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Vysshee Obrazovanie v Rossii = Higher Education in Russia

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Vol 28, No 6 (2019)
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AREAS OF EDUCATION MODERNIZATION

9-27 1184
Abstract

The authors of the article are the experts of Federal Educational and Methodological Union (FEMU) in the training direction “Linguistics and Literature”, who have worked out three subsequent versions of State Educational Standards, including the last version of Federal State Educational Standard (FSES 3++) and Samples of Basic Educational Programs (SBEP) in the training direction of higher education (HE) “Philology”. The given article provides an overview of the main stages of Russian education standardization within the period of 1990–2010 and its further adaptation to the market requirements. The experts focus their attention on the problems of working out and implementing since 2012 the Professional Standards essential for carrying out different kinds of professional activities.

The given investigation summarizes the problems discussed in substantive methodological literature that the Russian higher education has to deal with in the conditions of professional standardization. The authors of the article analyze in detail the experience of the FEMU with the view to display the variety of approaches suggested by the authors of FSES HE in correlation with professional standards – from the broadest approach implying the conformity of FSES HE with dozens of professional standards to the narrowest trend designating that a graduate student’s professional activity is only restricted to scientific and pedagogical spheres. Consequently, there is a threat that the variety of approaches may cause in future certain difficulties in coordinating the educational processes in higher educational institutions and in case of uncontrolled extrapolation may result in the downfall of the unified Russian educational system.

In the concluding part of the investigation the authors share their know-how in correlating the Educational Standards in “Philology” (HE) with professional standards, dwell on their positive experience of aligning the competence model of the graduate student in FSES and SBEP with the norms of professional standards.

28-39 709
Abstract

The study is focused on identifying the patterns of territorial distribution of intellectual capital in the Russian Federation. The purpose of this article is to assess the level of imbalance in the geographical distribution of the leading institutions of higher education in the context of the transition to the knowledge economy and to assess their integration into the regional innovation systems. The study is based on a quantitative analysis and qualitative assessment of the statistical data of the National Universities Ranking and the Project of the Russian Cluster Observatory. A grouping of universities into quartiles according to the cumulative total score obtained in the ranking is held, with the preparation of cartographic material. The intellectual capital of the regions is compared with the specialization of regional clusters. The results of the study confirm the significant accumulation of the intellectual capital in the two largest cities – Moscow and St. Petersburg, both in quantitative and qualitative terms. At the same time, the ranking includes universities of all large urban agglomerations. A number of regions actively involve universities in cooperation with industry, while many leave this area without proper attention. At the same time, the main resource for implementing the strategy of innovation development for regional authorities is state universities. The awareness of the authorities on the complementarity and involvement of knowledge-generating institutions and sectoral clusters makes it possible to understand the actual status of the regional innovation system and ensure the effective implementation of the principles of territorial-adaptive regional policy. This is the first empirical research in the context of Russia, in which data are used to assess the quality of national universities from the perspective of knowledge geography. Universities are considered as key sources for ensuring the intellectual capital of regional innovation systems, and the applied methodological approach enables evaluating their potential and involvement in cooperation with industry clusters.

SOCIOLOGY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

40-51 1486
Abstract

Higher school as a social institution aims at the formation of the most valuable resource of the XXI century that human capital is. Students are now an influential group of young people, and taking into consideration students’ “advanced” status, its social activity (including network) and socio-political and socio-economic potential, we can assume that it is the student youth, which de- termines the youth “agenda”. This makes constant research of students relevant and important, both at the theoretical and academic level of sociological science and at the level of applied knowledge focused on the constant monitoring of social well-being, lifestyle, values, opinions and activity of students in specific universities and in a whole country. Students are active participants of economic and social life; they have a significant political potential. The authors present the results of the monitoring of social well-being of first-year students at Kazan national research technological University. The method applied was a questionnaire study with the use of electronic resource. The article also dwells on the current state and trends of student studies, as well as the processes of their institutionalization. The authors emphasize the importance of sociological surveys of student life conducted with the help of student sociological labs.

52-62 1252
Abstract

The article addresses the problem of student dropout from technical university due to their academic failure. The modern technical universities face a decline in youth’s interest to technical and natural sciences and engineering specialties. In enrolling new students on these specialties the universities have to set lower standards and requirements for the admission. So, the students are less motivated, and the number of expelled students increases.

