2026, 2

Professional burnout of preschool teachers and quality of interaction with children: experience and difficulties of empirical research

2026, 2 p. 7-21

Rudnova N.А. , Dvorskaya Е.V.

Background. Teachers play a crucial role in the development of preschoolers’ personalities. However, their professional work is associated with emotional intensity, multitasking, and increased responsibility, which creates the preconditions for the development of burnout. High levels of teacher burnout negatively impact the quality of interactions with children, their motivation, and initiative, while insufficient interaction competence, in turn, can exacerbate burnout. This indicates the need for a systematic study of factors predicting increased burnout.

Objective. To identify relationships between professional burnout, burnout factors, and the quality of interactions between teachers and children in kindergarten groups.

Sample. The sample consisted of 25 teachers (M = 43.3, SD = 10.1, 100% women) working in senior and preparatory groups of kindergartens.

Methods. The CLASS method (adapted by Bukhalenkova and Almazova) was used to assess the quality of interactions. Professional burnout was diagnosed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (adapted by Vodopyanova and Starchenkova). A sociodemographic questionnaire was also administered. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis (Spearman rho) were used to analyze the data.

Results. High depersonalization scores were found to be associated with shorter teacher tenure. No significant associations were found between burnout symptoms and interaction quality, age, education level, qualification category, or the number of children in the group. Additional analysis revealed a trend: when interaction quality was low, teachers more often chose midpoints on the burnout scales, which may indicate the influence of social desirability when questionnaires were completed anonymously.

Conclusions. A direct link between professional burnout and interaction quality was not confirmed in this study. The findings highlight the methodological challenges of studying burnout using self-report methods in settings where complete anonymity is not guaranteed. Further research with larger samples and procedures that minimize the influence of social desirability is needed.

Keywords: preschool education kindergarten educators quality of the educational environment professional burnout CLASS methodology

DOI: 10.24412/2782-4519-2026-20-2-7-21

Sociocultural transformation of free play in older preschool children

2026, 2 p. 22-30

Avdulova T.P. , Izotova E.I.

Background. Modern preschool development is characterized by a shift toward hybrid interaction formats, where media content is becoming a significant factor in the formation of children’s subcultures. Studying the influence of the media environment on free play is essential for addressing socialization issues, developing a child’s personality, and implementing the principles of spiritual and moral education in preschool education.

Objective. To study the influence of media content on play intentions and the methods for implementing them in playful interactions with peers, as well as to highlight sociocultural factors in modeling free play in preschool children.

Sample. Children aged 5-6 and 6-7 years, students in the senior and preparatory groups of the Smart School kindergarten in Moscow (N=18).

Methods. The primary research method was the original experimental game “Magic World in a Sandbox,” accompanied by non-participant observation and video recording. Playful interactions were organized in triads of participants of different genders. A qualitative analysis of video recordings of play sessions was conducted.

Results. The study identified strategies and mechanisms by which media content influences the structure and content of children’s subculture. It was found that popular media characters are used by children primarily to model strategies for defense, security, and threat overcoming. Gender-specific patterns in play behavior were identified: boys tend to engage in fragmented episodes of territorial defense and confrontation, while girls tend to create holistic narratives of care, restoration of well-being, and restriction of play space.

Conclusions. A pronounced transformation of the sociocultural component of child development is observed, including elements of deformation under the influence of marketing technologies interfering with children’s play space. The experimental game “Magic World in the Sandbox” has proven its effectiveness as a tool for assessing the sociocultural specifics of free play in modern preschoolers.

Keywords: free play role-playing game socio-emotional development socialization children’s subculture

DOI: 10.24412/2782-4519-2026-20-2-22-30

AI assistants in the practice of preschool education teachers

2026, 2 p. 31-45

Novik N.N.

Background. The current stage of preschool education development is characterized by the active implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Despite the understanding of the indispensability of personal communication between teacher and child, AI tools can optimize the professional activities of educators, freeing them from routine tasks and providing data for personalized learning. However, there is a lack of empirical data on the practical application of AI assistants directly in the work of educators in kindergarten groups.

Objective. To test and evaluate the effectiveness of integrating AI assistants into the educational process of preschool educational institutions in Kazan to personalize learning and optimize the professional activities of teachers.

Sample. The study involved 180 children aged 5 to 7 years (60 preschoolers aged 5-6 and 120 children aged 6-7), 24 teachers (educators and kindergarten specialists), and 180 parents (legal guardians of the children participating in the experiment) from six municipal kindergartens in Kazan.

Methods. The study was conducted using an experimental design and included four stages (preparatory, training, main, and evaluation). A combination of diagnostic methods was used: assessment of teachers’ digital competence (surveys and interviews), analysis of the individualization of the educational process, pedagogical assessment of children’s development (speech, cognition, socialization, emotional-volitional sphere), and parental surveys. Statistical data processing was performed using the Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson’s c² test, variance and correlation analysis, and Cohen’s d coefficient for effect size assessment.

Results. AI assistants were integrated into the educational process of kindergartens. A significant increase in the digital competence of teachers in the experimental group was observed, and a reduction in the time teachers spent on recordkeeping was found due to the use of a digital platform with AI analytics. Statistically significant differences in the cognitive and speech development of children in the experimental group compared to the control group were found. A strong positive correlation was found between the use of robotic assistants and the development of social skills, as well as between specialized AI platforms and personalized learning. Positive trends in parental attitudes toward the implementation of AI were also recorded.

