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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.54.06.10
How to Cite:
Ivaniuk, H., Kuzemko, L., Venhlovska, O., Vovchok, Y., & Antypin, Y. (2022). The use of digital tools in interdisciplinary projects
of students’ personal and professional self-development. Amazonia Investiga, 11(54), 94-108.
https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.54.06.10
The use of digital tools in interdisciplinary projects of students’
personal and professional self-development
Використання цифрових інструментів у міждисциплінарних проєктах особистісного
і професійного саморозвитку студентів
Received: June 12, 2022 Accepted: July 15, 2022
Written by:
Hanna Ivaniuk45
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7758-5121
Lesia Kuzemko46
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3070-6322
Olena Venhlovska47
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0456-7667
Yaroslav Vovchok48
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8542-3026
Yevhen Antypin49
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0371-2498
Abstract
The article reveals the problem of using digital
tools in the context of blended and distance
learning. The purpose of the study - to prove the
effectiveness of using digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of students` personal
and professional self-development. Different
approaches in modern scientific discourse of
above mentioned problem are highlighted.
Groups of digital tools that should be used at each
stage of the interdisciplinary project is specified
and characterized. The article contains author's
practical developments and examples on using
digital tools to fulfill the tasks of educational
disciplines, which are integrated in
interdisciplinary projects, implemented in the
process of researching the scientific topic
"Psychological and pedagogical support of
personal and professional development of future
teachers in the implementation of new
educational standards". The results of the
empirical study of the effectiveness of using
digital tools in interdisciplinary projects are
45
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv
University, Kyiv, Ukraine.
46
PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv,
Ukraine.
47
PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv,
Ukraine.
48
PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor of the Foreign Languages Department Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
49
PhD in Pedagogy, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv,
Ukraine.
Ivaniuk, H., Kuzemko, L., Venhlovska, O., Vovchok, Y., Antypin, Y. / Volume 11 - Issue 54: 94-108 / June, 2022
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summarized according to certain indicators:
value-motivated, cognitive, self-learning,
procedural, self-movement. The purpose has
been achieved by comparing quantitative and
qualitative assessments of the dynamics of
indicators of high level students’ personal and
professional self-development in control and
experimental groups. The statistical significance
of the study results has been verified by applying
Student t-criterion. It has been proved that as a
result of using digital tools in the
interdisciplinary project the students of the
experimental group significantly increased the
level of personal and professional self-
development.
Keywords: digital tools, higher education
applicants, personal self-development,
professional self-development of the student,
interdisciplinary projects.
Introduction
Modern scientific discourse continues searching
for effective ways of education
instrumentalization, taking into account personal
and professional requests and needs of digital
civilization. The scientific problem is to study
and substantiate digital tools that will promote
not only the formation of flexible skills in higher
education, but also readiness to apply them in
motivated professional activities based on
significant personal and professional values and
meanings. In line with the above problem, the
priority is to use digital tools in interdisciplinary
projects of personal and professional self-
development of students of pedagogical
specialties.
As practice shows, graduates of pedagogical
specialties at the beginning of their studies only
partially resort to the use of digital tools for the
purpose of personal and professional self-
development. Thus, it has been found out that to
search for the necessary information by
keywords, they most often use Google search
engine for communication purposes (e-mail
services and social networks such as Facebook,
Telegram and Viber); for information processing
students use the most common application for
creating and playing presentations (PowerPoint),
to create texts they use Word program. It is clear
that a wide range of digital tools that allow for
advanced search of information by areas, to
establish online communication, to create joint
documents and questionnaires, electronic
presentations, online boards, self-development
roadmaps, blogs, websites, etc. are usually
unfamiliar to students.
This actualizes significantly the scientific
problem to help future teachers select and use
those digital tools that will promote their growth
in both professional and personal senses. A
number of laws of Ukraine on Education focus
on the readiness of teachers to self-analyze their
own professional activities using all available
means: «On Education» (Law of Ukraine
No. 2145-VIII, 2017), «On Higher Education»
(Law of Ukraine No. 1556-VII, 2014), «On
Complete General Secondary Education» (Law
of Ukraine No. 463-IX, 2020); Concept «New
Ukrainian School» (Hrynevych, 2016),
Professional Standard for Specialties «Primary
School Teacher», «General Secondary School
Teacher», «Primary School Teacher (with
Specialist’s Diploma)» (Order No. 2736-20,
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2020), the Professional Standard for the
Profession «Preschool Education Teacher»
(Order No. 755-21, 2021). Therefore, one of the
priority tasks to be implemented by higher
education institutions is to make future teachers
familiar with a wide range of digital tools and to
develop their ability to choose those that are
effective in determining their individual personal
and professional needs.