The article presents the results of data analysis for the two leading areas of training at Moscow Automobile and Road State Technical University (MADI) – “Construction of unique buildings and structures” and “Land transport and technological means” carried out respectively at the Road-Building faculty (DSF) and the faculty of Automobile transport (ATF). The article adduces the total number of students in MADI, as well as the number of the enrolled students on the specified training directions, and the number of expelled students of all courses for the period from 1935 to 2018. The results in physics exams showed by undergraduate students were compared with the Unified State Exam scores in physics. There is a clear parallel between the Unified State Exam scores, an entrance testing and “residual knowledge” tests.

The authors have also analyzed the results of an anonymous questioning among the same groups of students, which make it possible to understand their point of view on the problems of learning difficulties. The main reasons for student attrition are both the low scores of the applicants’ results of the Unified State Exam, and insufficient actions and ineffective strategies undertaken by the university to involve undergraduate students in its educational environment.

INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATION

63-74 1245
Abstract

The article analyzes the processes of internationalization of higher education in China at the beginning of the 21st century. Based on data from the Ministry of Education of China, legislation and publications that are publicly available on the Chinese Internet, it is shown how the number of students visiting China, their preferences in choosing universities and educational programs changed from 2000 to 2016. Information on government activities to support international students is provided.

The internationalization of higher education plays an important role in the foreign-policy activities of modern China. Foreign students teaching and expanding of Chinese language teaching in foreign countries can be considered as the “soft power” of influence of Chinese national culture. Such actions from the point of view of the Chinese government should contribute to the formation of an attractive image of China, reduce the level of external threats, increase stability and economic prosperity of the country. Therefore, the government aims to attract as many foreign students as possible, especially from neighboring countries, and spends a lot of money on these purposes. The policy of internationalization of education has achieved significant results over the past 15 years. Today, students from all over the world obtain higher educationin China. The number of foreign students increased in 2016 compared to 2000 by 8.4 times, reaching almost 450 thousand people. The possibilities for foreign students to choose profession and university have expanded. Now they come to China not only to learn Chinese, but also to obtain qualifications in engineering, economics, management and Western medicine.

75-85 760
Abstract

Teaching translation in the global educational environment is associated with the integration of theoretical, methodological and didactic approaches: the search for effective solutions to translation problems can be optimized due to the openness and intensity of academic discussions and the large scale of professional communication of translators. This article considers it necessary to analyze the current translation paradigm focusing on its functionality in preparing translators for the work with texts of tourism discourse and to suggest a variant of didactic translation of tourism texts. The analysis of national and foreign academic and educational papers has been carried out. These papers describe didactic models in teaching different types of translation and discourse-dependent translation strategies. The theoretically substantiated methodological principles forming the basis for the didactization of tourism texts are studied in the article. The research material is represented by the German and Russian texts, which were used in the educational process at Volgograd State University (Russia) and at Johannes Gutenberg University (Germany). The theoretical basis is represented by the concepts of various Russian and German translation scholars, which are significant in the educational process of both universities. The article reveals an algorithm of tourism texts didacticization, shows the genre specifics of tourism texts and studies the problematic areas caused by the cultural transfer of tourism-relevant information. The recommendations for the pre-translation analysis of texts are suggested, since the cultural dimension influences the translation of tourism texts. The practical significance of the research consists in the possibility of using the developed didactic principles in translators’ training. The results of the research can be useful for both specialists in translation studies and intercultural communication and specialists in the field of tourism.

86-96 2844
Abstract

The importance of the supporting universities in each region is quite high, because the main purpose of creating them is to provide an efficient cooperation between the region and the system of higher education. Through the supporting universities it is possible to solve the most pressing problems facing not only regions but also the state as a whole. The interaction between higher education and regions is associated with the strengthening of the “third mission” of universities, the implementation of which makes university a key «player» in the economic and social development of a region and introduces significant changes in the university’s relations with its partners: industry, business, government, civil society institutions. The first section of the article focuses on the identification of the main parameters of the regional activities of Russian universities as active participants in the socio-economic development of region. The second section systematizes the experience of German universities on the implementation of the «third mission» in the regional context.

