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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.10
How to Cite:
Marchenko, O., Fedorenko, O., Kovalenko, Y., Pavlyk, O., & Lukin, B. (2024). Influence of educational environment on the
formation of skills among future professionals. Amazonia Investiga, 13(73), 128-138. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.10
Influence of educational environment on the formation of skills among
future professionals
Вплив освітнього середовища на формування вмінь і навичок майбутніх фахівців
Received: December 22, 2023 Accepted: January 28, 2024
Written by:
Olga Marchenko1
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1007-9560
Olena Fedorenko2
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4948-9524
Yuliya Kovalenko3
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5736-4249
Olena Pavlyk4
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4788-5283
Bohdan Lukin5
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4952-7407
Abstract
This research aims to explore the impact of
educational environment factors within higher
education institutions on the process of shaping
professional (Hard Skills) and social
competencies (Soft Skills) of future
professionals. The proposed study falls within
the realm of mixed-method scientific inquiry, as
it encompasses the synthesis of theoretical
analysis of scholarly concepts relevant to the
article’s core ideas, a factor analysis of empirical
data collected to quantify the influence of
external and internal educational environment
factors, as well as qualitative generalizations
drawn from the results of the factor analysis.
Empirical data collection was conducted through
the observation of a student group (n = 925)
utilizing methods such as surveys,
questionnaires, testing, and interviews. The
findings of this research are valuable for
informing the implementation of models for
graduates of higher education institutions. The
1
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Sociology and Psychology Department of Faculty № 6,
Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs (Ukraine). WoS Researcher ID: V-4149-2017
2
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Sociology and Psychology Department of Faculty № 6, Kharkiv National
University of Internal Affairs (Ukraine). WoS Researcher ID: KDN-6747-2024
3
PhD, Associate Professor, Docent of the Ukrainian and Foreign Languages Department, Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture
(Ukraine). WoS Researcher ID: JDD-7807-2023
4
Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Docent of the Pedagogy and Psychology Department, Kharkiv State
Academy of Physical Culture (Ukraine). WoS Researcher ID: JDD-2576-2023
5
Lecturer of the Tactical and Special Physical Training Department, Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs (Ukraine).
WoS Researcher ID: KDN-6788-2024
Marchenko, O., Fedorenko, O., Kovalenko, Y., Pavlyk, O., Lukin, B. / Volume 13 - Issue 73: 128-138 / January, 2024
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study revealed that future professionals are
expected to have not only hard skills but also
develop soft skills, the formation of which should
occur in parallel.
Keywords: higher education institution,
professional, educational environment, factor,
competence, professional competence, social
competence.
Introduction
The social environment plays a crucial role in
determining an individual’s system of values,
personal orientation, behavioural norms, and
serves as a source of acquiring both professional
and social experience. The educational
environment within educational institutions is
considered a subsystem of the broader social
environment. It exerts both regular, organized,
and spontaneous, often unpredictable influences
on educational actors due to a multitude of
diverse material and immaterial factors (Budnyk
& Sydoriv, 2019).
In its general characteristics, the educational
environment can be defined as a set of specific
conditions that facilitate the realization of an
individual’s right to education (Article 59 of the
Ukrainian Constitution).
The purpose of this article is to clarify the
essence, structure, and potential of the
educational environment within higher education
institutions concerning the development of
specific social and professional competencies of
future professionals, the acquisition of which
ensures their professional readiness to perform
their functions.
The formulated objective outlines the tasks
related to:
1) refining the model of a higher education
institution graduate as a combination of
social and professional competencies;
2) defining the essential characteristics of the
educational environment within higher
education institutions;
3) investigating the structure of the educational
environment within higher education
institutions;
4) identifying the resources within the
educational environment as a systemic
whole and a collection of individual
components in the context of shaping the
professional competency of a future
professional.
