The article discusses the preliminary empirical results of psychological readiness to use distance learning technologies (DLT) in school and university teachers professional activity. The demands placed on teachers creating distance electronic courses, are increasing in the conditions of digitalization in modern Russian education. The research examines the motivational, emotional, cognitive and behavioural aspects of the teachers psychological readiness to use such courses in their practice. The study involved 95 teachers of different age and professional state, from small and large cities. A version of readiness form was developed and tested. The data obtained shows no difference in readiness and the level of use of distance learning technologies between residents of different size and distance from the centre of settlements. Such result indicates the ability of remote technologies to perform the functions of a social elevator, equalizing the opportunities and rights of different people to receive quality education. Significant differences between users and not-users of distance learning technologies were obtained in emotional and behavioural components of psychological readiness. Besides, there are no differences between these two groups in professional commitment, cognitive and motivation components of readiness, age and residence. The study allows outlining the steps for the formation of psychological readiness to use distance learning technologies in teaching practice.
Introduction. The article is dedicated to analysing the possible ethical regulation of problems that arise during the interaction of participants in the educational process through integration and inclusion (based on the example of teaching children with disabilities and orphaned children in regular schools). The relevance of the article is in its discussion of the trend towards the spread of inclusive and integrative practices in modern Russian education. Materials and Methods. The study was aimed at investigating problems experienced in terms of inclusion and integration in the context of ethical principles of interaction in education. The study involved 391 respondents, all students of regular schools of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast, in which programs of inclusion and/or integration have been put into practice, as well as their parents and teachers. The problems arising in the interaction of subjects of education in the conditions of integration and inclusion were studied by sociometry (characteristics of the position of special children in the system of interpersonal relations with peers in a heterogeneous class), structured interviews (analysis of the teachers’ attitudes to work in heterogeneous classes) and questionnaires (analysis of the parents’ attitude to teaching their children in a heterogeneous class). Interpretation of the results was carried out by comparing the empirical data with the ethical principles fixed in the Model Code of Professional Ethics of Pedagogical Workers, as well as ethical codes adopted by representatives of related professions. Results. During processes of integration and inclusion, a hidden or obvious social exclusion is observed in every part of interaction during the educational process (“student-student”, “student-teacher”, “student-parent”, “parent-teacher”) and is specified by the following characteristics: discrimination and stigmatisation of children with special needs and their parents; exclusion of children with special needs to the fringes of the social system inside their class; intentional or unintentional information disclosure about the child’s health and/or his family status. The ethical principles that are most often violated in the interaction of participants in the educational process (the principle of respect, the principle of competence, the principle of confidentiality) are highlighted. A theoretical comparison of the items that reveal these ethical principles in the professional codes of doctors, social workers, educational psychologists and the Model Code of Professional Ethics of Pedagogical Workers showed that ethical regulation can become a useful resource for resolving moral conflicts that arise in pedagogical interaction. For this, it is necessary to indicate the principles of respect and competence regarding the conditions of an integrated and inclusive education, as well as to develop special content related to the principle of confidentiality. Discussion and Conclusion. The findings contribute to the development of pedagogical deontology and can be used to clarify ethical principles of interaction in ter ms of integration and inclusion in education.
