Autonomy and Attachment in Relationships with Parents in the Context of Students’ Real Self-Determination

Objectives. Studying the relationship of autonomy and attachment in relationships with parents with real self-determination in students. Background. The growing world globalization, intercultural contradictions, confrontation within society seriously complicate the path of self-determination of modern youth. At the same time, due to technical progress and digitalization of the communication and education environment, there are significant transformations in the interaction of people in almost all spheres, including in the family. Therefore, the question of studying the most important aspects in the relationship of young people with their parents for real self-determination is especially acute. Study design. The work studied the indicators of real self-determination, attachment to parents and autonomy among students. The presence of a relationship between these parameters was established by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficient. Participants. 60 college students aged 18 to 21. Measurements. Methodology “Scale of adult attachment for close relationships”; autonomy questionnaire (authors O.A. Karabanova and N.N. Poskrebysheva); questionnaire “ORS” (author D.A. Krasilo). Results. An inverse relationship of indicators of real self-determination of students with the level of intimacy and the level of anxiety (scales of attachment to parents) was established. A direct relationship was revealed between the indicators of real self-determination and the level of autonomy. Conclusions. Proximity and anxiety (components of attachment) have a significant inverse relationship with the level of real self-determination in students. There are no significant connections between reliability (a component of attachment) and real self-determination in the sample under study. Emotional autonomy, cognitive autonomy, behavioral autonomy, and value autonomy have significant positive correlations with the level of real self-determination in students.

STUDENTS’ COGNITIVE AUTONOMY FORMATION IN THE PROCESS OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES LEARNING: A MODEL OF IT IMPLEMENTATION INTO TRADITIONAL TEACHING

Due to the rapid development of new information technologies, educational techniques require rethinking of approaches to teaching methods and tools to fulfill the needs of learners regarding their training for the future job. The educators should consider not only the interests of students but the demands of employers who are looking for quick-thinking specialists ready to acquire new knowledge and skills in short terms. The article presents a model for teaching ESP (English for Specific Purposes) which facilitates formation of students’ cognitive autonomy. On the basis of scientific and theoretical analysis of this issue, the author considers the methodological approaches to its elucidating. To clarify the structure of students’ cognitive autonomy, the author provides the components and their subjective links on the subcomponents level on the hierarchical basis. The author determines the criteria and levels of students’ cognitive autonomy as well as subjective and objective factors influencing the efficiency of students’ cognitive autonomy in ESP study which were obtained through methods of mass survey (interviews, conversations, questioning), targeted observation of the formation of students’ cognitive autonomy; methods of testing and ranking. As a result, the author designed and implemented into practice a model for teaching ESP, which represents a flexible educational environment with a suitable choice of teaching techniques, modes, strategies, tools, and resources on the basis of the integral unity of information technologies and traditional teaching technologies. The stages of the experimental teaching included the following: preparing the experiment, implementing, processing the results, and interpreting them. For the analysis and correlation of the income and the outcome sample data, the author applied statistical methods. Thus, the synthesis stage of the experiment allowed confirming the effectiveness of the implemented model for teaching ESP, which facilitates students’ cognitive autonomy formation.

CHALLENGES OF SERVICE LEARNING PRACTICES: STUDENT AND FACULTY PERSPECTIVES FROM MALAYSIA

Purpose – The primary aim of service learning is to produce holistically developed students. Despite the mandate from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia to infuse service learning in the programs of studies since 2015, service learning in the country remains in its infancy. Critical insights concerning contextual compatibility are still missing in the Malaysian context. In this regard, the current paper aims to investigate the perspectives of lecturers and students on the challenges they have encountered while participating in service learning. Methodology – The study employed a qualitative approach and the principles of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) guided the collection of data. Students and lecturers who participated in the study were selected using purposive sampling techniques. The data from the students was collected using focus group interviews, while in-depth face to face interviews were used to collect data from the lecturers. These two sources of data were then analysed using a thematic analysis method. Findings – From the perspectives of the students, the challenges encountered were as follows: 1) there is a gap between theory and practice and 2) the lack of cognitive autonomy, while from the perspectives of the lecturers, the challenge was lack of structural support. There was also a theme seen in the common challenges experienced by the participants which was about the relationship and rapport with the community. Significance –The findings provide insights into the challenges faced by lecturers and students in a public university where service learning is practised. These insights may have implications for academic developers providing training workshops on service learning and for lecturers involved in the design and implementation of service-learning projects.

DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS’ COGNITIVE ACTIVITY

It has been investigated different approaches to the definition of the concepts of “cognitive activity”, “cognitive functioning” and “cognitive autonomy”. Their comparisons have also been made. As a result we have found that cognitive function as a form of mental activity is aimed at cognition, perception and thinking of the learning subject. Cognitive activity is characterized as a personality trait that manifests itself in its relation to the process of cognition, readiness and desire for cognitive activity. It is proved that cognitive autonomy is a quality of the personality, which is inherent in the desire and ability without the help (independently) to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills, to solve tasks. The means, methods and conditions for improvement of students’ cognitive activity are determined i.e. a game as a way of activating cognitive functioning, project method, cognitive tasks, modeling, independent work, vocabulary work, web quest technology, project activity. It is concluded that all of them are focused on the students’ creative work, on the avoiding of the standard form of conducting classes and changing of thinking and participation of both the student and the teacher. It is noted the essential role of the teacher in the process of using such activities while working with students. The contemplative and guiding functions of the teacher in the learning process are distinguished. The importance of creating a work atmosphere comfortable for all participants is emphasized. Emphasis is placed on the fact that cognitive activity begins with activity, independence, initiative, desire to know more, go beyond what is already known. It is noted that the relationship between the student and the teacher has moved to the subject-subjective level, which enables the student to independently plan his/her activity, predict the results, be responsible for the final result of learning i.e. knowledge acquisition, comprehensive development and ability to work.