Teaching In Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

The article outlines the ways of engaging young people in the development of civil society in Ukraine. Socially and politically active young people are one of the necessary conditions for forming a democratic society and establishing sustainable and functioning civil society institutions. Therefore, in this paper, the scholars aim to identify the ways of youth interaction with public authorities in Ukraine and general levels of youth civic engagement, as well as to characterize the culture of citizenship as a factor in involving young people in civil society development. The research reveals the relevant issue regarding the prominent role of civil society in various spheres of activity of state authorities and local self-government bodies, a qualitatively new level of interaction between civil society, especially youth as an active part of it, and state and local self-government bodies in order to establish effective dialogue and partnership relations of state bodies authorities, local self-government bodies with civil society organizations.
 The research combined interdisciplinary approaches of several related scientific fields (political science, public administration and education), which allowed to set broader goals and find new ways for improving youth engagement in the development of civil society in Ukraine. The authors developed and conducted an expert survey on youth engagement in the development of civil society and identified possible ways to improve youth participation in public and political life. Authors interviewed 24 experts aged from 18 to 60 years from various fields who are interested in building a democratic state governed by the rule of law: leaders and members of public organizations, teachers of higher education institutions, scholars, deputies of regional and local councils, civil society activists and businessmen.
 It was determined that the effective participation of youth in decision-making processes consists in creating opportunities to involve youth in influencing, shaping, developing and promoting policy and development of services and programs. These opportunities are created by developing a range of formal and informal mechanisms for youth participation, from youth advisory groups to focus groups, from ongoing consultation work to supporting youth projects. As a result of the study, the authors developed a set of conclusions and recommendations addressed to educational institutions, public authorities, local governments and civil society organizations.

The Main Criteria of Intercultural Competence of University Teachers in the Conditions of Internationalization

This article presents some results of the research within the framework of the project on the topic “Intercultural competence of a university teacher and its impact on improving the competitiveness of higher education in Kazakhstan”. In the context of the internationalization of higher education, the teaching staff of the university is faced with the task of teaching students of various nationalities. A modern university teacher should have not only the skills and competencies of a narrow specialist, but also the ability to communicate in an intercultural educational environment, as well as be able to resolve situations that arise in an intercultural teaching and student environment. In this regard, there is a need for teachers to develop new competencies that ensure the free adaptation of a teacher in a foreign language, foreign cultural environment and the ability to make adequate decisions in an intercultural educational environment. Such competencies are designated in the theory of pedagogy as intercultural competencies. The authors of the article analyzed approaches to determining the intercultural competence of a university teacher, and also identified the main components of the intercultural competence of a teacher. As a result of the analysis of theoretical provisions, the main criteria of intercultural competence and requirements for the training of teaching staff for the university education system are highlighted. Based on the study of modern approaches to the training of teachers of higher educational institutions, the main directions for the introduction of intercultural competence in the training of teachers in Kazakhstani universities have been identified.

Creating a STEAM project with students as an indicator of the effectiveness of training future biologists

Relevance. In the modern world, biology is becoming an increasingly complex and multidimensional science that encompasses numerous subfields. Therefore, future specialists in this field need to possess not only deep knowledge of core disciplines but also a broad outlook, including competencies in technology, mathematics, and the arts. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of training focused on the creation of STEAM projects in terms of training future biologists. Methodology. The methodology of the study included the analysis of 41 projects conducted by 11 teachers of higher educational institutions in Kazakhstan for 5 years. Project classification methods included such aspects as the integration of educational material, problem-solving, search for answers to scientific questions, development of technical devices, cooperation of students, biological content of projects, high involvement and quality of assessment, and creativity. Data collection was conducted through direct observations in classrooms and at events and conducting interviews with teachers. Results. The results showed that specialised teachers of biological disciplines, as a rule, avoided transdisciplinary projects, while teachers of non-biological disciplines often overlooked biological content in interdisciplinary projects. Biology teachers often avoided teaching methods based on device development, but they emphasised high standards of knowledge and fostered a positive perception of their disciplines through projects that involved discussion and meaningful feedback. Conclusions. The research findings indicate that combining conventional teaching methods with integrated approaches to delivering the material can be a way to solidify fundamental biological knowledge necessary for further, more advanced education, and prepare students to apply their knowledge and skills in practical situations. The results obtained can be used in pedagogical practice for the effective implementation of project-oriented learning. Keywords: pedagogy for higher education; interdisciplinary training; integration of educational material; practical training; quality of assessment

