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ISSN 2075-9908 Историческая и социально-образовательная мысль. Том 7 №4, 2015 Historical and social educational ideas Tom 7 #4, 2015_________________________
УДК 37
МЕДЖИДОВА Айгюн, кандидат педагогических наук
МОТИВАЦИЯ И СТИМУЛИРОВАНИЕ АКТИВНОСТИ УЧАЩИХСЯ
В статье отражены идеи и предложения, направленные на решение одной из проблем, стоящих перед начальной школой - увеличения мотивации и интереса к учебному процессу. Исследуются причины понижения мотивации обучения учащихся. Также представлены методы и средства, направленные на повышение ответственного отношения к уроку испытывающих трудности в обучении учеников.
Ключевые слова: мотивация; интерес; уровни мотивации; результаты обучения; проблемная ситуация; исследовательско-поисковая деятельность; дидактическая игра; дидактические упражнения.
DOI: 10.17748/2075-9908.2015.7.4.167-172
MAJIDOVA Aygun, Candidate in Pedagogy
MOTIVATION AND STIMULATION OF PUPILS’ ACTIVITY
The article reflects the ideas and proposals aimed at encouraging and increasing the interest and motivation of pupils in the learning process, as one of the important problems that face the primary school. The article analyses the levels of learning motivation, reasons of reduced motivation levels of school pupils, various methods and means enhancing the responsibility of pupils having learning difficulties.
Keywords: motivation; interest; motivation levels; learning outcomes; problematic situation; search-research activities; didactic game; didactic exercise.
“Personality is the link between motivation and its implementation "
(Z.Freid).
All knows that despite of teaching of same teacher in the classroom, the skills and knowledge of all pupils are different. The matter is about the pupils with the normal psychological state. Pupils master differently the subject taught by the same teacher and achieve various results. Observations by teachers and psychologists show that academic performance of pupils depends a lot on the learning motivation of pupils and their interest. "The success of the learning outcomes of pupils depends on creation of academic interest in them and awakening of demand and interest in science, learning to teach, but in order to cause an interest of pupils in teaching, first of all one should define in them the real situation - the level, “closest development zone” of the whole class and individually for each pupil" (A.K.Markova, L.I.Bojovic, A.N.Leontiev et.).
Motivation is one of the important components in structures of learning activities. There are basic criteria for its formation. These criteria "serve enjoying of pupil from satisfaction of activity and thus to self development" (B.I.Dodonov)
Education motivation is determined by 5 levels [1].
The first level is the highest level of pupils’ academic performance in school. These children have a high level of determination to fulfil the needs of school. They follow the teacher's instructions, perform responsibly and in good faith, and become very tense if have poor results.
The second level is considered as the average normal level. Pupils cope successfully with the academic performance.
The third level describes a positive attitude to school but such pupils are involved more in out of education works. Such children tend to feel themselves good at school, establish positive relationships with classmates and teachers. They feel satisfaction to be a pupil, to have nice bags, pens and notebooks. Such children are less involved in the learning process.
Fourth level is primary school level. Such children reluctantly attend the school, often absent in classes. Regularly during the lessons they are engaged in other activities and games. They experience serious troubles in education activities.
Fifth level is a negative attitude to school, not accommodating self to school. Such children does not cope with the academic performance, unable to communicate with classmates, can’t create interaction with teachers. They are very reluctant to come to school. Sometimes they are angry, refuse to perform tasks, to comply with other regulations. Regularly such pupils have mental, nervous disorders.
The aim to list these levels is to emphasize the great role of the teacher in the teaching activities. In addition to the numerous objectives and functions of the teacher at education process, he must arouse pupils' interest in training, encourage their activities.
Sometimes we hear such phrase from the pupils: "When everything is interesting to me at lesson, I understand everything.'Thus, the learning process should be of interest to pupils. It should be
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Образование и педагогические науки
Education and Pedagogical Sciences
noted that the word "interest" (as per I.Gerber) is a synonym of academic motivation. If we have a look at all forms of training, we will see: "I want to - know how - interesting - is special - it is important for everyone" (I.S.Yakimanskaya), we can see that attention is the centre of all the chain. But how to form the interest in schoolboy? By independence and activity, research activities in the classroom and at home, by creating the problem situations, by using interactive teaching methods, content innovation, bringing emotional shades the course of the lesson, and so on.
Despite all this, sometime the level of interest of pupils in academic performance falls below. It sometimes coincides on the transition years or depends on them. Following are reasons of lowering of school motivation [2]:
2) pupil’s attitude to the teacher,
3) teacher’s attitude to the pupil
4) “hormonal” changes in adolescents
4) biological maturity in girls,
5) a personal interest in the subject,
6) the importance of the subject,
7) the pupil's intellectual development,
8) not understanding the purpose of the lesson,
9) fear of school, and so on.
