Gaming technologies aimed at adapting freshmen and building a cohesive student community

Abstract

Currently, there is a wide range of methods aimed at adapting first-year students and developing their readiness for teamwork, one of which is game technologies – a special socio-pedagogical approach to organizing educational and leisure activities that helps to unite the group, ensuring a high level of motivation for learning and a constructive approach to spending free time. The article discusses the importance of such concepts as «game technology», «adaptation», «readiness», «group cohesion» and «teamwork». This technology is used both for diagnostic and formative purposes in preparing first-year students for interpersonal communication. Game technologies in the adaptation process include a range of target orientations: educational (cultivation of independence, willpower, stress resistance, self-regulation ability), socializing (inculcation of norms and values of society, adaptation to environmental conditions, involvement in the group), formation of ethical, aesthetic and worldview attitudes), didactic (expanding horizons, activating cognitive activity, cooperative skills, collectivism; application of knowledge in practical activities), developmental (development of attention, memory, language, thinking, creative abilities). These goals are achieved through a system of measures aimed at developing effective interaction in the academic group and achieving the overall goal of forming socio-psychological competence. We justify the expediency of using game technologies in the adaptation of first-year students and their readiness for group cohesion not only theoretically, but also empirically, through the testing of a number of game technologies in practical activities. The conclusion presents a list of socio-pedagogical conditions for the effective use of game technologies in the educational process of higher education institutions.