Inclusive educational process at the university: Theoretical and experimental model of teachers' psychological readiness

Introduction. The institutionalisation of inclusion in higher education determines new requirements for university teachers, what is also found in the field of psychological readiness for the implementation of the educational process with the participation of students with disabilities. Aim. The present research was aimed to develop theoretical framework and experimental verification of the model of psychological readiness of academic teaching staff for the implementation of an inclusive educational process. Methodology and research methods. Methodologically, the research was based on the idea that the true implementation of inclusive higher education is conditioned by the formation of an inclusive culture of university teachers, which serves as the foundation for the implementation of inclusive practices and policies and one of the immanent attributes of which is psychological readiness to implement the educational process with the participation of disabled students. In the diagnostic and methodological terms, the current study relied on the authors' questionnaire containing the blocks of questions built using a 5-point Likert scale and characterising the severity of the various components of such readiness among university teachers in relation to working with disabled students of diverse nosological groups. The survey results were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient, Shapiro-Wilk, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney tests, and the median test applying the Pearson test. To check the consistency of the proposed theoretical model of the psychological readiness of university teachers to implement an inclusive educational process, structural equation modelling (or SEM - the method of asymptotically non-parametric assessment) was employed. For statistical calculations, the program IBM SPSS Statistics ver.23 and the AMOS module were used. Results. The integrative model of the psychological readiness of faculty for the implementation of an inclusive educational process has been theoretically substantiated and experimentally confirmed. This model includes a motivational-value component (the acceptance of the values of an inclusive culture, beliefs and attitudes of the teacher regarding inclusive education), an affective component (the emotional acceptance of the situation of inclusive education and its subjects) and an operational component (the teacher's assessment of own skills in using the tools of inclusive education). In the presented model, the teacher's methodical preparedness for teaching students with disabilities acts as a cognitive component, and the resulting component is the implementation of inclusive practice based on the willingness and ability to interact with students with disabilities. It was found that, to the greatest extent, university teachers have formed a motivational readiness to implement inclusive education, but they experience a deficit of operational skills, when working with students with disabilities. At the same time, the level of psychological readiness to implement an inclusive educational process significantly differs depending on the subject specialisation of teachers and the presence / absence of previous experience of interaction with people with disabilities. Scientific novelty. The model of the psychological readiness of teachers for the implementation of inclusive education in Russia was developed and empirically confirmed. Practical significance. The findings of this research highlight the significance of the stages of the formation of university teachers' psychological readiness for inclusive education. The following stages are determined: from providing basic methodological readiness in the framework of professional development through the creation of internal conditions for readiness for inclusive education, examining the experiences and psychological difficulties in interacting with people with disabilities, and, finally, to accompanying the actual inclusive teaching practice.Введение. Институционализация инклюзии в высшей школе детерминирует новые требования к вузовским педагогам, обнаруживающиеся и в сфере психологической готовности к реализации образовательного процесса с участием студентов-инвалидов. Цель исследования, материалы которого представлены в статье, заключалась в теоретическом обосновании и экспериментальной проверке модели психологической готовности профессорско-преподавательского состава вузов к реализации инклюзивного образовательного процесса. Методология и методики исследования. В методологическом плане исследование основывалось на представлении о том, что подлинная имплементация инклюзивного высшего образования обусловливается формированием инклюзивной культуры вузовских преподавателей, которая служит фундаментом реализации инклюзивной практики и политики и одним из имманентных атрибутов которой является психологическая готовность к осуществлению образовательного процесса с участием студентов-инвалидов. диагностико-методическом плане исследование опиралось на авторский опросник, содержащий блоки вопросов, построенных с использованием 5-пунктовой шкалы Лайкерта и характеризующих выраженность у вузовских педагогов различных компонентов такой готовности применительно к работе со студентами-инвалидами разных нозологических групп. Результаты опроса подвергались качественному и количественному анализу с использованием коэффициента альфа Кронбаха, критериев Шапиро - Уилка, Колмогорова -Смирнова, Манна - Уитни, а также медианного теста с использованием критерия Пирсона. Для проверки состоятельности предложенной теоретической модели психологической готовности вузовских преподавателей к реализации инклюзивного образовательного процесса применялся метод моделирования структурными уравнениями (метод асимптотически непараметрической оценки). Для статистических расчетов использовались программа IBM SPSS Statistics ver.23 и модуль AMOS. Результаты. Теоретически обоснована и экспериментально подтверждена интегративная модель психологической готовности вузовского преподавателя к реализации инклюзивного образовательного процесса, которая включает в себя мотивационно-ценностный компонент (принятие ценностей инклюзивной культуры, убеждения и установки преподавателя, касающиеся инклюзивного образования), аффективный компонент (эмоциональное принятие ситуации инклюзивного образования и ее субъектов) и операциональный компонент (оценка преподавателем своих навыков в использовании инструментов инклюзивного образования) и в которой в качестве когнитивного компонента выступает методическая подготовленность преподавателя к обучению студентов с инвалидностью, а результирующим компонентом является реализация инклюзивной практики, основанная на готовности и способности взаимодействовать со студентами-инвалидами. Установлено, что в наибольшей степени у вузовских преподавателей сформирована мотивационная готовность к реализации инклюзивного образования, но они испытывают дефицит операциональных навыков при работе со студентами с инвалидностью. При этом уровень психологической готовности к реализации инклюзивного образовательного процесса достоверно различается в зависимости от предметной специализации преподавателей и наличия/отсутствия у них предшествующего опыта взаимодействия с инвалидами. Научная новизна результатов исследования определяется тем, что была разработана и эмпирически подтверждена модель психологической готовности преподавателей к реализации инклюзивного образования в России. Практическая значимость исследования связана с тем, что в свете его результатов определяются этапы формирования психологической готовности вузовских преподавателей к инклюзивному образованию: от обеспечения базовой методической подготовленности в рамках повышения профессиональной квалификации - через создание внутренних условий готовности к инклюзивному образованию, с проработкой переживаний и психологических затруднений во взаимодействии с людьми с инвалидностью - к сопровождению собственно инклюзивной преподавательской практики