To increase pupils' interest in learning activities, teacher has to make a lesson attractive. It is known that nothing involve the interest so much as surprising. Therefore, to make pupils be surprised at the process of teaching, various ways may be used to arouse their interest, to involve in lessons.
To make pupils be surprised means to attract them from first minutes to achieve the goal.
As seen from names of intellectual, fun games like "Find the information", "Codify", "Define the geometric figure", "To read graph of the function" and so on may excite great interest in pupils. Methodical values of these methods are as follows:
- Active involvement of each pupil in class,
- Development of logical and critical thinking,
- Systematization of knowledge and skills,
- Free choice of business activities (the pupil chooses the facts known and understood by him in the given exercise),
- The emergence of problems studied in facts (research question put by the pupils),
- The formation of attention and development of mathematical attention, etc.
When using these methods, pupils are introduced to new assignments, pictures, schemes that differ from the elements, characters and formulas known already to them. Identification of regularities among objects, presenting ideas based on pictures, graphics and models causes a great interest in pupils. Almost all pupils in the class work, everybody eagerly listen to the opinions of other. Pupils listening to each other and learn the experience each other to be used in the future, trying to think of more interesting ideas. Originality of creative product is evaluated.
Interesting methods are used while checking of the home exercises. According to terms of "Ask your neighbour" method pupil faces difficulties while doing homework and prepares a question for neighbour in this connection (it may be a desk-mate). If neighbour has a difficulty answering this question, the question is addressed to the class or the teacher.
After awakening the pupils' interest in these lessons by these methods with the introduction of new teaching methods continues. In order to continue the positive emotion associated with the topic of the course materials, it is vital to provide historical materials, live samples. "Why five-pointed star is used more?", "Why sewer pipes are square but not round?", "Why nails are made round or triangular?" and so on. New topic around the questions arises, it is necessary to solve them. If to define the replies of questions they are assigned at home, it becomes more valuable to switch to a new thread here on the question. If assignments of research nature to define the answers of questions are given for home, it may be more valuable. At Maths lessons one can’t manage without assignments of the search and research nature. Such tasks are "To combine on the basis of general signs", "Find the error", "Find excess", "Define the insufficient evidence to prove" and so on.
Each function should be evaluated. Therefore, the assessment is used to raise the interest and motivation of pupils. Assessment will check of the pupil's knowledge level, performance, as well as being a factor that reflects the results from the achievement, it should further encourage and support the development of perseverance for work.
Numerical evaluation reflects the scope and depth of knowledge acquired by the pupil, but does not determine its own level of development. To realize the lesson process the long-term objec-
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ISSN 2075-9908 Историческая и социально-образовательная мысль. Том 7 №4, 2015 Historical and social educational ideas Tom 7 #4, 2015_________________________
tives are established. To implement these objectives it is necessary to direct pupils to achieve success in development with algorithms that realize the sub objectives with clear and appropriately selected criteria. Assessment of pupil achievement during this period shall be consistent with the pupil's selfassessment; pupils should reflect the level of effort compared to the previous achievement. As each has own point of view, their speed, their purpose should not be compared with each other and their achievements. Of course, the job that requires a tension becomes interested but difficulties should be according to forces of the pupils. "Inappropriate facilitating of teaching, low speed of learning process, implementation of large homogeneous repetitions cannot be fulfilled at any time to allow for rapid development" (L.V.Zankov).
Believing the reality of these expressions teacher should take pupils forward by evaluating them with "stars", to encourage them to acquire independent knowledge, to develop creativity, to master reflection skills. Each ''star" will bring a new "star" followed it. This method will serve a formation of pupils as a powerful personality, to assist those who left behind in a timely and efficient manner. Working form with couples is to be applied on regular basis. Pupil is not be left alone ever with own defeat, he/she should be kept under control in order to achieve success. "If you prepared free-theoretical material, them show it", "If you found other way to resolve the issue, then share your view", "If you offer a new method, it is excellent". In this way, the system is built as follows: the acquisition of important -competent knowledge (the desire to get something new each time). "If pupil is concerned over the lesson of his/her success and failure, it means the development of his/her central self-management and motivation" (L.S.Viqotski).
Thus, each pupil is empowered to make decisions, i.e., "free” to overcome any quantity of material (he/she will try to reach this level and will certainly reach this level in the future). Often pupil can assess his/her skills. He/she is free to make own choice, and the teacher helps him/her to realize it. It is a method of encouragement set by a teacher before pupil to reach the goal, to support his/her self reliance.
