Development of cognitive activity of younger students in the learning process

Questions of formation of cognitive activity of schoolchildren are among the most pressing problems of modern pedagogical science and practice.  In the educational process, cognitive activity of students plays a leading role, as it is carried out through the assimilation of the content of training.

The development of cognitive activity of schoolchildren is one of the main directions of improving the educational process at school. This topic is due to the modern requirements of the development of pedagogical theory and practice – the new requirements of the Federal state educational standard of primary General education. In practice, it is necessary to teach students to acquire knowledge, think and apply them in educational activities.

The key problem in solving the problem of improving the efficiency and quality of the educational process is the activation of the teaching of students. Its special significance lies in the fact that the teaching, being a reflective-transforming activity, is aimed not only at the perception of educational material, but also at the formation of the student's attitude to the most cognitive activity. The transformative nature of activity is always associated with the activity of the subject.

Cognitive activity is an interest in learning activities, to acquire knowledge, to science. The emergence of cognitive activity depends primarily on the level of development of the child, his experience, knowledge, the soil that feeds the interest, and on the other hand, the way the material is supplied. Students ' interest in learning is a determining factor in the process of mastering their knowledge.

The formation of cognitive activity is not the main task of the school psychologist, because the need for knowledge (one of the leading needs, the unsaturated nature of which is of particular importance for the development and self-development of the individual) is influenced by many factors - from the General characteristics of the tension of needs to the features of family and school education.

But in practice, constantly have to deal with problems associated with cognitive activity.

At each age stage cognitive activity has its own forms of behavioral manifestations and requires special conditions for its formation. Direct cognitive activity, or rather curiosity - is a genetically early form of cognitive activity, characteristic mainly for preschool age, but often manifested in the period of school childhood.

Externally, it is manifested in the following:

- direct interest in new facts, entertaining phenomena, related issues to adults - parents, teachers;

- positive emotional experience associated with obtaining new information.

This manifests the orientation of preschool and primary school children to the outside world, their sensual and mostly practical attitude to reality.

In V. S. Selivanov's research, the main condition providing this level of cognitive activity is a rich information environment, as well as the possibility of practical activity in it. The main "barrier" preventing the development of this level of cognitive activity is the early introduction of theoretical forms of education, too early introduction of the child to the "book culture"[11].

A.V. Petrovsky in his research says that cognitive activity associated with the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary to solve cognitive problems, the desire for intellectual achievements .

To date, there are two ways to enhance cognitive activity: extensive and intense. And both of them have the same ultimate goal: education of educated, moral, creative, socially active, capable of self-development. But the approaches to achieving the goal are different. The extensive way is realized, first of all, through the increase in the number of academic disciplines or, in other words, the increase in the amount of knowledge communicated to students. The intensive way is based on the formation of the subjective, personally interested position of the student, and this involves changing the structure of the curriculum and the intensification of teaching methods (developmental, personality-oriented learning, etc.).)

Activation of cognitive activity involves some stimulation, strengthening the process of knowledge. Self-knowledge can be represented as a sequential chain consisting of perception, memorization, preservation, comprehension, reproduction and interpretation of the acquired knowledge. It is obvious that activation can be carried out simultaneously at all successive stages, but it can also occur at any one. Stimulates, activates the knowledge, especially the teacher. His actions are to use different techniques and exercises to strengthen each of the stages of knowledge (less often — one or more). It is on this logic that programs of developmental education are built: through the constant organization of conditions for intensive cognitive activity to the usual cognitive activity, and then — to the internal need for self-education. Therefore, we can talk about different levels of cognitive activity of younger students in educational activities. It is obvious that the activity is associated with strengthening the subjective position of the student.

The development of cognitive activity occurs through various means of learning. In pedagogy today there is no unambiguous definition of the term "learning tool". Some authors apply it in a narrow sense, referring to the means-tools that serve the achievement of General and educational goals of education. Others to the means of training in addition to material means-tools include intellectual means of carrying out mental activity, which enable a person to carry out indirect and generalized knowledge of objective reality. Third subdivide learning tools into teaching tools that the student uses to learn the material and the actual means of learning, i.e. the means that the teacher uses to create the conditions of learning for the student. Fourth, considering the means of learning in a broad sense, this term refers to all the content and the entire project of learning and the actual means-learning tools.

There are two large groups teaching tools: a tool – a source of information and a means – a tool of learning material. Then we can say that the means of training are called all objects and processes (material and materialized), which serve as a source of educational information and tools (actually means) for the assimilation of the content of educational material, development and education of students.

Means of formation of cognitive activity are various activities in the classroom: independent work, exercises, types of problem learning, quizzes, competitions, teacher's speech, play and game forms of work in the classroom.

Every means, even the most perfect, can be used for good and for harm. And even good intentions do not ensure the usefulness of the use of funds: we still need knowledge and the ability to use the tool in an appropriate way, so that its use would bring unconditional benefit.

Activation of the learning process can be achieved through a comprehensive application of the methods of problem and developmental learning, heuristic conversation, role-playing games, training, methods of delayed evaluation, individualization, differentiation of training.

The type of learning activity is a dynamic indicator. The teacher is able to help the student to move from the zero type to situational and, possibly, performing, creative activity. I would like to emphasize the idea that all students need the attention and care of the teacher: those who do not show special interest in the teaching, and those who outwardly make a good impression and seemingly do not need special support. Therefore, largely depends on the ability of the teacher, whether the pupil will be able to Express themselves in educational activities or prefer only to sit out in the classroom [3].Questions of formation of cognitive activity of schoolchildren are among the most pressing problems of modern pedagogical science and practice.  In the educational process, cognitive activity of students plays a leading role, as it is carried out through the assimilation of the content of training.

The development of cognitive activity of schoolchildren is one of the main directions of improving the educational process at school. This topic is due to the modern requirements of the development of pedagogical theory and practice – the new requirements of the Federal state educational standard of primary General education. In practice, it is necessary to teach students to acquire knowledge, think and apply them in educational activities.

The key problem in solving the problem of improving the efficiency and quality of the educational process is the activation of the teaching of students. Its special significance lies in the fact that the teaching, being a reflective-transforming activity, is aimed not only at the perception of educational material, but also at the formation of the student's attitude to the most cognitive activity. The transformative nature of activity is always associated with the activity of the subject.

Cognitive activity is an interest in learning activities, to acquire knowledge, to science. The emergence of cognitive activity depends primarily on the level of development of the child, his experience, knowledge, the soil that feeds the interest, and on the other hand, the way the material is supplied. Students ' interest in learning is a determining factor in the process of mastering their knowledge.