The content of a professional’s skills (Hard
Skills) and social characteristics (Soft Skills)
depends on the profile of their professional
training. For instance, Hard Skills encompass
abilities such as typing on a computer, driving a
vehicle, technical operation of machinery,
reading, arithmetic calculations, algebraic
transformations, mathematical presentations,
technical translation, and the use of computer
programs, among others. Hard Skills are subject
to measurement through valid diagnostic
procedures, enabling the determination of a
specialist's qualifications.
Irrespective of the training profile and field of
activity, we believe the following Soft Skills are
pertinent:
− critical thinking, defined as the capacity to
make appropriate decisions based on the
analysis of available information;
− effective communication, which involves
articulating thoughts clearly and coherently
to audiences of any nature;
− emotional intelligence, encompassing the
understanding of others’ emotions and
feelings, managing one's own emotions, and
influencing the emotions of others;
− social intelligence, referring to the system of
norms regarding one's relationship with the
world and others, the ability to form attitudes
towards oneself, anticipate the consequences
of actions, and understand one's own
behavior and that of others;
− problem-solving ability, involving the
capacity to identify solutions, opportunities,
and resources;
− inquisitiveness, characterized by an interest
in seeking answers to pertinent and
significant questions;
− business acumen, denoting determination in
pursuing problem resolution.
These traits are more challenging to formalize
and are subject to quantitative measurement.
Expert assessment and methodologies such as
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Emotional Intelligence (N. Hall), Social
Intelligence (J. Guilford), and others are
commonly used to determine the level of their
development.
Theoretical framework
The pedagogical significance of the environment
has been recognized by international pedagogical
thinkers throughout different eras, including
figures such as K. Comenius, J. Locke,
I. Pestalozzi, J. J. Rousseau, J. Dewey, C. Rogers,
P. Freire, E. Carlton Parsons, D. Moore, and
M. Fabri. In domestic pedagogy, the
understanding of the educational environment
has evolved from a rigid social determinism
approach, as exemplified by A. Makarenko, to
one that emphasizes the promotion of individual
freedom and self-development, as advocated by
O. Zakharenko and V. Sukhomlynsky.
In contemporary pedagogical thought, the
concept of the “educational environment” is used
as a composite category that represents a
structural component of a particular socio-
pedagogical system (O. Harkovych,
R. Hurevych, L. Ibragimova, V. Ilyina,
M. Karpenko, etc.). They conceive the
educational environment as:
1) a collection of historical conditions and
circumstances;
2) a subsystem of the socio-cultural
environment;
3) a sub-space within the broader socio-
informational context;
4) an integrated, specifically organized
pedagogical system for socialization and
personality development.
In its broadest sense, the educational
environment encompasses a diverse,
multilayered world that surrounds individuals,
shaping their perceptions of the world, attitudes
towards people, nature, and their surroundings.
As aptly noted by L. Necheporenko,
environmentalism (from the English
“environment”) is the entire world: earth,
atmosphere, biosphere, and noosphere. In a
narrower sense, it refers to the local environment
of an educational institution, integrating the
educational process, the content of educational
materials, and the interaction of educational
actors within a specific pedagogical space. The
educational environment of higher education
institutions serves as a microcosm that “remains
one of the few opportunities to glimpse into the
vast universe of humanity, which must learn to
build new solidarity among its members”
(Juszczyk, 2007).
It is important to note that the pedagogical
potential of the educational environment in
higher education lies in its ability to transform
external influences into the internal structure of
the individual. It creates favourable conditions
for comprehensive personal development and
self-improvement, instils ethical and aesthetic
values in educational actors, facilitates the
dissemination of new professional, cultural, and
corporate values, stimulates group interests,
enhances interpersonal relationships, and assists
in the acquisition of social experience and the
development of qualities necessary for life and
professional activities.
The educational environment in higher education
institutions provides students with the
opportunity to acquire both general (key) and
professional competencies in humanities, social
sciences, natural sciences, and engineering and
technology fields, essential for professional
practice and their intellectual, moral, spiritual,
aesthetic, and physical development.
