The development of the multicultural personality of university students through the materials of the textbook “Practical course of the German language”

Modern education is developing in accordance with new trends in the geopolitical, economic, cultural spheres and it is designed to form a competitive and mobile specialist in demand on the labor market. The education system, unlike any other social system, reflects all the sociopolitical and economic changes occurring in society, since its future depends on the quality of potential specialists’ training and the form of its existence on the world stage in the future. The higher education system has experienced several reform processes. In our opinion it is explained by the emerging situations of discrepancy between the requirements of social development to the nomenclature and a quality of educational services; and the actually performing educational system. Reforming the higher education system in Russia is being implemented taking into account similar global trends, maintaining the uniqueness of national scientific and educational developments in recent years at the same time [1, p. 189–195; 12, p. 79].

The reform process is associated with the introduction of new standards, innovative models and systems, which does not always go smoothly and effectively. The demarcation line in the success or failure of the ongoing reforms in the education field is the increase or decrease in the functioning efficiency and the quality of educational services in educational institutions of the country. Currently, more and more emphasis is given to the problem of modeling a polycultural environment, which is interpreted as a way of existence, communication and activities of people of different nations and nationalities. These processes are determined by social space and time, specific historical and geographical conditions that form a person as a subject of ethnic identity and culture [13, p. 55–57; 14].

• 1.    Problem Statement

• 2.    Research methodology

The following features of multicultural education that must be taken into account: 1) the foundations of national Russian and world cultures should be combined in the context of the educational content, therefore, the main requirements for the selection of the content of multicultural education are: awareness of the distinctive features in the cultures of different peoples; search for common cultural segments, traditions, imperatives; 2) the formation of a multicultural personality, considered as a citizen of the world, who strives for dialogue and solidarity with all of humanity is recognized as a priority; 3) the use of the language of science, culture and art is paramount. They are considered as means that contribute to the formation of ethnocultural competence of students; 4) the need to educate a tolerant personality is highlighted. Tolerance in this case should be manifested in relation to ethnocultural diversity and have different social and value needs in cultural activities; 5) the content of training should reflect humanistic ideas that promote mutual understanding and dialogue between representatives of various ethnic cultures; 6) as an open socio-pedagogical system should be, first of all, an educational institution that promotes the integration of students into a multicultural environment.

The purpose of the study is to develop and describe the methodology for the formation of multicultural qualities of students' personality. An important tool for the formation of the multicultural personality of university students is the textbook “Practical Course of the German Language”, built on the basis of authentic materials.

The development of the multicultural personality of university students should be carried out within the framework of a specially designed methodology. To solve the research problems, we used the following methods:

• •    cognitive-generalizing : the study of domestic and foreign philosophical, psychological, pedagogical and methodological literature on the research problem (to solve the first task);

• •    theoretical : analysis and synthesis of scien-

tific literature; method of modeling (for solving the first and the second task);

• •    empirical : included observation; experiment (to solve the second task).

• 3.    Step-by-step solution of research problems and the results obtained

The first task of the study is to determine the semantic content of the concepts “multicultural education” and “ multicultural personality”.

Multicultural education is understood as the process of forming a person capable of active and effective life in a multinational and multicultural environment, with a developed sense of understanding and respect for other cultures, the ability to live in peace and harmony with people of different nationalities, races, and beliefs [14]. In this case, among other things, the goal of training at a university becomes the development of a multicultural personality of students, which is understood as a person who has the following developed integrative qualities: humanity, citizenship, empathy, tolerance, multicultural identity, motivation for positive cooperation with representatives of different cultures, nationalities, as well as a system of multicultural knowledge and skills [16, 18]. We understand polycultural personality as a personality of a full-fledged subject of a polylogue of cultures, characterized by an active life position and a complex of integrative qualities, including a developed sense of empathy and tolerance, emotional stability, and the ability to live in harmony with representatives of different cultural groups.