Leveraging challenges: Advancing digital education in the digital frontier

The purpose of this study is to investigate the difficulties faced by teachers while delivering online classes and to find various strategies to address these concerns. This study also aims to examine the post-pandemic shift toward blended teaching along with traditional methods. The present study utilizes a qualitative approach. The sample of the study comprises teachers in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Punjab. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with 32 teachers were conducted regarding the challenges they face while conducting online classes. The analysis was done using ATLAS.ti version 8. The findings shed light on six different categories of the difficulties faced by teachers: teaching amidst the home setting, assessment and evaluation, students’ engagement in online learning, technical problems, personal problems faced by the teachers, and issues related to institutional support. The study also tries to illustrate the transition from online to blended teaching, which has now become a new normal or the ‘next normal,’ despite the challenges. COVID-19 is one of the most severe issues that humanity has ever encountered. The transition and acceptance process varied across countries, regions, and institutions due to local circumstances and guidelines, but it was undoubtedly a roller coaster for teachers. Different individuals gradually unfolded the challenges. Blended education offers a flexible solution that can effectively address the challenges associated with online education in the post-pandemic era.

Fostering idealogical and polical education via knowledge graph and KNN model: an emphasis on positive psychology

As the primary domain of ideological and political education in higher education institutions, ideological and political courses must align with principles rooted in human psychology and education. Integrating educational psychology into ideological and political teaching in universities enhances the scientific, targeted, and forward-thinking nature of such education. The burgeoning exploration of knowledge graph applications has extended to machine translation, semantic search, and intelligent question answering. Diverging from traditional text matching, the knowledge spectrum graph transforms information acquisition in search engines. This paper pioneers a predictive system for delineating the relationship between educational psychology and ideological and political education in universities. Initially, it extracts diverse psychological mapping relationships of students, constructing a knowledge graph. By employing the KNN algorithm, the system analyzes psychological characteristics to effectively forecast the relationship between educational psychology and ideological and political education in universities. The system's functionality is meticulously detailed in this paper, and its performance is rigorously tested. The results demonstrate high accuracy, recall rates, and F1 values. The F1 score can reach 0.95enabling precise sample classification. The apex of the average curve for system response time peaks at approximately 2.5 s, maintaining an average response time of less than 3 s. This aligns seamlessly with the demands of practical online teaching requirements. The system adeptly forecasts the relationship between educational psychology and ideological and political education in universities, meeting response time requirements and thereby fostering the scientific and predictive nature of ideological and political teaching in higher education institutions.

Health-preserving competence of future physical education teacher: terminological narrative in contemporary context

This article presents the results of a scientific study aimed at exploring theoretical narratives of health-preserving competence among future physical education teachers, as discussed in Ukrainian scientific research. The work marks the beginning of research in this direction, focusing on determining the possibilities of preparing future physical education teachers in higher education institutions to ensure the health preservation of students. Emphasis is placed on the importance of developing health-preserving competence as a key element among the professional competencies of future educators. The study highlights that current realities, such as the deterioration of children's health and prolonged stress due to war, make health preservation a necessary function not only for physical education teachers but also for all professionals working with children. The research indicates that the essence of health-preserving competence requires consideration through the prism of its component structure, which may be viewed differently by various scientific schools and researchers. Several approaches to understanding the structure of health-preserving competence are described, including its context in interacting with social, physical, and spiritual health, as well as different perspectives on its integrative nature and interaction with environmental conservation and self-realization. The authors stress the importance of clarifying the terms "competence" and its relation to "competency." The study also highlights a procedural approach to understanding competence based on the components of activity and associated with the formation of motivational-volitional, cognitive-value, practical- effective, and reflexive-adaptive components by future educators. As a result, two layers of competence are identified: external, which considers the integration of health preservation elements into the teacher's practical activities, and internal, reflecting the reconsideration of health values at the personal and professional levels.

