Summary of the work placement for students on the «Secondary Education/History» vocational programme

Work placements play a key role in the training of specialists. After all, their primary aim is to integrate higher teacher education, academic research and best practice. Therefore, third- and fourth-year undergraduates and postgraduate students of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities on the ‘Secondary Education/History’ programme have been given the opportunity to deepen the connection between theoretical knowledge and the real teaching process, and to apply this knowledge in solving specific educational and teaching tasks. The students were able to observe and analyse teaching, educational and pastoral work at the school, conduct lessons independently with pupils, considering their age and individual characteristics, as well as the best practices of teachers.

It is the work placement itself that encourages students to master modern forms of organization, teaching methods and technologies in their future profession, develops their professional skills and abilities to make independent decisions whilst carrying out specific tasks in real-world working conditions, enables them to consolidate and deepen the knowledge acquired whilst studying historical, legal and psychological-pedagogical disciplines, and fosters psychological readiness for work in educational institutions.

On 6 April 2026, the Faculty of Social and Humanities hosted the ‘Work Placement Presentation. The event was attended by lecturers from the Departments of History and Philosophy, and Law. A representative of the Berdiansk teaching community was also invited – Svitlana Svitlak – Deputy Headteacher of Berdiansk Gymnasium No. 11 of the Berdiansk City Council in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a senior-level specialist and teacher-methodologist. Svitlana Svitlak has been working with the department’s students during their placements for several years. Therefore, her conclusions and advice are practical and useful. It was a pleasure to hear positive feedback regarding the high level of theoretical preparation of the trainees and their knowledge in the field of history. During their presentations, the fourth-year students demonstrated excerpts from lessons and educational activities they had conducted independently, shared methodological ‘insights’ and offered advice to their younger colleagues.

Such meetings provide an opportunity not only to see the results of the joint work between lecturers and students, but also to assess the students’ level of professional teaching skills; they encourage students to enhance their pedagogical knowledge with a view to applying it creatively in the theory and practice of teaching and educating pupils.

Marina Antoshchak, Associate Professor in the Department of History and Philosophy