THE FORMATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ COLLABORATIVE SKILLS THROUGH ONLINE CHESS

Abstract

One of the key goals of the 21st-century education is the development of learners’ universal competences, which enable them to perform effectively, achieve self-realization, and solve problems collaboratively. Among these competencies are collaborative skills, which are a fundamental prerequisite not only for the social development of primary school students but also for their success in the learning process. According to UNESCO (2015), collaborative skills are included in the group of “4Cs” competences (Critical thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration), which are essential for learners’ social self-realization. As an effective means of developing primary school students’ collaborative skills, the Li-chess online platform has been chosen for our research. From this perspective, the goal of the article is to promote the development of students’ collaborative skills through online chess. The research methodology involves the analysis of professional literature, systematic observation, the use of the Li-chess platform for organizing online chess activities, and the evaluation of students’ collaborative skills using a rating scale designed on the basis of Zaitseva’s structural components of collaborative competence (cognitive, emotional-motivational, and communicative-activity components). It is also important to note that existing researches on chess have primarily focused on the development of cognitive processes, whereas the purposeful development of primary school students’ collaborative skills through online chess remains underexplored. Given the increasing role of digital learning environments, it is necessary to investigate online chess as a context for communication, joint decision-making, and mutual support among students. Accordingly, the present research seeks to fill this gap by examining online chess as a potentially effective tool for fostering collaborative skills. Hence, the scientific novelty of the study lies in examining online chess as a pedagogical tool for the development of primary school students’ collaborative skills in a digital learning environment and in applying a component-based observational assessment model․ The obtained results suggest a positive tendency regarding the development of students’ collaborative skills through chess activities. In particular, online chess may provide opportunities for joint discussions, proposing solutions to problems, making decisions, and justifying moves within a collaborative learning process.