Finding the (most efficient) way out of a maze is easier than asking (good) questions.

We investigate whether a spatial representation of a search task supports 4- to 7-year-old children’s information-search strategies, relative to their performance in a question-asking game. In Experiment 1, children played two computationally and structurally analogous search games: a spatial search task, the maze-exploration game, in which they had to discover the path through a maze, and a verbal search task, the 20-questions game, where they had to identify a target monster from a set of eight monsters by asking yes-no questions. We found that children made more informative queries in the maze-exploration game than in the 20-questions game. Children’s performance in the 20-questions game improved with age, whereas there were no age-related differences in the spatial task. In Experiment 2, we introduced a non-verbal version of the 20-questions game, in which children had to select which features to query (e.g., color) in order to identify the target monster. We found that children performed equally well in both tasks, with no age-related performance differences. Our results demonstrate that efficient search strategies emerge much earlier than previously assumed, suggesting that young children’s difficulties in the 20-questions game are directly related to the verbal requirements of the task. These findings highlight the importance of developing age-appropriate paradigms that capture children’s early competence, in order to gain a more comprehensive picture of their emerging information-search abilities.

Professional and Personal Reflexion of a Teacher-Musician: An Operational Component

The article deals with the specificity of professional reflection of the future music teacher in the light of the development of the ideas by E. B. Abdullin. The accumulation of one’s own experience of entering the world of music, the art of teaching, its comprehension and analysis allow a thoughtful student to look at the process of musical education through the eyes of students, their parents, that is, to take the reflective position of a teacher-researcher. The search for ways and means of solving professionally significant tasks requires a music teacher to think reflectively, understand the actions of his students and colleagues, and penetrate their feelings and thoughts. The importance of reflection in solving problem situations, pedagogical tasks, in mastering critical thinking by a future music teacher is substantiated. The conceptual foundations for professional reflection development of a future teacher-musician have been worked out, the structure of reflective analysis and the conditions for the effectiveness of its development by students have been revealed. The techniques and methods of preparing future bachelors and masters of music education for professional reflection in the process of studying at a university, during school practice, in various types of independent, research work of students are considered. The authors have adapted special reflexive techniques (artistic-pedagogical tasks, search games, storytelling, reflective life story, musical reflection, reflective analysis, interviews, pedagogical essays, creative portfolio). The article analyzes the experience of Dutch specialists, the author’s methods of foreign researchers (ALACT – model, “Wall”, “Arrows”, “Visiting card”, a system of reflective questions, etc.). Adapted for use by students in music lessons in the course of pedagogical practice, they become effective means for introspection, self-assessment of the activities of future bachelors / masters of music education. Based on the material of autobiographies and interviews of great musicians-performers, actual problems of music education, ways of spiritually reflexive entry into the world of art and artistic creation are analyzed.