Педагогический консерватизм преподавателей вуза

The relevance of the research is due to the need to implement the principle of cooperation and interaction of the subjects of the educational process, and to use the creative approach in the situation of modernizing higher education. The purpose of the research is to identify indicators, criteria, and development factors of university teachers’ pedagogical conservatism. The study hypothesizes that the state of pedagogical conservatism among teachers of higher educational institutions: 1) may be correlated with the level of integral satisfaction with professional activity; 2) indicates the presence of factors contributing to its development. The study participants: the teaching staff of 9 Russian universities (N = 1754, aged from 25 to 65, including 25% of men, 75% of women). The research methods (tools): methodology "Assessment of pedagogical conservatism of teachers of a higher educational institution" (I. B. Avakyan) was used in order to study indicators and criteria of pedagogical conservatism, as well as to identify its development factors, integral job satisfaction test (by A. V. Batarshev) was used to assess the integral indicators of satisfaction of university teachers with their pedagogical activity. Results. The study has revealed the development factors of university teachers’ pedagogical conservatism. These factors comprise psychological unpreparedness for innovative activity, including a set of variables that are presented in the study, and emotional burnout. A positive correlation has been found between a group of indicators of pedagogical conservatism and components of integral satisfaction with pedagogical work (habitual ways of performing the activity and general satisfaction with work). The study has also revealed the inverse (negative) correlation between the other group of pedagogical conservatism indicators and satisfaction with pedagogical activity (low motivation for success and overall job satisfaction). The main conclusions. On the one hand, indicators of pedagogical conservatism contribute to the increase in the level of satisfaction with pedagogical activity, which ensures the preservation of pedagogical experience in conditions of internal psychological balance. On the other hand, they contribute to dissatisfaction with their own activities and to the state of professional stagnation. The obtained results can be used as the basis for systematic psychological and pedagogical support of the university teachers’ professional activities in accordance with educational stan dards.

Development and validation of teachers’ e-readiness scale: a study on higher education institutions in India

PurposeDue to the growing complexity involved in leveraging the endless possibilities of ICT on all levels, the technical competence of faculties of higher education institutions (HEI) and effective methods for fostering e-readiness has become questionable.Design/methodology/approachThis research has developed and validated an empirically supported e-readiness scale, which can be used by HEIs to assess faculty members’ preparedness toward online teaching. The measurement model and the structural model were developed as the results of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 245). The previously identified components and their indicators were validated using the structural models and the final scale was developed with five dimensions (“online technological readiness, pedagogical readiness, institutional readiness, learning and delivery readiness and content readiness”).FindingsThe faculties’ e-readiness assessment tool, as a useful tool, could aid institutions in identifying problems that affect the implementation of e-learning or digitalization in the institutions and developing strategies in response.Research limitations/implicationsLike any research this research also has some limitations and can be considered as future research probability like the responses for this research were collected from HEI in India; however, a cross-cultural study can be conducted to understand the parameters across the globe. Although the psychometric qualities of the e-readiness scale are acceptable, additional research in various higher educational environments, both nationally and internationally, is required to further establish the scale’s relevance, validation and generalizability.Originality/valueAlthough many scales have been developed to assess the readiness level in the education sector, a scale, that holistically measures, the readiness level of faculties from an overall perspective was required. This scale can be used to recognize the e-readiness level of teachers in HEIs. This scale can also help the institutions assess the readiness level of their faculty members and address any improvements required in their teaching and learning pedagogy, further acknowledging training needs.

