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INTEGRATION OF SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION INTO THE SYSTEM OF LIFELONG EDUCATION
S. N. Grishina
There have been attempts to validate the ideas of the integrated approach in education for more than a century. Even teachers and scientists of the 17-19th centuries saw the need to reflect the relationship with the real world in the educational process, to connect the objects studied and phenomena into a single unbroken chain, which, in its turn, was supposed to ensure the harmonious development of a person. At the present stage of social development, integration of all educational factors becomes a major component of education: a preschool establishment, school, college, technical college, higher educational institution, family and society. In education the path of integration is seen as one of the most promising ones, and the concepts of “integration” and “systematic approach” are important during setting and implementation of organizational tasks in the system of secondary vocational education (hereinafter SVE).
In the current context of economic development, the formation of a system of continuous multilevel education aimed at professional and personal development, as well as active socialization of a person at every stage of his/her life trajectory, became a priority area for modernization of vocational education. Obviously, professional education built according to the principle of continuity is one of the main components of the system of lifelong education. Education in the modern world is characterized by the diversity of systems. The notion of “integration” in the field of education is considered to be a union - an organic fusion and creative cooperation of educational institutions, systems, and content of educational programs in different subjects or subject areas. Integration of institutions at different levels of education is based on the development of relationships and mutual complementarity aimed at the efficient achievement of goals and objectives, improvement of educational quality, including professional education. All levels of general and professional education should eventually form a common educational space, which is open to innovations and has the ability to adapt quickly to the rapidly changing conditions of the economy and society. Integration of the educational system of Russia into the European and international educational space dictates the creation of a system for preparation of specialists that is consistent with the requirements of international educational standards.
In the current system of Russian education we can clearly see a trend toward replacement of disparate relationships between the educational institutions of various levels by the new forms of association, among which we can identify the integrative process of incorporating SVE into the system of lifelong education. Realization of professional and personal needs is possible for many persons by means of secondary vocational education, which is at the center of the educational chain “school ^ secondary technical school/college ^ employer.” The transformation of SVE should be comprehensive, based on a thorough analysis of the needs of the economy and the society, as well as on the principles of openness and accessibility for different categories of the population, regardless of their age,
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health, or geographic location. Implementation of this principle is possible by expanding the forms of training and optimizing the learning process in an educational institution. Additionally, the learning process in SVE institutions shall be built from the point of view of the professional importance of education for students with different educational goals and future professional plans. Today's labor market has special requirements to the quality of education in vocational educational institutions of the SVE system and the competence of future professionals, workers, and employees. The basis of these requirements to the professional competence and skills of future professionals is the need for education based on educational needs, social and economic factors, and modern technological innovations. All of these factors should be considered when setting the main objectives of the educational activities of SVE institutions aimed at preparation of future mid-tier specialists, both for performance of their professional tasks and for the process of self-education.
The idea of integration approaches in SVE institutions is manifested in various forms: through cross-curricular and interdisciplinary communication, unity of theoretical and practical training, holding of binary and integrated training sessions, and activities (business games, conferences, competitions, etc.), unity of classroom work and the extracurricular independent activity of students, specialization of general education, unity of basic and further education, differentiated learning, and education in full-time, part-time, and distance forms. Use of integrated lessons technology encourages development of an integral view of the student world, and makes it possible to use the theoretical knowledge in solving practical problems in the domestic and professional situations. Further education, as experience has shown, most effectively extends the boundaries of basic professional education under conditions of their integration, which is a prerequisite for self-identity and obtaining additional qualifications and competencies in the process of studying in SVE institutions. Within the framework of the requirements for the new Federal State Educational Standards, the relevance of integration for basic and further education has increased considerably, since obtaining further professional qualifications/competencies (including the related areas of activity) allows graduates to realize themselves effectively and fully in socially productive activities. As part of building the system of lifelong education, the pre-specialized and secondary vocational education are in a state of active interaction. SVE institutions cooperate fruitfully both with schools regarding organization of pre-professional preparation and professional preparation of senior schoolchildren, and with higher educational institutions for the purpose of continuing professional training of graudates, including the integrated programs. Thus, all integrative processes in the SVE system shall be subject to the general educational concept of development of an institution, and be considered as a transitional stage from general to higher education in terms of lifelong education.
Translated from Russian by Znanije Central Translations Bureau
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