The scientific problem mentioned above is
considered in the light of the new educational
strategy of training specialists in the pedagogical
field in Ukraine. The article highlights the results
of the study of the use of digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students of
pedagogical specialties.
Theoretical Framework or Literature Review
The search for effective means and digital tools
in the context of personal and professional self-
development of future teachers is the subject
matter of a number of Ukrainian and foreign
scientists. In the studies on the given problem,
the focus of researchers' attention is mostly on
external factors, personal sessions, tools that are
decisive for the personal and professional self-
development of future teachers. The results of the
analysis of theoretical sources, which reveal the
essential features of the subject of the proposed
research, give grounds to assert that the problem
of digitalization is now a priority in both
Ukrainian and global educational space. The
importance of the researched problem is proved
in a number of publications by Ukrainian
scientists. Thus, general scientific approaches to
the problem of digitalization of education are
covered in the study «Modern problems of digital
transformation of education» (Bykov, Spirin
& Pinchuk). The authors of this paper identify
and substantiate the trends in the introduction of
ICT and digital technologies in education,
analyze the conditions affecting the digitalization
of education, outline priorities for the
development of digital competence of
educational entities (Bykov, Spirin & Pinchuk,
2020). Consistent scientific ideas that reveal
various aspects of digitalization of education, the
introduction of information and digital
technologies in the educational space are
highlighted by O. Spirin in the scientific and
methodological work «Open electronic scientific
and educational systems in research activity»
(Spirin, et al., 2020). The results of studies
presented by L. Hrynevych, N. Morse,
V. Wember and M. Boyko in the work «The role
of digital technologies in the development of the
ecosystem of Stem-education» are significant for
the proposed research, where the authors
highlight the theoretical and practical aspects of
digital tools’ implementation in the educational
process of higher education institutions.
According to the results of the collective
research, groups of digital tools (tools for
creating electronic content, tools for various
purposes) have been identified and characterized,
which contribute to ensuring the efficiency of the
educational process (Hrynevych, Morze, Vember
& Boiko, 2021, p. 15-16). Therefore, the
generalizations made by the researchers are of
scientific interest in the context of solving the
scientific problem of using digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of students’ personal
and professional development in higher
education.
According to the problem of the proposed article,
the conclusions made by Ukrainian and foreign
authors who study the use of digital tools while
working with students are significant. Thus
V. Khomenko, L. Pavlenko, M. Pavlenko and
S. Khomenko in the article «Cloud technologies
in the information - methodological support of
individual learning activities of students» justify
the need for cloud services such as Zoho,
Microsoft, Google in the methodological support
of individual learning activities of students
(Khomenko, Pavlenko, Pavlenko & Khomenko,
2020). In the methodical work «Development of
information and communication competence of
teachers in a cloud-based learning environment»
a group of authors (Hrytsenchuk (et al), Bykova,
Ovcharuk (Eds.), 2019, 2019) identify the trends
and characterize the progressive experience of
the Baltic countries, the Netherlands, the
Scandinavian countries, Great Britain, the
European Union in the formation of information
and communication competence of teachers in
special conditions of digitalization of the
learning environment.
The researchers' scientific conclusions on the
effectiveness of such environment are of
practical value and meet the current needs for
effective distance and blended learning in higher
education establishments (Hrytsenchuk (et al),
Bykova, Ovcharuk (Eds.), 2019). Accordingly,
the group of researchers (Rzhevskaya,
Dobroskok & Zaimova) reveals the features of
the use of network tools (Skype, Zoom, Webex,
Google G-Suite, Workplace by Facebook,
Cliqtalk, Padlet) in order to organize virtual
interaction of students and their cooperation in
the process of learning and exchanging ideas
(Rzhevska, Dobroskok, & Zaimova, 2020). In
line with this issue, scientific and practical
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interest are the highlighted ideas on the use of the
proposed network tools, which we consider as a
separate group of digital tools in interdisciplinary
projects of personal and professional self-
development of students. Similar ideas are
carried out in the article «Aplicación de
herramientas multimediales colaborativas para la
generación de contenidos digitales destinados a
la educación secundaria», in which the authors
(Drubich, Carena, Anderegen,Bustos, Fornari,
Alegre, & Culzoni) identify digital tools needed
by teachers of higher education institutions and
future teachers to create educational materials
(Drubich, Carena, Anderegen, Bustos, Fornari,
Alegre, & Culzoni, 2017). It is important to note
that if students master the skills to use such
digital tools as blog, digital repository, virtual
classroom, forum, video, etc., it will enable them
to develop digital content that will promote their
personal and professional self-development.
