Ukrainian and Canadian experience of implementating health care into the professional training of future primary school teachers

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Ukrainian and Canadian experience of implementating health care into the professional training of future primary school teachers

Doctor of Sciences in Pedagogy, Full Professor, Irina Buzhina Kostyantyn Ushinskyi South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University

Doctor of Philosophy in Pedagogy, Oleksandr Vorokhaev Taras Shevchenko National University “Chemihiv CoUehium”

ABSTRACT

The article analyzes the problem of the need to train highly qualified specialists in pedagogical specialties in the field of health care, who are able to act at the level of the requirements of international professional standards for the formation of a healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: future primary school teachers, Ukraine, Canada, health care, competences, students of higher pedagogical institutions.

Український та канадський досвід впровадження здоров'язбереження в систему професійної підготовки майбутніх вчителів початкової школи

INTRODUCTION

Ukraine's inclusion into the Bologna process should support the state's desire to develop and acquire new qualitative features while preserving the best national educational assets and traditions. In our opinion, the development of professional training in general and the professional training of future teachers for health care activities in particular will contribute to the improvement of the quality of training of specialists in the field of education, their social protection in the conditions of the market economy and integration into the educational community of the united Europe. The need to train highly qualified specialists in pedagogical specialties, capable of acting at the level of the requirements of international professional standards, is determined by the context of Ukraine's entry into the world educational space and the Bologna process in particular, which is characterized by complexity and multidimensionality and involves the modernization of the educational process system.

The purpose of the article is to theoretically analyze the Ukrainian and Canadian experience of introducing health care into the system of professional training of future primary school teachers.

Theoretical framework and research methods. The problem of researching the Canadian experience of introducing health care into the system of professional training of future primary school teachers was studied fragmentarily in the works of foreign researchers. The subject of research by M. Siporin (1975) and K. Wiegand (1979) is competence in the process of professional activity of future teachers of primary education. Studies of B. Bubb and P. Early (2007) highlighted learning and career growth processes, both formal and informal, in Canadian universities. A. Maluccio and M. Libassi (1984) characterized professional competencies that future primary school teachers should possess.

Important for our research are scientific elaborations of Yu. Rashkevich (2015) who reveals in his works that professional competences are formed in various academic disciplines of higher education institutions.

Among Ukrainian researchers, the scientific works of M. Nosko, S. Hryshchenko, and Yu. Nosko (2013) should be singled out in the context of studying the process of forming a healthy lifestyle of Ukrainian youth. Also, important are the studies of the domestic authors S. Arkhipova, N. Hayduk, and S. Stavkova (2019) regarding continuous professional training of social workers for supervisory activities in Canada.

The research was carried out with the use of general scientific methods (study, analysis and synthesis of reference, overview of scientific educational print and on-line sources), as well as systematization and generalization.

RESULTS

Health conservation as a pedagogical technology is primarily based on the value- ethical principles of pedagogy and applies to specialists in the field of education who work in primary schools. It was determined that the regular process of health care for future primary school teachers contributes to the assimilation of new knowledge and skills of both future teachers and those seeking education, helps to avoid psychological injuries and professional challenges and to comply with the rules that exist in higher educational institutions of Ukraine and Canada.

In the context of our research, it is necessary to consider concepts that are used in domestic pedagogical science and are directly related to health care and the formation of a healthy lifestyle, namely “competence” and “competencies”. According to the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education” (dated 01 July 2015, #1556-V1I), “competence” is defined as a dynamic combination of knowledge, abilities and practical skills, ways of thinking, professional worldview and civic qualities, moral and ethical values that define the ability of a person to successfully carry out professional and further educational activities and is the result of studying at a certain level of higher education (Law of Ukraine on Higher Education, 2014).

Continuous professional training of future primary school teachers (both bachelors and masters) in Ukraine and Canada is a self-directed process that requires future professionals to take responsibility for their own professional development and improvement. Therefore, in all economically developed countries, it has become a common concern of citizens. As of 2008, roughly a quarter of Canadian adults aged 25 to 64 participated in some form of non-formal, work-related education and training. This places Canada among countries with a well-developed system of education and vocational training in accordance with the latest standards.

In the Methodological Recommendations for the development of higher education standards, approved and put into effect by the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine dated 01 June 2016 No. 600, the term “competence” coincides with the above-mentioned (Methodical Recommendations for the development of higher education standards, 2016).