HIGHER SCHOOL PEDAGOGY

97-106 883
Abstract

The article presents the results of an experiment to create a model of joint training of students studying on the programs 44.03.01 “Teacher education” and 44.03.03 “Special (defectological) education” at the university. The goal of such educational integration was to ensure the effective interaction of future professionals in these areas in the process of psychological and pedagogical support of schoolchildren with developmental delay who are studying in the conditions of inclusive or integrated environment. Traditional (separate) training of primary education teachers and special psychologists does not allow them to implement properly their professional competencies which are formed within autonomous educational approaches impeding productive cooperation in the context of modern educational practice.

The experimental model of joint training of teachers of primary education and special psychologists has been being piloted at Murmansk Arctic State University for several years. The subject field is monitoring of individual development of primary school-age children with developmental delay. The quality of joint training was evaluated in the third and fourth grade curriculum. We assessed the development of cognitive and practical components of professional competences. On the whole the experiment involved 35 future teachers and 35 future special psychologists, 15 professors and 30 workers of educational institutions. The sampling consisted of the full-time students of 2010-2011 enrollment who were selected in two groups – control and experimental. The dynamics of the formation of professional competences was assessed according to the same parameters and we used a large number of diagnostic tests for interim and final evaluation. On the whole the experiment has been organized as a longitude study. During the experiment we have got 280 products of students’ work, which became the base to provide the rationale for the conclusion that joint training of future teachers of primary education and special psychologists has obvious advantages in comparison with the traditional model of students’ training. The professional competences demonstrated by the students of the experimental group were sufficient for providing an adequate psychological and pedagogical support of schoolchildren with developmental delay studying in the conditions of inclusive or integrated environment.

107-114 647
Abstract

The article highlights the urgent need for a new approach to teaching ESP (English for professional purposes) to Master’s applicants specializing in Physics and Mathematics. Therefore, a comparative analysis of textbooks and methods has been carried out to draw a parallel between traditional and innovative approaches to teaching foreign languages in technical tertiary institutions. The analysis has revealed the insufficiency of comprehensive ESP methodologies particularly in terms of teaching would-be mathematicians and physicists considering the science-students’ mindset. The latter should be primarily taken into account to ensure that the selection and submission of educational materials are tailored to the needs of science modes of thinking, namely, coherent and cohesive presentation of a project and its results and arguments; unified forms of presented achievements; academic command of style; concise and laconic content; universal “schemes” of presenting results. Within this context the role of extracurricular autonomous studies has been reconsidered and re-evaluated as far as language learning skills and competences are concerned. Particularly, benefits and drawbacks of individual work with an academic article have been examined as well as the current online availability of material and the extent of teacher’s involvement. The article stresses the need of transforming the conventional teaching models of technical translation and science-literature reading into a new form of seminar-workshop consultation. Its distinctive features and key principles would include its correlation with physical and mathematical disciplines, the use of specific formulaic expressions. The conclusion advances an idea based on some theoretical evidence of close integration between English and science departments to provide a Master’s applicant with relevant skills and competencies for professional communication in English.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

115-127 862
Abstract

The article aims to legitimate teaching the history and philosophy of science at contemporary Russian university. It assumes to contribute to the answering the questions of what and how should future researchers and science teachers be taught. It attempts to complement the relevant researches with one aspect connected with the communication of scientists as a subject of study and education. The author argues that the theory and practice of communication can be an important element of teaching the history and philosophy of science courses for future researchers. She explains this importance by two reasons. Firstly, the communication of scientists is problematic; secondly, it can be interpreted as a condition for innovative research. The author makes a distinction between professional communication in science and science communication of scientists with other public actors. The main problem of communication between scientists is an ambiguous connection between the goals of these two types of communication. The article answers the following issues: why and how future researchers should be taught the theory and practice of these two types of communication. In the last part of the article the author analyzes the method of teaching and describes three educational strategies: historical critique, philosophical assembling and experience of dialogue. All of them can be an integral part of teaching the history and philosophy of science for future researchers.