INCLUSIVE HIGHER EDUCATION: SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS

Introduction. Nowadays, substantial intensification of inclusive processes in educational system (especially in higher education) identifies the need for thorough research of psycho-pedagogical foundations for the development of inclusive education culture.The aim of this research was to identify and compare the levels and factors of social-psychological well-being of healthy students, students with disabilities and students of inclusive groups.Methodology and research methods. At the methodological level, the research was based on the proposition that inclusive education assumes the formation and support of such an integrative socio-psychological space, in which neither students with disabilities nor healthy students feel anxiety in the course of interaction in the classroom or out-of-class situation. As the main methodological tool,a specially designed questionnaire was used for fixing the socio-emographic characteristics of the respondents, as well as for clarifying the problematic experiences of students and their attitudes to using social support resources, for identifying the characteristics of students’ assessments of the conditions of higher education, their satisfaction and involvement in student life and attitudes towards inclusive education. The received results of monitoring were processed by means of the following qualitative and quantitative methods of the analysis: the content analysis; the analysis of percentage with the use of the Pearson’s chi-squared test (χ2); comparative analysis with the use of Student’s t-test; the median test and one-factorial dispersive analysis; correlation and factorial types of the analysis. The statistical software packages Statistica 7.0 were employed for the calculation of the results.Results and scientific novelty. The authors clarified the patterns of formation of the barrier-free socio-psychological environment of the university, which implements the concept of inclusive education. It was established that there are no global differences in the parameters of socio-psychological well-being between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. This determines the favourable social and psychological prerequisites for development of inclusive higher education. Belonging to the same socio-typological and age group and the same leading activity cause the similar experience (e.g. similar problems and difficulties) of both groups of students. The type of disabling health condition, i.e. a disabled student with the defined particular nosological group determines only the specifics of the difficulties, which might be faced in higher school. The conclusion was drawn that successful inclusion of students with disabilities in educational process and social space of university contributes to positive students’ perception of the high school environment.Practical significance. The research outcomes might be used to define the content, directions and forms of work to support students in the conditions of inclusive education. Thus, it is recommended to further develop the system of inclusive education through the following actions: to optimise social conditions of disabled students; to hold rehabilitational and psychological training sessions focused on communication; to organise educational work in order to raise students’ awareness of special technical means of inclusive education; to involve inner circle of people (parents, friends, fellow students) close to disabled students in the process of socio-psychological support

Transition to emergency distance learning amid COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of students’ subjective experience of the transformation of university learning environment