Conclusions. The integration of AI assistants allows for the optimization of educators’ work and the personalization of educational trajectories without replacing the role of the teacher. Key conditions for successful implementation include data security, technological reliability, and the critical selection of tools (taking into account the risks of commercial support, as in the case of the Moxie robot). AI assistants should not be viewed as a replacement for the teacher, but as a tool that enhances their capabilities and allows them to see the child more deeply, without replacing human warmth and understanding.

Keywords: AI assistants preschool education professional activity teachers kindergarten digitalization personalization

DOI: 10.24412/2782-4519-2026-20-2-31-45

Parents’ views about children’s readiness for school education

2026, 2 p. 46-57

Hasanova B.E. , Starostina Yu.A.

Background. Parents’ perceptions of their children’s school readiness play a significant role in shaping their psychological readiness and successful adaptation to school. The nature of a preschooler’s preparation for this new social stage can determine their future attitude toward learning. Despite extensive research on psychological readiness, parental views on this phenomenon remain understudied.

Objective. To study and conduct a comparative analysis of the perceptions of parents of preschoolers and first-graders regarding their children’s readiness for school.

Sample. The study was conducted in Baku among 74 Russian-speaking parents of preschoolers and first-graders aged 27 to 50 years (M=37; SD=5).

Methods. The study utilized the “Identifying Parents’ Perceptions of Psychological Readiness for School” method by M.V. Klimakova, Yu.A. Kochetova, and A.E. Sakadanova. The Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, frequency analysis, and one-way ANOVA were used to process quantitative data.

Results. Parents’ perceptions of their children’s readiness for school did not differ statistically between those of preschoolers and first-graders. Differences in perceptions were identified based on parents’ subjective assessments of their child’s academic performance and the type of preschool preparation. No relationship was found between parents’ perceptions and their socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, education level, number of children in the family).

Conclusions. Starting school does not lead to a change in parents’ perceptions of their child’s readiness. Parents who rate their child’s academic performance as “excellent” place a greater emphasis on motivational readiness than parents who rate it as “satisfactory.” Parents whose children attended a preschool program are less likely to focus on their child’s mastery of the school curriculum.

Keywords: school readiness social situation of development leading activity inner position of the student parent-child relationships preschool age early school age

DOI: 10.24412/2782-4519-2026-20-2-46-57

The phenomenon of polytechnic education of preschoolers in the history of preschool education in Russia (1920–30s)

2026, 2 p. 58-70

Mardashova R.S.

Background. In the context of the modern technological transformation of society and increasing demands on the quality of engineering and technical personnel, turning to historical and pedagogical experience is particularly important. The period of the 1920s and 1930s in Russia represents a unique stage in the development of the polytechnic education system, when the task of preparing the younger generation for work in the context of industrialization was first extended to the preschool level. An analysis of the genesis of this phenomenon allows us to identify productive ideas and practices relevant to solving modern problems of developing technical creativity and early career guidance for preschoolers.

Objective. To scientifically understand the concept and experience of polytechnic education for preschoolers in kindergartens in Russia in the 1920s and 1930s.

Methods. A retrospective analysis of the conceptual ideas of polytechnic education for preschoolers and the corresponding pedagogical experience in the context of their contribution to the development of the theory and practice of Russian preschool education and its application in modern conditions.

Results. The theoretical foundations of polytechnic education for preschoolers in the 1920s and 1930s are revealed, a systematized analysis of the diverse practical experiences of its implementation in Russian kindergartens is conducted, and the methods, tools, and organizational forms, as well as the challenges and achievements of the period under review, are identified.

Conclusions. The concept of polytechnic education in the 1920s and 1930s, despite its ideological bias, laid the foundation for developing preschoolers’ technical outlook, constructive thinking, and interest in transformative activities. Historical experience shows that the effectiveness of this approach was ensured by the integration of theoretical education with children’s practical activities, the connection of kindergarten with the industrial environment, and specialized teacher training. Freed from excessive ideological bias, this experience represents a valuable resource for modern practice. Its elements can be creatively rethought and applied in developing functional literacy and soft skills in preschoolers, as well as within the framework of introducing a STEM approach aimed at developing children’s research and constructive abilities.

Keywords: polytechnic education preschool education history of pedagogy technical creativity early career guidance STEM approach

DOI: 10.24412/2782-4519-2026-20-2-58-70

Methodology of the semi-structured interview for the analysis of their actions and conceptions of parents and teacher to prepare the child for school

2026, 2 p. 71-80

Maya Reyes М. del R. , Solovieva Yu.V.

Background. The psychological preparation for school is a term elaborated by the followers of Vygotsky, the main creator of the historical-cultural school, who point out that the child must acquire the psychological formations also called neoformations typical of the preschool age that prepare him for complex learning, therefore the design of the semi-structured interview that was applied to investigate this topic is exposed. Close adults essentially influence the level of development of neoformations through the inclusion of the child in activities that are accessible and relevant to them, so the interview was applied to mothers and fathers and to the teacher who are the adults who live directly with the preschool child.

Objective. The objective of this study is “to describe the design and management of the semi-structured interview as a methodological tool for the analysis of the conceptions and actions carried out by mothers and fathers and the teacher for the preparation of the child for school”.

Sample. The study was carried out from the application of interviews to 23 parents and the head teacher of a group of 3rd grade. of preschool that due to the COVID 19 pandemic was applied online.

Results. It is concluded that the conceptions and actions that mothers and fathers and teachers have do not allow guaranteeing the optimal level of preparation of the child for school.

Conclusions. It is argued that mothers and fathers and teachers require a guide to guide them to develop psychological neoformations in their children to raise the level of preparation for school.

Keywords: semi-structured interview school readiness actions and perceptions of mothers fathers and teachers psychological neoplasms cultural-historical school

DOI: 10.24412/2782-4519-2026-20-2-71-80

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