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1249 Modern European Researches No 1 / 2017 Spivak, V.A. (2004). Organizational culture. Saint-Petersburg: Neva. 224p.
FORMATION OF PRESCHOOLERS' CONSTRUCTIVE ABILITIES BY MEANS OF THE LEGO CONSTRUCTOR
Abstract
The relevance of the problem is caused by the developed need to expand the maintenance of preschool education, develop methodical providing for organization preschoolers' Lego design, which would conform to requirements of the innovative and socially adapted orientation of educational activity in kindergartens. The purpose of the paper is to justify the technique of formation constructive abilities among advanced preschoolers, when using the LEGO designer both at the lessons, and in free children's activity. The leading approaches to the research are system-activity, integrative and competence-based approaches. The author presents the developed technique for constructive abilities formation among 5-7 year-old children when using LEGO and the pedagogical conditions for its realization. The materials of the paper can be useful to optimize the process of Lego design organization for children at preschool educational organizations.
Keywords
LEGO design, constructive abilities, LEGO constructor, advanced preschoolers, preschool education organization
AUTHOR
Liliya Luttovna Lashkova
PhD, Professor, Theory and Technique of Preschool and Primary Education Department, Surgut State Pedagogical University. 10/2, 50 VLKSM Str, Surgut, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District, 628417, Russia. E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
1.1. Statement of a problem
The statement and introduction of the Federal State Educational Standard (The order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation of 17.10.2013 No. 1155) put in front of preschool teachers a problem of revision of the content on children's construction, considering the modern principles of preschool education. Special attention should be paid to such principles, as assistance and cooperation of children and adults; recognition of a child as a full-fledged participant (subject) of educational relations; support of children's initiative in different activity types; formation of cognitive interests and informative actions of a child in activity different types (The federal state educational standard of preschool education, 2016).
Preschooler actively aspires to know the world around, shows interest to everything unknown, asks many questions. The unique tool to develop children's cognitive interest is LEGO constructor, by means of which it is possible to build models and thus to be trained,
playing with pleasure. Today LEGO appears the most preferable developing toys owing to the its universality.
When a child independently designs, he can feel himself as a professional engineer, mechanic, builder or great designer. The model can be remade and new forms can be designed. This activity is brisk and interesting; it opens new prospects, where there are no imagination limits. Designing promotes development of child's intelligence, imagination, creative abilities, abilities to concentrate, cooperate with other children.
1.2. The relevance of the research
The relevance of the studied problem is caused by the following contradictions: -between the social order for education of preschoolers capable to show independence and activity in design and insufficient attention of teachers of preschool educational organizations to the problem of formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities;
- between the need to search theoretical justification for choosing the means, which develop preschoolers constructive abilities, and insufficient theoretical justification for using LEGO as a mean for formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities;
- between the requirement of practice to scientific-methodological ensuring of the studied process and the lack of scientific-methodological development on use of LEGO in kindergartens.
The allocated contradictions allowed to formulate the research problem: "What are the theoretical and methodological bases for formation of constructive abilities among advanced preschoolers in preschool educational organizations?"
The standard-legal basis of the research are The Federal Law of 29.12.2012 No. 273-FZ (edition of 28.06.2014) "About Education in the Russian Federation" (on December 29, 2012); the Concept of the Federal Target Program of Education Development for 20162020 (on December 29, 2014 No. 2765-r); the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation of 17.10.2013 No. 1155 "About the Approval of the Federal State Educational Standard of Preschool Education"; the Concept of Preschool Education (1989); the Approximate Main Educational Program of Preschool Education (approved by the solution of Federal Educational and Methodological Association on General Education of 20.05.2015, protocol No. 2/15).
Materials and Methods
2.1. Methodological base of the research
The theoretical-methodological bases of the technique for formation constructive abilities among advanced preschoolers, when using the LEGO, define a complex of strategic directions of the research and set of the corresponding methodological approaches. We consider that the theoretical-methodological bases of the technique developed by us can be presented in the form of expedient integration of a system-activity approach (at the general scientific level), an integrative approach (at the concrete-scientific level) and a competence-based approach (at technological level).
A system-activity approach defines structure for the process of preschoolers constructive abilities formation, provides sequence of mastering abilities; allows to consider components of participants' activities on formation of this type of abilities when using LEGO in interrelation of means, forms and methods. The educational process at a preschool educational organization constructed on the basis of a system-activity approach is focused on children receiving knowledge in the course of independent constructive
activity. It has motivational conditionally and assumes emergence of children's independence, initiative development, manifestation of free choice, realization of abilities and educational requirements.
An integrative approach considers formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities as a process and result of pedagogical integration (inter-subject, intra-subject, interpersonal and intra-personal).