The collective research «New strategy for
teacher’s training in the context of European
integration» partially focuses on the problem of
using digital tools in interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional self-development of
students. Intermediate results on the formation of
digital skills of future teachers are covered by a
group of authors (Ivaniuk, Kuzemko, Novyk) in
the article «Training «Designing a multimedia
environment for secondary and preschool
education» as a means of developing digital skills
of future teachers». Five digital skills that are
important for personal and professional self-
development of students of higher education are
specified and characterized: use of digital
devices and ICT, search and critical evaluation of
digital content, modification and creation of
digital resources, information exchange and
organization of digital communication, learn and
teach the use of ICT (Ivaniuk, Kuzemko, &
Novyk, 2020).
In the broad research field of the subject of our
scientific research, the findings of E. Bukor on
the influence of the environment on the
formation of professional experience of future
professionals, their choice of ways to gain
professional experience, the development of
internal motives for professional activity are
significant (Bukor, 2015). Given the subject of
the proposed article, the considerations made by
B. Malm on the formation of a system of
professional values and beliefs, leadership
qualities, empathy in the personal and
professional development of teachers are
important. According to the results of
international experience, the researcher
concludes that in the course of higher education,
future specialists should develop the ability to
self-realization and study the audience with
which they will work, implement an individual
approach to working with students and their
parents (Malm, 2009). In line with the targets set
by the scientist for personal and professional self-
development of students, now in the educational
process it is quite essential to master knowledge
and skills to use digital means (tools) that
promote effective self-realization and personal
and professional self-development of students in
the period of social challengers. In her scientific
work B. Malm concludes that to overcome
difficulties in the professional activity teachers
need to have reflective skills, the ability to
cooperate with all participants in the educational
process, to work on their own professional
development (Malm, 2020). Analysis of these
studies in line with the author's approaches to the
problem of self-realization and professional self-
development of students provides grounds for
actualizing the scientific problem of digital tools,
especially in interdisciplinary projects.
In the context of the proposed article the
following scientific papers that reveal the
technology of interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional self-development of
future professionals are of great interest. Thus,
M. Brassler and J. Dettmers in their publication
reveal the features of the formation of
interdisciplinary competence of students in the
course of their interdisciplinary projects. The
authors of this study emphasize that the
formation of actualized competence in future
professionals is significant because it contributes
to the complex performance of their job functions
(Brassler & Dettmers, 2017). It should be noted
that the authors of the above work do not disclose
tools, mainly digital ones in connection with the
formation of professional functions of future
teachers. M. Warr and R. West are consistent
with the above authors’ ideas, who note that the
involvement of students in interdisciplinary
projects contributes to their personal
development. The authors prefer the disclosure
of the implementation of pedagogical goals in the
process of implementing interdisciplinary
projects by students, but do not reveal the main
tools for their implementation (Warr, & West,
2020). Similar ideas are presented in a study by
E. Mancas (Mancas, 2011), which focuses on
preparing future teachers to design the use of
interdisciplinary projects while working with
students. Despite the fact that in the pedagogical
sense the work has practical significance, the
author did not highlight the use of digital tools.
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General problems on how practically electronic
digital technologies are used in professional
education are covered by a group of authors
(Vaganova, Zheltukhina, Sinina, Tsarapkina, &
Koloulina,) in the work «Electronic gaming
technologies in professional education» (2021).
Some aspects of the above study show the impact
of digital tools on the formation of the student’s
competitiveness. Contextual interpretation of
digital technologies (TikTok, hashtags,
Instagram, YouTube) is presented in the study
«Discourse analysis and digital technologies:
(TikTok, hashtags, Instagram, YouTube):
universal and specific aspects in international
practice» (Izotova, Polishchuk & Taranik-
Tkachuk, 2021).
The essential features of professional and
personal development of teachers, their links
with career development are revealed in the study
«Professional and Personal Development as a
Basis for Successful Career of Teachers».
However, the authors did not pay attention to
tools that can promote productivity
(Solomonova, & Gerasimova, 2019).
Scientific papers on related issues prove the
insufficient study of the peculiarities of the use of
digital tools in interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional self-development of
students of pedagogical specialties.
The purpose of the study is to research the
effective use of digital tools at different stages of
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students of
pedagogical specialties according to certain
indicators.
Methodology
In the course of theoretical and empirical
research, the effective use of digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students of
pedagogical specialties was studied. The
research was carried out between 2019 and 2021
at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. 232
students were involved in all stages of the study.
The experiment involved 109 first-year students
of Bachelor's level of higher education in the
following specialties: «Preschool education» (52
people), «Primary education» (57 people).
