STEAM technology as a method of adaptation of foreign students of A.I. Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University in the study of art

Go Sin Graduate Student, Department of Art History and Pedagogy of Art, Herzen State Pedagogical University 191186, Russia, Saint Petersburg, nab. Sinks, 48, room 6, room 51 guoxing@rambler.ru Other publications by this author

             Introduction

The dynamics of the last few years demonstrates the intensity of academic mobility of foreign students in Russian higher education institutions. This is a consequence of both the policy pursued within the framework of the scientific and educational direction, and the interest of foreign students themselves in obtaining education in Russian universities. Thus, according to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, in 2022 the number of foreign students studying at Russian universities increased by 8.4% compared to 2021 and amounted to 351,448 people ^[8]. In such conditions, the problem of adapting the educational environment to the peculiarities of foreign students is one of the topical issues ^[4].

The issue is particularly acute in the field of art and art pedagogical education in Russia, which is extremely in demand by such students. In recent years, a significant number of publications have appeared that highlight the problem of professional training of Chinese people in such a system from different angles. These include the works of Ch. Ju ^[13], L. Jing ^[12], L. Fu ^[10] and others. These authors point out that when working with foreign students, it is necessary to adapt didactics and teaching methods, including focusing it on the use of information and communication technologies (hereinafter - ICT) in the process of studying certain disciplines. Such technologies, which are actively used in the practice of art education, include those that are used to perform practical tasks and demonstrations, as well as remote ones, for example, online lectures, interactive excursions, presentations, etc. ^[3]. Ch. Tszyu notes that such technologies are the key to the development and development of Russian, and the Chinese student of their own style of pedagogical activity, as they introduce innovative teaching methods into the system of art and pedagogical education, as well as introduce methodological and didactic foundations of styles, genres and visual techniques of modern art, often created through such technologies ^{[14, p. 4]}. At the same time, this author limits himself to listing ICT relevant for that time, including noting certain functions of "Microsoft Teams", such as "Screen Share", "thanks to which a teacher can demonstrate by personal example educational material for creating online illustrations or learning how to work in Adobe Photoshop, which will significantly increase academic results of students" ^{[5, p. 83]}. However, the possibilities of this program were not considered separately in the process of training such specialists. The methodological basis of this study was the work related to the use of ICT in art and pedagogical education, namely O.V. Dmitrenko ^[2], T.V. Selivanova ^[9], I.N. Polynskaya ^[6], S.R. Damadanova ^[1], L. Jing ^[11] and others.

The object of this research is the process of teaching foreign students the basics of modern art in pedagogical universities in Russia, and its subject is to search for the specifics of organizing such training using ICT for Chinese students using the example of the experience of A.I. Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University. The purpose of the work is to determine the possibilities of their organization and prospects for improvement in the use of ICT and taking into account the specifics of Chinese students based on the study of the peculiarities of teaching disciplines related to contemporary art at the university. This basis is based on an experiment conducted within the framework of the master's degree discipline "Strategies of Contemporary Art" in the 2021/2022 academic year, on the introduction of Microsoft Teams resources, as well as an introductory and final survey, a questionnaire of Chinese students who have mastered the subject.

The study of difficulties in the process of teaching contemporary art to Chinese students at the Institute of Art Education of the Herzen State Pedagogical University

As part of the study, a survey was conducted of 30 foreign students studying at the Institute of Art Education of the A.I. Herzen State Pedagogical University under the Master's degree program 30.04.01 "Arts and Humanities" in the second year of the second semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. After studying the problem of adaptation of foreign students, it was concluded that most students have difficulties in the process of studying at the Institute of Art Education of the Herzen State Pedagogical University. According to the study, the main problems faced by international students are: adaptation to a new format and principles of education, language, labor, financial, cultural, housing and emotional problems. From the point of view of the respondents, first of all, the management and teaching staff of the university should provide optimal conditions for increasing academic performance and creating a comfortable environment for students to study, including within the framework of teaching individual subjects.

In the university education system, Chinese students are supposed to get acquainted with the basics of modern art through courses in such areas as "World Art Culture", "Art History", "Modern Painting", "Modern Photography", "Media Art", "Design", etc. Meanwhile, teaching is conducted everywhere in Russian and does not involve the transformation of content and methodology to suit the characteristics of foreigners. Meanwhile, the attention of such students to the artistic and artistic pedagogical education of Russia, the growth of their number at the Herzen State Pedagogical University leads the leadership and teachers to the need for a certain change in programs within the framework of the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard In accordance with these realities. So, in the Institute of Art Education, which is a structural unit of this university, in addition to traditional academic painting and drawing, as well as a whole range of disciplines related to the methodology of teaching artistic and creative disciplines, modern art is also taught at the master's level. The latter is represented by a set of theoretical and practical classes, which are jointly comprehended by both Russian-speaking students and students, primarily from China.