Methodology
Research Background
The research methodology is grounded in the
theoretical analysis of scientific works relevant
to the addressed problem, synthesis,
generalization, modelling, and formalization to
formulate theoretical conclusions and predictive
propositions. It also involves empirical
investigations and the processing of their results,
as factor analysis to ascertain the significance of
identified factors within the educational
environment of higher education institutions in
shaping specific socio-professional phenomena
in future professionals.
The factor-analytic method is based on the notion
of the comprehensive nature of the phenomenon
under study, as manifested in the relationships
among its characteristics. The goal of factor
analysis is to transform the initial information,
initially presented in the form of a data array, into
a concentrated set of the most essential
characteristics, which are the factors.
The primary results of factor analysis are
expressed in factor loadings, factor fields, factor
weights, and eigenvalues of the factors. Factor
loadings represent the correlation coefficients
between each of the analyzed variables and each
of the extracted factors. The closer the
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connection between a variable and a factor, the
higher its factor loading. A positive sign of a
factor loading indicates a direct relationship with
the factor, while a negative sign indicates an
inverse one. Factor loadings are presented in the
form of a table with rows equal to the number of
analyzed variables (columns in the original data
matrix) and columns equal to the number of
extracted factors. From a matrix algebra
perspective, the matrix of factor loadings is
transposed to the original data matrix.
The extraction of factors can be carried out based
on the study of a factor analysis outcome called
factor weights. Factor weights are quantitative
values representing the connection between the
extracted factors and the objects. Objects with
higher factor weights are characterized by a
higher level of manifestation of the properties of
the extracted factor (a stronger connection with
the factor). Positive factor weights correspond to
objects with a level of manifestation of the
factor’s properties above average, while negative
factor weights correspond to objects with a level
below average. The table of factor weights
contains rows equal to the number of objects
under study and columns equal to the number of
extracted factors.
To determine the social characteristics of future
professionals in the study, methods such as
“Emotional Intelligence” (N. Hall), “Social
Intelligence” (J. Guilford), “Level of Subjective
Control”, “Value Compatibility and
Accessibility”, “Color Test of Attitudes”
(E.F. Bazhin, O.M. Etkind), and others were
utilized.
The research has established that the educational
environment within higher education institutions
should serve as the organizational and
methodological support for the development of
specific components of social and professional
competence of future professionals. It constitutes
a set of conditions and resources for the
education and upbringing of education seekers,
as well as the sphere of realization of the
professional activities of pedagogical and
scientific-pedagogical staff.
As a local microcosm, the educational
environment within higher education institutions
possesses the following characteristics:
− encompasses the socio-economic system to
which the education seekers belong;
− education seekers, while having the status of
temporary members of the higher education
institution, constitute its variable contingent;
− the scientific-pedagogical staff is also
deprived of a permanent status since they
hold positions on a competitive basis;
− the higher education institution is an
accountable structure with its activity goals
determined by qualitative and quantitative
parameters of the social-state order, and its
content is represented by educational and
professional programs implemented in
educational complexes of academic
disciplines;
− the outcomes of the higher education
institution’s activity have a remote nature, as
the results can be evaluated some time after
the completion of education;
− the educational process within higher
education institutions involves a multitude
of contradictions and paradoxes, including
the real autonomy of higher education
institutions as institutions, as stipulated by
the (Law of Ukraine No. 2145-VIII) “On
Education” (2017), and the limited
autonomy of educators in choosing the
content of education in terms of scope and
structure of educational information;
− a characteristic feature of the educational
environment is a system of opportunities, a
variety of individual forms, and trajectories
of education seekers.
Summarizing the views of researchers Bondar,
Kovalenko, & Petrenko, (2023); Franiok, (2021);
Kasáčová & Kosova, (2007); Baartman, &
Bruijn, (2011); Yu et al., (2014), Prokopenko,
(2020); the model of a graduate of a higher
education institution has been characterized as a
structure of personality in the form of needs and
abilities, values, orientations, attitudes, necessary
qualities, interests, and social attitudes. Among
the essential characteristics of the graduate
model, social and professional competencies
were included, which encompass knowledge,
skills, ways of action, life experience, predicted
qualities of personality, ensuring readiness for
future activities, quick adaptation to specific
conditions, responsibility, initiative, a striving
for improvement, self-realization, and a healthy
lifestyle.
