Abstract:

"Compiling a Reader in Bulgarian Revival Literature" is a research project with a practical application implemented among undergraduates in Bulgarian Language and History, at the University of Ruse (Bulgaria) in the academic year 2018/2019. The aim is to offer a final output - a book containing articles, short folklore works, adages, parables, fables, tales, didactic stories, poetry, bibliography – as supplementary reading for Bulgarian Literature classes at school and university.

The study shows that the books, periodicals, primers and textbooks stored in the Regional Library of Ruse are not well known to the reading public. Thus, this reader will disseminate them in modern schools by bridging the past and the present.

The research was carried out in the form of a questionnaire. It focused on the implementation of the project method in teaching Literature. 68 first and second-year students are the respondents. The objective is to obtain information about their opinion on the advantages/disadvantages of the project method to complement the training.

The survey is organized around three groups of questions:
The first one identifies students' research interests and their comprehension and attitude to the functionality of the project method. Since the major they have is "hybrid", students find their affinity for different scientific fields. The next step is to fix the mode they opt for: individually, in pairs, in a team, mixed, etc.
The second group includes:
• the priority interests to the topics and ideas of the Revival Literature,
• the motivation to participate
• the evaluation of the project method by set criteria: impact, efficiency, independence, creativity, time, teamwork and tolerance.

The third group points at:
• the extent to which the work of compiling the reader is innovative and enriching in value,
• registering negative or less working ideas in the project,
• suggestions and recommendations for optimizing the project idea.
The conclusions drawn after finalizing the project method are grouped into two cores:
• pedagogical ideas,
• theoretical and applied justification.

In a pedagogical aspect, the project:
• humanizes the educational process even more;
• establishes unity between the mental and practical work of the students;
• promotes mutual trust and respect between teacher and student;
• builds up traits, skills, competences;
• encourages students to look for and find a way to solve a problem, to set a goal, to make an action plan, to analyze the result by the aims and means;
• increases the level of independence;
• guarantees free creative work,
• enhances the self-fulfilment of students as individuals;
• provokes self-assessment for the acquired knowledge and skills, for the personal contribution in teamwork, etc.

Project activity is not just an innovative practice but a current need for practical education. The highlight in the theoretical and applied justification is to increase cognitive interest and curiosity as a motivation for learning activity. Methodological preparedness for problems involved in project training and teamwork, as well as strictly scientific ones (related to the history of literature, language, and historical processes), proves to be instrumental to a positive impact.

The analysis of the opinions of the trainees lead to certain conclusions, which will help to optimize the quality of training.

Keywords:

Pedagogical research, students, higher education, literacy, project method, experience in education, pedagogical innovations.