Contents
Nick Rushby
Editorial: Recent references 6
Elina B. Khobotova, Maryna I. Ihnatenko, Inna V. Hraivoronska, Iuliia S. Kaliuzhna
A Competency-based Approach to Environmental Education: Learning About “Radioecology” 10
Galina I. Simonova, Anastasia O. Luchinina
Study of Educational Needs of Applicants with Disabilities 28
Musa Nushi, Amirpooya Dayani
Instagram-Assisted Learning of Collocations and Colligations: The Case of EFL Learners 44
Shahyad Mohammadnia Afruzi, Mehdi Vaez-Dalili, Bahram Hadian
Investigating the Effects of Written Corrective Feedback and Revision on EFL Learners’ Production of Grammatical Structures 62
Branka Radulović, Maja Stojanović, Milanka Džinović, Oliver Zajkov
Students’ Opinion of Gifted Education and Teaching Profession 80
Michela Freddano, Valeria Pandolfini
Teacher Training on Data Literacy for School Evaluation and Improvement: A Teacher Professional Development Experience in Italy 89
Nežka Sajinčič, Anna Sandak, Andreja Istenič
How do Slovenian Educators feel about Gamification? Interested to Know More 99
Alexey M. Polyakov
The Use of Symbols by Elementary Schoolchildren and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities as Tools of Awareness of Subjective Reality 110
Oksana O. Gorshkova
Implementation of Modular Engineering Programs in Collaboration with Employers 120
Nadezhda V. Sivrikova, Elena V. Moiseeva, Nadezhda A. Sokolova,
Tatyana G. Ptashko, Elena G. Chernikova, Natalya P. Artemeva
Analysis of Nominal Pedagogical Experimental Data Using the Example of the Development of Conflict Competence 136
Alexander A. Litvinyuk, Svetlana A. Ledneva, Ekaterina V. Kuzub
Target Characteristics of Creative Young Professionals in the Field of Science and Higher Education 153
Elena V. Borzova, Maria A. Shemanaeva
Multifunctionality as a Feature of Modern Education: Evidence from University Language Education 164
Anna V. Bakina, Snezhana M. Sityaeva, Olga A. Orlova, Valeria I. Ambrosova, Elena N. Katkova, Alexander A. Shumeyko, Andrey A. Bazilevsky
Students’ Subjective Well-Being as a Criterion for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Children’s Centers: Evidence from All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” 179
Anastasia Pesha
The Development of Digital Competencies and Digital Literacy in the 21st Century: A Survey of Studies 201
Mariya A. Stupnitskaya, Svetlana I. Alekseeva, Anna N. Nalobina
A Toolkit to Assess the Level of Universal Competencies (Soft Skills) of Pedagogical University Students 221
Veronika B. Veretennikova, Olga F. Shikhova, Yuri A. Shikhov, Agzam A. Valeev
Diagnostics of Student Teachers’ Pedagogical Thinking Based on a Competence Approach 233
Month : March 2022
Editorial: Recent references
In addition to editing Education & Self Development I am on the reviewer panel for
other journals in the field. I never begrudge the work involved in reviewing: it gives me
insights into what other researchers are thinking, long before their work reaches the stage
of being published. It also gives me a way of moderating the reviewing activities of E&SD
so that we are matching the standards of other journals.
This piece was prompted by a discussion between the authors and reviewers of an
article submitted to one of these journals. It concerned the recency of the references and
I recalled that on several occasions over the past few months, submissions to E&SD had
been criticised because many of the references were ‘old’ – that is, published more than
ten years ago. It is a simple matter to read through the list of references and count the
number that are more than, say, ten years old, but that does not necessarily mean that
they do not have value. In contrast to high energy particle physics, our field of education
and psychology moves relatively slowly.