In the scientific and pedagogical discourse, the
professional competence of a specialist is
commonly characterized as an integral
personality-professional formation, combining
social-personal and special (general scientific,
engineering, etc.) competencies.
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The article defines the professional and socio-
personal traits of future professionals, which
form the basis of such an integrative formation as
professional-social competence. The
professional competence (Hard Skills) of a
specialist will be based on the formula of the
American scientist G. Lasswell: P = p d r f, (1)
Where:
P – professional competence of a specialist;
p – personal motives;
d – projection onto the object of professional
activity;
r – rationalization of actions as a manifestation of
professional interest;
f – transformation processes.
From the provided formula, it follows that the
professional competence of a specialist is
ensured by the presence of personal motives and
professional interest directed towards acquiring
the necessary knowledge.
These motives will be transferred to the object of
professional activity in the future through
transformational processes (Bathan, 2021). The
special competencies of professionals of
different profiles have been presented in the
Table 1.
Table 1.
General Professional Competencies of Specialists
Competency
Components
Knowledge
Skills
Communication
Autonomy and
Responsibility
General Scientific Competencies
Ability to
apply
knowledge of
fundamental
principles of
natural-
mathematical
disciplines in
practical
activities
Knowledge of
fundamental
principles of higher
mathematics, physical
theories and laws,
methods of
researching physical
phenomena, basics of
engineering and
computer graphics,
basics of
standardization and
metrology
Ability to apply
fundamental
principles of higher
mathematics and
natural sciences when
mastering the content
of specialized
educational
disciplines in the
specialization and
speciality
Ability to present the
results of educational,
educational-research, and
scientific-research
activities, use software
tools and skills for
working in computer
networks, create
databases, and use
Internet resources
Independent
assimilation of
new knowledge
under
conditions of
innovative
development
Engineering and Technical Competencies
Mastery of
technical
principles of
design,
operation of
machinery,
and
equipment
Knowledge of the
theoretical
foundations of
thermodynamics,
technical mechanics,
and other scientific
disciplines that make
up the scientific basis
of the respective
industry,
comprehensive
knowledge of its
component base
Ability to measure
parameters of various
devices, automation
of control of
machinery and
equipment samples
Ability to interact in
carrying out educational-
research tasks related to
the study and
development of the
component base,
measurement of
performance parameters
Independent
assimilation of
new knowledge
under
conditions of
innovative
development
Sourse: (Bathan, 2021)
It is important to note that the content of an
integrated competency of a specialist depends on
the profile of their professional training. For
instance, in Table 2, examples of professional
competencies for an engineering profile
specialist have been provided, whereas for a
future humanitarian specialist, this set will be
different. The social competencies of a specialist
have been presented in Table 2.
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Table 2.