The study covered four interrelated stages:
At the first stage (January 2018 – August 2019)
the peculiarities of the application of
interdisciplinary projects in the educational
process of higher education institutions were
clarified. The essence, content and stages of the
implementation of interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional self-development of
students of pedagogical specialties were
determined. A pilot study of personal and
professional self-development of future
specialists in preschool and primary education
was conducted. Five indicators (value-motivated,
cognitive, self-study (self-study, self-
observation, self-development), procedural, self-
movement) and levels (basic, medium, high) of
personal and professional self-development of
future teachers were substantiated. The essential
characteristics of the value-motivated indicator
are value orientations and personal meanings of
self-realization, a choice of digital tools (web
services, online and mobile applications,
information resources, cloud technologies), for
the personal and professional growth of future
teachers. The cognitive indicator reveals the
awareness of students of pedagogical specialties
about the interdependence and interaction of self-
development on their personal and professional
development, the content of digital tools to build
their own trajectory of self-progress. The self-
study indicator is the students' acquisition of the
skills to operate digital tools and develop the
route of their own personal and professional
development. We consider the procedural
indicator as the ability and readiness of students
to select the most optimal digital tools that will
contribute to their self-development. The self-
motivation indicator provides a study of the
growth of personal qualities and professional
skills of the future teacher.
According to the results of the pilot study, the
essential characteristics of the basic, medium and
high levels of personal and professional self-
development of pedagogical specialties’ students
were clarified. The basic level of personal and
professional self-development consists of
reproductive values, in particular those formed in
students by their previous experience. The
predominance of personal values over
professional values is characteristic for students
who belong to the basic level. It should be noted
that most often representatives of this group of
students have difficulties selecting digital tools
and using them. This is an inhibitory factor for
their analysis and interpretation of personal
growth.
Students who are assigned to the medium level
of personal and professional self-development
are mostly consciously aware of both personal
and professional growth, demonstrate readiness
to adapt to new professional and life conditions,
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respond mobile to social challenges and
educational transformations. Representatives of
this group independently or under the guidance
of a consultant select digital tools to solve tasks
related to personal and professional self-
development with the aim of acquiring new
knowledge and skills. They actively defend their
own ideas and argue them, use self-reflection.
A high level of personal and professional self-
development is observed in students who
demonstrate the ability and willingness to
develop a road map of self-motivation. These
students in practice demonstrate their own style
of personal and professional communication,
understand their own professional needs, know
how to use digital tools for the development of
educational products (blog, website, manual,
methodical recommendations, didactic games,
etc.), which are in demand for participants in the
educational process. Students with a high level
know how and are ready to work in a team and
take responsibility for their own actions. They
take an interest in various studies and analyze
their results and implement them in the
educational process of preschool and primary
education institutions during internships.
At the second stage (September-December 2019)
an interdisciplinary project «Portrait of
Freshman» with the students of pedagogical
specialties of first year study was designed and
implemented (55 students were involved: 26
represented the Specialty «Preschool education»,
29 represented the Specialty «Primary
education»). In the process of project
development and implementation, teachers and
students used almost no digital tools, only at the
stage of processing, presentation of results and at
the students’ personal request (requirements to
use digital tools by students to perform project
tasks were not set). Verification of the
effectiveness of the project was carried out by the
method of expert evaluations in accordance with
the identified indicators and levels of personal
and professional self-development of future
teachers, by comparing the results before and
after the project.
At the third stage (September-December 2020)
the analysis of the use of digital tools was carried
out and the content and technological support of
the interdisciplinary project of personal and
professional self-development of future teachers
was improved. The project «Development in
Cognition» was implemented, which involved 54
first-year students majoring in «Preschool
Education» (24 people) and «Primary
Education» (30 people). Verification of the
effectiveness of the project was carried out
according to the method of the previous stage.
At the fourth stage (January-April 2021) the
effective use of digital tools in interdisciplinary
projects of personal and professional self-
development of future teachers was tested by
comparing quantitative and qualitative
assessments of indicators at a high level in
control group of students, implementation of the
project «Portrait of Freshman» in 2019 and in
experimental group, implementation of the
project «Development in Cognition» in 2020.
The statistical significance of the study results
was verified by comparing the average values of
high-level indicators in the control and
experimental groups using Student t-criterion.
Results and Discussion
The study of theoretical sources on the topic
made it possible to generalize the conceptual
ideas that form the basis of research on the
scientific problem of using digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students
(pedagogical specialties). In line with the main
problems of our scientific research, the essence
of key concepts has been clarified and
substantiated: interdisciplinary project of
personal and professional self-development of
students; digital tools. Interdisciplinary projects
of personal and professional self-development
are interpreted as a form of organization of the
learning process, which provides an optimal
combination of value-based individual and group
research activities within the disciplines of
educational training, internships, extracurricular
activities, integrated professional knowledge and
skills, methods of activity and personal abilities
to self-realization and self-development.
By digital tools we mean a set of educational
platforms and web resources, digital services,
mobile and online applications that provide the
ability to search, use, modify and create
educational materials for effective research
activities, which stimulates personal and
professional self-development.