The aim of the current research was to identify the students’ subjective experience of the transforming learning environment according to the perceived opportunities provided by the digital learning environment of the university. Methodology and research methods. The research methodological framework is based on leading theories related to the students’ behaviour in digital learning environments (DLE). The synthesis of the theories considered made it possible to propose a theoretical model of the students’ subjective experiences in relation to DLE of the university, which was operationalised by constructing a questionnaire that reveals the students’ perception of the main components of the DLE. The following methods were employed: a questionnaire on alienation from study, a method for the assessment of students’ subjective experiences, and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Previous distance learning experience was identified by the use of self-rating scales. The survey results were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient, the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and the Pearson’s chi-squared test. The authors also used factorial ANOVA, correspondence analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Statistical calculations were performed using Statistica ver. 7.0 (Statsoft). 4558 students from 30 Russian universities (located in 23 subjects of Russia) took part in the research. Results. The present research demonstrated a change in the usual forms of learning activities carried out by students in the distance learning process. Distance learning is presented to students as a basis for meeting the need for subjectivity of their personality, the ability to initiate their own learning activities. Students feel that there are sufficient conditions and resources for mastering digital learning tools, and they easily adapt to the digital environment of their universities. However, in this process, the student acts as an atomised subject, weakly interacting with other people and not feeling a sense of interpersonal closeness and connectedness with others. The research findings revealed that the perceived characteristics of the DLE of the university have a direct impact on the inner states of students in the learning process. The formation of a stable social environment within the framework of the DLE, which ensures harmonious interaction and communication between the subjects of the educational process, contributes to achieving an optimal balance of students’ subjective experiences, reduces the risk of negative inner states that lead to learning demotivation, the experience of alienation from study, the growing sense of meaninglessness and emptiness in the learning process. Scientific novelty. The developed model of the influence of DLE on the subjective experiences of students in the emergence distance learning made it possible to identify significant DLE components, which determine the motivational and emotional states of students, and to establish student ratio to achieve the optimal balance of subjective experiences. Practical significance. The empirically based findings presented in this study can be used to design the DLE of the university, to determine the directions of work on the formation of psychological readiness of students for distance learning.Введение. Экстренный переход образовательных организаций высшего образования к дистанционному обучению в связи с распространением коронавирусной инфекции стал стресс-тестом для электронных образовательных сред вузов. В этой связи актуализировалась потребность в изучении восприятия обучающимися образовательного процесса в условиях дистанционного обучения, влияния внедрения «экстренного» онлайн-обучения на характер переживаний студентами трансформации образовательной среды вуза. Цель. Цель проведенного исследования заключалась в выявлении специфики переживания трансформации образовательной среды студентами в зависимости от воспринимаемых ими возможностей, предоставляемых электронной образовательной средой вуза. Методология, методы и методики исследования. Методология исследования базируется на ведущих теориях, объясняющих поведение обучающихся в электронных образовательных средах (ЭОС). Синтез рассмотренных теорий позволил предложить теоретическую модель переживаний обучающегося в отношении электронной образовательной среды вуза, которая была операционализирована путем построения опросника, выявляющего восприятие обучающимся основных компонент ЭОС. Также использовались следующие методики: опросник субъективного отчуждения для учащихся, методика диагностики переживаний в деятельности, опросник «Шкалы академической мотивации». Наличие предыдущего опыта дистанционного обучения выявлялось с помощью самооценочных шкал. Первичные данные подвергались качественному и количественному анализу с использованием коэффициента Альфа Кронбаха, коэффициента корреляции Спирмена, критерия c2 Пирсона. Также использовались многофакторный дисперсионный анализ, анализ соответствий, регрессионный анализ. Статистические расчеты были выполнены с использованием программы Statistica ver. 7.0 (Statsoft). К участию в исследовании были привлечены студенты 30 российских вузов, расположенных в 23 регионах РФ, в количестве 4558 человек. Результаты. Проведенное исследование продемонстрировало изменение привычных форм активностей, осуществляемых студентами в ходе учебной деятельности. Дистанционное обучение представляется студентам как основа для удовлетворения потребности в субъектности своей личности, возможности самому инициировать свои учебные действия. Студенты ощущают достаточность условий и ресурсов для освоения цифровых инструментов обучения, легко адаптируются в электронной среде своих вузов. Однако в этом процессе обучающийся выступает как атомизированный субъект, слабо взаимодействующий с другими людьми и не ощущающий чувства единства и связанности с ними. Результаты исследования показали, что воспринимаемые характеристики ЭОС вуза оказывают непосредственное влияние на состояния обучающихся в процессе обучения. Сформированность устойчивой социальной среды в рамках ЭОС, обеспечивающей гармоничное взаимодействие и общение между субъектами образовательного процесса, способствует достижению оптимального баланса переживаний обучающихся, снижает риск возникновения негативных внутренний состояний, приводящих к демотивации учебной деятельности, переживанию отчуждения от учебы, нарастанию чувства бессмысленности и пустоты в процессе обучения. Научная новизна. Разработанная модель влияния ЭОС на переживания студентов в процессе дистанционного обучения позволила выявить значимые компоненты ЭОС, обуславливающие мотивационные и эмоциональные состояния обучающихся, определить их соотношение для достижения оптимального баланса переживаний. Практическая значимость. Полученные эмпирические результаты могут быть использованы при проектировании ЭОС вуза, определении направлений работы по формированию психологической готовности к дистанционному обучению

