Abstract:

The civilization of technology, in which we live, influences the necessity of developing knowledge and technical skills. Technical education is slowly becoming a priority. Increasingly, secondary schools create the polytechnic class, cooperation between schools and universities is focus on educate future engineering staff. Technical interests can be develop by the groups of interests, technical workshops or trips to technical companies. But nowadays, young people look for more attractive and unusual forms of interests development. As a consequence, the author, as a long-time instructor and manager of science camps, proposed the creation of a polytechnic camp combining the holiday rest with the development of knowledge in several technical fields. In this paper, the author discusses factors influencing the development of technical interests of secondary school students, described technical education and explained the organizations of thematic camps. Then performed two-stage research among 82 students. There were 45% of women (37 women), men-55% (45 men). 67% student’s parents have a high or medium education. The first stage of research - the survey identified the technical interests of young people.63% of students indicated interest in the subject matter. 60% admitted to having technical interests (43% were men). Ways of developing interests among the respondents proved different. 32% develop them in interest’s groups, 22% read books and search knowledge on the Internet, 16% on tours and theme camps, 10% on courses and additional activities. The most well-liked subject is computer science.The most attractive form of development technical interests was take a part in clubs and interest groups, next - by holiday thematic camps and additional technical lessons and least-trips to technical facilities. Based on the results of the first study, the author developed a sample program of polytechnic camp. An important assumption of the program was to address issues from several fields of technology, for example: electrical engineering, physics, computer science. The second stage of the research included assessing the attractiveness of the program of the polytechnic camp among the respondents. More than 87% found the program very interesting and encouraging, appreciating a wide range of technical, sports and integration activities. For the greatest advantage, the researchers considered the combination of camp education with student activities (48%) and the selection of interesting topics (38%). 72% considered the program to be very extensive and would add nothing, 5% would add more leisure and integration activities and 2% would add more sports. 60% of the respondents considered the polytechnic camp as an incentive to undertake technical studies. About 90% declared their willingness to participate in the camp, though 40% indicated that they do not have technical interests.

The work presents a polytechnic camp as an opportunity to develop young people's technical interests. And to influence their pursuit of science in technical schools.

Keywords:

Technical camp, education, technical interests.