A Competency-based Approach to Environmental Education: Learning About “Radioecology”
The research objective was to develop a new approach and methodology for the discipline
of “Radioecology.” This ensures that the education is practice-orientated, with the possibility
of distance and independent learning, skills improvement, and the development of interdisciplinary
relationships. The research methods used a theoretical and methodological analysis of scientific and
educational literature, logical and semantic modeling of the learning content, design, theoretical
analysis and synthesis. The research achieved a new curriculum for “Radioecology,” the creation and
implementation of a theoretical course and the development of the practical part of the discipline.
This was differentiated by difficulty levels and aimed at solving specific situational problems. The
work proposed the creative component of the practical part in the form of individual tasks requiring
the learner to resolve a specific production problem situation. It also created a laboratory workshop
with the development of modern scientific methods a textbook on radioecology and an electronic
version of the methodological support of the discipline, facilitating independent training and
making distance learning possible.
Study of Educational Needs of Applicants with Disabilities
Background. The presence of health limitations and disabilities of students affects the structure and
content of their educational needs. In some cases, these students may require special counseling in
career guidance, assistance in social and psychological support in the process of acquiring education.
Aims. The purpose of this study was to analyze the educational needs of applicants with disabilities
and develop recommendations to expand the accessibility of higher education for this category of
youth. The research was carried out as part of the State task of the Ministry of education and science
of the Russian Federation.
Methods and procedures. The researchers monitored the educational needs of applicants with
disabilities using the survey method in the form of an online questionnaire.
Outcomes and results. The article presents the results of monitoring the educational needs of 170
Russian school graduates with disabilities and health limitations who studied in 16 comprehensive
educational institutions, where students of the 11th grades were trained and who expressed a desire
to participate in the monitoring. The research was carried in the assigned territory out as part of
the State task, which includes 7 constituent entities of the Russian Federation: the Republic of
Bashkortostan, Mari El, Tatarstan, the Udmurt and Chuvash Republics, the Orenburg and Kirov
regions.
Conclusions and implications. Based on the analysis of the monitoring results, recommendations
for regional and municipal authorities and educational organizations subordinate to them were
developed. The recommendations are aimed at positioning ways to increase the accessibility and
quality of higher education for persons with disabilities, their further employment and career
growth.
Instagram-Assisted Learning of Collocations and Colligations: The Case of EFL Learners
Instagram, as a popular social networking platform, allows users to share photos and videos with
other users. This research investigated the effect of Instagram-assisted instruction on the learning
of collocations and colligations1 by Iranian EFL learners. Fifteen participants who were selected
based on a language proficiency test took part in this research. The participants were first pre-tested
on their collocational and colligational knowledge. The collocational and colligational items that
were answered incorrectly by 50 percent or higher were selected for treatment. Afterwards, the
researchers prepared nine videos, containing 41 collocational and colligational items, and posted
them on Instagram during a five- week instruction period. The participants were asked to watch
the videos, and carry out the related exercises in the caption section of the post, through the usage
of the comments sections on Instagram. After posting all the videos, the pre-test was run again as
a post-test. The results indicated a significant difference between the mean scores of the pre- and
post-test, highlighting the fact that the treatment had been effective. In addition, semi-structured
interviews were conducted with 10 participants in order to find out their attitudes towards
language learning via Instagram. The learners indicated a positive attitude towards using Instagram
for their language learning purposes. In conclusion, the research showed that Instagram-assisted
instruction, when properly implemented and designed, can be beneficial to the development of
second language learning.
Investigating the Effects of Written Corrective Feedback and Revision on EFL Learners’ Production of Grammatical Structures
The study was an attempt to examine the effects of three types of written corrective feedback
namely direct, indirect, and metalinguistic, and the related responses (with and without revision)
on the production of grammatical structures by Iranian intermediate EFL learners. 180 language
learners were chosen out of a population pool of 260 participants and assigned to six groups of
30 learners based on their performance on Oxford Quick Placement Test (QPT): DCF with and
without revision, ICF with and without revision, MCF with and without revision. Provided with
different types of feedback, the students in any of six experimental groups were given instruction
on present and past perfect tenses. A pre-test -post-test design was applied to conduct the study.
