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STUDENTS
ABOUT NEED OF SELF-EDUCATION DURING UNIVERSITY YEARS.
OUTLINE OF THE ISSUE
E. Padechowicz
Self-education is one of the basic processes in every human’s life. Jozef Polturzycki believes that it is a ‘process of unassisted lead learning whose purpose, content, form, source and methods are chosen and determined by the individual who is learning’. Process of self-education includes individuals of all ages. Social and cultural transformations and progress with technology almost force on us the acceptance of lifelong self-education. Modern student in order to rise to the demands of the job market, its competitiveness must take the trouble of self-education. It is essential due to the fact that the modern teacher/lecturer does not convey to student ready knowledge, but only some directions, sources where it can be found. Student should search himself for further information and deepen their knowledge not just use that passed over by instructor.
In my research I decided to focus on one group - students for whom selfeducation is indispensable in the context of further development. Self-education is a widely researched phenomenon in Poland and in the world (examples Russia, United States of America). Due to my own observations regarding self-education amongst students I decided to research their attitude to self-education and then compare results of my own opinion poll executed at my current academy -University of Jan Kochanowski in Kielce, with research completed previously.
Before I will introduce the results of the research I will firstly consider the purpose and forms of self-education (according to Polturzycki) as this is the main focus of my research.
The primary purpose of self-education is the constant desire for further development, to improve, to enrich one’s personality in direction of values regarded as prevailing. To those belong development of feelings and patriotic attitudes that is to deepen knowledge of native tongue, culture, art and tradition. It is an ability to be well-spoken in native language, know proper spelling and also get to know international traditions, understand ideas, ideals represented by other nations and also respect for their culture.
The secondary purpose is preparation for a profession and job related duties. The main issue here is the improvement of qualification by taking part in courses and training. Besides job qualifications we need to improve other skills that cannot be learned simply by going to school and might still be relevant for a given job. To those we can include leadership skills, team work, negotiation skills, and creativity or communication skills.
The third purpose is active participation in the work of national culture, learning its heritage, traditions and achievements. Everyone should aspire to learn lasting achievements of national culture, new creations and its value, not just be a passive observer but become co-creator of culture.
Forth is steering development of one’s own individuality, making ambitious educational targets and implementing them. To do this it is not enough to just
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follow school or University curriculum. A lot depends on self-education because every individual is conscious of their own interests and is able to define them. No one can be forced to learn something that they are not interested in.
Self-education can be implemented in many forms: (a) reading specialist magazines, journalistic literature, scientific literature and the acquisition of book collection. Where books are hard to acquire or too expensive it is worthwhile visiting a library. It is an appropriate place especially taking into consideration that the modern student mostly lives in halls of residence where it is not always possible to focus on studying; (b) taking part in exhibitions or vernissage. It is better to meet the artist himself in order to better understand and remember art; (c) participation in excursions. Due to this, students can get to know culture of a given region and demonstrate a greater understanding of it; (d) belonging to association of individual interest. Due to this, students can not only develop their own interests but also personality and character; (e) learning foreign language outside of University; (f) participation in conferences.
Thanks to the research executed for the purpose of this paper we will be able to have a broader look at this issue.
I decided to research 50 students of the University of Jan Kochanowski in Kielce from different humanistic, artistic and science departments. In my research the majority of participated students from V year (26), IV (15) and in minority III and II year specialisation in pedagogy (half participants) and also music education, art, economy, management, politics and journalism. Most of participants were women (92%). The respondent’s task was to fill in a survey with questions that related to the subject of self-education, its forms and interests of participants themselves.
The results highlighted that all (100%) knew the term ‘self-education’ however they interpret it in different ways. Over half of participants believed that self-education is ‘gaining knowledge in your own domain’. Students also understood this term as ‘extending one’s knowledge, developing one’s interest, deepening knowledge and forming one’s personality’, ‘investment in one’s own development’, ‘developing one’s own knowledge based on experience’, ‘self-reliant filling gaps (segregation) in knowledge on subjects mentioned for example during lectures’, ‘education outside of everyday education’, ‘whole life independent work on oneself and broadening your information’. For the purpose of self-education 90% of participants suggested ‘gaining knowledge connected with development and realization of one’s interests and forming personality leaving 10% of participants who thought that the goal of self-education is only gaining and deepening knowledge. Participants were asked about their domain of interest. Over half of them said it is related to the program of their studies, a considerable number of participants said their interests were related to tradition and the past of their future profession, and only a few were pointing to interests artistic-aesthetic.
The results of this analysis stated that over half of them were participating in trips whose main purpose was getting to know other cultures and regions. A similar response was noted in the knowledge of students relating to specialized magazines relating to subject of study. 75% of participants were taking part in courses and training that involved forming and preserving skills not related to their profession. Only 12 students took part in exhibitions, vernissage or art openings. 18 respondents pointed out that they are learning foreign language outside of the
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University. A valuable form of self-education that participating students were taking advantage of in an active or passive way is scientific conferences. Researched participants (22 people from 50 taking part in this questionnaire) stated that they were guided by curiosity, desire to extend their knowledge and also the advantages arising from personal relations with scientists.
The results of my research are similar to those conducted so far in Poland. You can clearly draw similarities between my research and that of Walentina Wroblewska conducted on a wide scale in several academic centres (University of Szczecin, Wroclaw, Warszawa, University of Bialystok and University of Marie Curie in Lublin). Coincidence of results is expressed in realization of many goals of self-education by students that are: reading books and specialised magazines, discussions, learning foreign languages, consultations with tutors and lecturers. Comparing my research with those done by Izabela Jablonska conducted in Bialystok we can also see similarities expressed in a way that one understands the term self-education. Equally my research and those discussed above point to a conclusion that students are aware of self-education as a process of development and are fulfilling the goals of their self-education.
Present tests shows only a pilot study. Its purpose was to see how students understand the subject of self-education, its goals and forms. The results of the presented preliminary research allow making decisions about the need for conducting research for larger scale amongst students on subject of self-education with particular focus on motive and factors that restrict this process. This aspect was omitted in my research and is equally important as forms and purpose.
References
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The work is written under the supervision of Ewa Kula, PhD
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