Revista
de la
Universidad
del Zulia
Fundada en 1947
por el Dr. Jesús Enrique Lossada
NÚMERO ESPECIAL
DEPÓSITO LEGAL ZU2020000153
Esta publicación científica en formato digital
es continuidad de la revista impresa
ISSN 0041-8811
E-ISSN 2665-0428
Ciencias
de la
Educación
Año 12 N° 35
Noviembre - 2021
Tercera Época
Maracaibo-Venezuela
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The problem of forming the foundations of the professional activity
of a preschool teacher at a university
Valentina N. Belkina*
Yulia A. Moiseeva**
Evgeniya V. Safarova***
ABSTRACT
The article is dedicated to the problem of the interdependence of the formation of
competences between students and components of professional activity. The basic concepts
of professional activity are analyzed in the psychological and pedagogical literature, its
structure conformed by prognostic, design, constructive, organizational, communicative and
reflective components is presented. The professional activity of a preschool teacher is
analyzed in greater detail, which has specificities in terms of goal setting, motivation, from
the point of view of implementation methods and technologies. An empirical study of the
formation of the foundations of the professional activity of a preschool teacher was carried
out according to the characteristics of a natural experiment. The content stages of the quasi-
professional activity of the students are revealed (modeling of pedagogical situations,
pedagogical tests of different levels of student independence). In the processing of analyzing
the process of training pedagogical competencies, developing components of the structure of
the professional activity of a teacher are simultaneously identified.
KEYWORDS: competence approach; pedagogical activity; quasi-professional activity;
productive activity, visual activity.
*Professor Head of the Department of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology Yaroslavl State
Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky, Russia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-
0003-1903-7500. E-mail: belkinavn@yandex.ru
**Senior Lecturer at the Department of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology Yaroslavl State
Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky, Russia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-
0003-1481-2280. E-mail: yuliamoiseeva86@gmail.com
***Yaroslavl Assistant at the Department of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology Yaroslavl
State Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky, Russia. ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7347-3755. E-mail: eva.safarova.1992@mail.ru
Recibido: 13/07/2021 Aceptado: 02/09/2021
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El problema de sentar las bases de la actividad profesional de un
docente de preescolar en una universidad
RESUMEN
El artículo está dedicado al problema de la interdependencia de la formación de competencias
entre estudiantes y componentes de la actividad profesional. Se analizan los conceptos
básicos de la actividad profesional en la literatura psicológica y pedagógica, se presenta su
estructura conformada por componentes pronósticos, de diseño, constructivos,
organizacionales, comunicativos y reflexivos. Se analiza con mayor detalle la actividad
profesional de un docente de educación preescolar, que tiene especificidades en cuanto al
establecimiento de metas, la motivación, desde el punto de vista de los métodos y tecnologías
de implementación. Se realizó un estudio empírico de la formación de los fundamentos de la
actividad profesional de un maestro de preescolar de acuerdo con las características de un
experimento natural. Se revelan las etapas de contenido de la actividad cuasiprofesional de
los estudiantes (modelado de situaciones pedagógicas, pruebas pedagógicas de diferentes
niveles de independencia de los estudiantes). En el análisis del proceso de formación de
competencias pedagógicas, se identifican simultáneamente componentes en el desarrollo de
la estructura de la actividad profesional de un docente.
PALABRAS CLAVE: enfoque por competencias; actividad pedagógica; actividad
cuasiprofesional; actividad productiva, actividad visual.
Introduction
Modern professional education is based on several methodological approaches, the
leading of which is the competence-based approach. Higher pedagogical education is
designed to form a number of competencies in students, which later allowed them to master
professional activities. In our opinion, a direct translation of the integrative skills
(competencies) developed in the learning process into the development of the structural
components of activity cannot occur. Therefore, the second methodological position of
modern vocational education is associated with its practical orientation. One of the most
important problems of professional training is the development of mechanisms for the
interdependence of formed competencies in students and components of professional
activity; that is, the opportunity to use what I “can” in practical work, understanding its
essence, being motivated specifically for the chosen field of activity, willingness to use
variably methods for realizing the diverse goals of such activities and adequately assess the
results obtained.
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1. Literature review
In modern psychological and pedagogical literature, several basic categories that are
directly related to the problem of our research are considered in detail.
There are several general positions that precede a more specific analysis of our
experience in the formation of the foundations of the professional activity of a preschool
teacher at a university.
1. The problem of activity occupies a central place in the scientific work of many
researchers. The activity that realizes the objective social relations of a person in the world
is the substance of the personality (Asmolov, 1990).
The theoretical development of the concept of activity comes from different sides: the
development of the most general definition, the allocation of structure and essence.
