Features of the Motivational and Value Sphere of Students of Different Courses of Study

Tolstykh Liliya Raisovna PhD in Pedagogy Associate Professor of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Teaching at Transbaikal State University 672000, Russia, Zabaikal Region, Chita, Babushkina's str., 129 TLR-TLR@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Gol'bert Evgeniya Vladimirovna PhD in Pedagogy Associate Professor of the Department of Education Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Teaching at Transbaikal State University 672000, Russia, Transbaikal Region, Chita, Babushkin's str., 129 evg5539@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that currently, in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard 3 +++, the content of students' professional education is aimed at mastering universal, general professional and professional competencies. However, this indicator does not sufficiently form personal self-determination in the profession. A.K. Markova believes that "personal space is wider than professional, personal is the basis of professional, personal determines the beginning, course and completion of professional" ^[8]. "At the same time, the personality itself is determined through a system of meanings and values, which are the core of any, including professional, activity" ^[11]. E.F. Zeer believes that the motivational and value attitude to the profession is one of the factors of becoming a professional ^[2].

The motivation-value attitude of the chosen profession formed at a high level acts as an internal reserve for the positive passage of professional training crises by students. Positively formed in the process of vocational training, the value-motivational sphere of students assumes the development of the main directions of future work at a productive level, as a result, students master the subject field of professional activity. Fundamental for the development of a motivational-value attitude is the fact that a person accepts a profession and finds the personal meaning of activity.  The result of accepting a profession is the holistic professional behavior of a future specialist.

In addition, the study of the motivational and value sphere at the student age is aimed at solving the problem of conscious choice of profession.

The purpose of the study: to determine the features of the motivational and value sphere of students of different courses of study.

Subject of research: features of the motivational and value sphere of students.

The hypothesis of the study: there are specific features of the motivational and value sphere of students studying at different courses.  

Research objectives:

1. To conduct a theoretical analysis of the concepts of "motivation", "values", "motivational-value sphere" of personality.

2. To identify the leading motivational and value indicators of students of different courses of study.

3. To identify the relationship between the course of study and motivational and value indicators of students.

Research methods: theoretical analysis of scientific literature on the research problem, mathematical and statistical methods of processing research results using the SPSS program, Pearson correlation analysis.

At the empirical stage of the study, the following methods were used: "Studying the motives of students' educational activities", "Morphological test of life values", "Career anchors".

As respondents in the study, students of the Zabaikalsky State University, 1st to 4th year, of the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, studying in the field of training 44.03.02 Psychological and pedagogical education, took part in the study. The age of the subjects is from eighteen to twenty-three years. The sample consisted of seventy-five students.

As a result of the theoretical analysis on the research problem, the following conclusions can be drawn.  In psychological science, there are many approaches to the definition of the concepts of "motivation" and "values" of personality. Motivation is understood as a set of psychologically determined factors that guide the direction of a person's activity. Formed personality values serve as the basis for motivating behavior, the foundation of the integrity of the social system ^[6].

The motivational and value sphere of personality is a personal education.  The motives, goals, values, and career orientations realized and accepted by a person constitute the motivational and value sphere of a person and determine the further attitude to professional activity. The combination of these components influences the choice of goals and means of professional activity, their achievement, the formation of an individual style of activity ^[10].

The formation of the motivational and value sphere of students is a qualitative transformation of personality, which leads to an assessment of the profession itself, an assessment of a professional in himself, the development of a moral professional and professional self–awareness.

The structure of the motivational and value sphere of students' personality is represented by two interrelated and mutually dependent components: motivational and value-oriented.  Emotional - personal, social, cognitive and socio-economic motives for choosing and preferring professional activity form the basis of the motivational component. Personal, cognitive, socially conditioned, socio-economic values and value orientations form the basis of the value-orientation component.

The process of formation of the motivational and value sphere of students' personality is mediated by a set of psychological factors, conditions and means used in the system of vocational training. Since university education has a more approximate orientation to practical activity.

Psychological factors of the formation of the motivational and value sphere of students' personality contribute to the reflection of students' own self-change of personality.

The necessary psychological conditions for the formation of the motivational and value sphere of students are: introducing students to the method of scientific cognition, increasing the degree of activity, independence and responsibility of students, stimulating needs, developing motives and values.

Next, we will interpret and analyze the results of the empirical study.

Let's analyze the results of diagnostics of the motives of students' educational activity. The data is shown in Figure 1.

