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.
Journal Issue Number : 1
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.
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.
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 colligations 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.
The principles of the implementation of gaming technologies in a blended learning environment in a technical university
We formulated seven general principles for authors for the implementation of educational gaming technologies in an engineering university based on descriptions in the literature. The principles are ordered by their “importance” for the quality of the game model and systemic influence on the student. These principles provide conditions for mastering educational material by resolving problematic game situations. Conclusions are made about the effectiveness of the methodology based on the principles. It was found that the role of the emotional component in the educational process increases, the students’ independent work is stimulated, the quality of teaching increases, and the teacher is freed from routine control operations.
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.
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.
E&SD 16(1) March 2021
This is the English language contents page for E&SD 16(1)
Andreja Istenič
Editorial: Learning and Development in a Post-Digital Age 6
Ademola Kehinde Badru, Saka Adewale Owodunni
Influence of Mathematical Language Ability and Parental Supports on Students’ Academic Achievement in Secondary School Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) in Ogun State, Nigeria10
Mohammad Kazemian, Mohammad Reza Khodareza, Fatemeh Khonamri and Ramin Rahimy
Instruction on Intercultural Communicative Competence and Its Application by Iranian EFL Male and Female Writers 21
Hamid Farhadi Rad, Sakineh Shahi, Ahmad Fazeli
The Role of Transformational Leadership and Knowledge Management in Organizational Innovation of Schools 40
Marichen van der Westhuizen, Sibulelo Gawulayo, Nomvuyo Lukelelo
A Reflective View of the Introduction of Technologies in Social Work Fieldwork Modules within the South African Context 54
Aleksey N. Dorofeev, Galina V. Bukalova, Alexander N. Novikov
Learning Specifics of Corporate Culture Development: A Study of Motor Transport Masters Program Graduates 74
Daria A. Bukhalenkova, Aleksander N. Veraksa, Margarita N. Gavrilova, Natalia A. Kartushina
The Role of Russian Parents’ Education in Developing Intuitive Theories of Parenting 82
Ekaterina Yu. Protassova
Multilingualism at an Early Age: Parents’ Views and Teachers’ Reflections 93
Natalia Yu. Sinyagina
Psycho-Biographic Factors and Predictors of the Formation of Individual Psychological and Personality Characteristics: A Review of Foreign Studies 102
Olga B. Yarosh, Igor F. Zinoviev
Educational Standards and Modern Requirements: Contradictions or Opportunities 116
Marsel G. Fazlyyyakhmatov, Leonid M. Popov, Lyudmila I. Ovchinnikova, Olga N. Baklashova, Pavel N. Ustin, Vladimir N. Antipov
On the Formation of the Ability to Perceive the Depth, Volume and Spatial Perspective of Flat Images as a Basic Component of the Technology for the Human Creative Potential Development 129
Editorial: Learning and Development in a Post-Digital Age
Learning and development are the focus of The Journal of Education and Selfdevelopment.
In the computation era, the contexts and spaces for learning need to be
reconsidered. In early learning, the child acts in an approximate environment interacting
with parents and also mediated by artefacts. The child learns by sensing human touch
and non-verbal communication as well as from the material world surrounding her.
Interaction in this approximate environment affords a child in its learning and development
through the socialisation process. In post-digital era, the environment is constructed in
societal processes utilising physical and digital materiality. The proliferation of digital
technologies is affecting socialisation and perception of reality (materiality of physical
and digital and transmedia practices) and the child’s agency. How the interaction process
takes place utilising a set of media is affecting self-development and self-conception. The
environment is established by social practices which in post-digital era blur the boundary
between physical and digital. In defining literacy, the terms online and offline activity
are introduced (Sefton-Green, Marsh, Erstad, & Flewitt, 2016). The boundaries between
physical and virtual are blurred (Marsh, 2010; Plowman, 2016).
The social practices and digital technology are interconnected
Influence of Mathematical language ability and Parental supports on students’ academic achievement in Secondary School Sciences (Physics, Chemistry
The development of any nation depends on its scientific and technological prowess which when
pivoted on sound mathematical foundation helps acquisition of functional skills for productive
contribution to society. However, students have difficulty in applying mathematical knowledge to
science learning. This study investigated the influence of Mathematical Language Ability (MLA) and
Students’ Parental Supports (SPS) on achievement in senior school science subjects in Ogun State.
It adopted a survey research type with two research questions raised and six hypotheses formulated.
Seven hundred and twenty students were randomly selected from six out of eleven public senior
secondary schools purposively selected in Ijebu Ode Local Government Area, Ogun State. Three
test instruments: Mathematical Language Ability Test (r = 0.85), Students’ Parental Supports
Questionnaire (r = 0.75) and Students’ Achievement Test (r = 0.78) were used for data collection.
Data analysis using regression analysis revealed a significant influence of MLA on students’
achievement in the core science subjects. Similarly, the result indicated significant influence of SPS
on achievement in science subjects. It is recommended that science teachers should be familiar
with the language of mathematics since many of the science concepts involve the use of numbers,
symbols, signs and mathematical expression for problem-solving.
Instruction on Intercultural Communicative Competence and Its Application by Iranian EFL Male and Female Writers
The influence of globalization on applied linguistics has recently generated considerable debate.
With the advent of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) at the start of the twentyfirst
century, many theoreticians and practitioners have accentuated the ICC perspectives and
its incorporation into teaching language skills. This mixed methods research study tries to verify
whether instruction on ICC encourages Iranian advanced EFL learners to incorporate ICC in their
writings, and whether gender plays any role in the tendency to use that competence. To this end,
33 male and female Iranian advanced EFL learners were chosen via an Oxford Placement Test and
then placed in two experimental classes. All the participants received a five-week instruction on
ICC in a writing class at a private language institute in Rasht, Iran. The data analyzed via T-tests,
content analysis technique, and η revealed that instruction on ICC assisted learners in coping with
intercultural issues differently in their writing; however, gender did not play any role in using the
ICC in writing. This study can shine a light on the writing course and language teaching in general
and teaching how to incorporate ICC in writing in particular.
