches to the formation of an information educational environment have been developed, in particular from the point of view of educational design, and there has been found out such an approach to design which is called “Backward Design” or “Understanding by Design”. On the basis of the framing approach of “Backward Design”, reference points are proposed for the development of methodical training support for the design of a holistic educational environment by future educators (determination of learning goals based on a person-centered approach; design of measurement of the goal as a planned result; planning of interactive experience of educational activities). The specificity of the methodological support for the design of a modern information educational environment is manifested in the fact that the traditional methods of preparing educational materials by the teacher are ineffective because they are based on the content of the textbook or curriculum, but not on the context which is built on the activity of those who study. This is especially relevant in the conditions of distance education. From the point of view of “Understanding by Design”, the educator develops a learning system that is effective and appropriate for the participants. It is assumed that the creation of educational content (learning content) within the limits of the whole subject or its separate part from the point of view of the taxonomy of understanding will allow personalizing the educational process to ensure deep knowledge upon completion. The development of the content of training courses built on the principles of Backward Design can give the educator new opportunities to enhance perceptivity to learning.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the theoretical foundations of the formation of digital educational space in higher education institutions in order to improve the quality of training of future educators. The aim of the article is a thorough theoretical analysis of the conceptual foundations of the formation of digital educational space in higher education to improve the quality of professional training of students, including future educators of preschool education. The following theoretical research methods were used in the work: analysis, synthesis, generalization, induction and deduction, comparison, concretization. The article proposes the substantiation of the problem of digitalization of education, the relevance of digital educational space in higher education, highlights the impact of information and communication technologies on expanding the content and capabilities of educational space, in particular in the training of future educators. A number of conditions have been proposed, the observance of which can increase the efficiency of digital modernization of the educational process of a higher education institution. The publication summarizes the goals (for the applicant, the customer and the educational institution) and the principles (uniformity, openness, accessibility, competitiveness, responsibility, validity, usefulness) of digital technology use in higher education by future educators. The article proposes a number of tasks that will improve the educational process and quality of training of future educators through the introduction of innovative information systems, including: development of new regulations and principles of data processing. formation of the list of data potentially subject to exchange; development of digital educational space architecture; development of data exchange protocols and approval of relevant standards; revision of the normative base of document circulation and organization of the educational process in order to eliminate conflicts of previous norms and modern electronic document circulation.

An empirical analysis on auto corporation training program planning by data mining techniques

The relevance of the study is determined by the current level of development of the educational process in preschool education institutions in accordance with educational innovations and reforms. It is indicated that the educational process must comply with the updated State Standard of Preschool Education and ensure the quality of preschool education in accordance with European requirements. It is noted that the subject-play environment of a preschool education institution is one of the criteria by which the quality of the educational process is assessed, which determines the importance of its study by future preschool teachers. The purpose of the article is to generalize the content of theoretical and practical training of future educators for the design of the subject-play environment of the preschool education institution based on the material of the boardgame center. The following methods were used for the research: definitive, structural and comparative analysis, generalization, etc. Interrelationships between the key concepts of the content of the theoretical training of future educators are clarified. The article points out the importance of understanding their commonality and difference, hierarchical subordination and conditioning: «educational and developmental environment of an educational institution» as a pedagogical category and scientific knowledge; «the subject-play environment of the preschool education institution» is a substantial modification of the traditional educational and developmental environment specifically for the preschool education sector; «center of children’s activities» – a place of concentration, emergence and deployment of specific types of children’s activities, etc. It is determined that the subject-play environment is an essential modification of the educational development environment and preserves its structure: subject-spatial, motivational-cognitive, psychological-didactic, social-communication components. It is emphasized that the main point that higher education students learn is the interdependence between the optimal mode of interaction and the arrangement of furniture, attributes, and objects. The article substantiates methods and forms of educational activity of higher education students in the design of the subject-play environment in a preschool education institution: study of the state documents that regulate the educational process; schematization and modelling of child’s interactions and activities; creation of a moodboard of a center of children’s activities; visiting a preschool institution to observe the educational process, etc.

Стаття присвячена значенню компонентів підготовки майбутніх вихователів до рольової діяльності. Наведено визначення поняття “рольова діяльність дітей дошкільного віку” та виокремлено особливості її розвитку упродовж дошкільного дитинства. Проаналізовано особливості педагогічного керівництва рольовою діяльністю дошкільників. Також розкриті методи для розвитку мотивації майбутніх педагогів до рольової діяльності дошкільників та до педагогічної професії загалом; використання інтерактивних технологій, орієнтованих на практичну підготовку майбутніх фахівців. В статті описано оригінальний підхід до класифікації методів і прийомів мотивування і стимулювання навчальної діяльності студентів за М.Артюшиною, яка виокремила п’ять груп таких методів та основні чинники формування мотиваційно-цільового компоненту готовності майбутніх вихователів до рольової діяльності дошкільників, визначені нами.

