DEVELOPING COGNITIVE INDEPENDENCE OF SCHOOLCHILDREN THROUGH THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Svetlana A. Arefeva¹*, Olesia V. Arefeva², Tatiana A. Volkova³, Vladislav Smirnov⁴   and Nadezhda V. Krasilnikova^5
1 Prof., Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
vikto-arefev@yandex.ru
² Assoc. Prof., Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
vikto-arefev@yandex.ru
³ Assoc. Prof., Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
tat451706@yandex.ru
⁴ PhD student, Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
razortheone@yandex.ru
⁵ Assistant Prof., Volga State University of Technology, RUSSIA,
krasilnikovanv@gmail.com
*Corresponding author

Abstract
The paper focuses on developing cognitive independence of schoolchildren while teaching them how to organise and do research. It aims to reveal educational potential of research activity as a means of developing students' creative skills and forming independence, being one of the key personality traits necessary for future independent life. The paper contains information on the research-based method of teaching, its history and significance in current education. It shows the connection between the research-based method and learning outcomes: subject-specific, meta-subject and individual. Special attention is paid to cognitive universal learning skills. Their mastering is pivotal for developing cognitive independence, which is one of the basic personality traits every student currently needs.

The description of research-based activity of schoolchildren involves the analysis of the case study method and the project method. The paper considers the issues related to the potential of using the case-study method for developing schoolchildren’s motivation and zest for learning, as well as for mastering educational material successfully by stating a problem, understanding the situation in which it arose, and the necessity to search for the ways to solve the problem. Research activity of schoolchildren is described based on the analysis of the project method. The paper identifies the aim and objectives of project activity, and the sequence of actions involved in working on projects. It also analyses the significance of project activity for the development of students' research skills and cognitive independence. The authors argue that it is necessary to actively implement research activities in the educational process in order to achieve individual, meta-subject and subject-specific learning outcomes.

Keywords: cognitive independence, research activity, case study, project activity, cognitive universal learning skills