Revista
de la
Universidad
del Zulia
Fundada en 1947
por el Dr. Jesús Enrique Lossada
DEPÓSITO LEGAL ZU2020000153
Esta publicación científica en formato digital
es continuidad de la revista impresa
ISSN 0041-8811
E-ISSN 2665-0428
Ciencias
Sociales
y Arte
Año 14 N° 41
Septiembre - Diciembre 2023
Tercera Época
Maracaibo-Venezuela
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
487
Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students in
War Conditions
Karina Oleksenko*
Olena Kryvylova**
Natalka Kotelianets***
Yulia Kotelianets****
Hennadii Moskalyk*****
Oksana Stanichenko******
ABSTRACT
The purpose of scientific research is to highlight the main requirements for the design of the
educational environment of the primary school in war conditions. The study of legislative
and regulatory documents constitutes the research methodology for determining the
requirements of the professional activity of a primary school teacher in the conditions of
martial law. In accordance with the objective, the following research tasks are defined:
point out the main factors of influence in the educational process of primary school in the
context of martial law; characterize the means to overcome negative influences on the
educational process and its participants when designing the educational environment of an
elementary school. The main factors that negatively influence the educational process of
primary school under conditions of martial law are the predominant use of distance
learning.
KEYWORDS: Elementary school, educational environment, teacher, education, design.
* Berdiansk State Pedagogical University, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. ORCID: https//orcid.org/0000-0002-
2965-5145. E-mail:karinessa48@gmail.com
** Berdiansk State Pedagogical University, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-
2542-0506 E-mail:krivileva.lena@gmail.com
*** Volodymyr Vynnychenko Central Ukrainian State University, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-
0002-0575-5205. E-mail: nvnatalka@ukr.net
**** Volodymyr Vynnychenko Central Ukrainian State University, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/
0000-0003-3932-1824. E-mail: youliana15us@gmail.com
***** Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrogradskyi National University, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-
0002-2137-5384. E-mail: 21023upr@gmail.com
****** Regional College "Kremenchuk Humanitarian and Technological Academy named after A.S.
Makarenko" Poltava Region Council, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4816-6718. E-mail:
ksuskaa1982@gmail.com
Recibido: 30/03/2023 Aceptado: 22/05/2023
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
488
Diseño de un entorno educativo para estudiantes de primaria en
condiciones de guerra
RESUMEN
El propósito de la investigación científica es resaltar los principales requisitos para el diseño
del entorno educativo de la escuela primaria en condiciones de guerra. El estudio de los
documentos legislativos y reglamentarios constituye la metodología de la investigación para
determinar los requisitos de la actividad profesional de un maestro de escuela primaria en
las condiciones de la ley marcial. De acuerdo con el objetivo, se definen las siguientes tareas
de la investigación: señalar los principales factores de influencia en el proceso educativo de
la escuela primaria en el contexto de la ley marcial; caracterizar los medios para superar las
influencias negativas sobre el proceso educativo y sus participantes al diseñar el ambiente
educativo de una escuela primaria. Los principales factores que influyen negativamente en
el proceso educativo de la escuela primaria en condiciones de ley marcial son el uso
predominante de la enseñanza a distancia.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Escuela primaria, ambiente educativo, maestro, educación, diseño.
Introduction
The design problem of an educational environment for primary school students
became particularly important with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges of
which were the impetus for rapid and effective transformations in the primary education
Ukrainian system, particularly the improvement of digital technologies and introduction of
new approaches to the educational processing organization. The relevance using such
approaches has gained momentum since the end of the February 2022, when the entire
country found itself in a state of military conflict due to the existing threat to the life and
health of participants in the educational process. The Ministry of Education and Science in
Ukraine constantly emphasizes the creation of a safely educational environment, which can
be ensured thanks to the individualization and distance learning (About the educational
processing organization in primary schools in wartime conditions, 2022). At the same time,
research conducted by the State Service for the Quality of Education together with the
project "Support of Governmental Reforms in Ukraine" (SURGe) showed that the
educational process in the distance learning conditions are insufficiently flexible and
limited in the activity types. Thus, distance learning had a negative impact on student
learning outcomes, as indicated by a survey of primary school teachers, especially in
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
489
mathematics (51% - rural, 42% - urban) and foreign language (56% - rural, 33% - urban)
(Official website of the State Education Quality Service in Ukraine, https://sqe.gov.ua/u-
selakh-mayzhe-vdvichi-menshe-uchniv-mayut/). Among the factors that have a negative
impact on the learning outcomes of elementary school students in distance learning
conditions, teachers first of all name: lack of live communication; children's inability to
learn independently; lack of full distance courses on school platforms (Official website New
Ukrainian School, https://nus.org.ua/articles/zmishane-navchannya-yak-organizuvaty-
yakisnyj-osvitnij-protses-v-umovah-vijny/). In addition, many primarily educated students
found themselves in difficult conditions that make not only face-to-face education
impossible, but also distance education in synchronous mode. Therefore, the primary
school teachers’ preparation to design an educational environment requires an immediate
response changing influencing factors in wartime conditions.
