The School Administration's View on the Organization of Project Activities: Difficulties and Prospects

Shinicheva Irina Yurievna Master's student, Department of state administration, National Research University "Higher school of Economics". 194100, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Kantemirovskaya str., 3, of. k.1, lit.A shinirina@yandex.ru

Pisarenko Irina Alekseevna PhD in Pedagogy Associate professor, Department of pedagogy, Saint-Petersburg State University 194100, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Universitetskaya emb. lit.B ixkpps@gmail.com

         Currently, in modern Russia, the demand of the labor market for education is changing. Previously, employers were more often focused on the execution of standard operations by workers, and today, in conditions of uncertainty, they are increasingly looking for employees who are able to make independent decisions, flexible, capable of rapid learning.The educational policy of the state is presented in regulatory documents ^[1,2,3,4].

One of the results of teaching schoolchildren is the development of skills of the XXI century in students through project activities.

Domestic researchers ^[7,10] note that reproductive and performing teaching methods continue to dominate in real pedagogical practice.

Based on the above, the school administration is faced with the task of organizing project activities as one of the conditions for fulfilling the state task in the field of education for the development of school graduates of the skills of the XXI century through project activities.

Modern practices of project activity implementation have been considered in domestic studies of recent years ^[5,6,8,9]. However, they do not reflect the problems faced by the school administration in organizing project activities for obtaining modern quality education.

The analysis of scientific sources and the regulatory framework of Russian legislation shows the need to study the problems of organizing project activities in a modern school.

The study was conducted in the spring of 2022 in educational institutions of the North-Western region of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted through the IMC of Krasnoselsky, Primorsky, Vasileostrovsky, Petrogradsky districts of St. Petersburg on the principle of sample availability. It was attended by 62 deputy school principals responsible for project activities at the school.

Methods of empirical research: design (questionnaire for deputy principals responsible for project activities), questionnaire (Google-form), generalization and systematization of the data obtained, quantitative and qualitative analysis.

To study the problems of organizing project activities at the school, a questionnaire was proposed. It was distributed by methodologists of information and methodological centers, sending a link to fill out the Google-form through the official mail of educational organizations. The questionnaire consists of several blocks (Table 1).

Table 1The structure of the questionnaire for deputy school principals responsible for project activities

Blocks

Let's take a closer look at the results of a survey of the administration of educational organizations on the problem of organizing project activities at school.

In the course of the study, data were obtained on the main subjects participating in project activities at school, for this the respondents were asked the following question: "Please list the participants of project activities at school" (Figure 1).

Fig.1 Distribution of responses of deputy principals of schools about the involvement of different subjects of the educational process in PD, % (of the number of responses, N=62)

According to the representatives of the administration, the largest number of participants in project activities are teachers, students and school administrators. At the same time, it is interesting to note that the number of parents involved in project activities is greater than the number of social partners.  Perhaps this is due to the fact that not all educational organizations have social partners who are involved in the project activities of schoolchildren, and a larger percentage of parents involved indicate their interest in the education of their own children.

It is interesting to compare the number of subjects participating in the project activity and the number of subjects organizing this activity (Figure 2).

Fig.2 Distribution of responses of deputy principals about the organization of PD in school, % (of the number of responses, N=62)

From the answers to the question "Who is involved in drawing up a plan (roadmap) for the implementation of project activities at school?" it can be seen that the subjects-organizers of project activities are deputy directors, teachers and directors. And parents and social partners of the school take part in the organization of project activities to a lesser extent, although they are its subjects-participants. Perhaps this is due to the fact that work plans (roadmaps) for the implementation of project activities are drawn up without taking into account their participation and opinions.

Respondents were also asked about the provision of project activities for schoolchildren: "How does the implementation of project activities, its logistical support take place in your school?"  The survey results are shown in the diagram (Figure 3).

Fig.3 Distribution of responses of deputy principals of schools

to ensure PD, % (of the number of responses, N=62)

More than half of the respondents note the financial involvement of the family and the involvement of parental funds. However, there are cases of participation in the provision of project activities by children and teachers. A small percentage of schools attract social partners, and also create school laboratories for the implementation of project activities.

