Summary (Структура и содержание обыденных педагогических представлений матерей (на примере г. Москвы)), страница 2

In addition, there is the gap in theknowledge of modern parenthood and, particularly, on the cognitive aspect of parenthood,including parental cognition and parental beliefs.The present study focuses on everyday pedagogical beliefs of mothers in the situation when theirchild undergoes a transition from pre-school to elementary school education. The study followsthe logic of J.

Valsiner, who assumed that parental beliefs are primarily responses to challengesgenerated by the context. A child’s transition to the first grade of an elementary school is achallenge relevant for most modern parents.3) Research questions, goal and tasks of the studyWe focuses on the following research question: what are modern parental beliefs? The goal ofthe study was the description of everyday pedagogical beliefs of parents at the time of the child’stransfer to elementary school.

Specific research tasks included: Analysing theoretical and methodological approaches to studying parental beliefs,synthesising of the results of existing research in the field of parenting with the view todevelop the research methodology; Identifying and describing everyday pedagogical beliefs of mothers at the time of thechild’s transfer from pre-school to the general school system.k4) Theoretical framework of the dissertation studyThe study of parental pedagogical beliefs was based on the concept of «folk theories».According to this approach, «folk theories» are cognitive elements that underlie a person’s viewson interrelations between phenomena [Devyatko et al. 2010, Sigel et al.

2014, Valsiner 2000,Malle 2004, Tudge 1993]. The theoretical framework for this kind of research is made up ofconcepts of social cognition, culture models, as well as folk theory, ethnotheory, and socialrepresentations [Goodnow et al. 1990, Reid et al. 1986, Super et al. 1986].5The concept of folk pedagogical theory lies at the core of the dissertation study. The concept offolk pedagogy was introduced by J. Bruner [Bruner 1990, Bruner 1996], who argued that theactivities of a teacher are inevitably based on his or her assumptions about the nature of thestudent.

Bruner believed that «educational practices are based on the sum of folk beliefs aboutthe student» [Bruner 1990]. According to his definition, everyday pedagogies are the means usedby the members of some sphere of activities (e.g., teachers) to organize their experience in thisfield (e.g., education), their knowledge about this field and their transactions with the socialenvironment (e.g. school).Analysis of interviews was based on the methodology of research of pedagogical views ofteachers and parents [McGillicuddy-DeLisi et al.

1995, Sigel et al. 2014, Tudge 1993, Kagan1990], in particular, the methodology of identifying the practical pedagogical argument[Fenstermacher 1993, Fenstermacher 1986]. In order to clarify what the «pedagogical» argumentmeans, we adopted the understanding of a pedagogy [Kohn 1988, Schedrovisky 1993] as adescription of activities aimed at «modifying» the child using certain procedures in accordancewith the image of a desired result or a certain cultural model. Thus, the «everyday pedagogicaltheory» includes the parents' beliefs of the «object» of change (child), their views regarding theways, procedures, and methods of such change, as well as images of the desired result or theculturally established normative result.We also took into account research on parent self-efficacy based on the theoretical frameworkproposed by A.

Bandura in his theory of self-efficacy [Bandura 1977, Bandura 1989, Coleman etal. 2003]. Particularly, in accordance with the theory of A. Bandura, we considered the followingcomponents of the situation: the opportunity to acquire and expand the range of parental toolsand methods, and the availability of interaction with the environment with respect to issues ofparenthood etc., which we looked at as factors affecting the level of a mother's self-efficacy, i.e.her ability to solve the problem and achieve the desired result [Bandura 1977].5) Methodology and study design in briefIn the course of work we conducted:-a statistical data analysis of quantitative data collected through an all-Russian parents’survey. At this preliminary stage the analysis showed that parents have pedagogicalbeliefs which are different from those of professional pedagogues.