The main characterological features of a multicultural personality, which follow from this definition, are: the complexity of universal mental methods, techniques, methods and means of cognition of culture and its characteristics; overprofessionalism and oversubjectiveness; fundamen-tality for all spheres of human life. The development of a multicultural personality is considered by leading scientists [2–5; 15, p. 126–128] as a necessary condition for mastering functional literacy, the implementation of socialization process and professional activities with a high share of potential efficiency.

The implementation of the main goal of teaching foreign languages at the university from the standpoint of students’ multicultural personality development is recorded by us in the following table (Table 1):

The second task of the study is modeling the process of formation of the students' multicultural personality.

Table 1

Correlation of the tasks of the educational process in the university with the principles of the development of the multicultural personality of students

The main tasks of the educational process at the university	Fundamental principles of the development of a multicultural personality in the university educational environment
Developing students' ability to understand and accept ethnic diversity	Humanization of the educational process
Guarantee of the opportunity for students to understand their belonging to the world community	Neutralization of negative ethnic stereotypes
Formation of knowledge and objective ideas about various polyethnic cultures and their specifics	Democratization of relations between representatives of different nationalities
Fostering a respectful attitude towards all peoples and cultures	Fostering tolerance
Formation of the ability to constructively resolve conflicts that arise in the process of intercultural interaction	Recognition of the priority of universal values in culture

Fig.1. Correlation of the awareness level of multicultural personality among the 2–4 courses students according to cognitive, personal and content-practical criteria (starting diagnostics)

Significant from a scientific point of view is the decision on the choice of effective forms and methods for the development of the multicultural personality of higher education students-future specialists [8, p. 544; 11, p. 112; 19].

In the course of the study, a methodology for the development of higher education students’ multicultural personality was designed and described, and the most effective forms and methods of implementing this process were identified. In order to model the process of development of the multicultural personality, psychological and pedagogical diagnostics of the level the studied phenomenon awareness in groups of students from 2 to 4 courses was carried out in accordance with the criterion-level scale. The following criteria are: cognitive (indicators: knowledge about culture; knowledge about the sociocultural situation; awareness of trends in the development of socio-cultural processes); personal

(indicators: individual and personal attitudes; personal attitude to culture and the diversity of its manifestations; personal interest in participating in intercultural dialogue); content-practical (indicators: orientation of the dynamics of values; the degree of assimilation of sociocultural values; the ability to apply knowledge about sociocultural values in practice).

For level differentiation, high, medium and low levels were determined, respectively, as a result of the start-up diagnostics, the following results were obtained (Fig. 1).

Diagnostic data indicates an insufficient awareness level of the multicultural personality qualities among the 2–3 year students according to all the selected criteria and indicators, among 4th year students according to the personality criterion. This is explained, in our opinion, by the following reasons. For 2–3 year students, the processes of socialization and inculturation are still in the active phase of development, and for 4th year students – at the stage of registration and completion. Students of 2–3 courses do not yet have a clear idea of the dynamics of their social status in accordance with the modern sociocultural situation, just like 4th year students; placement of socio-cultural and personality-oriented values in a new living space (studying at university; socially significant position; activity, readiness for intercultural communication; sociocultural and cross-cultural dialogue and interaction) among students of 2–3 courses is not yet fully formed, and 4th year students are practically formed and have a certain completed view.

These data is taken into account while designing a model for the development of a students’ multicultural personality and choosing the relevant forms and methods for implementing the process under study.

The method of forming the qualities of a multicultural personality includes three stages:

• 1.    The cognitive-normative stage is aimed at developing ideas about the values of one's country; culture of other peoples, countries; knowledge in the field of norms of behavior, communication in accordance with the culture of society (general and specific).

• 2.    Communicative activity stage involves the formation of skills and communication skills in everyday communication practice, possession of various models and means of communication (communication culture); the formation of skills to express their attitude to various aspects of life with a focus on values and the socio-cultural situation in general; skills of creative application of the value concepts system in productive activity.

