V.V. Akamov, Ph.D.
T.I. Shukshina, professor, Dr.Hab.
Mordovian State Pedagogical Institute named after M.E. Evseviev, Saransk

Key words: diagnosis, value basics, professional consciousness, methods, motives, student of physical education department.

Relevance. Changes taking place in modern life have an impact on the situation in the sphere of education, stipulated by the needs of comprehensive school for specialists with a new mindset. In the modern pedagogical process axiological problems are getting more important, that is explained by the change in the paradigm of education, specificity of pedagogical activity, its social role and personality forming opportunities. In domestic scientific literary sources values are considered as one of the most important top level central mental formations, involving a certain motivational incentive potential of consciousness, including professional one.

The study of the value basics in the formation of professional consciousness of students of the physical education department is caused by needs of school, practice, current life for competent teachers, trainers, organizers of sports and physical culture movement, i.e. specialists capable of realizing the value potential of physical culture and sports for health promotion, physical education and improvement of man and society in general. These issues become particularly acute against the background of the poor state of health of children and adults.

The analysis shows that the axiological basis for the development of professional consciousness is not fully used in modern pedagogical science (M.A. Arvisto, V.K. Balsevich, A.V. Boychevsky, M.Ya. Vilensky, V.A. Vinnik, V.M. Vydrin, L.I. Lubysheva, A.P. Povarnitsyn, et al.) and educational practice when training a physical education teacher. This problem is still beyond the scope of special studies. Higher school training does not always facilitate the implementation of the motivational value sources of consciousness formation, which slows down the process of professional development. Therefore, there is a need to ensure the conditions of formation and progressive development of the value basics of professional consciousness of a future physical education teacher adequate to the specificity of future professional activity.

The purpose of the study was to determine the initial level of formation of professional consciousness of students of the physical education department on the basis of the analysis of personality-teaching values, learning motives.

Materials and methods. We used the following methods in the study which were adapted for the physical education department: 1) the Rokeach’s method of value orientations estimation using ranking of terminal (values - aims) and instrumental (values -means) values; 2) the method of S.A. Popov for studying the development of professional consciousness of the subject of labour at the stage of university training "self-real", "self-ideal"; 3) the method for studying the learning motives to spot the causes of choice of profession, as well as learning motives. In order to study the initial level of formation of the value basics of professional consciousness of students of the physical education department, a study was conducted on the basis of Mordovia basic center for pedagogical education which involved students of the physical education department [1]. The total sample was 284 persons.

Results and discussion. The study consisted of three parts. In the first part of the experiment the priority values ​​of students of the physical education department were examined which help a person to develop his own modes of behavior, to determine motives, etc. M. Rokeach distinguishes between two classes of values: terminal – the beliefs that the final aim of individual existence is worth pursuing it; instrumental – the beliefs that a certain course of action or personality trait is preferable in any situation. This division corresponds to the traditional division into values - aims and values - means. The results of the students’ ranking of terminal and instrumental values ​​were summarized and the place (rank) of each value was determined (Table 1).

Table 1. Terminal and instrumental values ​​ranked by students of the physical education department

The results of the ranking show that the values of professional self-actualization are of special importance for students, followed by the value of personal life, and then concrete and abstract values. Thanks to the ranking and analysis of instrumental values ​​(values - means) one can determine the means to be used to obtain these objectives. The comparative analysis of the results of the students’ ranking (values - means) revealed an indistinct group of values ​​by blocks. The values of activity were especially significant ​​for students, followed by the values of self-fulfillment, communication, individual values ​​and values of acceptance of others. Analysis of the ranking results showed that among terminal values ​​the values ​​of personal life, professional self-actualization, concrete and abstract values were of particular importance for students. The most important instrumental values ​​for the majority of students were the values of activity, followed by the values of self-fulfillment, communication, individual values ​​and values of acceptance of others​​.

The findings were substantiated by the results of the survey which was made to study the learning motives, in which the role and importance of motives that determine students’ behavior and actions were identified. The questionnaire included two groups of motives: the first one referred to the main motive for choosing a profession; the second group dealt with the main causes of motivational value attitude to the implementation of learning activities by a student.

