Educating (Upbringing) Students In The Context Of The Activity Approach

Abstract

The fundamental changes that have taken place recently in Russian education have required a rethinking and reassessment of the importance of basic values. Social changes have led to the establishment of a new system of value orientations in the public consciousness. The process of forming a system of value orientations, which are necessary for the successful self-realization of students in their future professional activities, is of particular importance. The purpose of the study is to justify the need to include the upbringing component in the educational activities of students in the context of the activity approach and to show examples of optimizing upbringing of students. The upbringing activities carried out at the university will significantly reduce the social tension and disunity of students, increase the level of culture in relations, and comprehensively address issues of prevention of national and religious intolerance. The creation of information, social, psychological, pedagogical, and cultural conditions at the university contributes to the preparation of highly educated citizens who are ready to be responsible for the results of work.

Keywords: Upbringing, students, activity approach, management of education

Introduction

The successful integration of Russia into the European educational space within the framework of the Bologna Agreement is a priority strategic task of modern educational policy. The main attention in the discussion of educational problems is paid to the following issues: the organization of the two-level educational process; the introduction of a modular system and a system of credit units; the increase in student mobility; the publication activity of teachers and the participation of students in research work. But it should be noted that positive trends have emerged recently due to the special attention of the Russian government to the issues of the younger generation educating or upbringing. Although the discussion remains beyond the scope of the development of personal qualities of students, their practical and psychological preparation for future professional activities, readiness and understanding of the need for self-education throughout life. These issues have traditionally been dealt with by persons responsible for upbringing work in educational organizations.

Problem Statement

The recent changes in society require a philosophical rethinking and reassessment of the importance of basic values for the individual. Social changes lead to the consolidation of a new system of value orientations in the public consciousness. The process of forming an integral system of value orientations and value self-determination has great importance. Such value orientations will be necessary for the self-realization of the purpose, both in personal life and in professional activity (Burlakova, 2020a).

Research Questions

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the article is to justify the need to include the upbringing component in the educational activities of students in the context of the activity approach to education and to show examples of optimizing upbringing of students.

Research Methods

This work is based on the research of the authors of this article, who have been engaged in theoretical and practical issues of organizing educational activities in educational organizations for a long time in order to improve the quality of professional training of students - future teachers. The research data formed the basis of the article. Of course, the mentioned authors in the literature review had a huge influence on our research.

Findings

In the process of socialization, the individual absorbs various values (Davydov, 1995). Kindergarten, school, university - all these educational organizations are focused on the formation of a person with certain characteristics, principles, rules and social attitudes, which determines their behaviour patterns, hobbies, choice of friends and, in general, the quality of life (Baidenko, 2004).

A basic element of educational activity is upbringing which is the formation of such personal qualities that determine its attitude to people and the chosen profession, worldview, social behaviour, culture, lifestyle. Upbringing is a purposeful activity that is focused on creating conditions for the development of personal qualities on the basis of universal values. It is upbringing that helps students in their life and professional self-determination, moral and civic development. In general, upbringing is a complex process, the structure of which consists of some elements (goals, objectives, content, methods, means, forms, technologies, achieved results) (Burlakova, 2020a).

Today we try to put the upbringing on a qualitatively high level. The indicator "Upbringing activity of an educational organization" is included in the list of accreditation indicators of the university and is one of the main indicators of successful and effective activities of the university.

However, there are no uniform requirements for the quality of upbringing work, clear guidelines and practical recommendations on the functioning of the upbringing work in the university. Each educational organization strives to show a lot of upbringing activities. Having no ideological content, upbringing work has already lost the opportunity to use the traditional, well-established system of upbringing in the Soviet higher school through various associations of young people (Kaganovich, 2008). And the existing approaches to upbringing work have lost their relevance and meaning. An attempt to revive the "well-forgotten old" will not bring the expected results (Burlakova, 2020b).

We also observe fundamental changes in the motivation of students (Galustov, 2011). The modern student is no longer afraid of being expelled. He is almost sure that he will be "transferred" to another course, and he explains the absence of classes and academic failure by the need for part-time work. Often a young person has no idea about the future profession and studies only in order to have a higher education. The modern student is pragmatic, independent, does not tolerate the instructions of teachers, has no authority, independently earns money, requires respect for themselves. However, we understand that for personal and professional self-realization today it is not enough to get a diploma of higher education, because no one can guarantee employment with a stable salary and the prospect of obtaining housing. Although sometimes for some specialties (teachers, doctors), the regional authorities make an exception and are ready to provide guarantees on certain conditions, which, nevertheless, does not solve the problem of employment of all university graduates in their specialty.

A modern university graduate should become not only a professional, but also master certain personal characteristics that will allow him to adapt without conflict to the requirements of society and the employer, to realize his own creative potential in the chosen profession. However, it is necessary to take into account the permanent changes in the labour market, the rapid development of information technologies that make it necessary to be mobile, ready for a complete change in the life and professional trajectory, to learn throughout life, to be ready and able to plan and implement career (Burlakova, 2020b).

In order to realize the upbringing tasks, it is necessary to turn not only to the competence-based approach, on the basis of which the modern education system is built, but also to the activity approach. Undoubtedly, each university has a competence portrait of a future professional, as a certain standard to which it is necessary to strive (Golovanova, 2007).