Thus, during the survey of deputy school principals responsible for project activities, the features of the participation of subjects of the educational process in the project activities of schoolchildren were highlighted. Parents take part in the creation of projects and finance them, however, they are not involved in the planning and organization of students' project activities. School principals are not the main participants in the project activity, but take an active part in its organization. Subject teachers implement projects with children, and only half of them take part in drawing up a plan (roadmap) for the implementation of project activities. Respondents note that students practically do not participate in the discussion of the stages of implementation of project activities at school, and the school's social partners show interest in children's projects, but also are not actively involved in the organization of project activities. Perhaps this situation is due to the fact that most schools do not take into account the potential of participation of external partners of the educational organization – parents, social partners of the school, and not every school regulates the functionality of participants in project activities.

Questions about problems in the organization of project activities at the school concerned four aspects (Table 2).

Table 2Classification of difficulties/barriers

organization of project activities at school

The school administration has practically no problems related to the regulatory aspects of the organization of project activities in the school. Deputy directors note that there are difficulties in communicating with parents who are not familiar with federal and regional regulatory documents, which complicates the understanding of the meanings of project activities. Also, according to representatives of the administration, it is difficult for parents to understand why project activity is a mandatory component of the educational process. Perhaps information about project activities does not reach them or they are not interested in the education of their children. It can be assumed that after reviewing the necessary documents regulating project activities, parents will understand the importance of this type of activity for schoolchildren. Those responsible for project activities also note difficulties in interacting with teachers. On the one hand, teachers conduct project activities and consider it an additional burden, on the other hand, not everyone is familiar with the regulatory documents regulating it. Perhaps by removing this barrier, according to the school administration, both teachers and parents will have less resistance, as well as an understanding of the meanings of this activity for the child.

Among the organizational problems in the implementation of project activities, deputy directors note the lack of clear methodological recommendations for each stage of project preparation, insufficient training of teachers to conduct project activities, as well as the inability of children to formalize the results of work. According to the school administration, there are difficulties in teachers' cooperation with each other on the issue of coverage and distribution of children in project activities.  Perhaps if the school thinks about special teacher training, approves the standard for the distribution of students per teacher, provides a clear plan for the organization of project activities and methodological recommendations for its implementation, then organizational difficulties will become less.

            Highlighting resource problems, respondents note the lack of time for children to complete the project, the insufficient level of research skills of the teachers themselves, the lack of a modern material and technical base at school, which can increase the material costs of the family. The school administration draws attention to the insufficient preparation of teachers for the implementation of project activities, as well as the difficulties of allocating financial resources when paying teachers for conducting project activities.  

Among the psychological problems associated with project activities, deputy directors highlight the lack of understanding (awareness) among parents, teachers and students of the meanings of project activities at school. According to the survey participants, the child does not show independence in work and, as a result, is waiting for the help of an adult. Also, the school administration notes the low motivation of teachers as a consequence of the additional burden on them. If these problems are not eliminated in a timely manner, tense moments, misunderstandings and stress may arise for all participants in the educational process.

Thus, the problems stated by the deputy directors responsible for project activities relate primarily to the lack of information and insufficient methodological support in support of project activities at school, as well as low motivation of teachers and a low level of independence among children. From the respondents' answers, it can be concluded that they associate the effective organization of project activities with the solution of the above-mentioned problems.

In the course of the study, aspects that influence the qualitative implementation of project activities at school were identified (Figure 4).

Fig. 4 Distribution of responses of deputy principals of schools

on requests to the PD organization, % (of the number of responses, N=62)

The school administration, when organizing project activities, notes aspects that require management decisions. By attracting social partners, an educational organization will be able to use their resource base. Special training of teachers for the implementation of project activities will ensure the quality of education, because project activities are an integral part of the educational activities of children under the Federal State Educational Standard. Methodological support and support of all subjects of the educational process will allow to organize project activities in accordance with regulatory and legal regulations and unite the subjects participating in the educational process.

Based on the opinions of deputy school principals, the study identified the desired forms of interaction of participating subjects in project activities at the school:

· information on social networks;

· printed and reference materials;

· webinars and round tables;

· parents are experts in children's projects;

· joint open events;

· consultations;

· parent meetings.

Deputy directors consider social networks and the participation of parents/social partners as experts in joint open events to be the most popular forms of interaction within the framework of project activities. Printed and reference materials, according to the respondents, are not popular. Perhaps, when planning the organization of project activities at school, it is necessary to take into account the desired forms of interaction of subjects-participants in project activities.

Thus, in the course of the study, the practices of organizing project activities in St. Petersburg schools were studied, as well as the main difficulties in its implementation and possible prospects for improving the quality of education were identified.

The analysis of the obtained data showed the need to create a management model for the subjects of the educational process in the organization of project activities at school.