<p>Objective. The aim of the study is to develop and test a scale that would measure the volume and intensity of social exclusion experience in interpersonal relationships in a dyad and a small group.Background. In modern highly competitive social environments, interpersonal interactions include a significant number of practices of social exclusion. However, to date, there is no domestic scale that would measure the individual (reflected) experience and its intensity.Study design. The study was carried out using a socio-psychological survey.Participants. In total, 468 people took part in the study: at the first stage — 116 people (average age 23,5), at the second stage — 352 people (average age 21,45).Measurements. The survey scale “Experiencing social exclusion (ESE)” was developed and validated, consisting of three subscales: “Experiencing school bullying”, “Experiencing rejection in a dyad”, “Experiencing exclusion from status figures”.Results. Consistent and retest reliability and validity of the method have been proven. The main types of interactions in which a person gets the experience of social exclusion, the volume and intensity of his experience have been determined.Conclusions. The scale can be used both for research and for applied purposes.</p>
Abstract. Species richness of selected alpine plant communities in the Teberda Biosphere Reserve (Northwestern Caucasus) and the Davos area (Central Alps) was compared in series of plots from 0.0025 to 100 m 2 . Communities developing under similar ecological conditions and with similar syntaxonomic positions were compared in order to estimate the role of recent environment versus regional historical factors in determining plant community structure and diversity. The floristic richness of the Caucasian and Alpic fens was very similar. The Grasslands and Meadows were quite similar as to floristic richness for plots > 25 cm × 25 cm, but the Caucasian communities had fewer species in smaller plots. The Lichen heath at Teberda was richer than the Caricetum curvulae cetrarietosum for all plot sizes, except the two smallest ones. On the other hand, the plots of the Salix Snowbed community were richer in species than the Caucasian snowbeds for all plot sizes. The Rhododendron Shrubland plots were very similar as to floristic richness in larger plots (4 — 100 m 2 ). Generally, most Alpic communities near Davos were richer in species at small plot sizes than the corresponding communities from Teberda. Caucasian communities were floristically less similar to each other — and thus more discrete — than the Alpic ones. The possible role of different factors controlling floristic richness of the communities is discussed. Our results suggest that recent ecological conditions have a big influence on local floristic diversity and may lead to high similarities between ecologically similar communities from different regions. In addition, the general floristic richness of a regions as well as island effects should be taken into account.
Soil seed bank of an alpine lichen heath was studied by sampling a whole 0.49 m2 plot with subsamples of 10x10 cm size. Germination process continued during three years. 18 species were identified in the seed bank. The species composition was similar to our earlier findings. Species area dependence was analysed in series of plots from 0.01 to 0.49 m2. No significant differences were found between floristic diversity of viable seeds in the soil and floristic diversity of aboveground vegetation at the same plot sizes. Cumulative curve of species richness depending on amount of samples showed that ten to twenty samples are enough to reveal most of the species persisting in the seed bank. Differences between years of sampling as well as species richness dependence on amount of samples and total area of sampling are discussed.
Abstract Questions Mycorrhizae may be a key element of plant nutritional strategies and of carbon and nutrient cycling. Recent research suggests that in natural conditions, intensity of mycorrhizal colonization should be considered an important plant feature. How are inter‐specific variations in mycorrhizal colonization rate, plant relative growth rate ( RGR ) and leaf litter decomposability related? Is (arbuscular) mycorrhizal colonization linked to the dominance of plant species in nutrient‐stressed ecosystems? Location Teberda State Biosphere Reserve, northwest Caucasus, Russia. Methods We measured plant RGR under mycorrhizal limitation and under natural nutrition conditions, together with leaf litter decomposability and field intensity of mycorrhizal colonization across a wide range of plant species, typical for alpine communities of European mountains. We applied regression analysis to test whether the intensity of mycorrhizal colonization is a good predictor of RGR and decomposition rate, and tested how these traits predict plant dominance in communities. Results Forb species with a high level of field mycorrhizal colonization had lower RGR under nutritional and mycorrhizal limitation, while grasses were unaffected. Litter decomposition rate was not related to the intensity of mycorrhizal colonization. Dominant species mostly had a higher level of mycorrhizal colonization and lower RGR without mycorrhizal colonization than subordinate species, implying that they were more dependent on mycorrhizal symbionts. There were no differences in litter decomposability. Conclusions In alpine herbaceous plant communities dominated by arbuscular mycorrhizae, nutrient dynamics are to a large extent controlled by mycorrhizal symbiosis. Intensity of mycorrhizal colonization is a negative predictor for whole plant RGR . Our study highlights the importance of mycorrhizal colonization as a key trait underpinning the role of plant species in carbon and nutrient dynamics in nutrient‐limited herbaceous plant communities.