1. Materials and methods
The research methodology includes legislative and regulatory document analysis to
identify the main negative impact factors on the educational primary school processes in
the martial law and means context overcoming them; An analysis of psychological and
pedagogical literature to determine the features of the educational environmental design,
taking into account existing educational and developmental barriers in wartime conditions.
In general, the organization of high-quality distance learning requires access to the Internet;
technical support (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) for all primary school students and
teachers; a sufficient level of teachers' mastery of various distance learning technologies
and, necessarily, safe living conditions for all participants in the educational process.
We also rely on our own scientific research, which is reflected in the articles
«Essence and structure of the future primary school teachers’ preparation to design the
learning environment», and «The influence of the primary educative state reform in
professional trainings of future teacher».
2. Results and discussion
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
490
On the territory of Ukraine, the practice of mixed education in a combination of
face-to-face and distance learning based on multi-model implementation principle on the
educational process in general secondary educational currently prevailed institutions.
The most popular is the rotation model, the essence of which is the so-called
"rotation" of students at school and the "rotation" the types of their activities, when
students work on part of the material independently, and in the class they discuss
questions, consulting with the teacher or studying the next material part.
In addition, a flexible model is used, where students work according to an
individually adjusted schedule, mostly online, and the teacher is an instructor who
coordinates their activities and advises; the personally-oriented model involves learning
according to individual educational trajectories (students study face-to-face, and in parallel
work with external electronic resources, online courses), which is effective for in-depth
study of some subjects; an enriched virtualy environmental model, when the main work is
carried out online in distance courses, but at the same time the student can attend certain
lessons (if this model is applied individually), or certain lessons are held for students of the
whole class (for example, at the beginning and end of the topic, for project protection,
discussion of certain topics) and others (Official website of the New Ukrainian School,
https://nus.org.ua/articles/zmishane-navchannya-yak-organizuvaty-yakisnyj-osvitnij-
protses-v-umovah-vijny/) .
Institutions of general secondary education, regardless of the chosen educational
form, continues implement those educational programs that were chosen and approved by
them at the beginning of the academic year. For temporarily displaced students who
studied under educational programs that are different from the one implemented in the
educational institution, including studying with other textbooks, the teacher adapts
educational material taking into account what the student has already mastered. In order to
individualize education, the teacher determines the student's readiness for further
educational programing mastery in a convenient and methodologically appropriate way.
To solve the problem of providing temporarily displaced students with textbooks,
electronic versions of valid textbooks for students of grades 1-4 are used, access to which is
open. Given that the Internet can be unstable in wartime conditions, electronic versions of
textbooks can be downloaded to media (About the organization of the educational process
in primary school in wartime conditions, 2022).
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
491
The teacher can conduct distance learning in synchronous and asynchronous modes
using electronic educational platforms (Google Workspace, Google Classroom, New
Knowledge, HUMAN.UA) and online communication services and tools (Zoom, Skype,
Team, basic Google services: Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Jamboard, Chat, Hangouts, YouTube
and others).
It is worth noting that the determined factors faced by Ukrainian society were
facilitated by the organization of free training by the Ministry of Education and Science of
Ukraine with the support of Google within the framework of the "Google Digital Tools for
Education" program. The purpose of the program is to expand the possibilities of using
digital tools to organize distance learning and increase the efficiency of the educational
process. After all, some Google tools have already been mastered by educators and are
actively used in the organization of feedback from applicants (Google Classroom, Google
Meet, etc.). But practice proves that the possibilities of these tools in education are not
used to their full extent.
For example, the most widely used is Google Classroom as a tool for students to
access materials and tasks of educational components, organize feedback and control.
However, Google's tools allow you to diversify the distance educational process, give it
interactivity and make it more interesting in conditions of isolation and lack of access to
any sources. So, using the digital tool Google Jamboard allows you to create an interactive
board both for the frontal work of applicants and for individual types of tasks. The service
helps you work with a board similar to a slide, where you can add notes, images, text and
much more. When working with the material, you can use a laser pointer, its red mark
disappears in a few seconds. As with other Google documents, there is an option to share
access with other users so that they can draw and write on the board together with the
teacher. Such work expands and "invigorates" the possibilities of presenting theoretical
material, gives practical classes dynamism, and most importantly, allows to assess the level
of mastery and understanding of the current topic of the educational component by the
students.
