Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the specialty 016 Special Education. – Mykola Yarmachenko Institute of Special Pedagogy and Psychology, National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, 2022.
In the thesis theoretical and methodical bases of creative activity formation of 5–8 grades students with visual impairments and use of museum pedagogy in this process have been scientifically substantiated for the first time. The integral potential of the «personal creative activity» concept (manifested in a high level of initiative, characterized by a focus on the implementation of internal goals in fundamentally new: objective and subjective or improved significant formations), which became a construct in the context of the scientific research.
Effectiveness of creative activity phases is linked to sensory age periods. Considering the statement that the phase of «specialized creativity», which is responsible for the formation of creative abilities in the definite sphere of human activity and ensures the transition to original creativity, is necessary during the students studying in 5–8 grades, the study clarifies personal development of this category of students during this period in the context of their creative activity development. Recognizing the well-known fact that visual impairments can negatively effect the development and formation of the schoolchildren personal qualities, their emotional and willful regulation, reduce their activity, a key statement has been made, that behavioral disorders in the ontogenesis of persons with visual impairments are secondary, therefore they are a subject to correction. This has led to further study of the issue.
The criteria for the study of the state of creative activity have been developed, as well as its structural model, where certain criterion corresponds to each component of creative activity (component part «person» – resource criterion, component part «process» – motivational criterion, «product» – activity-behavioral
criterion, «environment» – synergetic). Organizational and methodological approaches for carrying out the ascertaining experiment of the thesis have been defined and, on the basis of creative activity structural model, a diagnostic system for identifying the state of 5–8 grades students with visual impairments creative activity has been developed. This diagnostic system consists of five methodologies and covers research of four component parts of creative activity: «person»,
«process», «product», and «environment».
The study engaged 68 visually impaired students, 38 of them were 10–12 years old and 30 ones were 13–15 years old; also there were 43 students without visual impairments: 14 of them were 10–12 years old and 29 ones were 13–15 years old. In addition, 19 teachers (10 from comprehensive secondary schools and 9 from special comprehensive secondary schools) as classroom supervisors of the 5–8 grades students with and without visual impairments who have become respondents in our thesis were involved with the diagnostics.
Considering the truism that at around the age of 12, new significant personal formations, such as ability to operate in abstract terms, analyze the effects of work and draw appropriate conclusions, an internal plan of action, etc., begin to appear, two sub-groups were identified in experimental groups, consisting of 5–8 grades students with and without visual impairments (EG1) and (EG2): EG1 (I) for 5–6 grades students (10–12 years) and EG1 (II) for 7–8 grades students (13–15 years) with visual impairments; EG2 (I) and EG2 (II) accordingly, for students without visual impairments.