We found out that the implementation of an
interdisciplinary project in a higher education
institution is systematic, comprehensive
collective work of all participants in the
educational process. Therefore, it is extremely
important to create a cohesive team of teachers
from different disciplines who will communicate
effectively with each other, with students and
with the project coordinator. The development of
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an interdisciplinary project requires a thorough
selection by the coordinators of the strategic
objectives of the project, the principles of
integration of the content of academic
disciplines; analysis and identification of
components of integrated topics; identification of
the key goal (integrator) of the project;
prognostic determination of the type, structure
and final result (product) of the project. To
ensure the effectiveness of well-organized
project activities it is necessary to select effective
digital tools that ensure the implementation of
goals and objectives of personal and professional
self-development of students at each stage of the
interdisciplinary project.
The study of scientific works on the given
problem in the article has led to the selection of
digital tools that can be used at different stages of
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students of
pedagogical specialties. (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. The scheme of use of digital tools at different stages of interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students of pedagogical specialties
(own authorship)
The presented research focuses on the study of
the effective use of digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects in order to increase the
motivation of students to personal and
professional self-development; improve the
forms and methods of teaching that involve
individual and group research activities;
diversification of forms of presenting the results
of project activities (integrated personal and
professional knowledge, skills and methods of
activity).
The study of the use of digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects by higher education
students was carried out in line with the personal-
professional strategy of specialists’ training, the
main idea of which is to create conditions for
students' abilities to self-realization and self-
development. The experimental study was
conducted by teachers of the Department of
Pedagogy and Psychology of Pedagogical
Institute of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University.
The key visions for its implementation are done
by teachers in the course of teaching disciplines,
developing the content of educational
(psychological and pedagogical) practices,
organization of various forms of extracurricular
activities. The study of the content of the
following subjects «Pedagogy», «Psychology»,
«Anthropology» shows that the topics of
lectures, seminars, practical classes, independent
work is aimed at developing students' ability to
know themselves, explore their own resources
and opportunities, determine goals and needs in
self-development, to build a map of personal
growth in their profession. Therefore, higher
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education applicants are involved in the
implementation of interdisciplinary projects that
are part of the content of academic disciplines.
To prepare and implement this type of project,
students master the skills of using different
models of digital tools, in particular for
establishing intergroup communication (Google
Meet, ZOOM, Viber, social media groups),
studying the needs, motives, interests and
capabilities of project participants (Google
Forms, Kahoot), definition of goals, tasks
implemented at different stages of the project
(Google Dok), joint activities (working with
common boards (Trello, Padlet, Jamboart),
compiling maps of self-development
(MindMeister, Mindomo, MindMup),
development and presentation of educational
products PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi, QR-codes),
video essays, SWOT introspection cards
(MindMeister, Mindomo, MindMup). The
ability of students to select the necessary digital
tools and use them productively is an important
component of their personal and professional
development. It is significant that such projects
are performed by students in the classroom and
extracurricular activities on the basis of the
Center for Self-Knowledge and Self-
Development of the Pedagogical Institute during
the first years of study. After all, for future
teachers the first and second courses of study at
the university are crucial for adaptation and
professional self-identification, because it is
during this period when the foundations of
professional knowledge, skills, activities and
personal abilities to self-realization and self-
improvement are laid.
Some interdisciplinary projects implemented in
2018-2019 did not mean the widespread use of
digital tools, as emphasis was placed on the
students’ formation of the ability to self-
realization, to create the means of working in a
team. As a result, students were not ready to use
digital tools during research activities for self-
realization and self-development. Therefore, the
task was to develop interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional self-development of
students of pedagogical specialties with the use
of digital tools that would help solve a number of
problems:
− increase the motivation for independent
research activities and the implementation of
common tasks in the course of
interdisciplinary projects that promote
personal and professional self-development;
− develop digital skills necessary for
successful self-development and future
professional activity in modern preschool
institutions with general secondary
education;
− form integrated knowledge, skills and
abilities for personal and professional self-
realization and self-improvement.
In order to study the effective use of digital tools
in interdisciplinary projects, a comparative
analysis of personal and professional
development of first-year students of the
Pedagogical Institute, Specialties «Preschool
Education» and «Primary Education» was based
on the two projects: in 2019 – «Portrait of
Freshman» (without the use of digital tools), in
2020 – «Development in Cognition» (used
various digital tools at all stages of
implementation).
Research on the use of digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students was
based on five indicators (value-motivated,
cognitive, self-study, procedural, self-
movement) were studied. The obtained data are
attributed to the input results of the empirical
study (results of the ascertaining stage (Table 1)).
Table 1.