Competencies, according to Yu. Rashkevich's definition, are a dynamic combination of knowledge, understanding, skills, and abilities. The development of competences is the goal of educational programs. Competencies are formed in different educational disciplines and are evaluated at different stages (Rashkevich, 2015).

General and special competences are distinguished. General competences are understood as universal competences that do not depend on the subject area, but are important for successful further professional and social activities acquired in various fields and for personal development. Special (professional, subject) competencies depend on the subject area and are important for successful professional activity in a certain specialty (Rashkevich, 2015).

“Competences are a combination of characteristics related to knowledge and their application, abilities, skills, values and personal qualities and contribute to the performance of professional duties at a high level” (Luniacek, 2013). Competence, in turn, means the correspondence of the level of knowledge and skills to the content of the performed job duties, as well as the ability to achieve the goal. Competence is provided by formal education, self-education in the process of practical activities, learning experience, advanced training at courses and seminars (Model of a specialist in social work, 2017).

Therefore, the issues related to the classification of key competencies are still not resolved. Competences widely recognized are communicative, cognitive, social, general cultural, linguistic, and informational. However, some scientists combine communicative and speech competence into one, the same applies to language and linguistic competence. Informational competence acts as a part of cognitive or speech competence; and general cultural and social competence can be represented as sociocultural. What concerns health care competence, it was insufficiently studied in scientific works of both Ukrainian and Canadian researchers (Nosko et al., 2013).

According to M. Siporin (1975) and K. Wiegand (1979), competence is the use of knowledge and skills by specialists in the field of education in the process of professional activity in such a way that it causes positive changes in the lives of both students of higher education in pedagogical specialties and students of primary schools. We believe that these changes are taking place due to the competence of teachers working in primary schools in Ukraine and Canada. Therefore, competence covers: (1) knowledge, abilities and skills; (2) motivational factors; (3) environmental quality. It is the result of compliance with the norms of effective and ethical practice in the pedagogical field (Maluccio & Libassi, 1984).

M. Golovan gives a definition of competence as “...a given requirement for a person's training in order to acquire knowledge and practical experience in a certain field”. According to the scientist, competence is “manifested in effective activity and includes a personal attitude to the subject and product of activity. It is integrative personality formation that combines knowledge, abilities, skills, experience and personal attributes that determine the desire, ability and readiness to solve problems and tasks that arise in real life situations, while realizing the importance of the subject and the result of activity” (Holovan, 2008).

Nowadays, educational process in higher education is no longer limited to educational institutions - it has expanded to organizations that have become educational. The professional training of future teachers both in the new Ukrainian school and in Canadian universities is embodied in formal and informal processes of learning and career growth. According to the definition of B. Bubb and P. Earley, it is “...a continuous process that includes formal and informal educational experiences that enable staff to reflect on their activities, expand the range of knowledge and skills, and improve service delivery» (Bubb & Earley, 2007).

On the grounds of the scientific research of the authors' team of T. Zhuravel and S. Kiyanitsa (2017), and research by S. Arkhipova, N. Hayduk, and S. Stavkovich (2019), we can state that health care both in educational institutions and in territorial communities of Ukraine have definite tasks. They include:

- ensuring a deeper understanding of health care among people who have different views;

- finding ways for positive changes regarding the formation of a healthy lifestyle of youth in Ukraine;

- formation of groups of activists in various areas of health preservation (including physical education and sports);

- creation of a platform where everyone can express themselves and hear each other regarding health care in one educational institution or one territorial community;

- development of the responsibility of education seekers or community members in the process of forming a healthy lifestyle (Zhuravel & Kiyanytsia, 2017; Arkhipova et al., 2019).

Students of higher education in Ukrainian universities must learn to solve tasks in the field of health care. This is especially important for students of pedagogical specialties. We should note that motivation is a necessary component of the health care process.

Within the framework of our research, we have to determine theoretical foundations on which health care is based in the process of professional training of future teachers of the New Ukrainian School and educators of Canada who teach in primary school. These foundations presuppose:

- analysis of future specialists' training from the standpoint of the ecosystem approach, i.e. in the social environment (oneself, family, friends, colleagues, educational institution, church, and community);

- determination of the content of a healthy lifestyle and components that require professional intervention in order to harmonize relationships (for example, child - parents, child - peers, child - teachers);

- cooperation in the process of health care (teacher - student) based on the tolerant attitude with consideration of cultural, racial, national, religious, sexual characteristics and differences;

- focusing on the strong features of both future teachers and those seeking education in order to equip, support, encourage, activate and direct them in finding constructive ways to solve health problems (Hayduk et al, 2007).

