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RESEARCH ACTIVITY AS A MEANS
OF FORMING SKILLS OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT
AND SELF-REALIZATION IN A STUDENT’S PERSONALITY
N. I. Scherbakova
Students must form self-education skills over the course of their education. With the rapid growth of scientific and technical information, traditional training technology focused mainly on presenting and assimilating ready-made knowledge, cannot be considered sufficient. Education technology needs to be refined in improving the formation of intellectual culture, creativity and educational technology of a specialist based on the concept of creative activity. The most effective form of its implementation is a continuous system of scientific research work as an inseparable component of the three-sided educational process: academic, educational and scientific.
Students’ research work in the Moscow Art and Pedagogical College of Technology and Design is one of the priority directions of the educational process, the most important means of improving the quality of training. In the process of students’ study of professional, creative, and research activity, and methods and techniques to perform research and design activities, students develop skills of scientific and technical creativity, independence and initiative in their studies and future careers. Art college degrees set the direction (psychology, philosophy, and applied sciences), subject (artistic and aesthetic education, the development of creativity, new professional technology) and shape (both theoretical and practical, or applied) of their research. Only a teacher who is interested in science and deeply involved in research work can direct the research, to help students more fully disclose their identity and individuality, and create conditions for students’ development of intellectual and creative activities. Creation and development of conditions for self-realization of students in scientific work in a single academic, educational and scientific process in accordance with the student’s abilities and needs is the purpose of the whole system of research activity in college.
To ensure this goal it is necessary to: (a) develop the students’ readiness for constant self-education and self-improvement, improving their skills, (b) assist future professionals in mastering the methods of development and utilization of scientific knowledge in research activities, (c) identify the most gifted and trained students who have expressed their motivation for research activities and to involve them in various research projects, (d) continuously support and develop the students’ interest to actively participate in research activities as an indispensable part of their training; (e) organize exhibitions of students’ scientific work, conduct scientific confer-
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ences and competitions, and other activities of a research nature in order to demonstrate students’ achievements, (e) assist students in preparing for participation in scientific activities at the national and international level, (g) help students at preparing the results of their research for publication.
Most students perceive their participation in research as preparation for future practice. Studies have shown that students who were involved in research while studying apply a creative approach to meet their professional functions, have a higher level of psychological readiness for professional activities, and considerably reduce the period of adaptation to professional practice.
It has become a tradition in college to conduct annual student scientific-practical conferences. The choice of conference topics is stipulated by the desire to expand professional horizons of students, and to update their knowledge. For example, a students’ conference was held in 2008 called “Professional competence of a graduate of the services area under the requirements of the modern labor market.” This topic was important and timely in connection with the preparation for the transition to federal state educational standards for vocational education of the new generation. The reports presented at the conference expressed views on the mastery of competencies which meet the requirements of the modern labor market in service. It was interesting in this regard to learn the views of other parties, employers, and managers ranging from large catering enterprises to beauty salons. Such activities contribute significantly to the convergence of forms and methods of training at an educational institution with the requirements of the labor market. The 2009 conference topic was “Innovative technologies in service sector jobs.” In April 2010 the college held the All-Russian scientific-practical conference “Ways and means of forming creative personality in the process of preparation for professional work in the service industry”, which was attended by representatives from educational institutions of primary, secondary and higher vocational education preparing professionals for the service sector. The conference presented a collection of clothes, hairstyles, and makeup prepared by the students, as well as well-known stylists who graduated the college. The Conference has become a real forum for beauty, creativity, talent and professionalism.
Managers and specialists from the Department of the Consumer Market and Services of Moscow, the Moscow Culinary Association, the Center for Research and Information in the Service Industry, and other institutions are traditionally involved in preparing and conducting scientific conferences in the college. The Conference Proceedings are published annually.
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Research work with students is another form of interaction the between teacher and student. They cooperate in this case based on creative interaction that helps to reveal many aspects of an individual student, encouraging creativity by both parties.
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