Usually when the teacher introduces new mathematical concepts to pupils he/she makes them familiar with the historical origins of the concepts. This method of presentation encourages pupils to study a new subject. For example:
- "Cone" - the Latin word "konos" means a cocoon;
- "Sphere" - the Latin word, "sfayra", which means the ball;
- "Line" - the Latin word, "Linea", "Linum", "Lyon", means the rope, thread;
- "Cylinder" - a Greek word, means "klyulindrus", "bolster", "sledge" (road roller machine);
- "Rhomb" is a Latin word, means "rombos" (tent flower).
The other assignments that encourage pupils may be shown, too. For example, while teaching the "Circle and round" subject, the pupils may be made to draw a "radius" - "spina kolesa", "wheel back". When teaching the parallel straight lines, it can be informed that this word is Greek origin "pa-rollelos", and means "going along".
Responsibility of pupils to lessons is a dream of every teacher. To enhance the responsibility of pupils facing difficulty in education, the tactics of M.Ratter can be provided [3]. This tactic consists of several stages, at the time the teacher sets a contact with child who is not interested in lessons, causes an interest in child and along this process the child should track the success, should see it:
1) Teacher should cause an interest in pupil for the subject, to establish trust in him/her for own power and success. M.Ratter advices teacher not just use personal qualities, even to take all possible pedagogical tricks. To set a confidence in child on own power the teacher has to prepare a self-assessment system.
2) The teacher shall determine what the pupil knows or not regarding the subject, in order to establish individual training program. This inspection and evaluation is generally done through test.
3) Pupils’ training program should be divided into small steps. The training in stages serves to trace his/her development, which in turn make work of both teacher and pupil easier.
4) The program should continue in such a way that to achieve success as soon as possible. It is known that weak pupils cannot cope with failures for a long term. Therefore, even in the initial stages, the moment that pupils will be able to quickly overcome should be taken into account, to assign him/her tasks affordable by them.
5) The teacher and the pupil should work in close cooperation by keeping feedback constantly, by defining the progress achieved and the difficulties faced.
6) The incentive system has to be built for realization of success gained and tasks. It is not importantly to be a standard price that was not increased for a long time. The primary emphasis should be given to a matter that the pupil feels the progress.
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Образование и педагогические науки
Education and Pedagogical Sciences
You can increase the pupils' interest through games. Games are usually held in the competition, participants get enjoyed it, increases self-confidence. The place, the role and function and the elements of the game technologies in the process of learning depends how a teacher properly understand the game function. Results of didactic games first of all depend on proper direction of the game program, compliance of the didactic exercises. Pupils join the game activity very easily. The more the game is colourful, the more interesting it would be. The game can cover a portion of the general content of the educational process. The game activity include finding of main features, the selection of characteristic signs, comparing, to distinguish the real events from the unreal, the culture of selfcontrol, quick reaction, the exercises to develop a logical thinking. The educational games serve learning of new material by solving the complex issues, the development of creative skills, the formation of knowledge and skills at training process. Educational games involve the following steps [4]:
1. At the preparatory phase the learning objectives, plans, developments, scenario reflecting the prepared participants are prepared.
2. At joining the game its terms, experts, the participants, the main goal and challenge are announced. Material, rules and instructions package are provided.
3. No one will change the course of the game and should not make any obstacle. Only conductor- teacher may direct the activities of the participants.
4. At analysis and evaluation of the game the experts make speech, exchange ideas, and the participants make their own decisions and the results.
5. Finally, the teacher summarizes the results, notes the mistakes, and concludes the game.
Using the elements of game technique serves pupils to demonstrate their ability, to make the
lesson interesting and funny, to set kind working relationship among pupils, to overcome the difficulties faced and to increase interest in education.
The most realistic way to awaken an interest in the training is creation of the problematic situation which so far maintained its urgency in the whole history of the school.
The full development of training activities in developing training conditions was realized by entry of problematic training into education according to thoughts of P.Blonskiy, L.S.Viqotski, V.V.Davidov, L.V.Zankov, N.B.Istomin, A.N.Leontyev, I.Y.Lerner, A.M.Matyuskin, M.I.Makhmutov, V.Okon, S.L.Rubinstein, M.N.Skatkin, I.S.Yakimanski and other well-known psychologists and educators.
One of the creator of this training M.I.Makhmutov has determined the didactic system of problematic training that provides the transparent knowledge of pupil, special thinking, developing of skills of the deep application of knowledge and creative skills applications and general intellectual development.
Problematic learning method is not a new method. The scientific basis of this method was commented by A.V.Bruslinski, J.Dyui, T.A.Ilyin, T.V.Kudryavtsev, A.M.Matyuskin, M.I.Makhmutov, V.Okun and others on their studies [5].
