Strategies for the Development of Motivation to Study Geometric and Graphic Disciplines among Civil Engineering Bachelors

Abstract

Background. The study of geometric and graphic disciplines is an important component of the professional training of a bachelor of civil engineering. As a rule, these disciplines cause difficulties in studying for first-year students, which leads to a loss of interest in studying them. Motivation plays a crucial role in the educational process, it stimulates students to achieve educational goals, promotes the assimilation of educational knowledge, increases academic performance, therefore the search for methods of stimulating interest in acquiring geometric-graphic knowledge is an urgent pedagogical problem.

Objective. The goal is to identify the factors and strategies that help increase students’ motivation to study geometric and graphic disciplines at a technical university.

Study Participants. 56 students of the field of training 08.03.01 Construction took part in the study.

Methods. Review of scientific and methodological literature on the research topic; analysis of innovative pedagogical technologies; pedagogical supervision of students’ learning activities in the classroom and during extracurricular activities; analysis of the results of graphic, research and project assignments; interview; questionnaires prepared on the basis of the methods “Studying students’ learning activities” by A.A. Rean and V.A. Yakunin, “Motivation of studying at the university” by T.I. Ilyina; statistical analysis of experimental results using the criterion of uniformity χ2.

Results. In the course of the study, the concept of “educational motivation” was updated in the context of studying the disciplines of the geometric and graphic block. Strategies for its development are proposed: the creation of a practice-oriented educational environment and the implementation of active teaching methods, the use of software in the educational process that allows students to create their own drawings and models, individualization and differentiation of the learning process, creating an atmosphere of support and cooperation, organizing constructive feedback, attracting students to participate in contests, competitions, and research work.

Conclusions. The implementation of the above strategies contributes to the formation of a deep interest in the subject and of a desire for self-improvement.