Philosophical and psychological considerations when choosing educational development for students to adjust to studies

Abstract

According to earlier research, majority of first-year undergraduates have some difficulties adapting to the study pattern in universities. A series of papers state that this process is greatly affected by the regional realities where they live, therefore the researchers designed and tested a number of educational developments leading to better adapting. Herewith, the analysis of findings does not suggest that a combination of educational developments identified by theory and verified experimentally could be described as necessary and sufficient. It necessitates further research in this area and it’s efficiency will depend on choosing the right methodology for the research. Based on the four-level methodology of scientific analysis by I.V. Blauberg and E.G. Yudin there is rationale to incorporate the provisions of the activity theory when analyzing a package of educational developments. It’s implementation in physical education would ensure first-year undergraduates adapt to the study pattern in a university as effectively as possible.The main methods of research included the analysis and consolidation of scientific and methodological data, summative experiment to determine the functional state of students and correlation of the findings with their biological age. Experimentation was carried out by the Department of Physical Education, Chuvash State Agricultural Academy, Russia. The research resulted in supplementing the earlier proposed set of educational developments with other two. The first of them is to objectify the need for physical exercise as an effective way to enhance adaptation of firstyear students. The second one is to have monitoring and corrective measures in place as part of the activity. Together with the earlier recommended framework, these educational developments ensure all functionalities of the activity to improve the studied process of first-year students adaptation to the study pattern in a university. Whereby a set of educational developments could be termed as a coherent organic system