Importance of professional discipline interactive teaching according to graduate students’ evaluation at multidisciplinary university

Importance. There are many publications on interactive learning, which consider only the positive aspects of this pedagogical model. In this study, interactive teaching of a professional discipline at the university is considered more objectively, taking into account the critical attitude of graduate students towards it. The purpose of the study is to determine the significance of interactive teaching by graduate students of a multidisciplinary university.

Materials and Methods. The study is conducted in Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU). Materials from the lecture course on the discipline “Pedagogy and Psychology of Higher Education” for all second-year graduate students of SPbPU, presentations, final assignments of graduate students on drawing up a plan for an interactive lesson on a professional discipline and questionnaires for assessing the features of interactive learning are used in the research. Drawing on the theoretical analysis of scientific literature, systematization of existing pedagogical assessments of interactive learning (IL) and the opinions of postgraduate students, assessed on a ten-point scale with the calculation of the arithmetic mean, pedagogical and methodological conditions for its actualization in the educational process of a modern university are identified and substantiated.

Results and Discussion. The subject of interactive lectures and practical classes is considered; a discussion on interactive learning with elements of professionally oriented role-playing games and rotation of students’ roles during the semester is described. The survey results of 125 respondents on interactive learning of a professional discipline are analyzed and its advantages and limitations are identified. The most important advantages are improved understanding of the material by students (9.1 points) and the development of their communicative professionally oriented skills (8.7 points), which corresponds to the advantages of the group form of training. The main disadvantages and limitations of interactive learning include the increased labor intensity of preparing a teacher to conduct interactive classes (7.3 points) and the complexity of organizing interactive learning in large groups (7.3 points). It is shown that the pedagogical aspects of interactive learning should be coordinated with the psychological factors of its organization.

Conclusion. The implementation of interactive learning in a modern university requires close attention from researchers, since, according to postgraduate students’ opinions, it helps to increase motivation and deepen the professionalization of students. The positive assessment of interactive learning prevails over the negative one, although the advantage of 24 % is relative. When conducting interactive learning, a careful approach to the composition of groups and the distribution of roles is necessary, taking into account the intrapersonal relationships of students and their wishes.