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MODELING THE REGIONAL SPACE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
V. M. YURYEV, M. S. CHVANOVA, E. V. BUCHNEVA
T ambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin
The structure and the content of the regional space of continuing education
We believe that one of the main tasks in working out long-term programs of development of the system of continuing education is involving in its development all elements of the educational space. The educational space is mediate and directly influences the process of education by means of the events that take place.
The characteristics of the space of continuing education are: firstly, the nature of relations; secondly, systemacity; thirdly, parameters: multi-
variation, extent and density.
Can we speak of the system of continuing education at all? To give an answer to this question we referred to the researches on the problems of systems approach to the analysis of different pedagogical phenomena. A. P. Averyanov, V. P. Bespalko, M. A. Veyt, Y. K. Vasilyev, G. Geeg, V. V. Druzhi-nin, V. S. Ilyin, M. S. Kagan, Y. A. Konarzhevskiy, D. S. Kontarov, F. F. Korolyov, V. V. Krayevskiy, N. V. Kuzmina, F. I. Peregudov, U. Porter, V. V. Se-rikov, M. N. Skatkin, V. A. Yadov and other scholars dealt with these issues.
The existing system of continuing education, as a whole, has its initial prerequisites, and its development consists in subjecting all its elements to the common purposes or, in case of need, in creation of the missing elements. The systemacity principle requires taking integrative, invariant and system-creating relations into account.
The characteristic feature of the system of continuing education is hierarchy which means that the system has subordinate connections and relations between the stages (subsystems), their submission and co-submission, revealing the special place (the hierarchical status) of each of them in the overall system. The specific way of functioning of the multistage hierarchy is ensuring effective functioning and development of the system by means of various forms of connections which are the expression of system-creating connections.
The system of continuing education is organic; and it is not only the totality of connections between its elements that evidences it, but also the new system characteristics: what is peculiar to the whole system is not peculiar to separate subsystems. The relations of a coordination as well as the relations of subordination exist in the system; all these realions were called forth by the origination of some elements from others and leading to qualitatively new relations. The characteristics of the elements of the system of continuing education are determined by the characteristics of the whole, i. e. by the main aim of existence of the system. The development of the system happens due to the qualitative transformation of the subsystems along with the whole.
The system of continuing education bears all the peculiarities of a compound system, it is a net system and each of the enumerated subsystems represents a coherent whole. Purposeful connections act as the system-creating connection, and they are subjected to the aims of functioning of the system of continuing education.
It is a well-known thesis that a system has three levels of organization: conceptual - the level of system-creating characteristics; structural - the level of system-linking relations; substrate - the level of elements. The system is primarily preset by certain system-creating characteristics and relations.
In the regional space of continuing education the conceptual level is provided by general ideas and notions of the mission of education in the society, which dominate in me thentality of the certain territory. Actually, these are specific forms of knowledge produced by the public consciousness - social information: the aims, that shared by the majority of participants of the educational space; common strategy of horizontal and vertical administering, that aimed at the social-pedagogical priorities; common territorial subculture; a developed net of relational connections in the field of education; realization of social community by all the participants (territorial-pedagogical mentality).
The level of the system-creating relation is the functional structure of the educational space, i. e. the
interrelations which are established between the subjects of the regional space of continuing education in the course of carrying out their educational functions.
The subjects constitute the substrate level. In our opinion, the regional space of continuing education includes the totality of all subjects of the region that either participate directly or indirectly in educational processes, or are interested in those processes. These are teachers, schoolchildren, students, parents, educational establishments of all types and levels, scientific organizations which offer postgraduate courses and doctorate, institutions of complementary education, museums and libraries, enterprises and organizations, employment and social services, etc. That is all the constituents which take part in the educational events of the region. In point of fact the regional space of continuing education involves all natural and juridical persons, the whole region, considered in a certain aspect - their relation to the person's continuing education. Thus, the educational space represents all the elements of the social-cultural environment involved in the educational process.
The regional space of continuing education is heterogeneous in its substrate. Expansion and meshing of intra-substrate non-system-creating connections take place along with the development of order. Due to the freedom of elements of the educational space the level of relations between the concept, the structure and the elements bear weaker linear determinancy. Tendencies towards ensuring the space integrity at the expense of information structures are displayed.
