Psychological and pedagogical classes in the system of continuous education: search for the optimal model

Abstract

Introduction. The development of a regional network of psychological and pedagogical classes (PPC) is of particular relevance due to the worsening shortage of teaching staff. Currently, the most widespread are the intra-school, network and resource models of PPC. At the same time, universities providing scientific and methodological support for teaching and training courses are searching for an optimal model of their organization that would combine the most strengths of established models. Novgorod State University is implementing a cluster model of PPC. The purpose of the article is to study the specifics and effectiveness of the cluster model of psychological and pedagogical classes. Materials and methods. Using theoretical methods (analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, historical and pedagogical analysis of scientific sources on the research problem, comparison of the essence of various PPC models), a study was conducted that made it possible to identify the features of the PPC cluster model. In order to identify the dynamics of students' ideas about the teaching profession and their assessment of various forms of education, a survey of 124 schoolchildren was conducted. To determine the methods of forming PPC and organizing the educational process in these classes, interviews were conducted with the heads of 13 schools in the Novgorod region, for which a standardized interview was developed. Results. The study theoretically substantiates the cluster model of PPC, which integrates elements of traditional PPC models into a single construct. In this model, the university acts as a resource scientific and methodological center, which, in cooperation with the subjects of the pedagogical cluster, conducts educational intensives and specialized shifts with students aimed at developing students’ primary skills in teaching professional activities. The results of the survey recorded a positive trend in schoolchildren’s attitude towards the teaching profession. After completing the first year of study, the number of students with a positive image of the teaching profession increased by 21%. 83.9% of respondents gave a high rating to various forms of training in the PPC. During interviews, school leaders confirmed the effectiveness of the cluster model of organizing educational training, especially noting the effectiveness of educational intensives and specialized shifts, as well as the additional educational program implemented by the university. Conclusion. The study confirmed the effectiveness of an integrated system of scientific and methodological support for psychological and pedagogical classes, which was formed at the intersection of educational, regional pedagogical and university pre-professional clusters. The cluster model proposed by Novgorod State University has significant integration potential and assumes a wide range of interaction between various subjects of the territorial educational system.