• 3.    Evaluative-reflexive stage includes the skills formation to evaluate one's own knowledge about culture and the socio-cultural situation (general and private); awareness of the trends

in the development of socio-cultural processes; skills of reflection on the direction of their values dynamics; the degree of socio-cultural values assimilation; skills to apply knowledge about sociocultural values in practice); the ability to analyze individual and personal attitudes; personal attitude to culture and the diversity of its manifestations; personal interest and willingness to participate in intercultural dialogue.

Taking into account the indicated stages of the formation process of the students’ multicultural personality, the choice of forms and methods corresponding to its specificity was made, and the textbook “Practical Course of the German Language” (authors Sobyanina V.A., Suvorova S.L.) [17].

Within the framework of the first – cognitive-normative stage, individual and group forms of work are priority; as for the second and third stages, – active and interactive forms and methods required. We will consider the forms and methods of work in stages, and also present the materials of the textbook we have tested.

For the cognitive-normative stage , the individual forms of work and the methods corresponding to them are [6; 7; 9, p. 34–37; 10]:

• 1)    individual projects of socio-cultural orientation (methods: project, partial search).

Projekt: Welche Ma β nahmen werden in un-serem Land ergriffen, um das Rauchen zu be-kämpfen? Arbeiten Sie in Minigruppen, präsen-tieren Sie dann die Ergebnisse auf einer Folie / einem Blatt Papier [17, p. 38].

• 2)    individual tasks (methods: exploratory, practical work).

Sprechen Sie über die Gründe der Eheschei-dungen. Wer strebt öfter die Ehescheidung an: Männer oder Frauen? Welche Folgen haben die Ehescheidungen für die Eheleute, ihre Kinder, die ganze Gesellschaft? Benutzen Sie dabei fol-gende Informationen [17, p. 51] (Table 2).

Table 2

Example of individual tasks

Eheschließungen, Ehescheidungen und durchschnittliches Heiratsalter Lediger

Bevölkerungsbewegung	Einheit	2004	2005	2006
Eheschließungen	Anzahl	395 992	388 451	373 681
Ehescheidungen	Anzahl	213 691	201 693	190 928
Durchschnittliches Heiratsalter Lediger
Männer	Alter	32,4	32,6	32,6
Frauen	Alter	29,4	29,6	29,6

• 3)    solving problematic issues, situations (methods: problematic, situational).

Kommentieren Sie folgende Zitate zur Prob-lematik „Ehe und Familie“ [17, p. 52]:

• •    „Das Schicksal des Staates hängt vom Zu-stand der Familie ab.“ (Alexandre Rodolphe Vinet, schweizer. ev. Theologe u. Literaturhistoriker)

• •    „Der Heilige Geist ist ein Spezialist vor al-lem für die Krankheiten der Ehe und der Familie, die die großen Kranken von heute sind.“ (P. Ra-niero Cantalamessa)

• •    „Alles, was dazu beiträgt, die auf die Ehe eines Mannes und einer Frau gegründete Familie zu schwächen, was direkt oder indirekt die Be-reitschaft der Familie zur verantwortungsbewus-sten Annahme eines neuen Lebens lähmt, was ihr Recht, die erste Verantwortliche für die Erzie-hung der Kinder zu sein, hintertreibt, stellt ein objektives Hindernis auf dem Weg des Friedens dar.“ (Papst Benedikt XVI. in der Botschaft zur Feier des Weltfriedenstages 2008).

These forms and methods of work are most effective in the cognitive aspect, since students improve their ideas about culture, values of their people, there is a reorientation of the value system, views, beliefs with the modern sociocultural situation taken into account.

Group forms of work are represented by various types of activities in the following forms:

• 1)    group projects, incl. research (methods: design, partial search);

Gruppenprojekt: „Seit Urzeiten hat Generation für Generation gegen die Natur angekämpft. Jetzt müssen wir uns plötzlich in der kurzen Zeit-spanne eines einzigen Menschenalters mit einer Wendung um 180 Grad in Naturschützer ver- wandeln.“ (Jacques-Yves Cousteau) [17, p. 70].