The space elements can be relatively divided into two classes. The first one corresponds with system-determining elements such as collectives of HEIs, colleges, schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, i. e. education systems of different types and levels which have direct connection with the educational process. System-organizing elements are all collectives and members of the establishments of the social-cultural environment taking part in various events, which are involved in the process of continuing education. The level of involvement of either element in the regional space of continuing education is determined by the possibility of its smooth removal. In a balanced system the loss of any element affects the system functioning.
One of the principal objectives of continuing education is the development of the person's intellectual, emotional, volitional, motivational sides. The stages of the person's development determine the corresponding grade and level of continuing education, the requirements and conditions of achieving concrete goals [1, pp. 5-22]. In accordance with those
goals vertical through integration of educational levels should be carried out, it will ensure progressive development of a person and continuity of his/her general and vocational education, as well as horizontal coordination of different educational structures (fundamental and complementary, state and public, etc.), which contributes to all-round development and settles the problem questions at the junctions of different educational structures and units.
The first phase of a person's course of life corresponds to the pre-school upbringing stage, when the foundation of personal development is laid, individual inclinations are formed and innate ones are developed, curiosity, initiative and independence peculiar to this age are encouraged. Learning of primary social-cultural regulations and moral norms is ensured, training for the forthcoming systematized education is carried out. The leading role in the process of pre-school upbringing belongs to the family. All possible support should be provided by the members of preschool establishments: day nursery, kindergartens, boarding schools, and other kinds of pre-school institutions.
Diversity and flexibility of the organizational system of complementary preschool upbringing take into account the peculiarities of children's development (from the mentally retarded to the gifted ones).
General secondary education of the youth is basic for the further development of a person. In primary schools providing general education pupils acquire skills and gain experience in educational work, they learn to read, to write, to count, master the elements of theoretical way of thinking, of speech and behavioral standards, learn the basis of hygiene and healthy mode of life. Children gain elementary idea of nature, of society, of a man and his labor.
At the second stage of schools providing general education the foundation of training necessary to continue the education and to be successfully involved in life is laid. All-round development of a pupil's personality, of his/her inclinations, of his/her capacity for self-determination; mastering the basis of scientific knowledge and of moral norms common to all mankind - all these aspects are ensured. In the basic school providing general education the differentiated training in compliance with pupils' interests and inclinations is introduced by means of studying optional subjects.
At the stage of general secondary education - in schools of the third level - pupils' general education finishes on the basis of wide and profound differentiation of education, of absolute regard for pupils' interests, of their active involvement in independent life. There can be organized mastering simple professions.
A system of specialized schools, boarding schools, country boarding schools, schools with special conditions, etc. is developed with a view to expand the possibilities of getting and extending one's knowledge.
There are complementary structures of general secondary education which are represented by out-ofschool forms of education according to interests: children's houses of creative work, sports sections and centers, music-schools and drawing schools, stations of young technicians, naturalists, tourists, educational-pedagogical organizations, etc.
The following levels in the system of continuing education are primary, secondary, higher and postuniversity professional education. The primary professional education is aimed at training workers of skilled labor in all principal directions of socially useful activities on the basis of general fundamental education. The purpose of the secondary education is the training of experts of the middle link and the satisfaction of person's needs to extend his education on the basis of the fundamental general, of the secondary general or of the primary professional education. The higher education carries out the training and the retraining of experts of the corresponding level; it satisfies a person's needs to extend his education on the basis of the secondary general, of the secondary professional education. The post-university education gives an opportunity to raise the level of the education, of the scientific and professional guali-fication on the basis of the higher education.
One has the opportunity to return to the professional activity at any stage of education, and to continue education, if necessary.
Each mentioned level of professional education has corresponding totality of stages: a primary work grades of qualification, a primary professional education, a higher level of primary professional education, a special secondary education of higher training, the stage of two-year incomplete higher education, a four-year program of earning a Bachelor's degree, a six-year program of receiving Master of Arts, the stage of five-year and six-year experts training, a post-graduate study.
One has the opportunity to be promoted to the higher levels of the professional education. Furthermore, one can raise the level of his/her qualification at any stage of professional activity, on the basis of any educational level, i. e. one can «advance». If necessary, one can change the specialization due to the system of experts’ retraining.