Levels of personal and professional self-development of students of pedagogical specialties (ascertaining
stage)
Indicators /
Levels
Control Group (55 people)
Experimental Group (54 people)
basic
medium
high
basic
medium
high
value-motivated
36
15
4
35
16
3
cognitive
39
13
3
39
12
3
Self-
study
49
5
1
47
6
1
procedural
43
10
2
44
7
3
Self-
movement
47
8
0
47
7
0
(own authorship)
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Analysis of the results of the ascertaining stage
of the study proved the need to develop
technological support for personal and
professional self-development of students, which
were fulfilled in interdisciplinary projects. The
purpose of these projects was to develop in future
teachers integrated knowledge, skills and
methods of studying their own personal
manifestations and individual characteristics of
others; development of abilities for self-analysis
and self-improvement for successful personal
and professional self-realization.
The objectives of the projects performed by
freshmen are:
− raise students' awareness of the need for self-
analysis (values, qualities, abilities, skills)
for further personal and professional growth;
− form skills and methods of activity on
preservation and strengthening of health
(physical, mental, social and spiritual) both
their own and others for establishment of
partnership interaction in the educational
environment;
− develop abilities and readiness for self-
realization and self-improvement (study,
analysis, results generalization of personal
and professional achievements) for
professional identification and development
of own educational trajectory;
− teach creativity, independence, leadership
skills, critical thinking and reflection for the
successful solution of professional problems
in future pedagogical activities. These tasks
are based on integrated content of
disciplines: «Anthropology» (Modules:
«Psychological Anthropology» and «Human
Anatomy and Physiology with the basics of
medical knowledge»), University Studies
(Modules «Leadership», «Introduction to
the Specialty»), «Pedagogy», «Foreign
Language with teaching methods».
Stages of project implementation:
Stage 1 – organizational (project development,
familiarization with the content of the project,
distribution of tasks);
Stage 2 – diagnostic (students' self-diagnosis of
features of physiological, mental, social
manifestations (using diagnostic techniques,
self-observations, questionnaires);
Stage 3 – generalizing (analysis, generalization
of the results of self-diagnosis and surveys;
interpretation of research results and
development of their own strategy of self-
development);
Stage 4 – presentation of results, discussion and
analysis of project effectiveness.
Defined tasks and prognostic results from
different disciplines, which provided
interdisciplinary links, were also common to both
projects. The difference was in the use / without
use of digital tools in the process of their
implementation (Table 2).
Table 2.
Application of tools in the process of implementation of interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of students of pedagogical specialties.
Discipline
Tasks of the
disciplines to be
integrated
Expected results
Tools for the
implementation of
the project
«Portrait of
Freshman»
Tools for the
implementation of
the project
«Development in
Cognition»
Anthropology:
Human Anatomy
and Physiology
with the basics
of medical
knowledge
- awareness of
knowledge, ways
to maintain and
strengthen their
own physical
health and others; - determining the
duration and
distribution of
certain activities
and recreation in
the overall balance
of the day
- understanding
the individual
characteristics of
the body and
ways of health; - ability to
effective personal
time management
Self-monitoring
cards for the
organization of
various activities
(being outdoors;
physical activity;
diet; alternation of
activities and
leisure; sleep
duration, well-
being) during the
week
Electronic diaries
(Google Calendar,
Blogger, Penzu,
Dabble.me - at the
student's choice),
note changes in
activities per day,
well-being (with the
addition of photo,
video) during the
week
Anthropology:
Psychological
Anthropology
- mastering the
methods of
- understanding
their own
personal
Printed diagnostic
tools
(questionnaires;
Electronic
questionnaires,
surveys, tests for
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studying the
mental "I"; - study of own
abilities, type of
temperament,
character; -study of the
manifestation and
course of mental
processes and
states; - determining the
features of their
own emotional and
volitional
regulation
manifestations
and individual
differences of
others; - development of
the ability to
effectively solve
problems of
maintaining and
strengthening the
mental health of
their own and
others
tests; graphic tests;
projective methods;
design forms; self-
efficacy
registration forms
according to the
method "Self-
efficacy scale")
diagnosis and self-
diagnosis of
personality
manifestations
(online tests to
determine the type of
personality, Luscher
test, tolerance tests,
etc.). Digital
tools:Kahoot,
Socrative, Plickers,
Quizizz, Quizalize,
Mentimeter, Google
Forms
Pedagogy:
General
pedagogy
- determining the
leading motives
for choosing a
teaching
profession and
personal and
professional
characteristics of a
teacher-humanist; - study of ways to
design and
implement
personal and
professional
development
- understanding
of personal
qualities and
values; - development of
road maps of
personal and
professional self-
development
Printed
questionnaires,
questionnaires; a
series of didactic
exercises (to study
values; skills); joint posters, posts
(generalized
characteristics of a
modern teacher); individual
roadmaps for self-
development
Electronic
questionnaires,
surveys (Google
Forms, Kahoot);
didactic exercises and
games (Learningapps;
Wizer.me; Quizlet);
common boards
(Trello, Padlet,
Jamboard); self-
development cards (MindMeister,