Social Competencies of a Specialist
Components of
Competency
Knowledge
Skills
Communication
Autonomy and
Responsibility
Social Competence
Ability to
participate in the
activities of
democratic
institutions of
society
Knowledge of
current legislation,
regulatory
framework, political
literacy
Ability to advocate
one’s position,
correct mistakes, and
understand the flow
of political
information
Ability to
participate in the
activities of
democratic
institutions of the
society
Adequate assessment and
responsibility for one’s
health, the lives and health of
subordinates, and peaceful
citizens
Ability to exist
in a social
environment
Knowledge of
scientific principles
of decision-making
theory, current
legislation,
regulatory acts,
philosophy,
sociology, political
science, economic
theory, Ukrainian
and foreign
languages, history of
Ukraine, knowledge
and observance of
the rights and
freedoms of a
Ukrainian citizen,
rights and duties of
an official
Ability to make
managerial decisions
in standard and non-
standard situations,
manage engineering
and technical,
economic activities,
conduct individual
and group
educational work,
actions to strengthen
labour discipline and
law and order, unite
production teams,
predict and resolve
interpersonal
conflicts
Communicativenes
s, the ability to
organize
functional-role and
interpersonal
interaction,
tolerance, the
ability to criticize
and engage in self-
criticism,
systematic
problem-solving,
ability to
communicate with
people: oral,
written, in the form
of dialogue and
conversation,
ability to predict
the development of
interpersonal
relations in
production teams
Competencies related to the
individual as a personality, a
subject of activity:
understanding of ethical
norms of behaviour, ability
to learn, carry out personal
and professional self-
development, and
improvement. Competencies
related to the social
interaction of the specialist
with the social sphere, and
production team: ability to
carry out effective
professional activities in the
position of manager and
subordinate
Sourse: (grouped by the authors)
The social qualities of a professional can be
presented as the result of the combined
manifestation of such professionally important
moral-ethical and emotional-volitional qualities
of an individual, including:
1) empathy (the ability to empathize, share
feelings, sense a person's mood, and
understand their inner world);
2) tactfulness, delicacy, and attentiveness to the
service recipient (paying attention to the
client's mood, their well-being, adhering to
the principle of “do not harm”);
3) tolerance (respect for the interests, beliefs,
ideals, needs, and habits of other people,
accepting a person as they are, with their
right to choose their way of life);
4) patience and self-control (maintaining
control over one’s own emotions in response
to provocations such as irritability and
aggressiveness);
5) high spiritual culture and morality, ethical
behaviour, compassion, sensitivity, and
selflessness (oriented toward the interests,
needs, and protection of a client’s human
dignity, a willingness to help, and sympathy
for others);
6) honesty (truthfulness in explaining the
client’s situation, possible solutions to their
problems, and potential difficulties);
7) objectivity and fairness (treating clients
equally, regardless of personal preferences,
providing an adequate assessment of their
problems);
8) moral integrity in professional matters,
confidentiality (the ability to keep secrets
that do not pose a threat to others);
9) integrity and responsibility (moral
responsibility for one’s behaviour and the
consequences of one's actions);
10) positive emotional attitude towards people:
friendliness, kindness, love for people,
optimism (the ability to perceive a person as
valuable, instilling positive feelings toward
them, inspiring hope for the better).
As a rule, indicators of the level of development
of these qualities are difficult to formalize or not
entirely formalizable and do not lend themselves
to mathematical processing or the derivation of
universal laws.
For example, attempts to derive regularities in
the ways of human existence that define the
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general parameters of life, sensory-mental
experiences of an individual, determined by the
existential nature of human existence, the free
choice of personality, influenced by a complex of
external and internal environmental factors, can
be represented by the formula of “personal
identity” (E. Erikson), “self-actualization”
(A. Maslow), “authentic expression”
(A. Waterman), “personal expression”
(M. Seligman):
O = I + L + V, (2) where I – factors that determine
the individualized range of comfortable
perception of the surrounding environment (at
least at the level of 50%), genetically determined
and relatively stable throughout life;
L – life circumstances that determine the self-
realization of a person by 10%;
V – factors determined by conscious actions,
requiring effort, subject to volitional control,
make up about 40%.
The research provides the “health formula”
proposed by the author’s team (Skúpa et al.,
2021).
H = (ES + PA + TH + RN + OF) / (D + SM + A
+ OHH), (3) where H – health; ES – emotional
stability; PA – physical activity; TH – thermal
hardening; RN – rational nutrition; OF – other
favorable factors; D – diseases; SM – smoking;
A – alcohol; OHH – other harmful habits.
According to the “health formula,” a person’s
health is directly proportional to a healthy
lifestyle, possible with favourable conditions for
life, education, and professional activities.
Conversely, a person's health deteriorates if they
have harmful habits or are in unfavourable
conditions.
The above highlights the research aspects of
shaping the educational environment in higher
education institutions (HEIs), such as somatic
(human body conditions), valeological,
ecological, and ergonomic factors, taking into
account which contributes to the formation of a
future professional’s personality through the
development of functional and adaptive reserves
of their organism in the educational environment.