• 2)    creative workshops, clubs, student associations, communities (methods: play, group dynamics).

Gestalten Sie einen Dialog: Der eine Ge-sprächspartner sagt, dass der Umweltschutz ihn nicht angeht – es ist die Sache des Staates. Der andere im Gegenteil ist ein aktiver Umwelt-schützer. Vertreten Sie dabei Ihre Meinungen [17, p. 80].

• 3)    intercultural associations of round-table talks, webinars, seminars, trainings, flash mobs (methods: empirical, role-playing games).

Arbeiten Sie am Videofilm „Umwelt und Natur“ (Videokassette „Einblicke“, Folge 14) und erfüllen Sie Aufgaben zum gesehenen Film (Arbeitsheft „Einblicke“ [17, p. 81].

The development of a multicultural personality on the basis of interactive group forms of work is effective due to sustainable communicative, intercultural interaction and mutual influence of students in the group.

For the communicative-activity and evaluative-reflexive stages, the active forms of work and the methods corresponding to them are:

• 1)    resource circle (students) (methods: imitation, situational).

Gestalten Sie ein Rollenspiel als Abschlu-βstunde zum Thema „Bevor es nicht zu spät ist ...“ (eine Diskussion, eine Aktion usw.) [17, p. 81].

• 2)    work in pairs (methods: method of group dynamics, method of solving situational problems).

Analysieren Sie die wichtigsten Merkmale der freien Marktwirtschaft im Vergleich zur Plan-wirtschaft. Benutzen Sie dabei folgende Tabelle [17, p. 95] (Table 3).

Table 3

Example of work in pairs

Marktwirtschaft	und	Planwirtschaft
Ordnungselemente dezentrale Planung mit marktwirtschaftlicher Koordination	Möglichkeiten der Planung in einer Volkswirtschaft	Ordnungselemente zentrale Planung mit administrativer Wirtschaftsführung
Privateigentum	Eigentumsformen	Gesellschaftliches Eigentum (Staatseigentum und genossenschaftliches Eigentum), Privateigentum und persönliches Eigentum
Erwirtschaftung eines Gewinns	Produktionsziele von Unternehmen	Erfüllung eines bestimmten Plans
Preisbildung auf dem Markt	Möglichkeiten der Preisbildung	Preissetzung durch den Staat
Lohnfestsetzung durch die Tarifpartner	Möglichkeiten der Lohnfestsetzung	Lohnfestsetzung durch den Staat
Durchsetzung von höheren Löhnen und verbesserten Arbeitsbedingungen für die Arbeitnehmer	Aufgabe der Gewerkschaften	Verbreitung staatlicher und parteilicher Zielsetzungen

• 3)    communication trainings and video trainings (methods: visualization, immersion seminar).

Arbeiten Sie mit dem Videofilm „Deutschland. Auβenansichten“ (Videokassette „Einblicke“, Fol-ge 18) und erfüllen Sie Aufgaben zum gesehenen Film (Arbeitsheft „Einblicke“) [17, p. 114].

Interactive forms and methods of work involve the interactive interaction of students in the process of forming the qualities of a multicultural personality are presented:

• 1)    business games, quests, web quests (methods: role-playing games, method of situations);

Rollenspiel: Übernehmen Sie die Rolle eines Engagierten und sagen Sie: für welche Ziele in der Ausländerpolitik stehen die folgenden vier Parteien? Versuchen Sie herauszufinden, hinter welcher der Parteien A bis D sich die Sozialde-mokraten (SPD), die Grünen / Alternativen, die Freien Demokraten (FDP) und die Christdemo-kraten (CDU) verbergen! Inszenieren Sie die Diskussionen dieser Parteien anhand der Auslän-derpolitik in der BRD.

Die Partei A lehnt eine Änderung des Grundgesetz-Artikels 16 (Politisch Verfolgte ge-nießen Asylrecht) ab. Sie wünscht volle Integration der hier lebenden Ausländer. Diese Partei ist gegen eine Verschärfung der Sicherheitsgesetze und setzt statt dessen auf eine verbesserte Polizei-Fahndung.