Moreover, parentsconstruct their own pedagogical arguments.-a collection and analysis of qualitative data (semi structured interviews with mothers inMoscow). At this stage we focused on a narrower social group, namely: mothers ofchildren at their first year at elementary school, living in Moscow, in a relatively safesituation, i.e. excluding children with special educational needs, low income, etc.). Theselection and the scope of the sample was guided by the following reasons. Firstly, wechose mothers as opposed to fathers, because as A. Lareau shows in his study [Lareau62000], fathers tend to redirect researchers to mothers for child-related questions.Secondly, as illustrated at the preliminary stage of analysis, parental beliefs are highlydifferentiated, therefore we preferred to choose a more homogenous social group withsimilar socio-economic status and in a similar situation in order to provide a thicker and amore meaningful analysis.

Thirdly, in the first year of child’s enrolment at elementaryschool parents seem to face a number of new (compared, for example, to the daycaresetting) situations and requirements from educational system.The empirical basis of the study included:1. An all-Russian survey of 2000 parent of children aged 1 to 12, conducted in 2016 by theCenter for the Research of Modern Childhood with the HSE Institute of Education as partof the sociological research titled «The parents’ need for additional knowledge andcompetencies regarding the upbringing of children». Quota sample was used.

Thefollowing parameters were used to define quotas: region and size of locality.2. The Economics of Education Monitoring data «The Economics of Education Monitoring- Pre-school Education» (memo.hse.ru, 2015 survey), an annual survey in the field ofeducation held among heads of educational institutions, teachers, students or theirparents, and employers. Quota sample was used. The following parameters were used todefine quotas: region, size of locality, and ownership of educational organization (publicor private).

In total, 1156 educators and 1653 nearest relatives of preschoolers (usually,the mother) were questioned.3. A set of 42 in-depth semi-structured thematic interviews with mothers of children aged 1to 12 living in Moscow. The set included 18 interviews with mothers of first-gradersfrom Moscow schools, located both in the city center, and in other areas (featuring an indepth study of cognitive aspects of modern parenting).Empirical the study drew on two samples, namely: mothers who have higher educationand living in Moscow (qualitative study), and all Russian survey of mothers ofpreschoolers (quantitative study).

The study design has certain limitations. For instance,we imply that modern situation of parenthood is heterogeneous, which may not be thecase. For this reason, the design of empirical study limits the possibility to extrapolateresults and conclusions obtained in research on other social groups, such as: fathers,parents of different ages, children with special needs or those who are in a difficult lifesituation.6) The main results of the research, scientific and practicalsignificance of the results obtainedThe study improved our understanding of the challenges of modern parenthood.

The dissertationidentified key categories that underlie pedagogical beliefs of modern mothers.The findings of the study can be summarized in the following way:71.The analysis of interviews (chapter 3 of the dissertation) revealed that mothers do havepractical pedagogical argumentation: mothers are able to describe their intentions to act andactions in relation to their child.

Those descriptions usually included references to the initial stateof their child, goals of pedagogical influence and the desired results of such influence on thatstate. Therefore, modern mothers are substantially involved in the education process of theirchild, despite the fact that most respondents are working full-time.1.1.We have observed observe (chapter 2) the complex configuration of parental beliefs andpractices.

In addition, we frequently observed a mismatch between parental beliefs about what isdesired for the child and current psychological concepts and professional pedagogical beliefs.Parents are aware about different theories of upbringing and there is an abundance ofpsychological, pedagogical and other concepts found in parental beliefs. However, scientific andexpert theories and recommendations influence parental practices indirectly by being includedinto practical pedagogical argumentation together with already existing pedagogical beliefsabout the child or the goals of interaction with the child.

Mothers use scientific terminology,such as “psyche”, “trauma”, “norm”, “rules”, and “socialization”, but tend to attribute their ownmeaning to these terms and, at their discretion, "embed" them in their reasoning.1.2.One should also note a contradictory nature and incompleteness of parents’ practicalreasoning (which is recognized by the parents themselves). Parents say that they often encounterhigh expectations and criticism from their environment as well as experience failures ordifficulties in the implementation of their ideas in practice.2.Everyday pedagogical argumentation on child’s education is built around a number ofcategories the core of which are the following:2.1.«Life path» («fate», «straight path»). This category points to the connection between thechild’s present and future, including the stage of adulthood.