Mindomo,
MindMup); QR codes
University
studies:
Leadership;
Introduction to
the specialty
- study of
leadership
qualities of the
individual; - study of
communication,
cooperation and
interaction skills; - awareness and
formation of
personal and
professional
competencies of
the teacher
- Finding out the
presence of
personal qualities
inherent in people
with leadership
skills; - awareness of
their own purpose
and motivation to
learn; - understanding of
their own
personal and
professional
qualities, skills,
needs, difficulties
in learning,
communication
and interaction
Printed
questionnaires,
tests; essay writing;
preparation of self-
presentations;
development of
joint posters, wall
hangings, SWOT
introspection cards; joint exercises and
games
Electronic
questionnaires,
surveys (Google
Forms); joint
documents and
presentations (Google
Dok, Google
Presentations);
electronic
presentations
(PowerPoint, Canva,
Prezi) and video
essays; SWOT
introspection cards
(MindMeister,
Mindomo, MindMup)
Foreign language
education:
Foreign language
with teaching
methods
- determining the
success factors of
modern students,
teachers; - diagnosing the
level of motivation
to learn a foreign
language
Determining the
priority of one's
own motives for
learning a foreign
language and
developing on this
basis ways of
self-improvement
of foreign
language
competence
Printed
questionnaires,
questionnaires,
crossword puzzles,
interactive tasks; joint posters, wall
hangings, etc.
Electronic
questionnaires,
surveys, quizzes,
crosswords, puzzles,
word clouds (Google
Forms, Kahoot;
Quizizz, Rebus1,
Learningapps,
WordArt); creating steps for
self-development
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through scribing
(Sparkol; Powtoon);
QR codes
Extracurricular
activities: individual and
collective
consultations,
trainings, master
classes on the
basis of the
Center
- Formation of
skills of self-
knowledge and
self-development; - development of
tolerance, research
skills,
communication
and digital skills,
critical thinking
and reflection.
Formation of
skills of self-
knowledge and
personal-
professional self-
development
Carrying out of
adaptive trainings
and trainings of
self-knowledge and
self-development; master of personal
and professional
growth classes. Presentation of
project
implementation
results (round
tables,
presentations)
Conducting trainings
and master classes
(Google Meet,
ZOOM); group communication
on Facebook,
Telegram and Viber;
creation video on the results
of the project
(Windows Movie
Maker, Bolide Movie
Creator; mobile
applications: Movavi
Clips, PowerDirector)
(own authorship)
Based on the results of the interdisciplinary
project «Portrait of Freshman» in 2019, a slide
presentation of a freshman’s portrait at the
Pedagogical Institute was created. The
presentation was discussed during a round table
with the participation of students, the Council of
Student Government, teachers of the Institute.
The effectiveness of the implemented project
was evaluated in accordance with the selected
indicators of personal and professional self-
development of future teachers on a set of scores
corresponding to the basic, intermediate and high
levels. To illustrate it, we will present
quantitative indicators of the high level of
personal and professional development of
students on all indicators in comparison
(ascertaining and control stages) (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Quantitative indicators of a high level of personal and professional self-development of students,
results of the project «Portrait of Freshman» in 2019.
It should be noted that in the process of
implementing this interdisciplinary project,
digital tools were not used, and the obtained
quantitative indicators served in further research
as the results of personal and professional self-
development of students of the control group.
The experimental group included 54 first-year
students majoring in «Preschool Education» (24
people) and «Primary Education» (30 people),
who joined the implementation of the
interdisciplinary project of personal and
professional self-development «Development in
Cognition» in 2020. This project involved the use
and testing of the effectiveness of various digital
tools (see Table 2). The peculiarity of this project
of personal and professional self-development of
future teachers was that the timing of its
implementation coincided with the introduction
of quarantine restrictions (October-December,
2020). As a result, most of the classes in
disciplines, trainings and master classes in
extracurricular activities were conducted online
on the platforms Google Meet, ZOOM and in the
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electronic learning environment of the University
(Moodle platform).
An important task in the implementation of the
project with the use of digital tools was the
development of interesting and meaningful
assignments by teachers. Therefore, each of them
was developed in accordance with the integrated
goal, taking into account the possibilities of
group and individual work, which students
performed both during the lesson (online work)
and independently. Another important task of
pedagogical support was the preparation of first-
year students to work with digital tools and the
development of their digital skills. Such work
was carried out mainly in extracurricular time - a
series of trainings and master classes were held
on the basis of the Center for Self-Knowledge
and Self-Development.
The final stage of the interdisciplinary project
«Development in Cognition» was the creation of
individual and group information messages in the
form of videos, video presentations about
students’ own achievements as a result of self-
analysis and self-development in the process of
studying at the Institute. The future teachers
posted their works on social networks and on the
website of the Center for Self-Realization and
Self-Development.