Integration in kindergarten is realized through design of educational activity content, choice of the effective means, forms and methods of educator's work united by the thematic principle, integration of types of children's activity (game, design, cognitive-research activity, etc.).
A competence-based approach considers process of formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities within the logic of problem training techniques, statement and solution of problem tasks. The approach focuses teachers on a new design and realization of educational process. The basis of the approach is educator's ability to consider a child as an activity subject, to interact with him in appropriate way, to build educational space on the basis of his interests, abilities and informative requirements.
Efficiency of solution tasks on formation of preschoolers' constructive abiliti es by means of LEGO assumes accounting of the following principles: consistency, assistance and cooperation of children and adults, recognitions of a child as the full-fledged participant of the educational relations, integration of educational areas, age adequacy and individualization of education.
The following methods were defined to solve theoretical and practical problems of the research: theoretical research methods (theoretical-methodological, conceptual-terminological, standard-legal analysis of literature, synthesis, induction and deduction, comparison, theoretical modeling); empirical research methods (conversation, studying products of children's activity; method of diagnostic situations, content analysis of pedagogical documentation, questioning of teachers, method of expert evaluations; method of mathematical statistics).
2.2. Evaluation criteria and the results of ascertaining experiment
The carried-out analysis of scientific literature allocated the following criteria and indicators of formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities:
1. Desire to design: choice of the most acceptable kind of activity for a preschooler.
2. Ability to design: reaction on a task, result of activity, independence in realization of a plan (choice of materials, originality and creativity, choice of original means of expressiveness).
The analysis of ways of action in construction and products of children's creativity was held to identify the level of formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities.
Children were suggested to construct something unusual and interesting by using LEGO. After it, each child described the construction. Thus, comments of children and their interpretation of own work were considered (Maksayeva, 2014).
The results of experimental activity showed the insufficient level of formation of constructive abilities among 5-6 year-old children (45%). Children negatively reacted to a task. It was difficult for them to image own design and choose necessary materials. Creating the constructions, preschoolers adhered to color combinations. However, many models were stereotyped. Preschoolers could hardly describe what they had constructed and for what purposes. Some children could not realize the ideas in an activity product. They independently thought up the design, but they needed the help of an adult to construct it. In this regard, pedagogical activities on formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities by means of LEGO were organized.
Moreover, teachers' questioning was carried out to identify knowledge about development of advanced preschoolers' constructive abilities. The questionnaire included the following questions:
1. Do the children of your class like to be engaged in designing?
2. What types of constructors do you have in your class?
3. How do you think, what is constructive abilities?
4. Are you interested in constructive abilities development among the children of your class?
5. Do you carry out work with parents in this educational direction?
6. What organizational forms of mastering design do you use during the class and out-of-class activities?
7. What methods and receptions do you use for training children to design?
8. Does your class have necessary conditions for constructive abilities development?
9. How do you estimate an average level of constructive abilities development among the children of your class?
10. How do you think, do LEGO design classes influence on constructive abilities development?
11. Do you have difficulties in preparation (carrying out) of design classes?
Having analyzed the obtained questionnaire data, we concluded that teachers admit
the problem of constructive abilities formation by using LEGO actual; it demands special consideration within the technique of preschoolers' designing. Educational process participants put into practice different ways of LEGO design, intuitively defining the degree of their efficiency in an educational situation.
In this regard, we concluded that there is a need to develop methodological recommendations for teachers in this educational direction.
2.3. The process and description of the forming experiment
Revealing pedagogical conditions for formation of constructive abilities among 5-7 year old children, we were guided by the requirements of the Federal State Standard and a tendency in change of the educational content for preschool educational organizations. As a result, the complex of conditions of substantial and procedural-technological character was defined.
First, it is the enrichment of the developing subject-spatial environment:
- providing organized space for individual and group design tasks;
- ensuring presence of different types of LEGO constructors considering age and gender features of preschoolers;
- ensuring existence of flow charts, auxiliary materials in the forms of illustrations, literature, technical journals, magazines about military equipment, children encyclopedias with technical orientation, visual aids to organize independent design activities of children (Grizik, 2014).
Special attention was paid to the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard to design of the developing subject-spatial environment at preschool educational organization. It is transformation of space, which assumes possibility to change subject-spatial environment depending on an educational situation and changing interests and opportunities of children. Multi-functionality of the environment gives an opportunity for various use of various components of subject environment, existence of multifunctional (not rigidly fixed direction of use) subjects, materials for different types of children activity (including subjects-substitutes in children game) in classes.
It should be noted that sets for 5-7 year old children help to create initial knowledge of modern science and equipment. The sets contain bolts, axes, gears, levers, etc.