Students’ Perception of the Effectiveness of the Professional Activity of Teachers of Higher Education Institutions: the Influence of Social Conditions

The article provides a theoretical analysis of scientific approaches to determining the components of teaching effectiveness from the students’ point of view. Three groups of indicators of the teacher’s effectiveness are distinguished: pedagogical mastery, professional and personal qualities; their components are revealed. Students’ feedback on the teaching of subjects at Berdyansk State Pedagogical University in two periods – pre-war (during the coronavirus pandemic) (735 reviews) and the military invasion of Russia in Ukraine (627 reviews) were analyzed. It was revealed that the war affected the change of priorities in the assessment of the effectiveness of the professional activity of teachers of higher education institutions, namely: during the martial law, the highest indicators were given to personal qualities, in contrast to the professional qualities of teachers, which were prioritized in the pre-war period.

Education of purposefulness in youth students in the process of physical and health activities

The article reveals the content of education of purposefulness in student youth in the process of physical culture and health activities. For this purpose, the state of investigation of the problem of education of the purposefulness of student youth was highlighted and it was found that teachers of higher education institutions do not pay enough attention to this phenomenon and do not have thorough knowledge about the education of moral and volitional qualities of student youth. The meaning of physical culture and health activities in higher education institutions is revealed. It has been established that the skillful application in higher education institutions of pedagogical conditions, content, forms and methods aimed at the education of moral-willed and physical qualities of the individual contributes to the increase in student youth's physical fitness, education levels of purposefulness, self-confidence and other important qualities. With the help of the analysis of modern psychological and pedagogical literature, it was established that insufficient attention is paid by scientists to the education of purposefulness of student youth in the process of physical culture and health activities, which actualizes the research of this category. It was also found out that the research is necessary, since among student youth there is a decrease in the interest in physical culture and health activities, training in sports sections and at the place of residence, they lack the desire to show moral and volitional qualities (purposefulness, determination, perseverance, confidence in self, independence, etc.), to bring the started business to a logical goal. Emphasis is placed on the effectiveness of physical culture and health activities as an effective means of fostering the purposefulness of student youth.
 It is highlighted that during the organization of the process of education of purposefulness of student youth, it is important to take into account their age characteristics; the effectiveness of physical culture and health activities; development of processes of self-awareness and self-determination.

Socio-psychological aspects of coping with work-related stress on family functioning

Relevance. The relevance of this study and the stated problem primarily lies in the increase in the number and variety of stressors associated with a person�s professional activities, as well as in the need to study their impact on his body and family life. Purpose. The purpose of the work is to reveal the problem of work-related stress, as well as to study the impact of dealing with it on the functioning of the families of teachers of higher educational institutions. Also, the objectives of this scientific work are to consider the concept of stress, and methods of dealing with it, as well as the study of various types of stressors. Methodology. The main methods of studying this problem are analysis, induction, deduction and synthesis, which allow describing and highlighting the most important aspects of the causes of stress in the workplace. Results. The article considers the concept of stress, describes the types of stressors, and reveals the causes of stress. The concept of stress at work is also considered, and the causes of its occurrence, as well as methods of dealing with it, are described. The problem of the influence of socio-psychological aspects of dealing with work-related stress on the functioning of the family has been studied. It also considers which aspects of family life undergo the greatest changes in the process of dealing with stress. Conclusions. The research article concludes that work-related stress significantly impacts the physical and psychological health of individuals and their families, emphasizing the need to address and manage stress effectively. Keywords: coping; well-being; stress at work; family functioning; social identification

Ways to develop education to support the digital economy

Relevance. The processes of globalization and modernization emphasize the need to use modern technologies in all sectors of the state, including the economic sector. The digital economy is a concept that can increase labour productivity and influence the development of the state, which requires its improvement at all levels and preparation of future specialists to interact with it. Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the directions of changes in the training of future specialists for the development of the digital economy. Methodology. To achieve this goal, the methods of comparison, generalization, and the interview method were used. Results. The study conducted among 120 students and 80 teachers of higher education institutions in Kosovo and North Macedonia revealed several key findings. Approximately 51% of students assessed their preparation for interacting with the digital economy as poor, and 49% were not ready for its development. Both students (96%) and teachers (95%) expressed significant concerns about the security and confidentiality of data within the digital economy. Conclusions. The study highlights the need for enhanced security measures in the digital economy to address concerns about data privacy. It also emphasizes the importance of modernizing educational programs, fostering interactions between educational institutions and enterprises, and creating special courses to better prepare students for the digital economy. These initiatives will support the development of the digital economy and equip future specialists with the necessary skills and knowledge. Keywords: educational process; modern technologies; innovations; Internet platforms; globalization; digitalization

