The History of the Extended Day Group in the Space of Ukrainian Education 1920–2020

Abstract

The relevance of the study is due to the need to highlight the history of the emergence of such a form of extracurricular activity as an extended day group (hereinafter referred to as the EDG), to clarify its role in the context of the development of education in Ukraine during 1920–2020. After all, for modern Ukrainian education, especially in the realities of the “New Ukrainian School” reform (hereinafter referred to as the NUS), EDG acquires not only educational, but also social significance. The need to highlight this topic is also important for determining the further development of modern Ukrainian school education. The purpose of the article is to analyze historical progress and determine the role of EDG for the development of education in Ukraine. The research methodology is based on a combination of systemic and cultural-historical, comparative approaches, content analysis and generalization of the results of sociological research. This made it possible to highlight the history of the development of EDG, explore the dynamics of changes, analyze the content and main functions of this form of activity in the context of the development of education in Ukraine. The results of the study showed that over almost a hundred years of its existence, the EDG has undergone certain transformations, acquired new meanings, functions and forms. They were consistent with the changes that generally occurred in the Ukrainian education system of the specified period. It is proven that the functioning of the EDG for a long time has significantly contributed to increasing the general level of education, independence, development and upbringing of students. Key problems that affected the effectiveness of this form of extracurricular activity were also identified, namely: insufficient number of groups and premises, financing, personnel and digital imbalances, inappropriate use of the daily regimen, poor-quality nutrition, ideological component, etc. The conclusions substantiate that currently such a form of extracurricular activity and organization of the educational process as the EDG is part of the socio-cultural and inclusive educational space of an educational institution. It significantly affects the results of academic achievements, the quality of education and is a potential for further development and socialization of participants in the educational process. Prospects for further research are related to the analysis of the implementation of the NUS reform and the introduction of a competency-based approach, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which significantly influenced changes in the organization of work and the quality of education in the EDG.