The main structures of me primary professional education of the youth are vocational schools and professional lyceums. The parallel structures are
represented by different forms of practical training at the enterprise. The special secondary education is
an important stage of continuing education and of skilled workers training. Differentiation of types of activity makes for availability of various types of special secondary educational establishments - technical schools, colleges, polytechnical schools, medical, normal schools, schools of arts, etc.
The objective processes of increase of labor in-tellectualization give birth to a qualitatively new type of educational institutions - higher vocational schools (HVS) established on the basis of the best vocational and technical schools, and on the basis of the university branches. A training of personnel for wide variety of professional activities is carried out here: from workers for science-implying production to junior engineers, doctors' assistants, teachers of primary grades, personnel for the sphere of Arts. Different integrated complexes serve as a basic form of advancing the level of one's training and of general education.
There are parallel structures represented by the corresponding structures of raising the level of personnel's and experts’» gualification. Public, informal and initiative structures of vocational education are complementary structures.
The basic structures of higher education are departments of full-time tuition in higher educational institutions. The parallel structures are evening schools, departments of part-time tuition, incomplete and accelerated training, «Open universities», external studies; the complementary ones are access courses, various structures of informal education, centers organizing public lectures, students' scientific societies, etc.
Post-graduate courses and courses for candidates for a degree are the basic forms of systematic training of teachers-researchers for the work in higher educational institutions, in scientific research institutes and other establishments.
Doctorate carries out training of highly qualified experts, of heads of schools of thought, of research workers for important fields of science and technology, influencing the whole social practice of the society.
The basic structures in the system of retraining and raising the skill are dedicated structures which include courses of retraining of personnel and specially established educational institutions that carry out retraining of experts in new directions of development of science, engineering and technology. Centers of continuing education are parallel structures; different structures of public, informal, initiative forms of general and vocational education represent complementary structures.
Informal education is the integral constituent part of the system of continuing education. It satisfies people's diverse cultural-educational needs, and it is initiative in its directivity and contents. Giving an opportunity of getting education to senior citizens, and to pensioners is not only humanistic, but it also has a great social-economic importance as a resource of increasing the duration of people’s active life.
In our opinion, the effective functioning of the system of continuing education can be ensured by the development of a network of vocational guidance for the youth and the population; besides, due to peopleware, dataware, resource, organization, legal and scientific ensuring.
The following characteristic includes parameters by way of which the space can be described: multidimensionality, length, density.
The regional space of continuing education is multidimensional and embraces other sub-spaces: informational, technological, social-cultural, and physical (ecological, ergonomic), etc. Completeness of being included into a certain educational space depends on concrete circumstances closely connected with the fact how well this or that sub-space fits the task-oriented process of continuing education.
The regional space of continuing education exists at several levels.
The first level is personal. At this level the educational space is regarded as a result of the mastering of the educational (cultural) environment by a man. For the purpose of optimal development of interaction of a person with the world and with himself/herself, today it is necessary to aim education at creating prerequisites for the development of the capacity for making independent and responsible decisions, which are the base of personal selfdetermination.
This kind of prerequisites are created in the conditions of person's participation in various events of his vocational activity and of his life: taking part in conferences on urgent problems, in regional contests, social partnership in the field of education, participation in working out software-based and conceptual documents in the sphere of informatization of the regional system of education, organization of experimental work, etc.
The second level is the level of educational institutions. At the level of a concrete educational institution we usually speak of «educational environment».
This notion is often used in pedagogical literature, but unlike the concept «educational space» its essence has been interpreted by scientists more often; this is confirmed by the analysis of publications which we have carried out. As far as in the context of
our investigation we are interested in the notion «'in-formational-educational» environment, it is worth mentioning that the following interpretation is the most frequent one: «Informational-educational environment is a totality (a system) of informational, technical and educational-methodical subsystems, purposefully ensuring the educational process, and its participants» [2, p. 37].
In fact, as we see it, on the one hand, informational-educational environment is included in the educational space, on the other hand, this environment is created and ensured by the pedagogical system in which the student exists, besides, it doesn't reflect the diversity of educational events that have already happened or are potentially possible, and that exert influence on the person's development.