UNIVERSITY AND REGION

129-137 698
Abstract

The article aims at studying the specifics of the psychological and pedagogical competence of future engineers in the structure of the educational process and in relation to the use of innovative and effective educational technologies. At present, the general issues of humanization and pedagogical and methodological support of the educational process are of great importance in light of the need to increase the academic mobility of university graduates who choose to work at universities. The problem of insufficient level of their psychological and pedagogical competence development arises automatically. Psychological and pedagogical competence of a graduate means his (her) ability to mastering the basic material of the psychological and pedagogical unit, the ability to operate the acquired knowledge and put it into practice, mastering acquired skills in the conditions of concrete professional and pedagogical activity.

This problem has several solutions. One of the most effective is the possibility of developing and introducing the programmes of advanced psychological and pedagogical training and professional retraining for future engineers specializing in engineering pedagogy.

The purpose of the article is to view the effective approaches to the development of psychological and pedagogical competences among future engineers. The authors consider using of the modern IT-technologies to be a strong motivator in this process as well as gamification (role games and business games).

As the key tasks of the teaching staff at technical university the following issues are regarded: creation of conditions for the disclosure by future engineers of their professional and personal resources; obtaining by future engineers the information necessary to increase the level of their psychological and pedagogical competence; acquisition of skills necessary for knowledge application in future professional activity; expanding the range of professional competencies of future engineers in the conditions of psychological and pedagogical design.

One of the most important aspects of teacher’s activity is reflection, self-evaluation. The authors present teachers’ behavior patterns for reflection and formulate the recommendations for teaching future engineering teachers.

Thus, the specificity of training future engineers with the focus on increasing their psychological and pedagogical competence is a complex multi-faceted process, specially organized in time and space, involving consideration of certain psychological and pedagogical, methodological and methodical patterns and aimed at developing professional qualifications of future engineering pedagogues.

138-148 1014
Abstract

Inclusive educational space is an essential part of modern education. Many higher educational institutions are faced with a lack of professional skills in this area. The article aims at presenting the technologies of inclusive education implemented at G.I. Nosov Moscow State Technical University. A team of scientific and pedagogical workers applies innovative inclusive technologies for training students with special educational needs majoring in psychological and pedagogical education. The applied classroom methods such as association method, training work, including role games and art-therapy and others, enable to present the material in special educational form which is easy for perception, to develop motor activity, as well as team skills and creativity.

The article dwells on an experience of using educational portal and electronic educational resources, which should be viewed as an effective means of improving the quality of educational activities in inclusive educational space.

The authors present the results of an empirical study for the assessment of the quality of student performance depending on their attendance of the educational portal.

149-157 540
Abstract

The article presents the authors’ method of teaching undergraduate and Master’s degree students majoring in education to formulate scientific concepts including the key concepts that constitute the theoretical basis of any pedagogical research. We regard this skill as one of the components of the research competence of a modern teacher. In accordance with his labor functions, he (she) has to lead the research and project activities of students in the system of primary, basic and secondary general education. The article reveals the content of research competence which includes two groups of research skills: work with literary sources and actual work with text of a research. The authors consider three types of tasks for the formulation of scientific concepts of different levels of complexity, describe an algorithm for performing by students tasks of each type. In addition, the article reveals the pedagogical significance of teacher’s ability to formulate scientific concepts and describes the positive results of mastering this skill by undergraduates and Master’s degree students in education.

158-167 1244
Abstract

This article discusses the problem of using robotics in higher education, highlights the theoretical and practical aspects of the problem. The article describes the current trend of the inclusion of robotics in the educational process as one of the effective tools for the formation of students’ professional competencies, psychological readiness to implement educational programs at any level in the modern post-industrial world. The authors present psychological and pedagogical research, in which the organization of project work with fourth-grade and fifth-grade students was studied using a robot-assistant. Practical research was devoted to the perception of anthropomorphic robots by students. They studied a number of disciplines in direct contact with a static robot. The authors analyzed the possibility of using robotics in educational process while preparation of students majoring both in engineering and pedagogy. The results of this research support the idea that robots can be assistants for a teacher and motivators for students. Interaction between robot and students enhances their general emotional background, activates cognitive processes and learning in general.



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ISSN 0869-3617 (Print)
ISSN 2072-0459 (Online)