Evaluating the effectiveness of a cognitive-emotional development programme in preparing children for schooling in the digital engagement epoch

Problem and goal. Solving the problem of positive socialisation in the modern information space requires the creation of balanced educational conditions for the cognitive and emotional development of children with regard to their digital activity. The optimal organisation of this process is possible in training children for school readiness, which is a key element of the modern educational system. The aim of the article is to describe the effectiveness of the programme of children’s cognitive-emotional development in the course of preparation for schooling and the psychological and pedagogical conditions for its implementation. Methodology. The psychological/pedagogical experiment involved 75 preschool children, 4 preschool teachers and 2 teachers-psychologists (the study was based on the educational institutions of Chelyabinsk and Chelyabinsk region). To assess the cognitive-emotional development of senior preschool children upon their preparation for school education, the authors used L.A. Yasyukova’s diagnostic complex as well as E.I. Izotova’s method for studying emotional identity; Student’s t-criterion was used for the statistical analysis of the empirical data. KEYWORDS Results. The original educational programme addressing the cognitive-emotional development of preschoolers was developed and theoretically substantiated. The research yielded the results testifying to the effectiveness of the programme: the experimental group showed significant positive changes in such indicators of cognitive-emotional sphere as information processing speed (t = 4.1545, p ≤ 0,05), attentiveness (t = 2.7045, p ≤ 0,01), transient speech memory (t = 3.6912, p ≤ 0.05), structured thinking (t = 2.6969, p ≤ 0.05), transient visual memory (t = 2.0358, p ≤ 0.01), linear reasoning (t = 1.9984, p ≤ 0.01), emotional identity (t = 2.3392, ≤ 0.05). Conclusion. Achievement of a high level of cognitive-emotional development of senior preschool children in preparation for school education is possible following the implementation of the developed programme based on neuropsychological approach, application of neurogaming and body-oriented techniques, as well as the involvement of pupils’ parents in joint activities.