One of the most complete and detailed descriptions of the general structure of
activities is given within the framework of the systems approach of M.S. Kagan. He
distinguishes three main elements of activity: the subject, the object and the activity, that is,
the energy of the subject directed to the object (Kagan, 1974).
A similar systemic view of activity, its essence as a multilevel education is revealed in
the theory of system genesis of the activity of V.D. Shadrikov. He developed a clear categorical
apparatus for the psychological analysis of activity, which implements the principle of
consistency through multilevel analysis: personal-motivational, component-target,
structural-functional, informational, psychophysiological, individual-psychological
(Shadrikov, 1980).
Also V.D. Shadrikov most fully reveals the essence of the issue of human development
in activity in a number of his works. He points out that the development of mental qualities
and properties of a person in activity occurs through the development of the operational
mechanisms of these properties. Under the influence of the requirements of activity, the
operational mechanisms of a person's mental properties are rebuilt. He calls it the process of
rebuilding operational mechanisms into operational mechanisms. This process is the essence
of the transition from mental properties to activity-important (professionally important,
educationally important) properties (qualities) (Shadrikov, 1993).
2. Among all types of activity, professional activity as a subject of research occupies a
special place, defining one of the most important characteristics of a person. Most people are
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involved in this or that professional activity from a certain age; a significant part of
adolescence is spent on preparing for it. Many researchers widely use the term “professional
development of personality”, among them: E.M. Borisova, S.G. Vershlovsky, E.F. Zeer, E.A.
Klimov, T.V. Kudryavtsev, A.I. Shcherbakov and others.
The essence of professional development lies in the transformation of an individual
into a professional capable of exerting an active influence on the development of professional
activity and the professional community as a whole (according to Zeer, 2009). This is an
individualized formation of professionally significant qualities and abilities, professional
knowledge and skills, an active qualitative transformation by a person of his inner world,
leading to a fundamentally new structure and way of life - creative self-realization in the
profession.
Yu.P. Povarenkov notes that the professional formation of an individual is a process of
structural - dynamic development of the subject of a professional path; in the course of this
process, professionally oriented substructures and professionally important personality
traits, adequate forms of her professional activity are formed and developed in accordance
with social and professional requirements and on the basis of the individual's capabilities and
aspirations (Povarenkov, 2002).
Further, the main directions and content of the teacher's activity are considered, based
on the analysis of the works of a number of researchers (N.V. Kuzmina, E.I. Rogov, V.A.
Slastenin). In fact, we are talking about the components of the structure of pedagogical
activity, reflecting its multifunctionality, integrity and consistency.
1. Predictive activity is the prediction and forecasting of the result of pedagogical
activity, modeling of the pedagogical process.
2. Designing and constructive activities of the teacher, aimed at designing and
planning the pedagogical process.
3. Organizational activity is the organization of one's own pedagogical activities and
the activities of children.
4. Communicative activity involves the construction of interpersonal interaction and
relationships that create conditions for the organization of an effective pedagogical process.
5. Reflexive activity is the comprehension of the results of one's pedagogical activity
(Nikitina, 2004; Kislinskaya, 2004).
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2. Methodology
The professional activity of a preschool teacher has its own specifics, both from the
point of view of goal setting and motivation, and from the standpoint of methods and
technologies of implementation. Therefore, the selected components of professional activity
are formed in future teachers very unevenly, which is also confirmed by our empirical data.
7 study groups (1-4 courses) of the profile "Preschool education" in the Yaroslavl State
Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky in the number of 111 people took part in
the study. Students filled out an author's questionnaire, consisting of questions reflecting the
component composition of the kindergarten teacher's activities, the self-assessment of the
severity of each of which students had to evaluate, as well as the task - to write an essay in
free form on the topic "Why I chose the profession of a kindergarten teacher". The results
made it possible to more clearly represent the motives for choosing a teaching profession and
the initial knowledge of students about the specifics of the activities of a kindergarten
teacher.
3. Results and Discussion
Based on the data obtained, the following conclusions can be drawn.
Most students choose the specialty "Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology", as they like
communication with children. Although some students answered the question about the
motives for choosing this profile of training as follows: "family tradition" and "accidentally".
