The Student’s Subjective Position as a Condition for Success in Mastering a Profession

Abstract

The  student’s  subjective  position  as  a  system  of  personal  choice  of  a  sustainable behavior  strategy,  which  can  be  traced  in  the  student’s  attitude  to  the  learning  process  and results and connects his educational activities with the prospects of his professional future. The purpose of the study is to identify resources and problems at the learning stage depending on the student’s subjective position. The student’s subjective position is considered through his or her attitude to educational activities, through his or her achievements at the stage of learning a profession and through his or her expression of readiness for professional activity. The study is based on a survey of students from 20 Russian universities. The respondents were 1056 students. The most pronounced position of modern students is pragmatic; it is adhered to by the majority  of  undergraduate  and  graduate  students.  The  most  successful  students  in  the  educational environment are those who take an intellectually creative position; they have a wide range of achievements, they are ready to spend their intellectual resources on learning, have a negative attitude  towards  various  forms  of  imitation  of  learning,  and  are  most  confident  in  their  professional future. Students with a pragmatic subject position are generally successful, can solve problems  that  arise  during  the  learning  process,  and  show  readiness  for  professional  activity. Students with a contemplative position, despite generally successful studies, show uncertainty about their professional future. Students with an imitation subject position are the most problematic group. These students have difficulty coping with educational activities, are problematic, and are poorly oriented toward achievements in other areas of activity. The study proves that the student’s subjective position is a significant factor that influences the process and result of higher education. Based on existing typical subject positions, it is possible and necessary to select means and methods of training that will make it possible to update resources and minimize educational problems.