Participants in each group were required to take Dicto-Comp as a pre-test. After being offered
with the relevant treatments, a parallel post-test was run. The results showed that students in all
experimental groups outperformed their knowledge of present/past perfect tenses from the pre-test
to the post-test. Students in the ‘DCF with revision’ outperformed all other groups, and the groups
required to make revisions (i.e., DCF / ICF / MCF with revision) outperformed the corresponding
groups with no revision, and the only groups whose scores (between pre-test and post-test) showed
more variation were MCF with and without revision. The results provide valuable insights into the
effectiveness of teacher feedback on L2 writing ability at large and learning these two tenses at least
for the participants of the present study. Furthermore, these results suggested that providing written
corrective feedback can be beneficial as an enhancing element in the curriculum development for
improving EFL learners’ writing ability.
Students’ Opinion of Gifted Education and Teaching Profession
Gifted education is specific and requires extensive investment from teachers to respond to their
students’ cognitive and social needs. Due to the link between beliefs and behaviors, teachers’ views
on this issue are often monitored to ensure that gifted students receive educational opportunities
appropriate to their learning needs. This paper presents student teachers’ attitudes to gifted education
and their perception of the teaching profession. It was considered essential to look at how future
teachers relate to the teaching profession to prevent possible problems and better respond to gifted
students’ needs. Eighty-three students of the Teacher Education Faculty, University of Belgrade,
participated in the research. A customized Gagné and Nadeau questionnaire Attitudes towards the
gifted and their education and a customized questionnaire Teacher job satisfaction were used. The
results showed that students have favorable opinion of gifted education in Serbia. Thus, positive
thinking and the theoretical concepts related to gifted education they studied will be appropriately
incorporated into their teaching practice. It also shows that these students are sensitive to other
groups of students with disabilities. A significant belief was that ‘Children with disabilities have
the greatest need for special educational programs.’ The research showed that students are satisfied
with the social position and opportunities for advancement that the teaching profession offers them,
while they are somewhat more dissatisfied with society’s economic position. The positive results are
encouraging because they indicate the existence and maintenance of a positive trend toward Serbia’s
gifted education.
Teacher Training on Data Literacy for School Evaluation and Improvement: A Teacher Professional Development Experience in Italy
This paper presents a teacher training experience involving 674 Italian teachers working in primary
and secondary schools in Liguria Region, in the North of Italy. The course aims to train teachers in
analysis, interpretation and use of data emerging from the census-standardized tests by the Italian
National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI) for the assessment of
students’ learning in Reading, Mathematics and English language at different school levels. The
paper contributes to the debate on teachers’ data literacy by describing the experience and discussing
preliminary results from two online surveys of teachers attending the training course (completed
respectively, by 452 teachers, totaling 67.1% of the overall population attending the course, and
by 413 out of 515). The first survey was administered at the beginning of the experience, exploring
teachers’ previous professional development experiences of evaluation topics, their expectations in
relation to the course and self-efficacy of evaluative and educational strategies. The second survey
was administered as a satisfaction questionnaire at the end of the training course to teachers who
attended the online laboratories. Differences among primary and secondary school teachers are
discussed, together with teachers’ level of satisfaction for the training course. The paper stresses the
importance to train teachers in data literacy, as a challenge for training teachers in the 21st century,
and it encourages teacher professional development initiatives promoted by public authorities at
local levels in order to better meet the specific local needs.
How do Slovenian Educators feel about Gamification? Interested to Know More
Research examining teachers’ attitudes toward gamification is scarce, although attitudes play a critical
role in implementing a new pedagogical approach. The aim of this study was to understand whether
Slovenian educators are familiar with the concept of gamification, whether they have experience
using it, and what their attitudes are towards its use. A secondary goal was also to construct an
instrument that can capture the affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of teachers’
attitudes toward gamification. Based on survey results from 103 Slovenian educators, teachers did
not have a good understanding of gamification and had difficulty distinguishing it from game-based
learning, although more than 60% reported using the principles of gamification at least once in the
past year. However, teachers’ attitudes toward gamification are quite positive and they expressed an
interest in learning more about how to use it in their teaching. They would use it mainly to make
learning content more interesting and motivate their students but have concerns that it is difficult to
implement and that it would overwhelm them. The main findings of the study show that Slovenian
educators lack familiarity with gamification and competencies to effectively take advantage of its
benefits but are open and positive about adopting this innovative method to motivate their students.
