The object of the study is the genesis of primary education in Ukraine.
The theoretical aspects and practice of organization of primary education in Ukraine (1932-1958) are the subject of the study.
The purpose of the study is to identify on the basis of a retrospective analysis of the theoretical and methodological foundations of the development of primary education in Ukraine in 1932-1958, the features of its genesis and to outline the prospects of implementing ideas of constructive historical and pedagogical experience in a modern primary school.
Research methods. To solve the problems of the research, a set of such interrelated methods as historical and logical analysis, systematization of scientific literature, archival sources which made it possible to summarize and systematize scientists’ views on the problem under the study; chronological and systematic, problem and search methods that made it possible to trace the development of elementary schools in 1932-1958 in dynamics, time space and sequence; structural and comparative analysis of documentary, scientific and literary sources in order to compare archival and printed materials on the problem under the study; retrospective logic and system analysis for comparison of events, facts, views on a particular problem, characteristics of issues of organization of education of elementary school pupils in the studied period, was used.
The scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time in the thesis:
the process of development of primary education in Ukraine in 1932–1958 has been holistically investigated; its features (organization of school education based on the use of the latest achievements of psychology, physiology, pedagogy; transformation of the content, forms and methods of primary education in accordance with socio-political factors and pedagogical ideas; excessive ideologization of the educational-bringing-up process of primary school; strategic orientation of public policy to basic primary education for all school-aged children) have been defined;
the stages of development of primary education in Ukraine of the analysed period and their leading tendencies have been distinguished: the first stage (1932–1938) is the stage of standardization and unification; the second stage (1939–1945) is the reformation-authoritarian stage; the third stage (1946–1953) is the restoration-organizational stage; the fourth stage (1954–1958) is the practically oriented stage.
the content and organization of education in primary schools of Ukraine in 1932-1958 have been characterized;
the positive ideas of primary education of the past (child-centrism; reducing the gap between learning and preparing pupils for practical work; organization of meaningful leisure for children; focusing on educational and extracurricular work with schoolchildren and work with their parents) have been highlighted and the perspectives of their creative realization have been outlined in the New Ukrainian School.
the quintessence of the basic concepts of the research («childhood», «development», «development of primary education») have been clarified and the essence of the concept of «development of primary education in domestic theory and practice» has been defined.
The practical significance of the study is that its results have been represented in the methodological recommendations (guidelines) «Development of Primary Education in Ukraine (1932–1958)». The main provisions, factual material and conclusions of the study can be used to determine the strategy of development of primary education in Ukraine, updating and enriching the content of such training courses as General Pedagogy, History of Ukraine, History of Education, History of Development of National Schools; in the process of developing special courses and holding special seminars, writing works on the problems of history of education.
The obtained scientific results can be useful for educational managers, organizers of educational-bringing-up institutions, teachers, students, researchers, teacher practitioners.
