Overview of Psychological and Pedagogical Techniques Used to Facilitate First-Year Economics Student Adaptation

The article is dedicated to a multi-stage research focused on implementation of psycho-pedagogical approach contributing to positive and smooth adaptation of first-year students to university studies at the Foreign Language classes in a new study group. Factors providing such adaptation and integration are determined. Selected techniques aimed at development of intragroup relations and roles, as well as at stimulating educational and cognitive process are observed. Unstandardized interviews with the students of one study group who joined the research as participants on volunteer and anonymous basis, proved to be the best research tool at the initial stage of observation. Among the findings there are the vitality of trust-based relationships between students and a teacher, as well as teacher's concerns in students' academic achievements and soft skills. During the first academic year two more stages of the research were held. The first of which involved use of selected teaching methods and patterns facilitating personal integration of students into the group work. Namely, preparation and making solo and small-group presentations on various topics within the curriculum; intra- and inter-group conferences, contests and panel discussions on the selected topics. The final stage is dedicated to collecting the results of adaptation by two psychological techniques - Composite Roles and Group Cohesion Index. Among the results of the research we can emphasize the utmost importance of joint work with groupmates at curricular and extracurricular events, creating conditions stimulating all students work as a complete whole pursuing similar goals and sharing similar values- the activities permitting complete integration of student beginners to successful learning.