Consequently, under the conditions of globalization of the educational processes, one should have a chance to shift from a certain pedagogical system to another one, to compare, to analyze their potentialities and advantages.
The environment, which surrounds the system of continuing education, has diverse influences upon it: it affects the functioning of the system and its results, creates conditions for the development (or vice versa), justifies its existence, etc. Both the positive and negative influences of the environment bear disorganizing character - the system either adjusts to the changes of the environment, or makes alterations itself, provided it has a high level of organization.
The third level of considering the space of continuing education is the regional level. Today it is possible to assert that the extent of the educational space at the regional level is confined by the presence of the following characteristics:
• compactness of the population's habitation, which makes it possible for the majority of people to come into direct or mediate contact concerning the process of education, and to improve professional skills;
• locality of the territory, due to which the contacts are carried out in the real-time operation mode;
• community of mentality, that permits to take the common system of values to the level of one's education;
• social-economic integrity of the territory;
• presence of common historical subculture in the field of development of education.
It is natural, that the educational space has heterogeneous influences on the process of the person's development. That is why we can speak of its density. It is taken not only as the presence in different points of the space of various conditions for the development of a man's personality, for actualization of
his preparedness to the professional activity, for his self-realization, but also as differences in the efficiency of making use of these conditions. The density of the educational space will be also affected by the intensity of interactions, in which one participates under the influence of the environment.
The above-described characteristics and levels of the educational space are summarized in a table.
Thus, reasoning from the above-mentioned analysis, we have formulated the following draft definition of the regional space of continuing education. It is coexistence in the field of continuing educational activity, transformed by all agents of education into the factor of integrative influence on the process of continuous development of the personality and of permanent actualization of his preparedness to the life in the conditions of dynamic changes of the society.
Multilevel model of the regional space of continuing education
In order to describe, investigate and create the regional space of continuing education we should refer to a widely used method of scientific cognition -modeling. For that we should, firstly, determine its structural constituents of the space of continuing education, secondly, reveal the relations between them.
It is better to consider the structural constituents of the regional space of continuing education at the three levels: 1) the personal level; 2) the level of educational institutions (by the example of TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin); 3) the regional level.
The personal level is the one at which the space of continuing education is considered as the result of
development of the educational (cultural) environment, i. e. the person participates in various educational events, that one way or another surround his/her professional activity and life.
At the level of an educational institution it is expedient to speak of the informational-educational environment, interpreting it as a totality of informational, technical and educational-methodical subsystems, purposefully ensuring the educational process, and its participants.
The following level of the space of continuing education is the regional level. It can be considered as a developed network of relations in the field of education, providing anyone with an opportunity to be included in the educational process at any stage of one's life, confined by the social-economic integrity of the territory, and by the presence of common subculture in the field of education.
Examining each component of the model we can speak of three kinds of educational activity: formal education, non-formal education and informal education.
The analysis of scientific-pedagogical literature reveals the fact that the concepts formal, non-formal and informal education do not have any exact definition, though the majority of research workers considers a formal education to be the one that ends in getting a certificate of degree or a diploma; non-formal education usually doesn't end in getting any document confirming completion of a certain stage of education; informal education is the cognitive activity which accompanies our everyday life and doesn't necessarily have task-oriented characteristics, most often, it is self-education.
Scheme 1
THE MODEL OF THE REGIONAL SPACE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
The Regional Space of Continuing Education
Levels of organization
The personal level
The level of educational institutions
The regional level
Formal education is predominantly formed according to the age characteristics. It is hierarchically structured and it embraces all stages of education. In the system of formal education a special role belongs to the basic education in the secondary and higher school. Formal education implies, firstly, availability of special institutions (HEIs, colleges, technical schools, vocational schools, schools, etc.); secondly, it should meet the requirements of the official educational standard, which sets the minimal limits of knowledge and skills, required in various fields of professional activity.
Non-formal education can be organized outside of the general and professional education systems, as well as on the basis of institutions of general and professional education. As a rule, it is task-oriented and systematic.
Informal education includes implication of the society's unbounded educational potential in the system of continuing education by the means of the person's everyday life (communication, reading, traveling, the mass media, etc.). Education provided out of formal institutes meets the demands of a person and of the society as much as possible. According to the data provided by UNESCO, 85 % of the working population acquired the necessary knowledge and skills outside the formal education [3].
