The dissertation is devoted to comprehensive analysis of the scientific and pedagogical heritage of Alain (Émile-Auguste Chartier) and to identification of the relevance of pedagogical ideas of the scientist for their implementation into modern Ukrainian education.
During the research the stages of life, pedagogical and scientific-educational activity of Alain (the stage of formation of the scientist’s personality; the stage of self-identification and training in higher educational institutions; the stage of adaptation to the peculiarities of pedagogical and journalistic activities; the stage of formation of the scientist’s own teaching concept; the stage of changing the value orientations and devotion to pacifist philosophy; the stage of publication of numerous fundamental pedagogical and philosophical works) have been characterized by the author. The main factors and determinants of formation of the pedagogical worldview of the scientist (Franco-Prussian war, declining control of the church over educational institutions, emergence of new educational trends in the late XIX - early XX centuries, World War I) have been revealed.
The analysis of the essence of Alain’s pedagogical concept has allowed to determine the main directions of scientific research of the scientist: the influence of family and school education on the formation of personality, education of emotional intelligence, basics of teaching skills, the role of reading as a value orientation in the formation of personality, education of moral and volitional qualities and the formation of worldview.
A number of advantages of a school education over family one has been described, namely: active socialization, objective assessment and professional qualifications of teachers, the systematic approach to teaching and the quality of working atmosphere. It has been found that the scientist identified the following approaches as effective means of education: familiarizing students with various emotional states through behavioral analysis of the literary characters, fostering emotional discipline when performing calligraphy tasks, drawing and modeling.
The basic principles of Alain’s pedagogical activity have been highlighted, such as using allegories, paradoxes, metaphors, aphorisms by a teacher, as well as implementing the Socratic method, Cartesian method of doubt and the method of three sentences. The fundamental disciplines have been identified: language and literature, mathematics and sociology. The key points for attracting a child to reading have been considered (positive attitude to literature, external characteristics of the book, criticism of “quick and superficial reading”). The list of recommended literary works has been compiled, a detailed analysis of which allows to form a holistic and multi-faceted knowledge about a person. It has been found that moral and volitional qualities are acquired by regular performance of mechanical exercises, by study of human virtues through literary fiction and by creating a psychological attitude towards the perception of mistakes as a stage of personal development.
The direct and indirect influence of Alain’s pedagogical concept on the activity of French and European scientists of the XX-XXI centuries has been analyzed. The implementation of Alain’s ideas into European educational projects has been demonstrated, namely into INCLUD-ED project.
The possibilities of using pedagogical ideas of the scientist in the modern Ukrainian system of education have been disclosed; a realization of Alain’s views on emotional education, critical reading and principles of creation of the humanistic environment has been characterized. The relevance of Alain’s pedagogical concept has been determined on the basis of the State Standard of Basic Secondary Education in Ukraine, namely, the clauses concerning the development of speech, mathematical, cultural, civil and social competences and innovativeness.