Fig.1. Average values of group indicators of motives of students' educational activity

As a result, it was revealed that the motives of students' educational activities differ. In the group of first and second year students, educational and professional motives prevail.  And for fourth-year students, professional motives are dominant.

Let's consider the results of diagnostics of students' life values.  The data is shown in Figure 2.

Fig. 2. Average values of group indicators of students' life values

Analyzing the results obtained, we note that the leading life values of first-year students have a spiritual and moral character. Second-year students are dominated by life values of a selfish and prestigious orientation. In the third and fourth year of study, students demonstrate a "mixture" of life values. Leading for them are vital values of both spiritual and moral, and egoistic and prestigious orientation.

Let's consider the results of diagnostics of students' career orientations. The data is shown in Figure 3.

Fig. 3 Average values of group indicators of students' career orientations

The histogram shows that for senior students, the dominant career orientations are "professional competence" and "autonomy". Regardless of the course of study, the priority career orientations are: "job stability" and "service".

Conclusions:

1. Most students realize and accept the values of their future profession, are in conjunction with their chosen profession.  When implementing practical professional activities, they strive to observe spiritual, moral and altruistic values. The orientation towards altruistic orientation is confirmed by the dominant manifestation of such a value as "service". Consequently, students of all courses consider their main goal of their chosen professional activity to benefit society and other people. It is also important for them to see concrete practical results of their activities.  The educational motivation of first and second year students is focused on the successful implementation of educational and cognitive activities.

External motivations of educational motivation, such as social approval/ punishment for senior students are non-priority and ineffective in the process of educational activity.

Senior students are dominated by pragmatic values aimed at achieving their own prestige, high financial status, and preserving their own individuality.  Therefore, it can be concluded that the older students get, the more consciously they begin to think about their professional activities, and the vector of motivation in training shifts to ensuring the success of their professional activities. This is evidenced by the clear predominance of the motive "To ensure the success of future professional activity". Students studying in the first and second years are attracted by the educational activity itself and its results, rather than the connection between training and professional activity. This is evidenced by the priority position of the motive "to study successfully, to pass the session for positive grades: excellent and good".

2. As a result of the Pearson correlation analysis, a direct correlation relationship between the course of study and the educational motive "to ensure the success of future professional activity" was found (r = 0.254 p?0.05). Senior students have a higher motive to "Ensure the success of their future professional activity" than first- and second-year students. Consequently, the higher the course of study, the more the motivation of training is aimed at mastering the general professional, professional competencies of the activity, rather than just the learning process.

The inverse correlation between the course of study and the educational motive "to study successfully, pass exams with excellent and good" (r = -,237 p?0.05) was revealed.  Therefore, the process of educational activity is important for junior students. The revealed relationship indicates that students currently have an insufficiently formed idea  about the future profession, there is an awareness of the insufficient level of their competence.  

A direct correlation between the course of study and the values of "own prestige" (r = 0.267 p?0.05), "high financial status (r = 0.349 p?0.01) and "preservation of one's own individuality" (r = 0.504 p?0.01) according to the method "Morphological test of life values" was revealed.  Consequently, the higher the course, the more pronounced the values of the egoistic-prestigious orientation, the desire for individualization. Senior students with an egoistic and prestigious orientation strive for a higher level of financial position and achieving career growth. They believe that a high level of financial the provisions are the basis for the development of personal significance and self-esteem. The preservation of their own individualization is manifested in the fact that students have their own views, beliefs, and their own lifestyle. They do not depend on the opinions of other people, they retain their uniqueness and originality.

According to the method of "Career Anchors", a positive correlation was found between the course of study and career orientations "professional competence" (r = 0.356 p?0.01), "autonomy" (r = 0.287 p?0.01), "stability of residence" (r = 0.383 p?0.01), "challenge" (r = 0.331 p?0.05) and "lifestyle integration" (r = 0.532 p?0.01). Consequently, the higher the course, the more differentiated the career orientations become. Since senior students are on the verge of graduation from the university, they are faced with the need for career planning and, accordingly, the allocation of the main career orientations occurs due to the satisfaction of individual requests of students in the process of self-realization as a subject of activity. 

Thus, the leading motivational and value indicators of students of different courses of study identified by us will allow us to reach the logistics of further professional development and psychological assistance to students, its substantial volume and sequence of activities. The results of the study will allow a deeper understanding of the causes of the problems of unformed motivational and value attitude to the profession in order to determine the forecast and trajectory of professional development of students, which will allow developing a strategy for effective assistance to students.