In recent years, scientific journals emphasize the problem of quality training of future teachers in higher education in general and future masters of preschool education in particular. The results of the study of domestic and international experience convincingly prove that the professional training of future masters of preschool education should be based on teaching modern preschool children belonging to the generation of Alpha children, which are characterized by clip thinking, inability to concentrate, need to visualize information, value other information using digital technologies, etc. The article is devoted to the analysis of the theoretical foundations of didactic training of future masters of pre-school education on the formation of engineering thinking of pre-schoolers. The purpose of the article is a thorough theoretical and methodological analysis of the relevance of the process of didactic training of future educators of pre-school education in the master’s program as a guide to the formation of engineering thinking of preschoolers. The following theoretical research methods were used in the work: analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, theoretical methods related to the study of scientific literature, periodicals. The article offers substantiation of the problem of professional training of future masters of preschool education, relevance of engineering thinking of preschool children, highlights teaching methods and didactic tools aimed at training future masters of pre-school education in the educational process of higher education to form engineering thinking of pre-school children. The publication summarizes the goals and principles of application of the proposed methods and technologies, and offers a number of recommendations that, in our opinion, will improve the educational process of higher education institutions and the quality of training of future educators by introducing innovative forms and methods of teaching preschool children.

Purpose The aim of the present article is to perform a systematic review of the scientific literature on Health Education (HE) in the initial training of teachers. A systematic review of the literature promotes knowledge of the state of the art of research. This will allow researchers and educators to work on Health Education on a scientific basis. Design/methodology/approach The PRISMA technique was used to find and exhaustively review 19 articles published in the Web of Science Core Collection in a period of 10 years (2013–2023), limiting the research category and area of knowledge: “Education and Education Research.” Also, documents written in English and Spanish were considered, and the search was restricted to only scientific articles. The article is shaped around five dimensions: countries and university contexts, topic covered, health education (HE) in the initial training of teachers, strategies for working with HE and conclusions of the research. Findings The results show that the scientific production on Health Education in the initial training of teachers is very scarce. Nevertheless, the study has contributed by increasing the knowledge and scientific literature on teaching HE in the training of teachers. The need to develop specific programs, train future teachers in HE (especially in more specific areas such as the development of pedagogic skills, and knowledge about the management of stress and psychological well-being), are underlined. Originality/value It is concluded that HE is an indispensable area in the training of teachers, as it encourages co-responsibility in the self-care of their health and the promotion of healthy habits. Also, it is the first international systematic review about the topic, and it provides a current, complete, global and in-depth view on the scientific publications found in the most important scientific database to date (Web of Science).

The article reveals the specifics of training future teachers to work in preschool education institutions in terms of requirements for their professional activity. It was established that the future teachers of the preschool education institution, first of all, need to work with parents, since the closest environment of the child is the family. Certain aspects of the activities of future educators are disclosed, in which they should pay attention to the individual determination of children’s physical load. The possibilities of the preschool education institution in building its functioning in the direction of modernity, its relations with the surrounding society are revealed. It was established that in order to prepare the future teacher for interaction with the micro-environment of the preschool education institution, it is necessary to teach him to apply various directions of the organization of the innovative institution. It has been proven that the training of future educators can be effective on the basis of knowledge of modern principles of development and formation of a healthy lifestyle for children and parents. The necessity of training future educators to ensure the psychological safety of children during their stay in a preschool institution is revealed. The ability to clearly distinguish personal traits and peculiarities of a child’s mental state, to diagnose signs of children’s stress state, has been established. The main forms and methods of work of future educators regarding the formation of the need for a healthy lifestyle in preschool children have been determined. The principles of openness-closedness, which future educators should follow in their professional activities, are revealed. The main trends in the training of future preschool teachers have been established, which are related to the creation of a full-fledged space for the child’s development and the organization of comprehensive support for the individual development of preschool children. In the preparation of the future educator, special attention is paid to the personality of each child as the highest social value of society, instructions are given for the formation of a citizen with high intellectual, moral and physical qualities. This involves the creation of prerequisites for the development of activity, initiative and creativity of pupils and teachers, their interested interaction, as well as broad public participation in the management of preschool education.