The effectiveness of the interdisciplinary project
«Development in Cognition» in the personal and
professional self-development of future teachers
was determined according to the selected
indicators, based on a set of scores. To visually
demonstrate it, we will present quantitative
indicators of the high level of personal and
professional self-development of students
(according to the results of the project in
ascertaining and control stages) (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3. Quantitative indicators of a high level of personal and professional self-development of students,
results of the project «Development in Cognition» in 2020
Qualitative analysis of generalized indexes based
on indicators of personal and professional self-
development proved their significant increase in
students of the experimental group (Table 3). It
is worth noting a significant increase in the
motivation of these students to perform the tasks
of an interdisciplinary project using digital tools.
Integrated tasks of academic disciplines and
forms of extracurricular activities with the
application of these tools contributed to the
intensification of research activities of students,
the formation of digital skills and reflection,
which is proved by the experts’ assessments.
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Table 3.
Comparison of levels of personal and professional self-development of students of pedagogical specialties
(control stage)
Indicators /
Levels
Control Group (55 people)
Experimental Group (54 people)
basic
medium
high
basic
medium
high
value-motivated
8
26
21
0
2
52
cognitive
9
27
19
0
7
47
Self-
study
9
28
18
4
10
40
procedural
12
30
13
3
13
38
Self-
movement
12
32
11
6
19
29
average
index
10
28,6
16,4
2,6
10,2
41,2
(own authorship)
Since expert evaluation is largely subjective and
does not provide an accurate assessment of the
effectiveness of the studied phenomenon, we also
used statistical methods. The statistical
significance of the study results was verified by
comparing the high-level indicators in the control
and experimental groups using Student t-
criterion for unrelated samples with an equal
number of measurements.
As a result of calculations the empirical index of
t - criterion (temp = 5,7) is received. According to
the table of critical Student's t-criterion: p ≤ 0,05
(2,31); p ≤ 0,01 (3,36). The obtained empirical
index of t (5,7) is in the zone of significance (5,7>
3,36), which, in turn, proves a statistically
significant difference in the growth of high-level
indicators based on all indicators in the students
of the experimental group in contrast to the
control one.
Thus, we conclude that by comparing
quantitative and qualitative indicators (value-
motivated, cognitive, self-learning, procedural,
self-movement) the use of digital tools in
interdisciplinary projects of personal and
professional self-development of pedagogical
students is effective.
Conclusions
Theoretical analysis of sources on the researched
problem allowed us to conclude that the training
of specialists, including pedagogical specialties
is relevant and in demand. In particular, the
works of Ukrainian and foreign scientists briefly
reveal some aspects of the use of digital tools,
interdisciplinary projects in the educational
process of students. However, the peculiarities of
the use of digital tools in interdisciplinary
projects of personal and professional self-
development of future teachers are insufficiently
theoretically substantiated in the works of
modern scientists and there is no empirical data
on their effectiveness.
The article reveals the mechanisms of using
digital tools in interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional self-development,
taking into account their gradual implementation
by students of pedagogical specialties. Digital
tools (educational platforms and web resources,
digital services, mobile and online applications)
are singled out, the peculiarities of using these
tools in the project «Development in Cognition»
done by the author's team are highlighted.
According to the results of empirical research,
the effective use of digital tools at all stages of
implementation of interdisciplinary projects of
personal and professional development of
students (future teachers) is proved. The obtained
results of comparative analysis of quantitative
and qualitative indicators in accordance with
certain indicators of personal and professional
self-development of students (value-motivated,
cognitive-cognitive, self-study, procedural, self-
movement) at the ascertaining and control stages
of empirical research proved the effective use of
digital tools. The statistical value was verified by
comparing the values of high-level indicators in
the control and experimental groups using
Student t-criterion. The research revealed the
need for a flexible approach to the use of digital
tools at different stages of the interdisciplinary
project of personal and professional self-
development. It has been found out that at the
preparatory and organizational stages of the
projects such digital tools are effective that help
students learn the available thoughts and
considerations in the information space, form
students’ own judgments about pedagogical
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phenomena (electronic questionnaires,
questionnaires, group communication on
Facebook, Telegram); at the procedural stage,
students apply more widely used digital tools that
enhance their cognitive activity (online
conferences, quizzes; shared boards; electronic
crosswords, puzzles, games, word clouds); at the
reflection stage, students actively use video
presentations and video essays, posts that they
have published on social networks; electronic
blogs and websites.
The study identified digital tools that students
can use for personal and professional self-
development, but they are not fully disclosed in
this article. We consider the following issues for
further research - the use of educational
platforms, web resources, social networks in the
training of students of pedagogical specialties.
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