Validation of a murine proteome-wide phage display library for identification of autoantibody specificities

Autoimmunity is characterized by loss of tolerance to tissue-specific as well as systemic antigens, resulting in complex autoantibody landscapes. Here, we introduce and extensively validate the performance characteristics of a murine proteome-wide library for phage display immunoprecipitation and sequencing (PhIP-seq) in profiling mouse autoantibodies. This library was validated using 7 genetically distinct mouse lines across a spectrum of autoreactivity. Mice deficient in antibody production (Rag2-/- and μMT) were used to model nonspecific peptide enrichments, while cross-reactivity was evaluated using anti-ovalbumin B cell receptor-restricted OB1 mice as a proof of principle. The PhIP-seq approach was then utilized to interrogate 3 distinct autoimmune disease models. First, serum from Lyn-/- IgD+/- mice with lupus-like disease was used to identify nuclear and apoptotic bleb reactivities. Second, serum from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, a polygenic model of pancreas-specific autoimmunity, was enriched in peptides derived from both insulin and predicted pancreatic proteins. Lastly, Aire-/- mouse sera were used to identify numerous autoantigens, many of which were also observed in previous studies of humans with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1 carrying recessive mutations in AIRE. These experiments support the use of murine proteome-wide PhIP-seq for antigenic profiling and autoantibody discovery, which may be employed to study a range of immune perturbations in mouse models of autoimmunity profiling

Autoantibody discovery across monogenic, acquired, and COVID-19-associated autoimmunity with scalable PhIP-seq.

Phage immunoprecipitation sequencing (PhIP-seq) allows for unbiased, proteome-wide autoantibody discovery across a variety of disease settings, with identification of disease-specific autoantigens providing new insight into previously poorly understood forms of immune dysregulation. Despite several successful implementations of PhIP-seq for autoantigen discovery, including our previous work (Vazquez et al., 2020), current protocols are inherently difficult to scale to accommodate large cohorts of cases and importantly, healthy controls. Here, we develop and validate a high throughput extension of PhIP-seq in various etiologies of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including APS1, IPEX, RAG1/2 deficiency, Kawasaki disease (KD), multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and finally, mild and severe forms of COVID-19. We demonstrate that these scaled datasets enable machine-learning approaches that result in robust prediction of disease status, as well as the ability to detect both known and novel autoantigens, such as prodynorphin (PDYN) in APS1 patients, and intestinally expressed proteins BEST4 and BTNL8 in IPEX patients. Remarkably, BEST4 antibodies were also found in two patients with RAG1/2 deficiency, one of whom had very early onset IBD. Scaled PhIP-seq examination of both MIS-C and KD demonstrated rare, overlapping antigens, including CGNL1, as well as several strongly enriched putative pneumonia-associated antigens in severe COVID-19, including the endosomal protein EEA1. Together, scaled PhIP-seq provides a valuable tool for broadly assessing both rare and common autoantigen overlap between autoimmune diseases of varying origins and etiologies

Autoantibody discovery across monogenic, acquired, and COVID-19-associated autoimmunity with scalable PhIP-seq

Phage immunoprecipitation sequencing (PhIP-seq) allows for unbiased, proteome-wide autoantibody discovery across a variety of disease settings, with identification of disease-specific autoantigens providing new insight into previously poorly understood forms of immune dysregulation. Despite several successful implementations of PhIP-seq for autoantigen discovery, including our previous work (Vazquez et al., 2020), current protocols are inherently difficult to scale to accommodate large cohorts of cases and importantly, healthy controls. Here, we develop and validate a high throughput extension of PhIP-seq in various etiologies of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including APS1, IPEX, RAG1/2 deficiency, Kawasaki disease (KD), multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and finally, mild and severe forms of COVID-19. We demonstrate that these scaled datasets enable machine-learning approaches that result in robust prediction of disease status, as well as the ability to detect both known and novel autoantigens, such as prodynorphin (PDYN) in APS1 patients, and intestinally expressed proteins BEST4 and BTNL8 in IPEX patients. Remarkably, BEST4 antibodies were also found in two patients with RAG1/2 deficiency, one of whom had very early onset IBD. Scaled PhIP-seq examination of both MIS-C and KD demonstrated rare, overlapping antigens, including CGNL1, as well as several strongly enriched putative pneumonia-associated antigens in severe COVID-19, including the endosomal protein EEA1. Together, scaled PhIP-seq provides a valuable tool for broadly assessing both rare and common autoantigen overlap between autoimmune diseases of varying origins and etiologies.publishedVersio