The article is devoted to highlighting the psychological and pedagogical aspects of the problem of the development of drawings of 5–6-year-old children by means of music. The presented content is the result of experimental pedagogical research, which proves the hypothesis that the use of music in the pedagogical process contributes to the child’s interest in drawing, the development of his/her visual thinking and artistic imagination, the emergence of the creative idea of the drawing and the enrichment of its content, affects the expressiveness and general aesthetics of the drawing. The psychological aspect of the development of drawings consists of creating conditions and helping the educator to develop the child’s artistic attitude to the perception of a musical piece, interest, and readiness for image creation, creating an imaginary image, and the desire to visualize it by means of painting. The pedagogical aspect consists of the development and substantiation of pedagogical conditions for the development of a drawing by means of music. These are defined as follows: training of future educators and self-education of educators in the field of musical art, competence in the field of image formation of older preschoolers; adequate selection of musical works; selection and justification of forms of pedagogical work, methods of interaction, visual tasks, etc. The main pedagogical condition is the educator’s willingness to help the child develop the ability to transfer imaginary images inspired by musical accompaniment into a picture. Music, adequately involved in the pedagogical process, contributes to the development of the child’s emotional sphere, awakens creative imagination, and creates space for the development of his/ her visual thinking. The child’s experience of perceiving music in images, combined with the experience of artistic and aesthetic self-expression and creative invention in the search for image methods and expressive means of painting, has a positive effect on the content and expressiveness of his/her drawings. The drawing develops from a scheme to an original artistic image.

Emotional intelligence has emerged in the past decade as one of the crucial components of leadership effectiveness in many different contexts. The present study aimed at examining the relationships among emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness, commitment, and satisfaction in education. Three hundred thirty‐two primary education teachers participated in the study conducted in Greece. Results, using structural equation modeling, showed that emotional intelligence, especially the intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions, has a positive effect on leadership roles, explaining 51% of variance. A strong positive effect was also apparent on teachers' commitment and effectiveness, as measured by teachers' perception. Leadership roles such as performance evaluation, motivation support, and development improvement had a strong influence on effectiveness. The findings could have implications for the selection and training of future educators.

The article is dedicated to studying the effectiveness of using the digital platform Classtime in mathematics education and developing a methodological toolkit for teachers. The purpose of the study is to identify ways to integrate the platform into the educational process, contributing to increased student motivation, cognitive activity, and the development of key competencies. The research employed methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, and generalization, which allowed for an assessment of the platform's impact on the quality of the educational process. Empirical methods were also applied to analyze the real experience of using Classtime in school environments. The findings of the study demonstrate that using the platform positively influences student activity, stimulates independent thinking, and fosters collaboration and initiative. Gamification, implemented through team games, enhances students' emotional engagement and promotes social interaction. Interactive tasks and formative assessment provide teachers with the ability to monitor student progress in real time, which is particularly crucial under the challenging conditions of martial law in Ukraine. The proposed methodological toolkit includes interactive tasks, team games, and assessment tools, enabling mathematics lessons to be modern, effective, and accessible. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive analysis of Classtime’s use in mathematics education under the social and educational challenges posed by martial law. The practical significance of the findings is the applicability of the proposed approach in both the work of mathematics teachers and the training of future educators. The use of Classtime ensures interactivity, flexibility, and high-quality education, meeting the contemporary needs of the educational process.

The aim of this chapter is to draw attention to the necessity and importance of educators becoming aware of the role that their representations of children and childhood play in the effectiveness and quality of the instructional-educational process. These variables are often unfairly neglected. Progressing gradually through the presentation of elements related to general characteristics, functions, and structure of social representations, all particularized to the type of representations of interest here, the chapter continues with a brief overview of how the child and childhood have been perceived over time, attempting to outline a historical and cultural perspective on how these concepts have evolved. As a natural consequence, the chapter then highlights specific aspects related to representations of the child/ childhood in the Romanian context and the final part present the potential implications of exploring representations of children and childhood in the training of future educators.

The article emphasises the evolution of the concept of hygiene and its role within the social and educational contexts – from traditional aspects of physical health to the contemporary approach encompassing digital hygiene. At present, issues related to hygiene and health constitute an integral part of education, with their scope extending to include appropriate strategies for the use of new technologies. The theoretical part presents issues related to digital hygiene and technological dependence, highlighting the role of maintaining digital hygiene as a protective factor against the negative consequences of irresponsible use of new technologies. The empirical part describes a pilot study conducted on a sample of 71 female students enrolled in the early childhood and preschool education program at the University of Białystok. The aim of the study was to explore the attitudes of these students towards digital hygiene, as well as to assess the impact of a didactic intervention – implemented as a five-hour thematic module – on their knowledge development and readiness to integrate digital hygiene practices and new technologies in the school environment. The research employed an experimental design using diagnostic survey methods and statistical analysis, including the paired Student’s t-test and the Spearman’s rank correlation.The results of the educational intervention revealed statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test scores, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the conducted training sessions. Both the literature review and research findings indicate the necessity of systematically incorporating digital hygiene issues and promoting conscious, balanced technology use as a preventive measure – not only in the education of children and adolescents in schools, but also in the training of future educators.