The Use of Symbols by Elementary Schoolchildren and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities as Tools of Awareness of Subjective Reality
Schoolchildren with learning disabilities have difficulties in communication and interaction with
other people and this is related to their awareness of other’s subjective reality. A symbol is a “mental
tool” for awareness of subjective reality. The symbol is a cultural presentation of subjective reality,
mediating the relationship and interaction of two or more agents. The purpose of this study, based
on cultural-historical methodology, is to identify and experimentally verify the use of symbols
to understand this agent’s subjective reality by younger schoolchildren and adolescents with
learning disabilities. The experimental method is based on identifying the dominant attitudes to
the awareness of the agent’s subjective reality, as well as how it is interpreted and evaluated by the
child. The study involved 80 students of secondary schools: 40 with normal development and 40
with learning disabilities (9-12 and 14-16 years old). It showed difficulties in understanding agent’s
subjective reality and the predominance of a stable objective attitude to symbols and other people,
with significant differences in the Mann-Whitney U test for the experimental group of participants of
both ages. This feature is considered as an obstacle in the construction of interpersonal relationships
and cooperation by children and adolescents and can serve as a target for psychological assistance.
Implementation of Modular Engineering Programs in Collaboration with Employers
There is currently a problem in engineering universities with the quality of training of graduates.
This article discusses the formation of a system of partnership with basic enterprises, integrating
the implementation of the main professional educational programs in a practical-modular format.
Empirical methods were used to determine the level of graduate training in the engineering
university by evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation process of practical-modular
educational programs and identifying the dynamics with the participation of employers. The article
examines the need for practice-modular training (PMO), the preconditions for its implementation,
and highlights the problems solved through partnership between the university and enterprises,
taking into account the interests of all the actors involved. It sets out the stages and the technology
for implementing the programs, and specifically considers the case of training for the oil and gas
business. The possibilities of an electronic educational environment, students’ project activities, and
different types of practice in the implementation process of PMO are revealed. The effectiveness of
PMO is demonstrated by the results of the State final certification, an independent comprehensive
assessment of the training of graduates by employers. The article will be useful for teaching staff in
engineering universities, specialists in the field of pedagogy, theory and methods of professional
education, and the system of additional education.
Analysis of Nominal Pedagogical Experimental Data Using the Example of the Development of Conflict Competence
The paper examines the problem of using mathematical statistics methods in pedagogical research.
It identifies and describes the possibilities of using different methods of analysis of nominal data
in processing the results of pedagogical experiments. The authors analyzed the frequency of use of
statistical criteria in 100 publications in journals included in Web of Science and the Russian Index
of Scientific Citation. The criteria for selecting publications were (1) year of issue; (2) reviews of
manuscripts; (3) free access to the publication from the publisher; (4) availability of quantitative
data on test results before and after pedagogical impact; (5) conclusions about the effectiveness
of pedagogical impact. It was found that 45% of publications did not use mathematical statistics
methods to test scientific hypotheses. Of the mathematical statistics methods used by the authors,
the T-Test and Chi-square Test are more often used. For the study example of developing conflict
readiness in future teachers, it presents the possibilities of using: Chi-square Test, Fisher’s Exact Test
(Phi test), Cramer ‘s V Test and Somers’ d Test.