The main requirement for the professional training of higher education applicants at the bachelor's level and future teachers of both the New Ukrainian School and future primary school teachers in Canada is their preparation for admission to master's degree studies.

Today, obtaining higher education by university graduates of teaching specialties in Canada is based on the philosophy of lifelong learning. As already mentioned in our research, it is important to understand that the development of continuous professional training is largely determined by the conditions of the labor market, therefore, continuous professional training is developing rapidly (Statistics Canada, 1991).

It is appropriate to note that, despite theoretical scientific research on the problems of professional training of future teachers of the New Ukrainian School and primary school teachers in Canada for health-preserving activities and the formation of a healthy lifestyle as a field of professional activity in pedagogy, it has been only partially covered. The results of the analysis proved that the studied problems in Canada's experience were not the subject of special studies in Ukraine (Archipova et al., 2019).

We have identified the important general components of healthy lifestyle formation and health care of students of higher education in pedagogical specialties. They include involvement of students of educational specialties in active life at the university and in the territorial community; the specifics of forming a healthy lifestyle for young people; prevention of negative phenomena and risky behavior; promotion of positive family values.

Our research has proven that there are specific components of healthy lifestyle formation of Ukrainian youth studying at institutions of higher education. These components are:

- resources of the educational institutions and the territorial communities aimed at creation and functioning of groups and clubs for young people (for example, a club of football players or a group against tobacco smoking);

- assistance in the organization of cultural, educational, festive thematic events aimed at health protection, with the involvement of teachers and students of higher education and members of the territorial community;

- “conducting trainings, thematic meetings for students of higher education in pedagogical specialties on issues of healthy lifestyle, prevention of negative phenomena and socially dangerous diseases (family meetings with the participation of children and parents can be held)” (Zhuravel & Kiyanytsia, 2017).

Research has proven that in the process of professional training of future teachers it is important to follow directions that positively affect the formation of a healthy lifestyle in general and health care in particular. These directions include:

- the production and distribution of social advertising;

- support of informational and educational groups and mass events to form a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle and understanding of its needs;

- the creation of a platform for the active involvement of educators (students of higher educational institutions and teachers) in the formation of a healthy lifestyle in educational institutions and territorial communities;

- the organization of sports competitions and mass events aimed at attracting students of pedagogical specialties to the joint solutions of the problems related to healthy lifestyle to provide better outcomes for all participants of the educational process; involvement of higher education applicants of the master's degree in assistance to applicants of higher education at the bachelor's level (Zhuravel & Kiyanytsia, 2017).

In the scientific discourse on competences in the field of health care, in particular in the domestic one, the concept of “a professional” is also considered. Thus, a professional (a teacher or future teacher working in a primary school and engaged in health care activities) is a subject of professional activity with a high level of professionalism, self-efficacy, professional and social status. This person is constantly focused on selfdevelopment, personal and professional achievements that have positive social meaning in the formation of a healthy lifestyle of education seekers (defined by the authors of the research, according to Arkhipova & Smerechak, 2013).

CONCLUSIONS AND PROSPECTS OF FURTHER RESEARCH

In the result of the analysis of scientific works dedicated to the studied problem, we can state that in the process of professional training of future primary school teachers both in Ukraine and in Canada, universities follow directions that have a positive effect on the formation of a healthy lifestyle in general and health care in particular. There is a need to create a platform for the active involvement of educators (students of higher pedagogical education and teachers) in the formation of a healthy lifestyle during university studies. It has been proven that there are specific components of the formation of a healthy lifestyle of Ukrainian youth studying in institutions of higher education. They include resources of the educational institutions; promotion of cultural, educational, festive thematic events aimed at of health preservation in organizations, with the involvement of teachers and students of higher pedagogical institutions in the formation of a healthy lifestyle and prevention of negative habits. This field of activity is given attention to in Canadian universities that provide training of primary school teachers.

We consider the study of educational programs of universities in modern Canada regarding the implementation of health care for future primary school teachers as prospects for further scientific research.

REFERENCES

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