Children do not simply collect equipment (planes or ships), but they are acquainted with the difficult principles of mechanics, features of elementary mechanisms in an available, attractive form. During LEGO design, child imagines a complete image of an object, allocates its main parts, defines its place on the plane, investigates the real world and defines essence of subjects and phenomena.
Real life construction motivates children to LEGO design activities. In this regard, during walks and excursions, the special attention of children was paid on architectural features of constructions, developing abilities to compare constructions and their purpose, design, ornaments. Acquaintance with builders' work and construction equipment also interests children.
An important condition of formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities was use of different educational forms in different sequence, which forming depends on a designing type, combination of individual and collective forms of children activity.
Designing on a sample was carried out the following way: children were offered the construction models made from LEGO details and they were showed the ways of their reproduction. This form of training presents the direct transfer of ready knowledge and ways of actions based on imitation to children. Let us notice that use of LEGO samples is a necessary learning stage, when children seize construction technology.
Designing on a model was carried out the following way: children were shown an example model with the outline of separate components hidden from children. In this case, children has a certain task, but not a way of its solution. For the most effective use of models, children were offered to master various designs of the same object expressed in a model. Based on their analysis (allocation of the main parts, their spatial arrangement, functional purpose, etc.) children received general concepts about the designed object. General concepts created during designing on a sample allowed preschoolers to carry out more flexible and intelligent analysis when designing on a model.
Designing under the terms has essentially other character. Design tasks are expressed through conditions and have problem character (as ways of their decision were not defined). During this activity, teacher forms an ability to analyze conditions and to build practical activities with rather difficult structure basing on this analysis. Children acquired the general dependence of design structure on its practical appointment.
Designing on a plan has great opportunities for expansion of children creativity, manifestation of their independence Here a child decides himself what he will design. Organizing such type of desig, we considered that children have to have general concepts of the designed object, own the generalized ways of LEGO design and be able to look for new ways (Kozlova & Kulikova, 2012).
In the process of constructive abilities formation, we used various methodological receptions: demonstration of a sample, display of construction ways with explanation of design methods, statement of a problem task (reconstruct garage for 1 -2 cars), statement of a subject and the corresponding conditions (build a room for a certain family members).
During experimental activity, we organized child-adult and child-child interaction. It differs from the existing monological tradition. The situations, when the child who had seized new constructive abilities trained other children, were created. Teacher was just watching. For example, we organized the competition on construction of a new kindergarten, where three subgroups on 5-6 preschoolers participated.
Each child had opportunities to use various LEGO materials in independent activity. LEGO design was included in a wide range of children life that provided its connection with other kinds of activity and allowed to act as the integrating beginning (Paramonova, 2001). For example, models from LEGO were used as auxiliary material in subject role-playing games. Creating them, children copied a sample from world around. Therefore,
the more complete and emotional their impressions were, the more interesting and various the creation were. By means of such models, it is possible to create the environment for the dramatized, didactic games (scenery, attributes, heroes of fairy tales).
It is important to provide time and place for LEGO games. Such games demand concentration of thinking and attention. Racks for games should not disturb children.
Special attention was paid to careful attitude to the constructions made by children. Usually children like "to come back" to constructions and make changes. Therefore, it is necessary to bring up careful attentive relation to own and others constructions among all preschoolers; show construction of companions to a child; learn to notice progress of others and to rejoice them.
The following methodical recommendations were offered teachers to increase level of professional competence in LEGO design organization.
1. Enrichment and improvement of the developing subject-spatial environment.
2. Use of various forms of LEGO training organization.
3. Creation of problem situations, which solution should motivate children to repair mechanism, car, construction.
4. Creation (together with children) of albums with schemes of children constructions, albums with photos of constructions and children stories about these constructions.
5. Orientation on the subject interesting to children when choosing a scope.
6. Combination of individual and collective activities during lessons.
7. Creation of such situations, when a child, who seized new constructive abilities, will train other children.
8. Special attention of children should be paid on on originality, choice of materials, combination of color scale and quality of the performed work.
9. Special attention of children should be paid on careful attitude to constructions, made by children. It is necessary to define a place for constructions ready or unfinished constructions.
10. Hold exhibitions of works, where parents see children achievements. Tell parents about LEGO and its developing effect, types and series, which can be used for advanced preschoolers design.
12. Give seminars, practical works, open classes, where parents can see how to learn children at home.
Results
In the course of experimental work, groups of the preschool educational organization had the steady tendency for acceleration of process of formation children's constructive abilities. It was expressed in saving time for LEGO design training, decrease of each child of feedback achievement, increase of preschoolers' activity and independence in solving constructive tasks, reduction of educators' help.