It is necessary to note the importance and need to use for upbringing purposes the content of the humanitarian subjects, which will allow the student to adapt to external conditions easily, to carry out constructive communication, to resolve conflicts, to navigate in the world of humanitarian values (Greshilova et al., 2020).

Today, as a rule, each educational organization strives to develop and put into practice its own concept of upbringing. The key idea of such concept is the integrative idea of developing corporate unity, which involves creating special conditions for creative activity and self-realization in the social life of each student. This can be achieved only through the development of partnerships in the implementation of various projects (research, sports, cultural). At the same time, each university finds ways to evaluate the results of student research (project) activities (Baidenko, 2004).

We observe that a holistic system of means, forms, methods and technologies of upbringing work is being formed at the university, both for the students and for the teachers Burlakova et al. (2019).

At the student level, upbringing work focuses on the organization of the following activities with the student (Burlakova, 2020a,b):

- creative activities of students with the aim of developing initiatives, stimulating their creativity, the possibility of self-realization through participation in university projects and in the work of corporate media, organizing and participating in different events;

- student "government" in order to develop the ability to adequately assess the situation, find solutions to problematic issues, not only make decisions, but also be responsible for them;

- development of intercultural, interethnic and historical tolerance;

- promotion of a healthy lifestyle through sport, cultural, patriotic work;

- formation of skills and psychological readiness to acquire new knowledge, self-development, self-improvement, i.e., readiness to implement the principle of "lifelong learning" (LLL) and, as a result, psychological readiness and desire to master new professions and expand areas of activity (Urbani, 2020);

- formation of auto psychological ability and information security of the individual;

- expanding the tradition of generational continuity: supporting relationships with employers, successful university graduates who can serve as an example in designing a career;

- development of corporate style and corporate unity;

- monitoring (feedback principle) to assess and adjust the directions, means, forms, methods of upbringing work.

At the teaching level, upbringing contains forms, tools, methods and technologies that are aimed at improving the partnership between the teacher and the student. In order to create such system, it is necessary to apply methods of pedagogical design with mandatory "feedback", which provides for self-analysis, monitoring and correction of upbringing in general. This will provide conditions that promote the development of a socially active personality (Pavlova & Chirkova, 2020).

It should also be noted that the purposeful upbringing of young people will fully ensure the advanced development of the moral state of Russian society as upbringing is an activity aimed to the future. If the younger generations in their development and behaviour only reproduced what their ancestors had achieved, the progress of society would stop. To master the experience of previous generations, students constantly need the help of adults. The events of the last decades confirm the fact that the positive influence of Russian culture has now decreased. This is also the fault of education, as part of the cultural context of the country and the most important factor in the formation of moral values (Kukushin, 2010). The contradiction lies in the fact that modern society requires educated citizens, and the market economy sets us up for the education of a competitive and enterprising personality. Is it possible to combine a highly moral position of a young person with competitive qualities? Absolutely, yes. Therefore, it is very important to unite the efforts of all stakeholders in the process of upbringing: the state, society and the family Malenkova, 2002). We distinguish the following types of activities related to ensuring the management of the educational process: management activities of the administration; research, pedagogical and scientific and methodological activities of teachers; educational and research activities of students; other activities in the course of classroom and extracurricular work (clubs, student scientific associations, studios, volunteer organizations, etc.) related to the improvement of the educational process. All the mentioned activities are implemented through the formation and development of the student's personality, but they differ from each other in terms of objects, means, methods and results. The quality of upbringing activities is determined by the effectiveness of all types of activities (Burlakova, 2020a).

Moral upbringing is "responsible" for the development of personally important qualities necessary for a person both in everyday life and in professional activity (conscience, honesty, responsibility, decency, attentive attitude to people, organization, discipline, delicacy, hard work). And we can see that morality fulfils the task of forming important qualities of a person (Pavlova & Chirkova, 2020).

The system of upbringing in the context of the activity approach aims to teach the young generation to follow in life such universal values as truth, family, work, knowledge, culture, Homeland, Land (as the common home of humanity), peace (as peace and harmony between peoples) and nonviolence (Rozhkov & Baiborodova, 2018). Upbringing, being an integral part of the educational process, also acts as one of the activities that teachers are called and obliged to engage in (Slastenin, 2004). The upbringing system is subject to certain requirements, which are determined by the tasks, conditions and features of the educational process of the university, the main of which are the high level of moral and psychological qualities of the scientific and pedagogical staff of the university. Upbringing influence is mainly carried out by influences on the mind and affects the external behaviour of the student, his attitude to the world, which is the result of upbringing (Wolfson, 2008).

Conclusion

Optimization of the university system for the upbringing of young people contributes to: the establishment of traditional moral values and interethnic harmony, the formation of a positive attitude to the education, the readiness of a young person for professional activity, independent creative activity and conscious activity in solving issues of their own life and the life of society.

The upbringing activities carried out at the university will significantly reduce the social tension and disunity of students, increase the level of culture in relations, and comprehensively address issues of prevention of national and religious intolerance. The stable state of the upbringing system of the university assumes the maintenance and development of students ' necessary moral qualities. The creation of information, social, psychological, pedagogical, and cultural conditions at the university contributes to the achievement of the ultimate goal of educating students – the preparation of highly educated citizens who are ready to be responsible for the results of work.

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