HOW UNDERGRADUATE OF PEDAGOGY LEARNS?

We live in a dynamically changing time, when a person must learn throughout life, constantly improve and adapt to new conditions. The ability to learn is one of the four foundations of education. The article presents selected excerpts from empirical research aimed primarily at understanding students' knowledge of teaching methods (mainly in the field of knowledge), as well as the most commonly used methods of memorizing material. The diagnostic study was performed by questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 39 closed and open questions. 130 students of pedagogical specialties of the University of Łód (took part in the survey (48 full-time and 82 part-time students). The experiment showed that students named (on average) two factors (positive and negative) that affect the learning process, only 24 out of 130 mentioned three factors. Respondents do not know teaching methods, in particular effective memorization: 80% of all students use multiple repetition, and other methods (prior knowledge, creating graphs, charts, tables, figures, links, chains of associations, funny stories, rhymes, the use of various colors, mental maps, mnemonics, etc. are used less. Most students (117 out of 130) admit that they have never sought knowledge about the learning process. Students are influenced by external (the need to prepare for exams, tests, practical classes), rather than internal motivation (the desire for self-improvement, professional self-realization). In many respects, full-time students showed more knowledge than part-time students. In addition, full-time students are slightly more likely to study voluntarily (regardless of academic background), not just before an exam or test. In both full-time and part-time study, students focus on gaining qualifications rather than knowledge. Thus, students’ knowledge of the educational process is insignificant; they know only the main factors that affect the educational process, and a few well-known methods of learning. In the future, it may negatively affect the effectiveness of their professional and pedagogical activities. It is necessary to identify the reasons of the gained results: lack of interest in the subject, misunderstanding of the curriculum, indifference, and so on. The author is convinced that it is necessary to change the approach to learning and develop the need for self-improvement.