DIRECTING THE SYSTEM OF PRACTICAL TRAINING IN GENERAL EARTH KNOWLEDGE TO PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY IN PEDAGOGICAL HIGHER EDUCATION COUNTRIES

In this article, the development and implementation of pedagogical conditions, content, form, methods and tools of preparing future geography teachers in higher educational institutions of pedagogy for professional activities by equipping them with the methodology of organizing practical training in General Earth Science. implementation issues are covered. Also, the problems that await the solution of scientific importance in the formation of methodological training of future geography teachers are highlighted based on the author's observation, study and analysis during the research.

Advantages and prospects of constructive learning of school mathematics epistemes in a pedagogical higher educational institution

Relevance. In the context of constant changes in the educational sphere, the introduction of constructive teaching to the epistemes of mathematics is an urgent task, the study of this topic helps to adapt teaching methods to modern requirements and effectively introduce innovations into pedagogical practice. Purpose. The purpose of the study was to analyse the effectiveness of constructive teaching of mathematics epistemes in a pedagogical higher educational institution in order to identify and evaluate the results obtained. Methodology. The following methods of scientific cognition were used: literary analysis, synthesis, deduction, and induction. Results. The study identified specific epistemic competencies needed by future mathematics teachers, such as the ability to analyse mathematical concepts, identify connections between them, and develop systematic mathematical thinking. Specific elements of successful educational programmes were also highlighted, such as precisely tuned courses, systematic practical exercises, and effective feedback that contribute to the development of professional competence of future mathematics teachers. The methods contributing to the effective mastery of educational material by students and to the development of pedagogical competence in the field of mathematics education were considered. Tools and criteria were also proposed to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of constructive teaching of epistemes of mathematics, contributing to the development of systematic mathematical thinking and deep awareness of students. Conclusions. Constructive learning based on an epistemic approach is aimed at developing students� holistic understanding of mathematics, supporting flexibility, creative problem solving and interest in the subject. The study proposed strategies and methods aimed at developing the professional competence of future mathematics teachers, including special educational courses, practical exercises, and feedback from experienced teachers. Keywords: educational practice; professional competence; applied sciences; methodology; teaching; learning; abilities

MEANINGFUL ORIENTATIONS IN THE SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT FACTORS OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS

The article presents the results of a theoretical and empirical study of meaningful life orientations indicators f in the system of teacher’s of higher education institutions professional burnout factors.
 The results of the teacher’s of higher education institutions professional burnout phenomenon theoretical analysis, the system of factors of it’s occurrence are presented. Research methods and sample characteristics are described.
 The indicators of the general level and components of professional burnout of teachers of higher education institutions with different levels of meaningfulness of life are analyzed. The relationship between the level of meaningfulness of life and the characteristics of professional burnout of teachers is outlined.

STATION ROTATION MODEL OF BLENDED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The purpose of the article is to empirically test the effectiveness of the model of teaching with rotating stations in a mixed format on the basis of a survey conducted among teachers of higher education institutions in Ukraine. The study uses a mixed-methodology approach to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 65 teachers during the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The main instruments are questionnaires and interviews among teachers who have used the Station Rotation Model. The responses were processed using descriptive statistics and comparative analysis to identify any significant differences in the results. The results emphasise the need for careful selection of a platform for distance learning and the acquisition of skills in creating e-resources. The results of the study provide practical recommendations for the implementation of the model in the Ukrainian higher education context. This is important for Ukrainian higher education institutions looking for optimal methods of blended learning. The findings of the study highlight the positive attitude of teachers to the proposed model, which promotes the individualisation of learning and development of digital competence. However, implementation requires additional time and advanced digital skills of teachers. The average score of the model's effectiveness (approximately 4.046) and the percentage distribution in scores 4 (47.69%) and 5 (30.77%) indicate a high level of acceptance of this approach by modern teachers. The recommendations are based on the individual experience of teachers, indicating the variability in the choice of the optimal means of communication with students. The study contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of the blended learning model and will help to optimise its wider implementation.