Therefore, the professional competence of a
specialist is a multifunctional concept, the
formation of which, as researchers, including
Y. Shapran, (Porubský et al., 2014), who
associates with the creation of an appropriate
educational environment. This environment
allows for the modelling of various real
educational and professional situations,
providing an effective means of monitoring the
educational activities of students in this
environment. This emphasizes the characteristics
of competence, such as polyfunctionality, cross-
disciplinarity, and multidimensionality, the
presence of which significantly expands the
scope of personality development.
In the context of research on the impact of factors
within the educational environment of higher
education institutions (HEIs) on the development
of social and professional competencies of
professionals, it is pertinent to define competence
as a dissipative structure of personality that
expends energy in the educational and
professional environment, utilizing available
resources and systematically replenishing them
through the renewal of knowledge, acquisition of
new information, and improvement of skills and
methods of activity. This perspective is echoed
by O. Hura (Kozlovska et al., 2021), who notes
that competence cannot be isolated from the
specific conditions of its realization. The study of
the educational environment is a relevant
direction in contemporary research conducted by
both domestic and foreign psychologists and
educators.
As evidenced by the analysis of the provided
“formulas,” the formation of both professional
and social characteristics of a professional
depends significantly on the conditions of both
the internal (psychological) and external
(educational) environment. Scientific literature
offers numerous proposals for structuring the
educational environment of HEIs. Based on the
research results of V. Ilyina (Antera, 2021),
Donnikova, & Kovban, (2020), and our work
(Kovalenko et al., 2020), we can distinguish
several components within the educational
environment:
1. Organizational and managerial component:
This component ensures effective
management of the educational-professional
process, the participation of educational
actors in the work of educational-
methodological, educational-scientific
training, scientific, socio-humanitarian,
educational, and social-psychological
activities, international cooperation,
staffing, postgraduate education, creative
teams, implementation of educational,
cultural, and scientific cooperation programs
with other HEIs and institutions. It involves
forms and methods of organizing
educational activities that facilitate the
practice of applying professional skills,
including independent research with
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subsequent presentation of results to a
group, time management skills, conflict
resolution, cultural matters, and self-
actualization.
2. Content and procedural component: This
component primarily ensures the formation
of professional competencies prescribed by
educational-professional programs for
specific specialities and specializations. The
development of social skills is facilitated
through in-depth study of foreign languages,
socio-humanitarian disciplines, psychology,
pedagogy, and others. Relevant educational
disciplines should be included in the
educational-professional programs, with a
focus on teaching methods that emphasize
the development of higher education seekers
as competitive graduates. This component
also involves expanding the worldview of
students through attending classes in
relevant courses and electives, as well as
reading professional and literary literature.
The research demonstrates that the formation of
professional and social competencies is
intrinsically tied to the educational environment
of HEIs. Therefore, the effective structuring and
management of this environment play a crucial
role in the development of competent
professionals.
The communicative component of the
educational environment in higher education
institutions (HEIs) is oriented towards creating a
comfortable moral and psychological
atmosphere through the coordination of formal
and interpersonal interactions based on the
principles of the rule of law, mutual respect,
tolerance, and the organization of student self-
government and parliament. It also involves
engaging students in active civic and volunteer
activities, and participation in sports
competitions, which primarily contribute to the
development of social skills. Additionally, it
entails educators imparting to students an
understanding of the importance and benefits of
possessing social interaction skills
(Verdugo-Perona et al., 2017).
To complement the outlined structure of the
educational environment in HEIs, a
technological component can be introduced. This
component involves the organization of an
information field in which computer-based
management of educational activities is carried
out using a person-centered approach
(Marrero-Sánchez & Vergara-Romero, 2023),
(Sulym et al., 2023). This is achieved by creating
a database that corresponds to each student’s
educational trajectory. In a mode of flexible,
transparent, standardized dialogue with
computers, users acquire skills in productive
information search and gathering, logical and
critical thinking, independent decision-making,
creativity, and self-organization.