Target Characteristics of Creative Young Professionals in the Field of Science and Higher Education
The article deals with the problem of rejuvenation of the staff potential in scientific organizations and
higher educational institutions through the selection and motivation of talented young specialists
to build their career trajectory in the field of science, high technology and higher education. The
authors provide a detailed description of the target characteristics necessary for successful work
in a creative environment. Based on original methods and building on the basic provisions of the
theory of motivational complex work activities and use of the MMPI diagnostic test, they define the
reference variant personality, and motivational profile of the scientist and compare it with the real
profiles of undergraduate and graduate students wishing or not wishing to continue their graduate
education with subsequent employment in a higher school or scientific organization. By logical
comparison of the reference and real profiles, the article came to the paradoxical conclusion that
people who are predisposed to scientific activity do not have aspirations to enter graduate school.
Those who are professionally unfit for scientific activity, on the contrary, tend towards graduate
school. Based on the analysis of the causes of this situation, a number of proposals for improving
the system of professional selection and motivation of talented young professionals are formulated
and justified. They are mainly related to the development of diagnostic tests for career guidance and
the use of the postdoctoral institute. The authors suggest that the implementation of these proposals
will contribute to the rejuvenation and strengthening of the human resources of higher educational
institutions and scientific organizations in the Russian Federation.
Multifunctionality as a Feature of Modern Education: Evidence from University Language Education
The article deals with the phenomenon of multifunctionality in the education context, particularly
in university foreign language education, considering teacher and student activities, materials and
texts, as well as technologies and tasks. It demonstrates the need for the development and application
of specific educational tools which are based on complex goal focus and expected integral outcomes
of university education. Multifunctional tasks are considered to be an effective way to form and to
enhance both key and subject-specific competences. The article describes the main characteristics of
such tasks and the essential conditions to implement them in university foreign language classrooms.
Examples of multifunctional tasks intended for foreign language learning are presented and their
potential for teaching non-language subjects is also outlined.
Students’ Subjective Well-Being as a Criterion for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Children’s Centers: Evidence from All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean”
There is a problem in evaluating improvements in education effectiveness that is related to the
selection of appropriate, clear assessment criteria and methods for measuring the results of the
educational process. This article discusses the possibility of using the students’ subjective well-being
as a criterion for internal evaluation of the educational system effectiveness in a children’s center.
It describes indicators of subjective well-being and methods for studying them. The process was
tested at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” in 2019. Two cohorts participated in the study:
‘Parus’ (92 people aged 13 to 17 years, average age 14.7 years) and ‘Brigantine’ (74 people aged
11 to 17 years, average age 15.2 years) – a total of 168 people. To study the cognitive component
of well-being, the level of satisfaction among students in “Ocean,” and the opportunity to realize
their needs in this children’s center were assessed. The study used a modified methodology of
international index of personal well-being, a modified version of the techniques ‘Level of correlation
values and accessibility in various spheres of life’ developed by E. B Fantalova. To assess the
emotional component of pupils’ well-being, their prevailing emotional background was studied
using a modified version of the questionnaire ‘Feelings in school’ developed by T. N. Klyuyeva).
The subjective well-being indicators in specific aspects of the children’s center life were analyzed,
both for the center as a whole and separately for the cohorts. This analysis made it possible to assess
the possibilities of fulfilling different children’s needs in the Centre, the number of areas where
there was an internal conflict (due to insufficient subjective availability of value) and an internal
vacuum (due to excessive presence of low-value phenomena in the child’s life). An integral indicator
of misalignment was taken into account, showing the degree of internal dissatisfaction and the
obstacles to basic life needs.
The Development of Digital Competencies and Digital Literacy in the 21st Century: A Survey of Studies
The development of digital competencies and digital literacy in the 21st century is one of the most
urgent in the theory and practice of modern education. The need for an understanding of the analysis
of scientific knowledge on this issue is confirmed by the high demand for digital competencies of
specialists in the labor market. The paper organizes and presents publication trends in the field of
human digital abilities, with an emphasis on in-depth study of topics in higher education. Reviews
and analytical work were carried out using the Web of Science, Google Scholar, RSCI (eLibrary).
