Developing students’ leadership qualities in pedagogy courses

Abstract

Students of pedagogical universities must possess not only subject-specific knowledge but also universal competencies, among which leadership holds a special place. The task of identifying and developing leadership qualities in future teachers is becoming increasingly relevant. This article examines the concept of leadership and proposes technologies for its development. The authors define leadership as a set of competencies that includes communicative activity, goal-setting ability, the ability to argue one’s position, organizational skills, emotional stability, a high level of responsibility, and the ability to reflect on one’s own activities. A survey and pedagogical observation revealed an average level of leadership development among second- and third-year students. To foster these qualities, the authors proposed using discussion technologies, business and role-playing games, team learning, project work, research activities, and digital technologies. A follow-up survey conducted at the end of the academic year showed that students’ leadership qualities had significantly improved, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the modern technologies applied in pedagogy classes.