Nevertheless, till recently, the policy in the field of education took into account only the formal education, paying far less attention to the other types of education. Formation of the space of continuing education is impossible without equitable participation of formal and non-formal education in the general process of education [4].
The considered types of education are mutually complementary and they extend the possibility to satisfy the requirements of a person and of the society on the whole in the sphere of education. At the same time, the determining role should belong to the formal education, which will ensure the person's preparedness to the full life and to professional activity, as well as preparedness to post-school or post-graduate education. In that way the prerequisites for the formation of the space of continuing education are created; this space ensures and develops the lifelong educational activity of everyone. At that, the connection between the formal and extra-formal education can become stronger due to the creation of conditions for the development of non-formal and informal education, as well as by means of renewal of traditional forms of education.
Let’s consider the contents of each component of the structure under discussion (scheme 2).
The personal level. The structure of the model of the regional space of continuing education at the personal level includes the following core units: 1) preschool education; 2) the system of general secondary education; 3) the system of vocational education, embracing the subsystems of primary, secondary and higher vocational education; 4) postgraduate courses and doctorate; 5) the system of training for those having higher vocational education.
It should be noted that one can either get traditional higher professional education (a certificated expert), or participate in professional educational programs of earning a Bachelor's degree or receiving Master’s degree. Post-graduate and doctorate courses strain highly skilled scientific and pedagogical personnel (Candidates of Science and Doctors of Science).
Within the limits of formal education teaching at each stage is provided by a network of state, municipal and private educational institutions according to the educational programs that correspond with the state educational standard and, as it was already mentioned, ends in getting a certificate of degree or a diploma.
1) the system of complementary education which realizes complementary programs of education (music-schools and drawing schools, sports centers, children's houses of creative work, stations of young tourists, naturalists, etc.), in institutions of general and professional education (sections, hobby groups, optional classes, etc.):
2) the systems of pre-university training (access courses, centers of trial testing, mini-universities, master-classes, etc.);
3) the systems of raising the level of skill (courses, lectures, etc.);
4) the systems of retraining in complementary specialties,
5) the systems of training within the enterprise.
During the whole life one gets informal education in the family, in the process of communication with others, going to libraries, museums, exhibitions, with the help of the mass media, participating in social movements, etc. Informal education is an important constituent part of one's education; it helps one to become familiar with new-social roles, contributes to the person's development.
The correlation between the mentioned types of education changes at every stage of the life. The role of non-formal and informal types of educational activity increases as a person shifts from one stage of maturity to another. They become dominant at the pre-pension stage.
Family upbringing, communication, educational societies, centers organizing public lectures, museums, libraries, the mass media, participation in social movements and etc.
Informal
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Secondary professional education
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The system of pre-university education
The system of training within the enterprise
The system of retraining in complementary specialties
The system of complementary education
The system of raising the level of skill
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Despite the significant differences between the institutions of non-formal and informal education, both of them quickly respond to the changes of people's demands in the sphere of education, besides, they have wide variety of contents. All this makes them mportant factors in the person's development, ensures professional competence, and stimulates their lifelong social and professional activity.
The level of educational institutions (by the example of Tambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin) (scheme 3). As a rule, new structural subdivisions are created at this level (in TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin it is the Academy of Continuing Education), which apply new pedagogical methods and various modern means of communication, new economic and administrative mechanisms of functioning. The role of the university changes radically, and it becomes the center of the innovational-educational policy of the region. On the basis of integration of educational establishments of different levels university complexes are formed and developed. Inside of them a network of courses, of libraries, of educational-practical complexes, of sections, of centers organizing public lectures, of museums, etc. is developed. Thus, an educational environment that embraces all kinds of education (formal, non-formal and informal) is created.
