Abstract:

Modern youth culture tends to extreme practicality and individualism. Hence, students in higher education institutions are primarily concerned with those aspects of educational or other activities that contribute directly to the attainment of the goals set. Such targets neutralize the status of non-core disciplines in the process of studying at a university. Despite the students' awareness of their desire to be active participants in the learning process, and not just the object of the teaching activity of the teacher, they are still not ready to organize their educational activities either in accordance with the instructor's instructions or in accordance with their own strategies.

In order to identify the factors influencing the motivation of the students to a systematic independent out-of-class educational activity, the authors conducted a study and 343 students (179 girls, 156 boys enrolled in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year of education) of the Moscow State University of Food Production took part. All the participants in the study were asked to undertake a questionnaire, in which open questions were aimed at revealing the attitude of students both to independent activity in an educational interaction, as well as their ability to take an active position in the educational process.

During the first semester of the 2017-2018 academic year, all the participants of the experiment attended facultative classes at which they were introduced to the strategies of independent out-of-class educational activity, and they were given some recommendations on their inclusion in real educational activities. At the same time, the experimental group was actively involved in the off-hour project activity organized by the teacher, and the control group was trained in the format of an approved educational program, including various tasks for independent activity, but to a lesser extent. The indicator of changing attitudes toward an active and conscious position in the educational process was, among other things, the regularity of performing both domestic and independent tasks. At the end of the semester, the survey participants again completed a questionnaire aimed at diagnosing the presence / absence of any new trends in their motivation for independent educational activity outside the strict control of the teacher, focusing their motivation on the activity. Verification of the received data was carried out by tracking the schedule for performing independent tasks proposed in the research format.

The results obtained demonstrated a strengthening of their active position in educational activities and the expansion of their motivation for its implementation in the experimental group. A fairly minor shift in this direction was recorded in the control group. It is interesting that the gender and age factors did not influence the studied trends. This research programme allows us to conclude that cognitive awareness of the importance of this or that activity is not enough for its full and systematic implementation, whereas purposeful involvement in such activities allows for the most expedient way to realize the goals.

Keywords:

Educational activity, active position, motivation, autonomy in education.