Sample
In this study, empirical data were utilized, which
were obtained within the framework of the
research by Borysov R. I. Motivation of
educational activity as a factor of formation of
educational practices of Ukrainian and Polish
students: a comparative analysis. A sociological
study, conducted jointly by V. N. Karazin
Kharkiv National University (Kharkiv, Ukraine)
and Zelenogursk University (Zelena Gura,
Poland), encompassed 925 Ukrainian and Polish
students.
The random nature of the sample ensures its
representativeness. Dominant socio-
demographic characteristics of the respondents
include orientation toward future professional
activity, and the financial status of young
individuals, which either necessitates working to
pay for education or relies on financial support
from their families or the possibility of receiving
additional income in the form of scholarships.
Instruments and procedures
To analyze the significance of factors related to
the educational environment in shaping
professional and social competence, the
following indicators were investigated: the
cumulative percentage of factor variance, which
determines how well our dataset was described
using the identified factors – the higher this
indicator, the greater the portion of the dataset
that was factorized; the percentage of total
variance indicates the significance of the factor –
the higher the percentage of variance it explains,
the more significant it is, and the more variables
it includes.
Thus, factor analysis was employed to determine
which educational factors are the most
significant, for which the analysis of factor
eigenvalues was utilized. Eigenvalues represent
variances explained by the factors.
Before conducting this analysis, an examination
of empirical data was performed using Kaiser-
Meyer-Olkin criteria (in this case, the criterion
equals 0.652) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (in
this case, it equals 0.00), indicating the
acceptability of using this method.
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Data analysis
In order to investigate the interrelations between
the “drivers” of professionalism and the
conditions of the internal and external
educational environment of higher education
institutions (HEIs) more comprehensively, we
employed the data from a factor analysis
conducted by Hans Heijke et al., (2003).
Based on the results of the analysis, four factors
were identified, explaining 73% of the variance.
The first factor (explaining 22% of the variance)
encompasses a group of factors related to the
HEI’s educational environment that are
associated with students’ orientation toward
future activities. These factors include
aspirations to ensure a professional career, better
preparation for future activities, becoming a
highly qualified specialist, and considering
success in the job placement process.
The second factor (also explaining 22% of the
variance) consists of factors associated with the
external aspects of the HEI’s educational
environment, such as the logic and coercion of
family-related factors (parental control, a desire
not to stand out in terms of success among peers)
and economic factors (tuition fees). This factor is
linked to the development of future
professionals’ ability for effective social
communication.
The third factor, explaining 14% of the variance,
combines motives related to quality control of
education and coercion in the form of an
orientation towards the accumulation of success
“capital.” This includes considerations during the
allocation of scholarships and job placement.
The least significant among the mentioned
factors (approximately 14% of the variance) is
the one that integrates factors most homogeneous
to the HEI’s educational environment, namely,
interest in academic disciplines and the demands
of instructors. This factor specifically determines
the observed convergence of aspirations
regarding the incorporation of cultural capital,
along with its subsequent institutionalization.
Results and discussion
The research results indicate that the orientation
toward future professional activity is not
determined by any ascriptive status of higher
education students (such as gender, place of
residence before entering higher education,
parental education, or family financial status).
Among students whose motivation is
characterized by the first factor, clear
professional status aspirations are discernible, as
they are more likely to plan engagement in
practical activities related to their specialization
after completing their education (correlation
coefficient is significant, with a strength of
association ρ=0.275). Alternatively, they may
pursue research activities (significant
correlation, with a strength of association
ρ=0.199) or teaching positions (significant
correlation, with a strength of association
ρ=0.187). Such students invest a considerable
amount of time in preparing for daily classes
(significant correlation, with a strength of
association ρ=0.201) and examinations
(significant correlation, with a strength of
association ρ=0.217). They demonstrate high
academic performance (significant correlation,
with a strength of association ρ=0.339).