Problematic training is based on such type of motivation where the tasks system directed at creation of problematic situation and its solution are given on systematic way. Previously creation of problematic situation in Primary School used to cause difficulties in teachers and used less. It happened so that all aspects of the training, especially in mathematics teaching were not been fully investigated. Currently in Russia a series of alternative programs in the primary classes based on problematic training were created and increased (D.B.Elkonin - V.V.Davidov, L.V.Zankov, N.B.Istomina). According to Professor N.B.Istomina there are unsolved issues related to content and features of mathematics of primary classes in creation and resolving of problematic situations. The experience has shown that the realization of application of problem training in mathematics teaching is more affordable and effective in III-IV classes.
Using of problem training in math teaching requires a special training and is realized with methods used to achieve that goal. The main content of the problem training comprises of objective feedback in teaching activity. Problematic issues are best means for the creation of a problematic situation. Problematic assignments must be in accordance with the submitted principles: purposeful, problematic, active, creative, divergence, practical, reasonable, systematic, and sequential [6].
In problem assignments the following features are carried out [7]:
1) sets up a foundation for getting new knowledge,
2) creates conditions for active understanding of the knowledge,
3) the fulfilment of the tasks serve as the primary means of control over learning outcomes.
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Problematic training technology in mathematics teaching of primary classes are carried out at following steps: a problematic task => problematic situation => problems => search model (submission of hypothesis) => the solution (checking of hypothesis)
Problematic tasks may be prepared at maths training in III-IV classes of the primary school using the following methods [8]:
1) to identify the similar and different aspects of given objects;
2) reviewing of the given mathematical object from a number of points of view or using of different tasks related to one mathematical object;
3) depending on the condition of the problem to include the components determining the cause of the dependence;
4) to transfer events associated with an object to the mathematical language;
5) creation of situations that demand to find new ways and which cannot be realized in a simple way;
6) to add the missing information in the terms of issue or remove the excess data;
7) preparation of the text issues with a variety of methods and in most effective way;
8) proving of a problem in one or more ways;
9) using the life situations in the performance of practical tasks;
10) using of historical issues required in the search activity;
11) using of analogy and generalization techniques to determine the nature of mathematical
objects.
It follows from the above-said that using of problem training in mathematics teaching and training of primary classes develops the thinking and creative skills for solving the problem independently and actively.
It is necessary to note that, the training becomes an attractive and funny for the children at that time when they learn independently: take part in projects, make constructers, conduct research, discover, and so on, in a word, try to perceive the world. Pupils' mastering of knowledge and skills due to their mind, physical and moral forces is obtained at process of independent activities based on modern pedagogical technologies. Teachers should realize that despite of knowledge, methods he/she masters to get a success of pupils at lesson he/she has to create positive motivated environment, otherwise any lesson will fail and will not be mastered by pupils.
Sometimes we face up with idea that “Children living in the village have poor knowledge". This idea is completely wrong. Pupil's achievement does not depend on the pupil's study either in village or city, but depends on which teacher taught him/her and what level of knowledge and skills teachers have. Each teacher having high knowledge and ability has to love profession, evaluate it, to be constantly looking for innovations, develop own pupils with modern methods, to awaken an interest in them in the subject and to challenge the difficulties with determination.
We cannot talk about stimulating factor of assessment of pupil achievement. This, of course, is a long-term evaluation process. Pupils can be encouraged by ways to record each pupil's progress, to make comparative analysis within a certain period, to use rating assessment system-points, diagrams reflecting the success of pupils and others.
So, positive motivation is the basis of quality lesson, boots each pupil’s self development at lesson, and acts as the driving force of interest in lesson.
Thus,
1. Motivation provides a foundation of qualitative training;
2. Weakening of a positive motivation leads to weakening of pupil’s achievement and reducing of the quality of education;
3. The development of the lesson content and the learning process contributes to the general development of the training;
4. The use of modern methods and techniques at training forms the positive motivation of pupils, the development of basic cognitive processes, creative activity of individual
REFERENCES
1. Curricula for secondary schools for classes I-IV, Baku, "Tehsil (Education)", 2008.
2. The new Education Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Baku, "Tehsil (Education)", 2008.
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4. T. A. Kapitanova. Methods and technology of profile training of maths: Educational-methodical book for pupils, studying art direction preparation 050100. Pedagogic education (profiles of training - Mathematical education). T.A.Kapitonova. Saratov, 2012. 115 p.
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Информация об авторе Information about the author
Меджидова Айгюн, кандидат педагогических Majidova Aygun, Candidate in Pedagogy, наук, учитель Бакинского Европейского Лицея Teacher, Baku European Lyceum, Pedagogical
и Педагогического Университета Азербай- University of Azerbaijan, The head teacher of джанской Республики, г. Баку, завуч началь- initial classes, Honored teacher of the Azerbai-ных классов. Заслуженный учитель Республи- jan Republic, ки Азербайджан
Баку, Республика Азербайджан Baku city, Azerbaijan Republic
aygunmecidova@gmail.com aygunmecidova@gmail.com
Получена: 25.04.2015 Received: 25.04.2015
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