This subject is aimed at expanding the boundaries of the concept of contemporary art, as well as giving students the opportunity to work with new forms and means in creative activity, which allows them to prepare a specialist with competencies in the field of contemporary art. It is worth noting that the discipline "Problems of contemporary Art" is studied in the first semester of the second year by students who master such training programs as 44.04.01 Pedagogical Education (Visual Arts and art education, Design and computer graphics, and Art), 54.04.01. Arts and Humanities (Plastic Arts and art strategies, Theory and practice visual arts) ^[8]. In the future, contemporary art continues to be studied, but already as subjects of "Art project in the system of contemporary art" and "Strategies of contemporary art".

The teaching of contemporary art in the master's degree program of the A.I. Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University is based on the material that was laid down indirectly at the undergraduate level, for example, within the framework of such disciplines as art history, art history workshop, analysis and interpretation of works of art, etc. Thus, the program assumes that students, ideally, are ready to master it and have certain knowledge and skills. However, in the case of foreigners who received a bachelor's degree in their countries, this approach does not work. This is due to the fact that they have different training, which may not have included familiarity with the basics of modern art, especially Western and Russian.

Their national characteristics also play an important role in the education of such students. Even with high motivation to receive education and focus on improving communication skills, including in the field of communication with Russian-speaking fellow students and teachers, the specifics of mentality, religious and cultural traditions are important for them. Thus, with regard to Chinese students, when designing courses, it is important to take into account their intolerant attitude towards disrespectful attitude towards the elderly, as well as towards the personality of the teacher. When talking about contemporary art, which often ridicules the values of the past and does not tolerate authority, assumes a certain amount of cynicism and provocation, it is necessary to take into account such views, since such material can be negatively perceived by Chinese students. At the same time, Chinese education involves focusing on the figure of the teacher, who is perceived as an absolute authority, which prevents such students from revealing the independence and creative side of their personality. They often do not have not only the necessary degree of initiative and creativity, but also the ability to work independently, which is elementary for Russian conditions. Master's degree studies at the Herzen State Pedagogical University are based on a significant proportion of independent activity. The same applies to the disciplines under consideration.

Features of using the capabilities of Microsoft Teams in teaching contemporary art at the Institute of Art Education of the A.I. Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University

The search for a way out of this difficult situation led the staff of the institute to the fact that they increasingly began to use ICT in the training of future artists and teachers. The time of the "coronavirus restrictions" has shown that working within the framework of the distance learning platform, as well as using various kinds of software, helps teachers communicate with students, and students communicate with each other in the absence of the opportunity to attend classroom classes. However, even after the restoration of the previous regime of study at the university, they continued to use the opportunities of mixed education. In the case of future art teachers from China, ICTs are used in organizing and conducting independent and practical work, as they make it possible to set clear deadlines, track the execution process, communicate, interact when it is convenient for all subjects of the educational process ^[15].

The course on contemporary art offered at this university covers an extensive period of the origin and evolution of modern art, the most complex characteristics of modern art, its classification and historical development, and the study of the work of contemporary artists. This also includes the relationship between Eastern and Western contemporary art, generalization and analysis of comparison problems, and other relevant aspects. The latter is a direct consequence of the "reconfiguration" of the content and teaching methods to suit the characteristics of foreign students. For example, within the framework of the experimental discipline "Strategies of Contemporary Art", teachers direct students to study the basic theories and general laws of modern art, to understand the peculiarities of various forms of modern art, to stimulate students' love for modern art, to educate students' aesthetic taste and aesthetic worldview, as well as to improve students' artistic literacy, moral qualities and the ability to integrate theory with practice.

Within the framework of this study, an experiment was conducted on the basis of the A.I. Herzen State Pedagogical University to teach the "Strategy of Contemporary Art" to a group of Chinese students studying under the master's degree program 50.04.01 "Arts and Humanities" in the second year in the 2021/2022 academic year, using ICT, namely video, multimedia and interactive technologies, the Internet, as well as the capabilities of Microsoft Teams. The latter is a space for teamwork, allowing for video conferencing and information exchange online, which is combined with offline forms. For example, lecture material can be presented on Internet resources and in electronic form, and practical work in the form of seminars takes place with direct communication between students and teachers, or vice versa. Upon completion of the discipline, an exam is conducted to assess the growth of the level of knowledge and repeated questionnaires to identify adaptation problems and difficulties encountered during distance learning.

