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Экономические науки/5. Современные методы преподавания

Degtyarev S.N.

Tyumen State University, Russia

Subject-directed approach in the research of potential talent of pupils

The problem of the development of children’ talent and creative abilities has become especially actual for the last time due to the necessities of innovative economics, demanding creative specialists. Not accidentally one of the last meetings of the State council with the President of the Russian Federation was devoted to the problems of teaching and development of talented and gifted children. The President of the Russian Federation noticed that our country should become the leader in global competition. We need not only the support of separate elite groups of gifted children but general work for revealing and developing of talented children and teenagers. Such work should be built on the basis of scientific methodology and modern theoretical foundation.

There are two opposite points of view in science and pedagogical practice about quantitative ratio of gifted and ordinary children. According to one point of view, talent is extremely rare phenomenon (there are only 2-3% of gifted children). According to another point of view, practically all children are gifted. It is simply necessary to find conditions for revealing the talent of each kid (such point of view appeared within humanistic pedagogy). That’s why the term of potential talent appeared, i.e. possibility of a child to achieve in future significant success in this or that sphere if proper conditions for its development are created.

Potential talent is not formed quality yet opposite to, for example, hidden or actual talent. Potential talent exists in psycho as definite disintegrated possibilities, defining extraordinary results of child’s activity and that’s why needs specific means of reveal, fulfillment and development.

Nowadays researches in the sphere of potential talent are very important.

In spite of the definite success of the Russian education system in work with talented pupils, (for instance, awards for prize places in the international Olympiads) the situation in general is not very promising. According to PISA research results (2009), Russia took 41-43 places among 65 countries. And dynamics of indices is negative. Moreover, the part of pupils in Russian gymnasia and lyceums was equal to 20% from general number of pupils in 2009. But only 4,2% of studied samples showed high level of natural science literacy. It means that even institutions of higher status (gymnasia, lyceums, schools with detailed study of some subjects) do not fulfill the task of revealing of development of the talent and abilities of pupils. It stresses the necessity of a wide research of the problem of the talent development, including its potential form typical for the majority of children and teenagers.

Modern pedagogic practice shows the controversy between teaching requirements for assessment of the talent (abilities) of pupils and real usage of tests results during teaching process and children development, the tendency of psychology to measure talent by its “parts” (attention, memory, thinking, perception, etc.) Results of quantitative test measurements are poorly correlated with the success of pupils in studying and creative activity.

Psychological methods give only general assessment of creative and intellectual potential. On their basis it is difficult to forecast the future results of any activity in an exact sphere or subject. Teachers need special methods, connected with studied subject on the basis of which it would be possible to assess creative potential of any pupil. Specific pedagogic methods and means of creativity revealing are necessary as the basis of creative potential.

The approach to the assessment of creative potential by means of teaching subject is subject-directed. We think that the following approach is promising in its practical use. A teacher, having appropriate tools of diagnostics (means and methods), can productively forecast the development of the creative potential of pupils. The teacher will pay attention not only to pupils with vivid talent but to those who start to show signs of potential talent that’s development can ensure successful socialization and self-realization of pupils.

If we take into account such methodological premise as any activity is an objective basis for integration of separate abilities and that “talent is an integral manifestation of different abilities with a view of concrete activity" [1, p.9], it is more advisable to study creative potential according to the descriptions of pupil's activity and his creative products. In that respect a teacher, who investigates the creative products of pupils' activity, can estimate his creative potential and protect the future achievements. From the point of view of pedagogic practice it has essential meaning.

The difficulty of studying of potential talent is in its differentiation of actual demonstrations of talent. That is why, in working out of the criterion of estimation of creative product we should choose the criterion of exactly potential talent and determine specificity of products in which given criterions were reflected. One of such criteria is elaboration and integrity of net structure of knowledge and experience which is the certain model of cognitive structures of intellect. It is responsible for perception, keeping, transformation and application of information. Graphic reflection of net structure can be done in the form of divergent maps (another name in literature is mind maps or mental maps).

Divergent map is a main structure, graphic reflection of experience and knowledge of a person, associative and logical connections which are actualized around a certain central conception in the process of non-linear, multi-measured divergent thinking.[2,p59].

Here is an example of such map, made by the 10-th form pupil Diana K. at the lesson of Physics with the initial diagnostics of structure assimilated the school content. The theme of her work was "Work and energy of electric field".

On the extent of ramification, logic of unrolling of information, its exactness, nature of formation we can judge about quality of assimilation of school information by a person and possibilities of its effective use by doing sums Physics or analyzing phenomena of Physics.