The Role of Transformational Leadership and Knowledge Management in Organizational Innovation of Schools
One of the most significant prerequisites for an innovative school is the presence of transformational
leaders and knowledge sharing. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effect of
the transformational leadership on organizational innovation with the mediating role of knowledge
management. It applied research by orientation, descriptive research by purpose, survey research by
strategy, causal research by nature, and a questionnaire in terms of data collection methods. Data
were collected from 265 school principals, expert officers and deputy managers at the Department
of Education of Dasht-e Azadegan county, Khuzestan province, Iran. As the target population was
small, census sampling was adopted and all the 265 members participated in the survey. For data
collection, the Multifactor Leadership, Organizational Innovation, and Knowledge Management
Questionnaires were used, whose reliability (using Cronbach’s alpha) was estimated to be 0.89,
0.93, and 0.91, respectively. Factor analysis was used for validity assessment. For data analysis,
structural equation modeling in Amos software was employed. The results showed that components
of intellectual stimulation, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, and individualized
consideration, both directly and through the mediating role of knowledge management, influence
organizational innovation of schools.
A reflective view of the introduction of technologies in social work fieldwork modules within the South African context
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to prepare students for emergency online learning
and teaching. The blended-learning approach that includes online learning and teaching options in
social work theoretical modules has been described as valuable in providing students with a variety
of modes of learning and teaching. However, its use in fieldwork modules requires further research.
This article aims to explore the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate student social workers
and their supervisors regarding the inclusion of technologies in the first-year fieldwork module,
and how this affected their online experiences during the pandemic. The activity theory served
as a theoretical framework. A qualitative approach was followed with an explorative-descriptive
research design. Participants were selected through purposive non-probability sampling. Data was
collected through written reflection sheets that were analysed through thematic content analysis.
Ethics included voluntary participation, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality and anonymity.
The findings indicate that all the components of the activity theory were present, while challenges
experienced prior and during the pandemic were identified as a lack of previous exposure to the
use of technology and of access to technological resources, socioeconomic challenges, the need to
become skilled in becoming independent scholars, a need for direct interaction among students and
between students and supervisors/lectures, and the importance of a variety of role-players to support
learning. The findings provided a foundation to draw conclusions and make recommendations
regarding what is needed to effectively use the activity theory’s components in fieldwork modules
and to prepare students for technology-based learning and teaching in higher education settings.
Learning specifics of corporate culture development: a study of motor transport masters program graduates
Within the framework of post-industrial development in the motor industry a new management
culture based on corporate values is stimulating change in the system of engineering education.
In the evolution of the vehicle servicing businesses, second level higher education graduates,
(masters of Engineering) are often employed as line managers. The results of a multi-panel academic
study involving stakeholders indicated the need for masters program graduates to be actively
engaged in the development of corporate culture and training production staff. This highlighted a
new competence for line manager which has previously not given adequate focus – training as a part
of operational management activities. This is an innovative feature of the Engineer masters Program
training process. This article analyzes the curriculum for teaching corporate culture to production
personnel. It also specifies the role of a facilitator to replace an expert teacher and formulates the
academic problem of teaching specific didactic tools appropriate for corporate culture development
to masters students.
The Role of Russian Parents’ Education in Developing Intuitive Theories of Parenting
Previous research in English-speaking countries has shown that parental education predicts
significantly parental attitudes and theories about parenting which, in turn, guide parental
interaction with their child and might impact the child’s mental development. However, to the best
of our knowledge, there has been no research aimed at studying the role of parental education in
shaping the views of Russian parents on their children’s education and development. The current
study aimed to analyze the role of Russian parents’ education in their intuitive theories of parenting,
by controlling for the region where the families live, and taking into account the age and sex of their
child. Intuitive theories of parenting were studied using the Early Parental Attitudes Questionnaire
(EPAQ). The sample consisted of 995 parents who have children aged 1 to 7 and live in Moscow,
the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and Republic North Ossetia in Russian Federation. Two profiles
of intuitive theories of parenting were identified. Differences and similarities in intuitive theories
of parenting between regions, when controlling for parents’ level of education were also identified.
The results characterize modern parenthood in three geographically distant Russian regions and
can be useful in understanding the profile of a modern parent, as well as for developing educational
programmes aimed at self-development and increasing parental competence in Russian parents.
Multilingualism at an early age: parents’ views and teachers’ reflections
The questions of superdiversity, multiple identities and practices, language policy, multilingualism,
plurilingualism, intercultural, minority and immigrants’ education in the pre-primary and primary
classrooms are crucial for the current situation of the Russian language abroad. Teachers have to take
into account linguistic and artistic resources and deploy special methodological repertoires. The aim
of the present research is to show what main themes the parents and teachers of young multi-lingual
children discuss and how to overcome difficulties in organizing multilingual education. Parents and
teachers in four countries (Finland, France, Germany, Russia) answered the questionnaires about
their attitudes towards bi-lingual education of pre-primary and primary children. In addition,
the Internet discussions on the international platforms in the Russian language were analyzed.
Participants characterized their experience, their family policy and the educational institutions
that their children attend. Existing practices show that the variety of approaches to early bilingual
education is limited through material and human resources and the children’s potential. The best
results demand more input, devoted parents and educators, more money, strict rules of language
use, and a true continuity of bilingualism as a goal in all steps of child development. The different
effects of various approaches to education may lie, not only in the language itself, but also in its
political and economic power and the cognitive effects of an early start.