Goal-setting as a condition for professional self-development of Master’s students in Teacher Training Programme

Abstract

Students’ orientation towards mastering a teaching profession determines their goal-setting, as well as the course of professional and pedagogical self-development. Disclosure of the relationship between these processes functioning is aimed at creating conditions in learning environment that contribute to the subsequent self-realization of a pre-service teacher. The purpose of the study is to clarify the interdependence between the goal-setting of pedagogical magistracy students, their need and readiness for professional self-development. The study was conducted at the Kazan Federal University (Russia) among 153 first-year undergraduates. It was found that at the beginning of training, about 40% of students have goals that correspond to teaching, and for the majority of students (57-63%), regardless of whether they received pedagogical education before, goals are diffuse (ambiguous). Presence of pedagogical experience predetermines goal-setting of students to obtain a pedagogical profession. Regardless of the specifics of goal-setting, self-development needs of pedagogical magistracy students are actively implemented. It was found that among students whose goals correspond to teaching, the partial readiness for professional and pedagogical self-development is higher, even among those without previous pedagogical education. This applies to motivational, gnostic and communicative components of professional self-development. The undergraduates showed a reliably (P≥0.95) higher readiness for self-development of the ability to analyze pedagogical activity, accumulation of experience in self-educational activity, cooperation in professional self-determination. It is concluded that goal-setting, aimed at teaching, can be considered a condition of high readiness for professional and pedagogical self-development. It is assumed that goal-setting management will contribute to activation of professional self-development.