THE INFLUENCE OF THE COGNITIVE ACTIVITY STRUCTURE OF STUDENTS-PSYCHOLOGISTS ON THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Abstract

Cognitive activity of psychology students is an important link in the formation of cognitive needs, when the constant acquisition and updating of professional information becomes a necessity, which leads to intense independent, active and creative work to obtain the necessary knowledge. Thus, the purpose of the article is to determine the features of the structure of cognitive activity as a factor in the success of students’ learning activities.
Materials and methods of investigation: theoretical – analysis, comparison and generalization of scientific literature according to the problem of research; empirical – “The method of research the signs of cognitive activity of university students” by Y. Y. Zhukov, analysis of academic progress of students; mathematical data processing – quantitative and qualitative data analysis, correlation analysis, t-Student criterion. Statistical analysis was conducted by using the STATISTICA software package. Cognitive activity research of the first-year students revealed its instability that means the possibility of active influence on it.
Some students negatively evaluate the following signs: regulatory sign (students complain about inattention and distraction; they admit that they do not prepare for classes and do not search for their own ways of solving task, so doing them only to the teacher’s instructions); conscious interest (students use only compulsory literature, they are not inclined to ask the teacher further, and find the additional material unnecessary); the effectiveness of organization of the process of solving learning problems (students miss classes, not ready for credit, do not use tools for self-organization); super-situational activity (the students do not consider necessary to do additional non-compulsory tasks, attend voluntary classes and study additional specialized literature); comfortable learning activities (students complain about poor performance and non-satisfying activities). So these signs need attention and correction. A decisive factor affecting students’ academic progress is the high “regulatory trait” and “super-situational activity”. The basis for enhancing cognitive activity of students-psychologists can use such components as: “independence in solving educational problems” and “integration of educational material in life experience”.