EMBRACING THE VALUES OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY, PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE, SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCES

Scientific problem lies within the interdisciplinary domain of cognitive development of a person in education; is focused on the search for psychological foundations of educational technologies aimed at embracing values of cognitive development and negotiating diverse educational values and attitudes of students and teachers. The main thesis of the research is based upon the assumption that phenomenon of cognitive development can be positioned as an educational trend adequate to tendencies of development of psychological knowledge and socio-cultural practices in the process of knowledge society emergence. Strategic task of elaborating educational technologies advancing values of cognitive development in higher education is of growing relevance for Russian educational psychology as internationalization, new educational standards and trends of socio-cultural development pose diverse challenges for educational theory and practice, for students, teachers and researchers. Research is focused on developing practice of Russian education and the problem of value-laden self-determination of its participants. Necessity to include the epistemological dimension in the content of cognitive development as complex and multidimensional construct is substantiated. The study demonstrates the ways of employing qualitative research methods, reveals ontological and epistemological attitudes of students and teachers, discusses students’ subjective representations of educational process and main epistemological categories, and argues that research on educational practice might at the same time be an embodiment of its transformation. Research methodology includes a methodological reflection of Russian and international trends in the development of psychological knowledge (system anthropological psychology and anthroepistemology). Main conclusions suggest that: psychological construct of cognitive development acquires multiple dimensions as contextualized in education; constructive negotiation of educational values and attitudes in pedagogical practice is crucial for further development of pedagogical practice itself and its participants; promoting the values of cognitive development in higher education requires specific technologies and forms of educational interaction. Key words: cognitive development, pedagogical practice, system anthropological psychology, epistemological dimension.