Students motivated by external control within the
educational environment, based on the research
findings, tend to come from families with a
higher income level (significant correlation, with
a strength of association ρ=0.101). The objective
cultural capital of their families, represented by a
home library, is lower than that of their peers
(significant correlation, with a strength of
association ρ=-0.153). After completing their
education, these students are more inclined to
seek high administrative and managerial
positions compared to their colleagues. However,
it is worth noting that their relatively high level
of professional-status aspirations is not reflected
in intensive academic practices, a desire to
acquire foreign language proficiency or the
outcomes of their academic performance.
Higher education students motivated by the
desire to achieve high academic success are often
from families with limited financial resources
(significant correlation, with a strength of
association ρ=0.141) and reside in smaller towns
or rural areas (significant correlation, with a
strength of association ρ=0.155). These
individuals strive to allocate more time for study
preparation compared to students whose
motivation is primarily driven by external non-
academic factors. The authors of the research
emphasize that quantitatively, these practices
result in relatively high grades. However, their
academic performance is comparatively lower
than that of students oriented towards successful
professional activities.
According to the research findings, motivation
characterized by an interest in academic
disciplines and the demands of instructors
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influences the inclination towards pedagogical
activities and contributes to achieving reasonably high academic success. The research results are
presented in Table 3.
Table 3.
Factor Loadings of Higher Education Students’ Professional Motivation
Factors
1
2
3
4
Desire to secure a professional career
0,866
0,140
-0,035
0,040
Desire to better prepare for professional activity and
become highly qualified
0,863
-0,042
-0,101
0,150
Parental control
0,088
0,817
0,115
-0,086
Desire not to stand out among peers due to success
0,071
0,805
-0,026
0,092
Tuition fee
0,093
0,701
-0,472
-0,046
Consideration of grades in scholarship allocation
-0,004
-0,072
0,894
0,102
Instructor’s demands
-0,062
0,213
0,208
0,809
Interest in academic disciplines
0,263
-0,263
-0,086
0,725
Therefore, through the means of factor analysis,
it has been established that the determining
factors influencing the impact of the educational
environment on the formation of future
professionals are orientation towards future
specialized activity and external control over
academic performance by non-institutional
entities. Unfortunately, the second factor reduces
the academic success of higher education
students, leading to the formation of their
perception of the educational process as a
compulsory activity and the educational
environment as an alien space in which
subjectivity is lost.
Conclusions
The study delves into the multifaceted nature of
the educational environment, emphasizing its
role as a social space where educational and
professional activities take place, fostering
formal and interpersonal interactions between
learners and educators. This environment serves
not merely as a set of conditions but also as a
means to achieve educational objectives.
Employing factor analysis, the study identifies
the most influential factors shaping professional
and social competencies within the educational
environment. Quantitative indicators,
specifically variance, rank the significance of
these factors as follows: 1) students' orientation
towards future activities (22% of variance);
2) external aspects of higher education
institutions' educational environments (22% of
variance); 3) material interest factors (14% of
variance); and 4) factors closely aligned with the
educational environment of higher education
institutions (14% of variance).
The research emphasizes the simultaneous
cultivation of both hard and soft skills among
future professionals within modern higher
education institutions. It advocates against
compartmentalizing Hard Skills and Soft Skills,
asserting that professionals must possess not only
technical proficiency but also strong
communication abilities, negotiation skills, and
writing proficiency. These foundational skills
should be nurtured within the educational
environment of higher education institutions.
Furthermore, the study underscores the
importance of creating enriching learning
environments conducive to holistic skill
development. Educators are encouraged to go
beyond traditional knowledge dissemination
methods, emphasizing active engagement,
critical thinking, and problem-solving. Practical
experiences, such as internships and real-world
projects, are recommended to help students
acquire the necessary technical competencies and
interpersonal skills demanded by employers.
Continuous assessment and evaluation of
educational programs are deemed essential to
ensure their efficacy in preparing students for the
contemporary workforce. Employers are urged to
recognize the value of candidates with well-
rounded skill sets, comprising both technical
proficiencies and soft skills such as
communication and adaptability.
However, the study acknowledges the need for
further research to tailor findings to specific
specialties within the realm of future
professionals, given the diverse range of
disciplines involved.
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