РОЗВИТОК ГОТОВНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ ПЕДАГОГІВ ДО РОБОТИ ВУМОВАХ ЗМІШАНОГО НАВЧАННЯ

The article shows the ways of implementing blended learning in pedagogical higher education institutions (HEIs) in order to prepare teachers to work in modern general secondary education institutions (GSEIs). The definitions of such concepts as "traditional", "distance" and "blended" learning are specified. Since blended learning is a combination of traditional forms of education (full-time and part-time) with electronic (online and offline), the main digital educational resources that can be used in the educational process are presented: electronic textbooks, electronic teaching aids, virtual laboratories, multimedia resources, electronic survey, control and assessment systems. This article discusses the peculiarities of organising the educational process using blended learning technologies. The concept of blended learning is clarified, which is considered as an optimal environment for the development of competence, cooperation and collaboration of future teachers in group projects in traditional and distance learning. Blended learning is recognised as a specific format of education, which includes face-to-face and distance learning, which, in turn, can be synchronous and asynchronous.

Environmental education as part of the training of future biologists at the university

Relevance. The relevance of this study is determined by the development of environmental and pedagogical competence in the training of future biology teachers in higher education institutions. The man-nature relationship must be introduced into the education system as a priority in the hierarchy of values, a component of the versatile development of the individual.Purpose. The purpose of this study is to discover ways and create methods for the development of environmental competence, which require environmental education and orient biology students towards a rational relationship between humans, nature, and the profession of a biology teacher.Methodology. Identification of organisational and methodological conditions contributes to the formation of environmental and pedagogical competence in the process of professional training of future biology teachers. The leading method of study is a pedagogical experiment.Results. The experiment revealed ways to develop environmental and pedagogical competence of students of biological specialities, educational programme - "Teacher Training in Natural Science". The main environmental components of the competence are identified and the motivation for the development of the competence stated in the subject is substantiated. The materials of the study are of practical value in the education system preparing future biology teachers in higher education institutions, through environmental education both for students and educators. Their students live in the modern world, in this regard, the conditions of the environment in which they live will depend on their training.Conclusions. The effectiveness of such studies depends not so much on the identified range of challenges outlined in the methodological literature, but rather on the teacher's internal position in the professional activity of promoting students' environmental literacy.

FUTURE TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION OF PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS’ COMPETENCE OF FORMATION MECHANISMS

This article serves to increase the efficiency of the mechanisms of formation of professional competence of highly qualified technological education teachers in pedagogical institutions of higher education.

Possibilities of using the legacy of Turkic philosophers in the development of the professional personality of future teachers

Relevance. Modern education is a necessary element of society and culture, capable of preserving the socio-cultural features of the country, promoting the development of youth, their integration into traditional culture, helping the younger generation to choose a lifestyle according to the public values. The study covers one of the urgent problems of professional training of future specialists based on Kazakh values, which originate from the legacy of Turkic scholars. Moreover, the study provides some methods, means, and forms of using the legacy of Turkic scholars in the professional training of pedagogical specialists in higher educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to identify the level of use of the legacy of great scholars in the professional training of teachers in higher educational institutions. Methodology. In the course of the study, the following methods are used to solve the tasks and verify the initial assumptions: general logical methods and techniques, theoretical cognition, empirical research, a systematic approach to historical, pedagogical, and logical analysis, generalisation and analysis of pedagogical experience; modelling of pedagogical processes; pedagogical design. Results. The study focuses on the ideas contained in the legacy of the great Turkic scholars on educating the personality of a specialist. The model of the professional personality presented in their writings is considered from a theoretical standpoint. Some effective combinations of world trends with elements of Kazakh ideas in the professional development of future specialists are established. Conclusions. The study determined the level of students' knowledge of Kazakh ideas in the content of academic disciplines, their use in practice. In addition, the study attempted to develop this knowledge through the organisation of various forms of education.