Motives associated with the activities of a preschool teacher (high social significance of
pedagogical work in the preschool period, the dream of child development in the process of
pedagogical activity), and cognitive motives (interest in psychology) prevail among students,
as a rule, of senior years. An interesting fact is that the majority of senior students do not
change their attitude towards their chosen profession during their studies at the university,
referring to an even greater awareness of all the difficulties of the profession, the importance
of pedagogical work and a conscious attitude towards it. Many students see opportunities
for self-realization in this profession, prospects for the development of their teaching
activities. For the majority of senior students, the learning process is comprehended from the
standpoint of the requirements of professional activity, which already means the
actualization of professional motivation. Here are excerpts from student essays:
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“In order to be a good example for a child, it is not necessary to know and be able to
do everything in the world. It is enough just to pay attention to the child, to show that you
are not indifferent to his interest in something and his activities. The adult must show that
any answer or solution can be found together”. “Any adult should not exalt himself above a
child, command and show who is“ in charge ”here. First of all, an adult should be a friend for
a child, someone who can help, understand and sympathize with him”. “An adult must accept
a child as he is, regardless of his success or characteristics. An adult should help in
understanding the world, delineating the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable
behavior. The task of adults is to explain “what is good and what is bad”. These are the people
who are the first to start showing the child the norms and boundaries of what is permitted
and forbidden, acceptable and unacceptable”.
If the motivational component of the pedagogical process of a kindergarten teacher is
formed even before entering the university, as well as goal-setting, understanding of the
essence of the teacher's profession (maybe not entirely deep), then other components of the
activity require special attention.
In particular, studying the deficits in the activities of young teachers of preschool
education, we conducted a survey of more than 1200 teachers of kindergartens in Yaroslavl
and the Yaroslavl region and more than 6,000 thousand parents of pupils. The inclusion of
parents in the sample is explained by the selection of the most difficult areas of activity of a
kindergarten teacher, in particular, its communicative component. Such spheres of
professional activity as design, organizational and communication (mainly in the context of
communication with parents) turned out to be difficult for young teachers. It is quite obvious
that vocational training at any level of education cannot fully form the practical skills of
working directly with children. Therefore, a particular difficulty is the organization of a
children's community, joint children's activities, interaction with children with different
behavioral characteristics (hyperactivity, aggressiveness, shyness, anxiety). Moreover,
parents often feel the need for psychological and pedagogical support of the process of raising
such children (Dakovich & Lukkola, 2017).
In this regard, some aspects of the formation of the foundations of the professional
activity of a preschool teacher at a university are considered.
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Let's focus on the sequence of steps in the process of implementing types of
educational activities that integrate various aspects of professional activity.
Undoubtedly, the practice-orientedness of training students is now the main thesis in
all regulatory documents. At the same time, an increase in the number of practices does not
solve anything, especially since the emphasis is often placed on the formation of
competencies in isolation from pedagogical activity. But this is a special topic.
We will focus on the sequence of steps in the process of implementing types of
educational activities that integrate various aspects of professional activities.
First of all, the so-called quasi-professional activity. It has a certain logic of
construction: modeling of pedagogical situations, introductory educational practice and
active (industrial) practice. In this case, several circumstances matter. First, the continuity
and complication of the forms of work with students (from solving ready-made ones to
creating their own cases of pedagogical situations in the process, in particular, their
modeling). Secondly, the obligatory reflexive analysis of problems arising in the process of
solving problems. Thirdly, the systematization of forms, methods of solving speculative and
real pedagogical situations (first in the student audience, and then in the nursery). Fourth,
the integration of disciplines (psychology, pedagogy, private methods) in the content and
technologies of teaching (Pamela, 1996).
Approximately in this logic, the formation of students' ideas about pedagogical
activity takes place in the framework of the study of each methodological discipline at the
university.
As an example, the stage-by-stage formation in students of various types and types of
pedagogical regulation of children's visual activity, which is one of the types of productive
children's activity, as a projection of the general idea of forming the foundations of the
professional activity of a preschool teacher, is considered (Olivia, 2019)
The productive activity of a preschooler is carried out under the guidance of an adult
and the product of children's creativity, presented in models of objects of the surrounding
world, acts as its result. Productive activity contributes to the deepening of children's visual
ideas about objects, phenomena, situations, and all this is embodied in drawings and designs.
The study of productive activities was carried out by teachers and psychologists such as A.V.
Bakushinsky, I.L. Ermakov, R.G. Kazakova, V.I. Kireenko, K.N. Kornilov, V.S. Mukhina, N.P.
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Sakulina, E.A. Fleerina. Research on productive activities is ongoing. Currently, a number of
problems remain unresolved, such as the individual characteristics of the creative
manifestations of children, the activation of mental activity in the process of productive
activity, the education of independence in using the acquired skills and abilities in working
with various materials.
Productive activities include painting, sculpting, appliqué and construction. Their
relationship is traced by means of expressiveness. Means such as form, rhythm, line, volume
are used to create a product. In decorative painting, sculpting and appliqué, color and
harmony are used, and in plot painting, composition. In design, there is a connection with
the artistic and constructive-technical activities of adults. This type of activity is the most
difficult for children and involves the creation of buildings, bringing objects, their elements
and parts into a certain position. As noted by D.B. Elkonin, in the course of productive
activity, the preschooler develops the abilities and skills of the variable use of expressive
means, and also has generalized ways of depicting objects of the surrounding world.