The structure of the model of the regional space of continuing education at the level of educational institutions (by the example of Tambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin) includes the following core units:
1) institutes, academies, departments of TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin: the Institute of Mathematics, Physics, Informatics, the Institute of Philology, the Institute of Psychology, the Institute of Law, the Institute of History and Political Science, the Institute of Social Work, the Institute of Sociology and Cultural Studies, the Institute of Sport and Physical Training, the Academy of Economics and Management, the Academy of Arts, Service and Advertisement, the Faculty of Journalism, besides, in the framework of the Academy of Continuing Education -the Institute of Open Education (innovational-educational centers in the towns: Rasskazovo, Ko-tovsk, Michurinsk, Kirsanov, Morshansk, Lipetsk; in the workers' towns: Zherdevka, Rzhaksa; in the settlement Polevoy) and the Center of the Second Higher and Parallel Education;
2) post-graduate courses and doctorate of TSU;
3) the educational-practical center.
The cited institutes, academies and faculties of TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin train experts according to the educational programs of the higher vo-
cational education; in the innovational-educational centers the students of the university are advised; the Center of the Second Higher and Parallel Education retrains experts and trains students in the second specialty of the higher vocational education.
On the basis of the educational-practical center the following establishments function: the mass media complex, a complex of consultative services (legal, psychological, economic, promotional, sociological, etc.); venture small enterprises, a hotel complex; sports complexes, etc., where students get practical education.
The next building block is the Institute of Complementary Education. It includes the center of preuniversity education, access courses; the center of raising the level of skill.
Consultative centers, master-classes, profile and dedicated classes, mini-universities function on the basis of the center of the pre-university education. The major directions of its activity are vocational guidance and integration of the pre-university and the university education. Schoolchildren of all ages are trained in this center. One of the main tasks of the center of the preuniversity education is bringing the demands of school standards in correspondence with the university requirements established for university entrants. In order to fulfill this task a network of master-classes, profile and dedicated classes is organized, where schoolchildren of the 5-11 grades can study the subjects they are interested in (Mathematics, Russian Language, a Foreign Language, etc.). In consultative centers profound study of school subjects is organized, and is carried out according to the individual plans which take into account schoolchildren's basic knowledge. Eight-month intense training and an application of innova-tional methods give good results. Mini-universities are special courses for the pupils of 9-11 grades in the Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social-Economic and Technological courses.
Training courses in various subjects and training for a USE are carried out in the framework of the access courses. The major directions of activity of the access courses are the adjustment of pupils' basic level of knowledge and the psychological-pedagogical adaptation to the university education system. The activity of the given structural subdivision is formed by taking into consideration the appointed educational tasks and the specificity of the contingent of the audience.
The center of raising the level of skill organizes raising the level of skill of teachers of the higher school in the specialties of TSU; raising the level of skill of experts according to the university profile; realization of complementary programs for adults and students.
Scheme 3
THE MODEL OF THE REGIONAL SPACE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION AT THE LEVEL OFEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
The Level of Educational Institutions (by the example of TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin)
Scientific-
educational
activity
Popular
scientific
literature,
manuals,
etc.
Educational, popular science films
IT
Conferences, exhibitions, presentations, etc., connected with promotion innova-tional educational developments.
Innovational activity aimed at enhancement of the system of CE
Scientific researches in the field of education, creation of scientific-methodical base of training of the modern expert
Application of research results of science-imp technologies to practice
A center of educational innovations
Raising the level of skill of teacher of the higher school in the specialties of TSU
Raising the level of skill of experts according to the university profile
Realization of complementary programs for adults and students
Training for the
USE
Access courses
Organization of trial testing
Consultative
centers
Master-classes, profile and dedicated classes
Mini-university
The Institute of Complementary Education
Raising the level of skill of teachers of the higher school in the specialties of TSU and of experts in the university profile is carried out as short-term courses, subject seminars, training-methodical probation periods, individual tutorials in the sphere of pedagogics, psychology, journalism, informatics, and in the social-cultural sphere, etc.
The primary purpose of the complementary educational programs for adults and students is satisfaction of citizens' different needs in the education services. With the help of these programs the problem of adaptation of a person under the conditions of market economy is solved. The further expansion of the field of activity of the Center of raising the level of skill, application of new professional educational programs and innovational technologies, including distance education, carrying out courses aimed at raising the level of skill of experts at the place of residence of the potential customer will contribute to the involvement of a larger number of people into the educational process.
Within the framework of informal education by means of scientific-educational activity, of publishing popular scientific literature, manuals, of releasing educational, popular science films, of giving lectures, of organizing and holding conferences, exhibitions, presentations, etc., the university creates the informational-educational environment, which gives everyone an opportunity to satisfy different educational needs.