Die Partei B verlangt volles Bürgerrecht für Ausländer, das Asylrecht soll nicht eingeschränkt, sondern erweitert werden. Politische Flüchtlinge sollen arbeiten dürfen und nicht mehr in Lagern untergebracht werden wie bisher. Diese Partei will alle im Zusammenhang mit der Terroristen- fahndung erlassenen Sicherheitsgesetze aufhe-ben. Die Kompetenzen des Bundeskriminalamtes sollen eingeschränkt und der Einsatz von F-Leuten der Polizei verboten werden.

Die Partei C fürchtet, dass der Datenschutz bei der Zusammenarbeit von Polizei und Ge-heimdiensten nicht gewahrt bleibt. Auch eine Änderung des Grundgesetz-Artikels über das Recht auf Asyl wird abgelehnt. Die Wartezeiten für Ausländer, die Verwandte nachholen wollen, sollen verkürzt statt verlängert werden. Auslän-der, die in der Bundesrepublik geboren wurden, sollen bei Volljährigkeit deutsche Staatsbürger werden können. Nach fünfjährigem Aufenthalt soll die befristete Aufenthaltserlaubnis unbe-schränkt gelten.

Die Partei D fordert, dass die Zahl der hier lebenden Ausländer gesenkt, die Rückkehr in ihre Heimat gefördert , der Nachzug von Verwandten erschwert und die Zahl der Asylsuchenden ge-senkt wird. Wirtschaftsasylanten sollen grund-sätzlich nicht aufgenommen werden. Notfalls denkt diese Partei sogar an eine Änderung des Grundgesetz-Artikels, der Asyl garantiert. Die Partei D ist für die Erleichterung des Datenaus-tauschs zwischen Polizei und Nachrichtendien-sten, verlangt eine Verschärfung des Demonstra-tionsstrafrechts und eine Kronzeugenregelung für Terroristische Gewalttäter.

• 2)    sociocultural dialogue (methods: interactive, the method of dialogue via Skype system).

Finden Sie zu folgenden Äuβerungen Argu-mente, mit denen Jugendliche ihre Ausländer-feindlichkeit rechtfertigen [17, p. 127–128].

• 3)    discussions (methods: problem method, dialogue). Analysieren Sie Äuβerungen deutscher

  

  ■ cognitive criterion

  ■ personality criterion

  ■ substantive and practical criterion

  
  

Fig. 2. Correlation of the formedness levels of multicultural personality formation of 2–4 courses students according to cognitive, personal and content-practical criteria after testing the materials of the textbook

Jugendlicher zum Thema „Ausländer in Deutsch-land“ und gestalten Sie eine Diskussion [17, p. 126].

After testing the textbook materials during 2018–2020 we diagnosed the level of students' multicultural personality qualities formation again and received the following results, presented in the diagram (Fig. 2).

The results of the implementation of the textbook materials „Practical Course of the German Language“ (authors Sobyanina V.A., Suvorova S.L.) demonstrate positive dynamics in all the selected criteria: the greatest progress in the level of multicultural personality qualities is observed among 4th year students in all criteria, among students 3 courses on personal and content-practical criteria, for 2nd year students – on cognitive and personal criteria.

Conclusion

The development of the multicultural personality of higher education students in educational institutions is a systematic change in the meaning-making mechanism and is of a sequential nature, which necessitates the development, modeling and implementation of the appropriate organizational forms and methods that have a positive formative influence on the student’s personality in the process of obtaining higher professional education. The dynamic development and formation of personality in the aspect of a multicultural environment is carried out due to a system of promising forms and methods. The educational environment of a higher educational institution provides an opportunity to implement the materials described above from the textbook “Practical Course of the German Language” (authors Sobyanina V.A., Suvorova S.L.). The use of the mentioned textbook will lead to a positive change in the criteria indicators of the students’ multicultural personality formation and will provide a meaningful attitude to manifestations of culture at different levels.