Development of initial teacher education students’ sets of values during pursuing undergraduate degrees

Introduction. The article focuses on the implementation of the axiological approach in education. According to this approach, values, which are basic norms and principles determining social consciousness, behaviours and attitudes, should determine the meaning, validity and direction of educational change. So far, however, there have been no comprehensive, fundamental studies which investigated the systemogenesis of values within the framework of teacher education and the dynamics of university students’ value orientations, in particular. In this regard, the aim of this research is to study the development of initial teacher education students’ sets of values during pursuing undergraduate degrees. Materials and Methods. The study was carried out using system-genetic and axiological approaches. The research methodology was also based on the concepts of generational value gaps. Initial teacher education students’ sets of values were studied using the following methods: B. S. Alishev’s Structure of values methodology; B. S. Alishev and E. R. Sageeva’s Individual value orientations in the continuum ‘Me and others’; Comprehensive methods of studying basic social attitudes by B. S. Alishev, G. I. Kashapova, E. R. Sageeva; the Rokeach Value Survey. The sample consisted of 127 undergraduate students. Results. The study has revealed that first-year initial teacher education students do not demonstrate predominance in their value orientations, i.e. they have both altruistic and self-centred values. The second-year students reported increased tendency towards self-centred values. A certain balance in the individual and social orientation of values was observed among the third-year students. The study has also found that fourth-year initial teacher education students give higher priorities to society-oriented values, such as democracy, collectivization, and humanization. These results can be explained by the fact that teaching internships (work placements) and profession-centred curriculum contribute greatly to developing teaching selves and professional identity of fourth-year initial teacher education students. Conclusions. The study has found that initial teacher education students’ sets of values are evolving during the period of pursuing degrees in education. This is due to the fact that adolescence is a period of developing personal identity and worldview which includes values. Academic and professional activities contribute greatly to the development of initial teacher education students’ sets of values.