Case Method as a Diagnostic Tool for Assessing the Readiness of Future Teachers for Providing Psychological Safety in Class

Abstract

The research featured such an understudied issue as psychological safety in class, which currently lacks diagnostic tools. Standard tests cannot measure the relevant competencies of future teachers. The research objective was to determine the diagnostic potential of the case method in assessing the readiness of future teachers to provide psychological safety in the class environment. The study relied on the ideas about the psychological safety of the educational environment (I. A. Baeva) and the structure of teachers’ professional readiness (N. V. Kuzmina). The study involved 418 students of psychology and pedagogics who had to find solutions for case situations. The cases consisted of the case description and four tasks, the answers to which described certain aspects of the readiness to provide psychological safety in class. The results were subjected to a content analysis. The case method proved a reliable tool for assessing the professional readiness and competencies of future teachers.

Keywords

• pedagogical activity
• professional readiness
• pedagogical skills
• case-technology
• case-situations
• content analysis
• semantic evaluation