The revision of the basic principles and priorities of education today is in full swing. The requirements of new standards and trends in social development make it necessary to search and apply such techniques that will allow the child to develop both intellectual and personal abilities. However, it is not always easy for a modern teacher to choose really effective methods of organizing and implementing educational and cognitive activities.
Classification of teaching methods
The cognitive process should be maximally connected with the student’s activity, his desire for new knowledge and readiness to put it into practice. On this basis, a classification of teaching methods was developed that combine the student’s active actions in the assimilation of information, various ways of stimulating interest and controlling the process of cognition. The result is possible with a harmonious combination of methods for organizing educational and cognitive activities. Three groups of methods are distinguished:
- Motivation and stimulation.
- The implementation and implementation of cognitive activities.
- Techniques for monitoring the effectiveness of educational and cognitive work and self-control.
It is rather difficult to unequivocally answer the question about the name of the method of organizing educational and cognitive activity. After all, each of these groups in turn includes a number of components. Thus, the organization and process of a student’s cognitive and educational work is a sequence of perception, comprehension, memorization, transmission of information, as well as its practical application.
The concept of educational and cognitive activity, the procedure for its implementation
In domestic pedagogy, the developers of the psychological theory of cognitive and educational practice were V.V. Davydov, D. B. Elkonin, P. Ya. Halperin and other well-known researchers. Each of them, in his writings, tried to answer in detail the question of what the method of organizing educational and cognitive activity is called and what components it includes. There are still several interpretations of this concept. Sometimes it is considered as a synonym for the learning process as such, in other situations - as a form of social activity, including cognitive and objective actions.
Education is a process of cognition of the surrounding reality, managed by the teacher. It is the position of the teacher that provides the assimilation of new knowledge and skills, the development of creative abilities. Cognitive activity is a combination of theoretical thinking, practical activity and sensory perception. It is carried out both in social and everyday life, and as part of the educational process (solving research problems, experimenting, etc.).
Learning is not just a “transfer” of knowledge. It is always a two-way process of communication and interaction, in which the teacher and student are included. And the child’s activity is of great importance. Components of educational activity: the desire for independent practice, the willingness to consciously complete tasks, the systematization of the cognitive process, the desire to improve one's level and acquire new knowledge.
That is why one of the most important tasks of pedagogical activity is to increase this kind of activity of students. To a large extent, this is facilitated by the diversity and harmony of the chosen methods, techniques and tasks used in the educational process.
Educational and cognitive motives and actions
The effectiveness of the method of organizing educational and cognitive activities of students is directly related to the level and focus of their motivation.
There is no activity without a motive. The goal of learning set for the student should be transformed into the motives of academic work. This happens on the basis of a number of internal motives of the child. The goal is what the activity is aimed at. The motive is why this activity is, in principle, carried out. Having a strong motive activates cognitive and emotional capabilities. The roles and content of the motives of educational activity tend to vary depending on the age of the students. The following groups of motives are distinguished:
- social (related to the attitude of the student to the reality surrounding him);
- cognitive (reflect the interest in the content of the subject, the process of cognition as such).
It is the second category that psychologists consider the most effective when it comes to learning and cognition.
In addition to motivation, a significant role in the organization and implementation of the methods of educational and cognitive activity is played by the degree of formation of the cognitive actions of the student. The composition of such actions is quite extensive:
- awareness of the significance of the issue under study, the lack of available knowledge to explain new facts;
- analysis and comparison of the studied phenomena and processes;
- hypothesis;
- collection of materials and their generalization;
- formulation of conclusions;
- use of acquired knowledge in new situations.
Verbal methods
One of the significant categories among the methods of organizing educational and cognitive activities remains the technology of verbal interaction between the teacher and students. The most common forms: explanation, conversation, story, lecture.
The story is a method of narrative presentation of the material studied by the teacher. This presentation is usually descriptive. The method is widely used at all stages of training. Allocate:
- The story is an introduction. It is used to "include" students in the discussion of the topic. Differs in brevity, emotional presentation.
- Story exposition. The content of the topic is revealed in a clear sequence, according to a certain plan, with the highlight of the main, giving examples.
- The story is a conclusion. Its function is to summarize the main points, summarize what has been said.
In this case, the characteristics of the method of organizing educational and cognitive activities can be as follows:
- personal involvement of participants;
- careful selection of examples, retention of attention and support of the corresponding emotional mood of the audience, summary.
Often a story is combined with an explanation. This is an exposition of laws, concepts, and properties of processes. It includes analysis, explanation, proof, interpretation of the presented material. The effectiveness of the method depends on the clarity of the statement of the problem, determination of the essence of the problem, argumentation, disclosure of cause and effect relationships, formulations.
A lecture is a long presentation of voluminous theoretical material in combination with means of activating cognitive activity of students (compilation of supporting abstracts, diagrams, etc.). Most often used in high school and universities. There are three main types:
- Lecture talk. It is possible when the listeners possess certain information on the topic. May alternate with problematic issues and discussion.
- Traditional lecture. Information is transmitted by the teacher in a ready-made form for memorization.
- Problematic lecture. A statement of a specific practical or scientific problem (history of occurrence, direction and prospects of solution, forecasts).
Interactive verbal method - conversation. The teacher, using a specially designed sequence of questions, sets up students to study the topic, encourages reasoning, generalization and systematization of information. It can be individual, frontal or group. They also distinguish between introductory (introductory), informative, fixing and control-corrective conversations.