The analysis was based on the 120 most cited publications for the period from 2000 to 2020 and this
article provides a final overview of 55 articles. The results are presented in visual-graphic form. In
particular, the concepts related to digital abilities used in scientific everyday life are presented in the
form of a pyramid of concepts: from the basic concept of ‘digital skills’ to the broadest meaning of
the concept of ‘digital literacy.’ The word cloud reflects the most frequently used words in scientific
works describing human abilities in the digital sphere. The article presents a graphical visualization
of the factors influencing the formation and development of digital literacy and digital competencies
of university students. The results obtained will be of interest to researchers of digital literacy
and digital competencies, teachers, and university leaders in the implementation of educational
programs.
A Toolkit to Assess the Level of Universal Competencies (Soft Skills) of Pedagogical University Students
As science and technology develops rapidly and the knowledge gained over the years of study devalues
equally rapidly, a university should not only provide students with specific, highly professional
knowledge and skills, but also develop universal competencies (soft skills), which include the ability
to self-study, self-development, communication and cooperation, creativity, critical thinking and
others. These are the skills that are increasingly valuable and will be more valuable in the future for
the personal and professional success of a young specialist demanded by an employer.
In the absence of unified and validated methods for diagnosing universal competencies, and with the
uncertainty and inconsistency relating to the basic set of soft skills required for a young specialist at
the start of his/her professional career, difficulties arise in organizing the educational process in high
education to integrate the development of hard and soft skills. The aim of the study was to develop a
toolkit for assessing and monitoring the level of development of universal competencies in students
of a pedagogical university.
The proposed toolkit was tested at the Institute of Natural Science and Sports Technologies of the
Moscow City University. It made it possible to identify strengths and weaknesses in the educational
process, acting as a sensitive diagnostic tool and facilitating the choice of a strategy aimed at
increasing its effectiveness for developing students’ universal competencies. The proposed approach
is universal and can be used in different contexts.
Diagnostics of Student Teachers’ Pedagogical Thinking Based on a Competence Approach
In the didactics of higher education, the issue of professional thinking development (so-called
pedagogical thinking) for students majoring in pedagogics remains insufficiently studied. At the
same time, pedagogical thinking, and the methods of its development and diagnostics can provide
clear guidelines for teaching individualization and correction mechanisms. These methods should
focus on fostering the professional qualities for future teachers.
The purpose of the article is to describe the proprietary technology for diagnosing the level of students’
pedagogical thinking – future preschool teachers – using the group expert assessment method.
Research methods and techniques. The study was carried out through a competency-based approach,
which coordinates the competence-oriented goals of future teachers’ professional training with the
level of their pedagogical thinking. The method of the group expert assessment was used to justify
the structure, content, and students’ pedagogical thinking levels. We involved qualified university
instructors and pre-school teachers as experts.
Findings. We determined the basic structure of pedagogical thinking and its development levels for
these students. This helped to define the choice of teaching aids and targeted assistance to students
within individual educational pathways. The article shows the interrelation of components and
interdependence of the pedagogical thinking for students with the structural components of the
professional and pedagogical competence for a bachelor degree student.
The novelty of the research. The authors propose a methodology for diagnosing the development
level of students’ pedagogical thinking which is coordinated with the competence-oriented goals
of their professional training. The federal-state educational standard of higher education and the
Professional standard “Teacher (pedagogical activity in the field of preschool, primary, basic and
secondary education)” determines the content of these goals.
Practical significance. The findings of the research can be applied by administrative authorities and
university instructors for planning individual educational pathways of undergraduate students, as
well as of post-graduate students studying the current issues of preschool education.
Instructional Leadership Models in Modern Schools
The tool developed by Hallinger (PIMRS) has been widely used to identify the level of involvement of a school principal and his/her management team in instructional leadership. PIMRS unfolds the domains which principals delegate to their team, domains that are of a priority for the leadership team when drawing up the school’s instructional leadership profile. However, no studies have been conducted aimed at identifying instructional leadership models based on the profiles obtained by applying PIMRS. Cluster analysis (Ward’s method) was carried out to identify the instructional leadership patterns of 120 schools in one of the megacities of Russia. Four instructional leadership models were identified, and recommendations were provided.