Messengers, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, etc., have become one of the
popular means of remote communication used in the educational process, which are used
not only as means of transmitting messages, but also as necessary means of organizing
educational activities in asynchronous mode. Asynchronous learning requires a high level of
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
492
self-discipline and the ability to manage one's own time from learners, which can cause
significant difficulties given the age of the learner. Also, in the conditions of the
asynchronous learning mode, the student may feel isolated.
We take into account that the modern generation of primary school students is
characterized by the dominance of visual thinking, "clip" thinking, which provides an
opportunity to effectively familiarize yourself with information using visualization,
interactive games, various methods, etc. In this regard, the perception of educational
material by children of primary school age depends on the goals of the lesson, forms and
methods of organizing the educational process. According to psychological characteristics,
students of primary education best perceive information through visual representations,
that is, with the help of drawings, diagrams, tables (Zhytienova, 2016).
The assessment is based on the principles of child-centeredness, objectivity,
integrity, fairness, impartiality, systematicity, criteriality, flexibility, perspective,
differentiation and confidentiality, as well as planning, clarity, transparency, openness,
benevolence (On the approval of methodological recommendations on the assessment of
student learning outcomes 1 -4 classes of general secondary education institutions, 2021).
Of particular importance in wartime conditions is formative assessment, during which
primary school teachers provide individual feedback to students and create conditions for
eliminating identified difficulties in achieving expected learning outcomes.
War events affected the attitude, thoughts, and actions of children, which
contributes to the introduction of certain corrections aimed at supporting and developing
strength, morality, national spirit, formation of patriotism, love and respect for the
Motherland, native region. So, every morning, at 9:00 a.m., all students of education,
including primary ones, honor the memory of the dead with a minute of silence (About the
nationwide minute of silence for those who died as a result of the armed aggression of the
Russian Federation against Ukraine, 2022). In order to explain the importance and
necessity of this action, primary school teachers use video and audio materials, parables,
fairy tales, poems, taking into account the age characteristics of the students of this
category.
Amendments were made to the Concept of National-Patriotic Education, among the
main components: civic-patriotic, spiritual-moral, military-patriotic and environmental
education (On some issues of national-patriotic education in educational institutions of
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
493
Ukraine, 2022). During educational activities, primary school teachers take care of
honoring public holidays; great attention is paid to the study of the history of the formation
and culture of the Ukrainian people; if possible, they actively involve in the educational
process figures of modern culture, art, science, sports, who show an active civic and
patriotic position; participate together with students and their parents in charity events,
etc.
In the conditions of martial law, the psychological support of primary school
students becomes special. The situation that Ukraine is experiencing over the last year is
classified in science as extraordinary or extreme. For those who experience it, an extreme
situation can become stressful, traumatic and cause a significant violation of physical and
mental health, the entire life of a person. In the psyche and behavior of children, adults can
observe many destructive manifestations that interfere with normal life activities and
learning: regressive behavior, intrusive memories, feelings of emotional depression and
alienation, withdrawal, irritability, vulnerability and increased tearfulness for minor
reasons, mood swings, immersion in self and dreaminess, psychosomatic symptoms,
problems with sleep, concentration, etc. It is important to notice children's manifestations
and help overcome them (Kisarchuk et al., 2015).
Thus, the use of artificial tools by elementary school teachers helps to have a positive
impact on students, such as: establishing value orientations; development of various artistic
activity ways, creative and communicative abilities; development of self-knowledge, self-
regulation, self-actualization; reduction of emotional anxiety, consolidation promotion of
positive behavioral reactions.
In the office, with the help of furniture, a "clean" zone (chairs form a circle) is created
for group discussion, a "working" zone (the floor and table are covered with a film) - for
visual work. Group members are given a choice. Common works are usually created on the
floor in the "work" area. Group work is conducted with various visual materials. Along with
watercolor paints, pencils, wax chalk, charcoal, special paints for handwork, markers for
creating an image on glass, plastic materials of different densities and colors, paper of
different formats and shades, glue, etc. are also used (Tiunova et al., 2018).
Attention should also be paid to physical activity (sensory charging, breathing
exercises, stretching, etc.) and exercise, taking into account children's capabilities.