Verification confirmed the validity of provisions of the technique. The results of its substantial-semantic filling and practical realization confirmed efficiency of process of formation of preschoolers' constructive abilities by means of LEGO.
Discussion
The history of pedagogics has been describing games with construction material for a long time. They are presented in many educational systems for preschoolers (F.Frebel system, "Waldorf education", L.K.Shleger system, etc.). Various aspects of formation of
preschoolers' constructive abilities are considered in the works of Russian scientists, as V. G. Nechayeva, Z.V. Lishtvan, A.N.Davidchuk, L.A. Paramonova.
The researches in the field of educational LEGO design of children of preschool age for preschoolers are presented in the works of L.G. Komarova, T.S. Luss, O. A. Maksayeva, M. A. Sklyarova, O. L. Smelaya, E.V.Feshina, et.al. However only the small part of researches on this problem is devoted to development of methodological tools for formation of constructive abilities by means of LEGO.
Conclusion
Requirements of the Federal Educational Standard to the results of mastering the Program are presented in the form of target reference points of preschool education, which represent social-standard age characteristics of possible achievements of the child at the end stage of preschool education. One of such reference points is child's mastering the main cultural ways of activity. The preschool child shows an initiative and independence in different types of activity - game, communication, informative-research activity, design, etc.; he is capable to choose an occupation and participants of joint activity (The federal state educational standard of preschool education, 2016).
This fact was the inducing factor to scientific-applied development, creation of a technique on formation of advanced preschoolers' constructive abilities by means of LEGO and pedagogical conditions of its realization.
The main idea of the technique is that a child is led from imitation of adults' actions to the independent solution of constructive problems with increasing difficulty. Children get basic skills and then transfer them, change, supplement and vary in independent games with LEGO.
The sources of the presented technique were the social order realized in normative documents, objective requirements of society and individual; international and domestic pedagogical experience, traditions of its development in the field of the studied problem; the theoretical concepts fixing a modern level of preschool education development; the practical experience of LEGO design organization in kindergartens, including techniques and methods.
Recommendations
Theoretical and applied provisions of the paper can form scientific-methodological basis for improvement and modernization of the existing programs of preschool educational organizations, development of methodological recommendations for tutors of kindergartens about LEGO design optimization and purposeful formation of constructive abilities among 5-7 year-old children.
The research does not settle all the aspects of the considered problem. Its further studying can be continued in the following directions: development of creative activity among advanced preschoolers by means of LEGO design, development of theoretical-methodological and methodical aspects for development children's constructive abilities at different age stages of the preschool childhood, formation of constructive abilities among advanced preschoolers, when using robotics in kindergarten.
REFERENCES
Grizik, T. (2014). "Use of LEGO as the multifunctional and transformed mean of the educational environment of group". Preschool education. No. 6. 62-67.
Kozlova, S. A. & Kulikova, T.A. (2012). Pre-school pedagogy. Moscow, Publishing center "Akademiya".
Maksayeva, O. A. (2014). Development of preschoolers' endowments by means of Lego design. Master thesis. Chelyabinsk State Pedagogical University, Chelyabinsk.
Paramonova, L.A. (2001). The system for creative design formation among 2-7 year-old children. PhD thesis. Moscow Pedagogical State University. Moscow.
The Federal State Educational Standard of Preschool Education (2016) .On December 19, 2016. Available at: http://www.firo.ru
THE ROLE OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT. SMALL BUSINESS PROSPECTS IN RUSSIA
Abstract
This topic is particularly relevant for Russia today. Small business plays a very big role in the national economy, its development affects economic growth, the acceleration of scientific and technological progress, on the saturation of the market required quality products, the creation of new jobs, that is, to solve many pressing economic, social and other problems. The experience of developed countries of the modern world clearly demonstrates the need for any national economy highly developed and effective small business sector.
Keywords
small business, tax revenues, entrepreneurial activity, sanctions, support programs,
development difficulties
AUTHORS
Olga Aleksandrovna Makhnyreva
Student, Faculty of Economics, Kuban State Agrarian University. 13, Kalinina Str., Krasnodar, 350004, Russia.
Inna Grigoryevna Ivanova
PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, Kuban State Agrarian University. 13, Kalinina Str., Krasnodar, 350004, Russia. E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
1.1 The urgency of the problem
Russia's economy is now in its infancy. Although Russia recognized as a country with a market economy, it would have been more correct to call this feudal economy that lives by its own laws. Management of development today has been reduced to the creation of favorable conditions for exporters at the expense of the rest of the population. The actual development of the controls in the Russian economy does not exist - the reason for the sharp slowdown in economic growth. Apparently, in its development, Russia must actively use the rich experience of the economically developed countries, often begin their ascent from similar situations. One of the ways to ensure the sustainability of economic growth,