Proceeding from the analysis of students’ responses higher education is the main motive for students’ learning (45,9%). In addition, students noted such motives as "interest in their chosen profession" (35,4%), "excellent ability in this particular area" (38,2%), "prestige and authority of university and department" (32,0%), "family traditions, parents’ wishes" (29,0%). At the same time, first-year students regard the "carefree period of life" as one of the motives for learning in a university (26,0%). This may be caused by both a lack of knowledge of the educational process at the department and the reluctance to study. There was a positive trend in the answers of senior students – this motive was the least important, which indicates that they had a clear idea of this process.

Among the main reasons for the students’ motivational value attitude to learning it was very important to get good marks (40,5%), to be a good student (35,1%), to get approval from others (32,4%), to be well prepared for the chosen profession, understand personal civil responsibility (29,7%). The qualities that the students put on the second place were: love for practical training in educational institutions (43,2%), love for hard work (37,8%), possibility of being more independent, love for learning new things and thinking (35,1%), interest in the essence of learning activity, strive for theoretical knowledge (32,4%). The third place belonged to strive for theoretical knowledge (32,4%), hard work (28,6%); the fourth - possibility of being more independent (25,7%). Based on the findings, one can also see that the motives of professional activity did not lose their relevance year after year.

In the third part of the experiment, we determined the degree of awareness of students of the physical education department of their willingness to be students, as well as their readiness for the future work. The analysis of scientific literary sources revealed that awareness of one’s willingness to be a student and awareness of readiness for the future profession were an important component of educational-professional consciousness. We studied this statement by analyzing what students think of their real and ideal qualities, their level of consistency with regard to educational and future professional activities. For this purpose we used a questionnaire developed by S.A. Popov that we adapted for students of the physical education department. Students wrote out the most important qualities of a "good student", ranked these qualities regarding their importance for effective learning at a university in relation to themselves. Students rated similarly their compliance with the image of ideal specialist (Table 2).

Table 2. Changes in the level of compliance of the self-real with the self-ideal as a student of the physical education department and that of a future teacher *

As seen from Table 2, a significant increase was marked from the first course of study to the last in the indicators of compliance of the self-real with the self-ideal as a "good student" and a "good physical education teacher". A greater compliance was observed in relation to the self-image as a "good student" rather than to the one of a "good specialist". This is primarily due to the fact that "learning" is the main activity for students at the moment which affects the result of the survey. Knowledge and practical skills in the chosen specialty are being accumulated, and personal qualities which are necessary for work are being formed. In addition, it is to be noted that the lowest compliance was seen in the first course of study. This is probably one of the reasons of students’ lack of confidence (of their capabilities, qualities) of being a "good student."

Proceeding from the analysis, the degree of compliance of the self-real with the self-ideal in students from different courses increased more clearly in relation to the future work (the image of a "good specialist") rather than in relation to learning, where results change moving closer to and further from the self-image as a "good student". Gradual dynamic changes in the degree of compliance of the self-real with the self-ideal in relation to future activities year after year indicate that the transformation of educational-professional consciousness into professional consciousness occurs at the stage of university training.

Changes in the level of compliance of the real with the ideal images with respect to the image of a "good student" can be described as both the very process of learning at the department and the difficulties a student faces during each of the five years of study, students' expectations, which also have their effect on the level of educational-professional consciousness.

Conclusion. Professional consciousness of a future specialist is the main object of pedagogical influence, because the level of its development affects the implementation of university education. Student's professional consciousness determines his stand in life, values and motives for university studies, forms the attitude to profession, university and himself. Shortcomings in this aspect of training reduce student's cognitive activity, personal responsibility for himself and future professional activity; generate learning formalism [1, P. 83]. These data confirm the need to identify and implement conditions for the formation of the value bases of professional consciousness of students - future physical education teachers.

References

1. Maydokina, L.G. Psycho-pedagogical model of the development of subjectivity of a future teacher within a university / L.G. Maydokina // Gumanitarnye nauki i obrazovanie. – Saransk. – 2011. – № 4. – P. 82–84. (In Russian)
2. Shukshina, T.I. Development of cultural and productive personality in terms of the base center of Teacher Education / T.I. Shukshina, P.V. Zamkin // Vysshee obrazovanie zavtra. – 2013. – № 1. – P. 60–66. (In Russian)

Corresponding author: tishukshina@yandex.ru