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
494
Children's play activities are an important condition for the development and maintenance
of social, communicative, and cognitive skills. It is good if at this time children have the
opportunity to interact with their peers, discuss or retell cartoons, movies. Different types
of games (mobile, sensory, didactic) provide an opportunity to relieve tension, provide the
child with rest, and contribute to the consolidation of certain achievements (Bogdanov et al.,
2018).
Primary school teachers conduct motivational five-minute "morning meetings".
Morning meetings were introduced into the schedule of the New Ukrainian School as a
daily practice that allows for a positive primary educational setting for students of whole
day in general and for learning, particularly, which ensures the formation of a strong,
responsible, caring class community; enables the inculcation of democratic values, the
formation of active responsible citizenship, and also ensures the academic social and speech
skills activation by children. One of the important mission parts of elementary school
teachers in wartime is to create lightness and ease atmosphere in the classroom. Even
online, far from home or school, everyone should feel himself like an equal part of the very
team, heard and psychologically protected.
Conclusion
The main factors negatively influencing on the educational primary school process in
the martial law conditions are the predominant use of distance learning; changes in
students' consciousness; destructive manifestations in psyche and behavior. Overcoming
the existing educational and developmental barriers can be carried out thanks to the
educational environmental design for the primary school taking into account the current
legislative and regulatory documents; available resource support; the multimodality
principle of organizational educational forms; potential opportunities for participants in
the educational process; available electronic educational platforms and communication
online services; available academic and personal results of training, upbringing and
development. We associate further research in this direction with the implementation of
overcoming means negatively effect during military conflict on the professional training of
future primary school teachers.
REVISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL ZULIA. 3ª época. Año 14, N° 41, 2023
Karina Oleksenko et al // Design of an Educational Environment for Primary School Students ... 487-495
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.41.26
495
References
Bogdanov, S.; Zaleska, O. (2018). Psychosocial support in a crisis situation: a
methodological guide for teachers. K.: Pulsary, P. 76.
In villages, almost half less students have access to distance education than in cities: state
service of education quality of Ukraine. URL: https://sqe.gov.ua/u-selakh-mayzhe-vdvichi-
menshe-uchniv-mayut/
Kisarchuk, Z. and others. (2015). Psychological Assistance For Victims Of Crisis Traumatic
Events: methodical guide. K.: "Logos" Publishing House, P.207.
Kryvylova, O.; Oleksenko, K.; Kotelianets, N.; Kotelianets, Y.; Kindei, L.; Kushnirova, T.
(2022). “The influence of the primary educative state reform in professional trainings of
future teacher”. Cuestiones Políticas. No. 40 (75), 134-144.
https://doi.org/10.46398/cuestpol.4075.09
Mixed learning: how to organize a quality educational process in the conditions of war: the
new Ukrainian School. URL: https://nus.org.ua/articles/zmishane-navchannya-yak-
organizuvaty-yakisnyj-osvitnij-protses-v-umovah-vijny/
Oleksenko, K.; Khavina, I. (2021). “Essence and structure of the future primary school
teachers’ preparation to design the learning environment”. Revista De La Universidad Del Zulia,
12(34), Pp. 398-409. https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.34.23
On some issues of national patriotic education in educational institutions of ukraine and
the recognition of such as lost valid, order of the ministry of education and science of
Ukraine dated 16.06.2015 № 641 : Order of the Ministry of Education and Science in
Ukraine № 527 dated the 2nd of June, 2015. URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B-
dJsxlljilNxfuy3jjq5n4ZVPeo4gZ8/view
On the approval of methodological recommendations for assessing the learning results of
students in grades 1-4 in general secondary education institutions. URL:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DuEdJ31mq4-gyMoszi89TOwfu8q_-PRM/view
On the national minute of silence for the dead as a result of the armed aggression of the
russian federation against Ukraine: Decree of the President of Ukraine № 143/2022 the 16th
of March, 2022. URL: https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/1432022-41729
On the organization of the educational process in primary school in wartime conditions:
Letter of the Ministry of Education and Science in Ukraine № 1/3725-22 dated the 29th of
March, 2022. URL: https://mon.gov.ua/ua/npa/pro-organizaciyu-osvitnogo-procesu-v-
pochatkovij-shkoli-v-umovah-voyennogo-chasu
Tiunova, O.; Sheikina, T. (2018). Art therapy. Innovative psychological technologies. Kyiv-
Ternopil: EEATA, Vol. 5. p. 200.
Zhytienova, N. (2016). Visualized technologies in modern educational trends. Open
Educational E-environment of at Modern University. № 2, Pp. 170–178.
