PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor of the Department of Developmental Psychology and Pedagogy of the Family, Institute of Childhood, Herzen State Pedagogical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
Background. A number of modern Russian and foreign studies confirm that the time spent in the digital environment is increasing, as is the percentage of preschoolers using digital devices daily. However, data on the benefits and harms of digital technologies for preschoolers remains contradictory. Families can create favourable conditions for their children’s interaction with the digital environment, but they can also increase the risks.
Objectives. This study examines the influence of family factors on the digital practices of preschool children and their link to executive functions development.
Sample. The study involved two groups of respondents: 135 preschool children (average age: 6.21 ± 0.73) attending kindergartens, their parents (n = 135).
Methods. The study of family factors and the specifics of preschoolers’ digital practices was conducted using a semi-structured interview, observation of the child’s interaction with a digital device, and a parent questionnaire. To test the hypothesis about the influence of the studied factors on the child’s cognitive development, an assessment of the children’s executive functions was carried out: working memory was measured using O.M. Razumnikova’s method, while inhibitory control was assessed via E.G. Vergunov’s reflexometric technique. Regression analysis was used to identify statistical relationships.
Results. The study showed that parents’ level of education influences how they moderate their children’s use of digital devices, the purpose for which they use them, the existence of family rules, and their children’s awareness of these rules. It also revealed some differences in motivation for learning to use digital devices. Differences in preschool children’s use of digital devices were also observed depending on whether they had older siblings.
Conclusions. The influence of parents’ education level and the presence of siblings on preschoolers’ digital practices has been established. It has been shown that the existence of family rules for using digital devices is positively associated with the development of working memory.
Introduction. The article presents the results of the analysis of the stages of the formation of the system of training teachers of preschool education at the Herzen State Pedagogical University. The purpose of the analysis is to reveal the historical stages and distinctive features of the St. Petersburg model of training teacher of preschool education from the period of existence of the Pedagogical Institute of Preschool Education to the modern stage of modernization of teacher education in Russia.
The result of the study was a description of the four stages of the formation of the St. Petersburg model for the preparation of the teacher of preschool education in the conditions of higher education, including: the stage of training in the conditions of functioning of the Pedagogical Institute of Preschool Education (1918-1925); stage of registration of preschool pedagogy and methods of preschool education as educational disciplines and content core of teacher training (1926-1992); stage of level and variable training of the teacher of preschool education (1992-2013); the stage of development of new practice-oriented models for the training of bachelors and masters in the profile of “pre-school education” (2014 – to the present-day).
Conclusion. The study allows to characterize the essential, distinctive features of the St. Petersburg model of training teacher for pre-school education, to identify promising areas of development, features of educational programs for the training of teachers of preschool education.
Justification of the study. Increasing the financial literacy of the population is one of the priority areas of the policy of the Russian Federation. The Strategy for Increasing Financial Literacy, approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, singles out work with preschool children as an educational area. At the same time financial literacy is not the only basis for the formation of financially literate and rational behavior. A number of studies put forward the thesis about the need to form the financial culture of the individual as a broader concept that includes knowledge, skills, moral and value aspects. In relation to preschool children, it is necessary to substantiate aspects of financial culture and the factors influencing its formation. Recent research shows the role of family factors and educational institution, but little consideration is given to the influence of the children’s community and the possibilities of the children’s subculture.
Description of the study. The research procedure included a conversation with children aimed at studying financial and economic representations, whether children have piggy banks, play as elements of a children’s subculture associated with the financial culture of preschoolers; solution of economic problems; unfinished stories and case studies aimed at studying value orientations and financial behavior. The study involved 52 children of senior preschool age from various cities of Russia.
Results. The study revealed a connection between the preferred games and the ways of solving financial and economic situations by children, between the presence of piggy banks, the experience of accumulation and the ability to postpone desires, and the difference in making financial decisions.
Conclusion. The data obtained confirm the assumption about the influence of children’s subculture as a factor in the formation of financial culture of older preschool children. Such elements of children’s subculture as piggy banks, play on financial and economic topics are available means of forming and developing financial culture in children.
Relevance of the article. Modern research confirms a decrease in the age of use of digital devices. By the older preschool age, most children have been using digital devices for several years. The involvement of preschoolers in the media space, the peculiarities of parental mediation of the use of digital devices by children make it necessary to work on the formation of digital competence of preschool children.
Description of the research progress. The article is based on a review of publications from Europe, Australia, America, Japan, Turkey and Indonesia from 2006 to 2021 and empirical data from a study of the features of digital competence of older preschool children conducted and published by the authors in 2021.
The results of the study. Older preschool children are active users of various digital devices, have a good command of the technical skills of using digital devices, but do not have formed ideas about their safe and effective use in everyday life. The main purpose of children’s interaction with digital devices is entertainment. Children can get the experience of using digital devices for their own education and development, which is necessary for the formation of digital competence, in preschool educational organizations. However, at the moment there are no relevant programs available to a wide range of teachers. Digital competence is considered as a person’s willingness to effectively and safely apply digital technologies in various areas of life. Within the framework of the proposed structure and content of digital competence for older preschool children, a description of the program for its formation is presented, an example of a lesson is given.
Conclusion. The concept of digital competence can be applied to the study of issues related to the interaction of older preschool children with the digital environment. The presented results and materials will help teachers in developing strategies for teaching preschoolers safe interaction with the digital environment.