(Elkonin, 2007).
Productive activities are an important means of all-round development, meeting the
interests and needs of preschool children, and have great opportunities for mental, moral and
aesthetic education. Drawing affects the development of a sense of color, teaches you to see
the beauty of a combination of different colors and shades. Sculpting affects the development
of a sense of form. Application leads the child to generalize the form and express it with the
help of a silhouette. Construction helps teach a child to combine a variety of volumes and
shapes, which contributes to the better development of constructive creativity. All types of
productive activities affect the physical development of the child and contribute to the
development of the child's hand, which is important for further learning to write at school.
Let's take a closer look at children's visual activities (Bazaeva, 2021). The difficulty of
regulating this type of activity is that the student must be able to draw, sculpt, create
applications.
Therefore, the educational process has two directions: on the one hand, to form
students' special skills (within the framework of electives), on the other hand, to develop the
skills of pedagogical support of the process of mastering art by children (individual and
joint). The five components (aspects) of activity that we have designated are the basis.
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At the first stage, the main task of which is the formation of the prognostic side of the
activity of a kindergarten teacher, students get acquainted with the peculiarities of the
development of the visual activity of children. Based on the analysis of children's drawings,
crafts, they highlight typical difficulties in drawing, modeling, and applications, taking into
account the age of children, they learn to design the content of work with preschoolers, both
individual and joint, including in the framework of the discussion of various preschool
education programs (Delamare, 2009; Papalia, 1990).
At the second stage, students move on to modeling the system of working with
children (individual and group) for the development of visual skills in children, planning,
together with the children, plots of the displayed reality. At the same time, the issues of
recruiting children's groups for the execution of ideas are being considered.
The constructive and organizational aspect causes the greatest difficulties for
students, therefore, after modeling the situations of interaction of children in joint activities
in the classroom, students are given tasks during the period of various types of practices. At
the same time, the most significant is the development by future teachers of the
communicative aspect of regulation of both the individual visual activity of the child and the
interaction of children with their peers in conditions of activity. Already at the stage of
modeling situations of joint activity of preschoolers, students are given the opportunity to
determine the types and types of pedagogical regulation of this activity (teaching, corrective,
guiding), which is analyzed by future teachers and during the period of practice in groups of
different ages (Arnold, 1976).
Reflecting the level of preparedness for this kind of activity plays a special role in the
process of preparing students for pedagogical regulation of joint visual activity.
The data were obtained using a questionnaire, the method of expert assessments, the
use of survey techniques, such as a questionnaire to determine the severity of dominance
(L.N. Sobchak's method), a test to determine the level of forced reflexive pedagogical skills
(N.V. Kuzmina's method), and author's questionnaires.
At the diagnostic stage, 152 students of the pedagogical faculty of the Yaroslavl
Pedagogical University took part in the study. The data obtained indicate that students' self-
assessment of the level of development of various aspects of pedagogical activity, in this case,
the activity of regulating the interaction of children, is ambiguous. The most developed
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students consider the communicative and creative qualities, the least developed, according
to the students, the organizational and reflective traits. In addition, students are guided by
the development of the child's individuality, but an insignificant part of them is aware of the
importance of the pedagogical participation of an adult in the interaction of children.
On the basis of the data obtained, a special course "Preparing students for the
pedagogical regulation of the joint visual activity of preschool children" was developed. This
course was taught in the second year of student education; the purpose of this course was to
form and develop in future teachers all aspects of pedagogical regulation of the interaction of
children with peers in the conditions of visual activity, including individual work with
children.
The most important results of introducing a special course into the curriculum are
presented below:
1. Strengthening the pedagogical motivation and the desire of students to get involved
in work with the children's community, which was reflected in the future in pedagogical
practice, in holding open events with preschool children.
2. Increase in the values of communicative and creative qualities in students' self-
esteem.
3. Students began to assess their skills to organize and predict the results of the visual
activity of each child and children's group much higher.
4. The idea of students about the trends in the development of their own style of
pedagogical activity became adequate.
Conclusion
Thus, the educational process of university training of a preschool teacher involves not
only the formation of a sufficiently large list of professional competencies among students,
but also the development of all structural components of pedagogical activity. The particular
importance of this kind of attitude is important in the process of training a teacher working
with a small child, where the integral formation of his personality and intellect can be
ensured by the teacher's deep understanding of his own mission, which is to develop the
individuality of a child who is able to realize himself in various life situations, respecting
himself and others.
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