The tasks for the construction of the structure of school content on the basis of some ideas of a theme have diagnostic and developing possibilities. They are interesting didactic tasks which can serve as a purpose of diagnostics of creative potential. Here we can introduce the work of American scientists (Cornell University, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Joseph D. Novak, Alberto J. Cones). The Concept maps theory was elaborated by them. The program "C map tools" can be found in the Internet.

Such instruments are used not only in the USA and the West, but in Russia. There are such variants of the use of maps, as they have not got abroad. The question is about test-maps, to be more accurate, about knowledge tests made as divergent maps. Such tests permit not only to check pupils' knowledge. They promote the formation of the knowledge structure and through involuntary mechanisms of perception, when such structure becomes by-product (according to Ponomaryov Y.A.).

The tasks made by pupils on the basis of simple ones could be another kind of creative product of activity. It is known, creativity is described by the ability of a person to overcome stereotypes set outside. The observations show that creative children, who made their task, never rest content with what has been achieved. They imagine themselves a problematical situation from different points of view, try to change the condition of the task for more interesting thing for them, try to come to co-operating subject region, come to another problem. Undoubtedly, such understanding activity is an indication of a creative person. But not great per cent of pupils shows such activity. They are related to those, who have expressed and actualized talent. However, we can estimate (or, in any case, display) creative potential and, as a result, potential talent if we propose our pupils unusual creative work to make tasks on the basis of typical ones, which are not difficult for pupils.

We assessed the tasks using the 6-points scale, connected with the indicators of creative changes of the tasks:

1. The number of demands of the task without changing its subject was increased.

2. Conditions complicating the task in the range of the subject were added.

3. The subject of the task was changed in the range of the task’s theme.

4. The subject of the task was changed and connected with other theme without the increasing the complication of the task.

5. The complication of the task was increased considerably including the other subjects.

6. Original complication of the task with elements of newness in the practical solving of tasks (Olympiad level) was added.

The appearance of creation of different degrees is possibility to discover in the tasks with 4-6 points. Really creative tasks are those that have 6 points. A.G. Gelfman, M.A.Kholodova, L.N.Demidova (1993) suggested an interesting method for assessment of individual mental range of interest concerning the revelation of peculiarities of representational information.

The method is “An ideal computer”[4,p.275]. A pupil is given 10 minutes to ask any questions to the computer that knows absolutely everything.

The list of pupils questions to the computer is a creative product which is assessed by indicators, connected with creativity:

- total quantity of questions;

- quantity of category questions, including total aspect of reality.

According to the opinions of psychologists the more a pupil asks questions the more creative potential he has.

Nevertheless, this method is not connected with definite subject. It is easily adapted to any subject’s context.

For instance, at the History lesson you have a mental opportunity to ask a question to any historical person (P. Stolypin, Peter I, Alexander II, B. N. Yeltsin and so on).

The pupils’ questions can be assessed by a criteria of creation (variety of questions, their category, system, generalization etc.)

Analyzing the questions a teacher can get imagination of pupils’ interests, broadmindedness, their depth and quality of given information. From the point of creative potential psychological method L.V. Shavina’s (1993) definition of typical prognosis of future events is very interesting. For example, “Ecological prognosis of future development of Earth”. The results of differentiations prognosis (e.d. “seen” aspects of future) and its optimistic view to judge about creative character of thinking of a pupil. [4,p.276]. This method can be adapted to the teaching subjects. Pupils can be given to write a composition, an essay on the theme of historical, political, economical, technological prognosis. It is necessary to work out the criteria of their assessment and to assess the degree of the creative thinking.

In revealing of talent of pupils, as it was mentioned before, it is more expedient to use a complex approach. And you can use a wide spectrum of various methods: different variants of observation of children, trainings, pilot lessons on special programs, assessment of results of creative activity, Olympiads, contests, conferences.

In conclusion, I would like to mark that the assessment of a child as a talented one should not be the aim. Revealing of talent of pupils and their potential is necessary to connect with the aim of teaching and development of children and also with supporting of children and giving

psychological and pedagogic help.

LITERATURE

1. Bogoyavlenskaya D.V., Shadricov V.D., Brushlinsky A.B., and others. Working conception of talent. M.: “Izdatelstvo Magistr”, 1998

2. Pedagogic dictionary: training appliances for students of Higher pedagogic institutions (Edited by Zagvyazinsky V.J., Zakirova A.F. – M.: Publishing House Center “Akademia”, 2008

3. Psychology of creativity. School of Ponomaryova (Edited by D.V. Ushakova M.: Publishing House “Institute of Psychology RAN”, 2006

4. Kholodnaya M.A. Psychology of Intellect: paradoxes of investigation. – Tomsk: Publishing House of Tomsk University. Moscow: Publishing House “Bars”, 1997.