Practical, visual, inductive and deductive methods
They are an obligatory component of a set of methods for organizing educational and cognitive activities of students.
Visual methods include demonstration and illustration. The demonstration is connected with the demonstration of video materials, experiments, devices, technical installations. The illustration involves the presentation to students of various visual aids (maps, posters, sketches, etc.).
Practical methods are laboratory experiments, written exercises, training workshops, case studies and assignments. Provide for the use of planning techniques, task setting, process control, regulation and control of actions, analysis of results. They are used in conjunction with visual and verbal teaching methods.
The next category of methods is directly related to the basic processes of thinking. It is about deduction, induction, analysis, synthesis, analogy, etc.
The inductive method of study (from particular to general) is effective when the material is more factual in nature, based on specific data. Limited application is associated with rather large time costs when studying new material.
The deductive method (from general to particular) is more conducive to the development of abstract thinking. It is most often used in the study of theoretical material, when it is necessary to solve a problem on the basis of identifying specific consequences from general provisions.
Problem-search methods and independent work
Methods of organizing educational and cognitive activities of students provide for the creation of conditions for understanding information and its logical assimilation. That is why they distinguish the methods of reproductive, problem-searching and independent activity of students.
Reproductive methods involve the active perception and assimilation of information communicated by the teacher or other source of educational information. They are most often used when the material is being studied for the first time, rather complicated, is informative or contains a description of practical actions. They are used only in combination with other methods of educational and cognitive practice, since they do not contribute to the formation of research skills.
To a greater extent, the logical methods of organizing educational and cognitive activities include problem-search technologies. During the application, the teacher creates a problem situation (with the help of questions, non-standard tasks), organizes a collective discussion of options for getting out of it, formulates the problem task. At the same time, students independently think, actualize existing knowledge, identify causes and effects, try to find an explanation. A more creative method, however, has several limitations in use. It requires more time when studying educational material, is ineffective when studying a completely new topic and the formation of practical skills (it is better to use direct demonstration and works by analogy).
Independent work is carried out by students on their own initiative, and on the instructions of the teacher with indirect control of the process. This can be work with educational literature or laboratory equipment. At the same time, the student acquires the skills of planning his own actions, the choice of working methods, and control.
The formation of educational activities
Speaking briefly about the methods of organizing educational and cognitive activities, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with its main characteristics. Among these characteristics, researchers include:
- awareness (as far as the student understands the motive and purpose of the activity, its results);
- completeness (level of student's possession of a number of actions that make up this type of educational and cognitive activity);
- automatism (the ability to intuitively select and perform the training actions necessary in a given situation);
- speed (speed of tasks);
- universality (the ability to use a specific skill in different types of activities).
The complex of these characteristics allows you to determine the level of mastery of students by the methods of organization and implementation of educational and cognitive activities. There are three main levels:
- reproductive (activity according to the model);
- heuristic (according to an independently selected option from the ones proposed);
- creative (self-planning and implementation).
In the process of cognitive and educational activities in children, based on the performance of private actions, generalized skills are formed. This process involves several stages:
- The formation of private skills.
- Acquaintance with the scientific foundations of activity and its structure.
- The formation of the ability to independently determine the appropriate sequence of actions.
- Development of skills of analysis of the work done.
Age features of the formation of cognitive and educational skills
In educational and cognitive practice, students of all ages participate. However, each age stage has its own characteristics. The first age category is senior preschool age and primary grades. At this time, educational and cognitive activity is leading, its main components and motives are formed. It was at this time that children got acquainted with elementary theoretical knowledge and concepts, learn to conduct a dialogue, and focus on the fulfillment of educational tasks. Initial skills for exercising control over educational and cognitive activity are also formed.
At the level of the basic school, cognitive-educational practice ceases to be a leading type of activity, but is noticeably complicated. The guys get acquainted with systemic theoretical and abstract concepts. There is a transition from a collective solution to educational problems to the individual. At the same time, educational and cognitive skills are developed and improved, including readiness for self-esteem and self-control.
In high school and in student years, educational and cognitive activity with a professional bias comes to the fore, acquiring a research character. Previously accumulated knowledge is actively used in solving independently posed practical and research problems.
Educational and cognitive activities of students
If we are talking about studying at a university, then specialists define this type of activity as a focused, self-organized solution of educational problems, forming a system of cognitive and value ideas. Among the methods of organizing educational and cognitive activities of students, preference is given to productive and creative, while reproductive ones are of secondary importance at this age stage. In this case, an individual style of cognitive activity is formed.
Students carry out assignments and plan their work without direct instruction from the teacher (he performs organizational functions), showing cognitive activity. The methods of organization and implementation of educational and cognitive activities at this age make it possible to go through their basic levels (from completing an assignment according to the model to research practice). At the same time, the level of knowledge and skills formed as a result directly depends on the individual cognitive activity of the student.
Methods of organizing educational and cognitive activities of preschoolers
A child learns the world around him, starting with acquaintance not with theory, but with practice. And this peculiarity of perception should be taken into account by the teacher when organizing and implementing educational and cognitive activities of preschool children. At the same time, the child’s cognitive interest, his abilities and willingness to learn new information or acquire any skill are of great importance. The emergence of such interest is largely promoted by the corresponding developing subject environment in kindergarten with the allocation of thematic zones.
Also among the conditions for the successful formation of learning activities of children are:
- variety of activities (experimentation, game, modeling) and their alternation;
- the use of various types of motivation (cognitive, gaming, social) and assessment;
- the use of various means and forms of training.