As part of the experiment, when studying the discipline "Strategies of Contemporary Art" during lectures and seminars, the capabilities of Microsoft Teams were used, which made it possible to organize webinars, video lectures or practical online seminars as an alternative to classical classroom classes, which could additionally be recorded for further offline viewing. During the classes, students and teachers exchanged files, used an interactive whiteboard and demonstrated presentations, interacting from a distance. This product made it possible for all participants to work together on practical tasks, sharing responsibilities, and correcting them online.  Chinese students were actively involved in the work: they answered questions, commented on proposed situations, showed their screen, made presentations, etc. The planning of classes began with defining the goals that the students should achieve. After that, a list of tasks and activities of students was formed, and the final stage of preparation was the selection of digital tools for the implementation of the lesson and their preparation with their application.

If earlier the traditional lecture was based on the broadcast of the material by the teacher, then the classes at Microsoft Teams were based on the principles of the STEAM approach, in particular on working in groups, combining theoretical material with practical tasks. This made it possible to intensify the work of foreign students, to ensure their interaction not only with the teacher, but also with each other, with Russian-speaking students. Thus, an interactive component in training was also implemented. The application of Microsoft Teams to the organization of lectures and practical classes, as a rule, is based on a certain sequence of actions combining theoretical and practical mastering of the material: attracting attention and forming expectations; establishing links with the material passed; introducing new material; consolidating the material; evaluating the learned material and reflection.

The first stage when using Microsoft Teams in classes with future artist teachers, including from China, is the introduction of new material by the teacher, which usually consists of a demonstration of a presentation or other graphic materials. This procedure is implemented using Microsoft Teams. To present the material in the future, the teacher also, as a rule, uses either a presentation or visual data, or can work on an online whiteboard that is built into Microsoft Teams.

An extremely important element of an interactive lesson is the interaction between students. Of course, communication between them can and should be organized not in a digital, but in a real environment, but the program in question allows you to make it faster and more effective in terms of information exchange, especially when it comes to extracurricular work. The options existing inside it allowed for discussions, including issues arising as educational tasks were solved, both between students and between them and the teacher. For the latter, it was important that group or joint work did not end exclusively with oral statements, but also included fixing the digital footprint of each participant using ICT.

The next stage is the consolidation of the material, which is associated with the implementation of practical tasks by students to assimilate the material they have passed. Using online tools, including the capabilities of Microsoft Teams, for collaboration or group work allows you to make work convenient and as transparent as possible for foreigners. They saw all the stages of the activities of other students, demonstrated the fulfillment of their tasks.

After testing the developed course, international students noted fewer difficulties in understanding new subjects. It became easier for most of them to communicate in the classroom and easier to perceive the educational material, as they had the opportunity to get acquainted with some information in advance, discuss it with other students, and then get the information necessary to consolidate it. Thus, the use of Microsoft Teams in the development of a course on the study of contemporary art made it possible to effectively introduce foreign students from China into the educational process, facilitate the perception and understanding of rather complex material, which, due to the peculiarities of previous training, they are usually not ready to master. However, it is important to note that the interaction of students and teachers at the university in the study of contemporary art involves the use of ICT throughout the entire period of study, but does not replace real lectures and seminars, as well as creative and educational practice.

Conclusion

As a generalization and conclusion concerning the experience of using ICT, in particular Microsoft Teams resources, in mastering the discipline related to acquaintance with contemporary art by Chinese students at the A.I. Herzen State Pedagogical University, we note that computer tools and remote technologies give foreigners the opportunity to get acquainted with educational material in addition to classroom interaction. in a digital environment, which allows them to complement what they may not have understood, as well as communicate with each other and Russian-speaking students, teachers. Different communication channels, both verbal and, for example, written or visual, allow them to better perceive and interpret information, ask clarifying questions, express their opinions and present the results of their activities. Moreover, compliance with certain stages in conducting such classes allows students to perform independent work more effectively and together, in which practical artistic and creative skills are honed, exhibitions, museums, galleries, etc. are visited. The use of Microsoft Teams, as well as other ICTs, in the educational process is also due to the essence of modern art, which is often created in computer programs and even exists in the virtual world. In addition, interaction prepares students to work in creative teams,