Consequently, the university transforms into a qualitatively new educational establishment; furthermore, it becomes the system-creating factor of development of the region. Innovational activity aimed at the enhancement of the system of continuing education, scientific researches in the field of education, creation of scientific-methodical base of training of the modern expert, application of research results and of science-implying technologies to practice, organization of conferences, exhibitions and presentations, which promote innovational-educational research results, help the university to become the center of crystallization of the innova-tional-educational policy in the region. The essence of the new university is the formation of methods and programs of the regional space of continuing education on the basis of innovational developments, methods and programs.
The regional level of organization of the space of continuing education is a developed network of relations in the field of education, which ensures that everyone has an opportunity to be included in the educational process at any stage of a life, and which is limited by the social-economic integrity of the ter-
ritory and by the common subculture in the field of education.
Let us consider the basic components of the model (scheme 4). Its structural elements can be presented by:
1. In the sphere of formal education:
• the system of pre-school education which includes pre-school establishments of general development, compensative (for children who need correction of mental and physical development), establishments of pre-schoolchildren care, combined preschool establishments;
• the three-graded system of general education which embraces schools of general education, lyceums, gymnasiums, schools with profound study of certain subjects, special schools for children with mental and physical deviance, boarding schools;
• the system of primary professional education which includes vocational schools, technical schools, lyceums, and other institutions of primary professional education;
• the system of secondary professional education is represented in the region by teacher's training colleges, teacher’s training schools, musical schools, medical college, and other schools and colleges;
• the system of higher professional education in which TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin, TSTU, MSPI, MSAU, TMPU named after S. V. Rakhmani-nov and other establishments of higher professional education and their branches function. Higher educational institutions provide traditional higher education (a certificated expert), programs of earning a Bachelor's degree or of receiving Master Degree; besides, in many HEls a system of training for citizens who have higher professional education is organized;
• the majority of HEIs of our region offers post-graduate courses and doctorate which are included in the system of post-graduate scientific research education.
2. In the sphere of non-formal education:
• the system of complementary education which carries out complementary educational programs in the institutions of general and of complementary education. Those are music-schools and drawing schools, sports centers, children's houses of creative work, leisure centers, stations of young tourists, clubs, sections, hobby groups, etc.;
• the system of pre-university education is usually organized on the basis of institutions of secondary and higher professional education and is bringing the demands of school standards in correspondence with university requirements established for university entrants. Basically, in the system of preuniversity education training for a USE and access courses are carried out.
Family upbringing, communication, educational societies, center organizing public lectures, museums, libraries, mass media, the regional educational channel, social movement, etc.
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Popular scientific, methodical and educational literature, etc.
Methodical councils and unions
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The system of retraining in complementary specialties The system of raising the level of skill
Courses of retraining in complementary specialties * » 1 ■] The Center of raising the level of skill in TSU CRLS in the institutions of HPE —4r< TRIRLSWE * EPC, CRLS at the regional enterprises
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The system of pre-university education ensures continuity between secondary general and higher education, creates adaptive environment, stimulates development of a schoolchild's personality in conformity with his individuality, and affords an opportunity of self-cognition and self-realization of the personality.
• the system of raising the level of skill carries out complementary educational programs for adults, thus, solving the problem of permanent raising the level of skill of workers and experts. In the regional system of raising the skill the following institutions function: TRJRLSWE, the Center of raising the level of skill in TSU, educational-practical complexes, educational-practical centers, centers of raising the level of skill at the regional enterprises, etc.
• the system of retraining in complementary specialties gives everyone an opportunity to satisfy one's needs in educational services, to acquire a new profession. Within the framework of the system of retraining in complementary specialties the Center of raising the level of skill in TSU, various courses, organized on the basis of educational institutions and out of them, function. Complementary educational programs for adults are carried out in the Center of raising the level of skill in TSU. The courses make it possible to raise the level of professional skill and to acquire habits in new fields of professional activity. With the help of these programs the problem of adaptation of a person under the conditions of market economy is solved.
Being the units of continuing education, the systems of raising the level of skill and of retraining in complementary specialties accomplish the task to satisfy everyone's professional-educational needs. At the same time conditions for realization of an expert's intellectual potential in the course of his professional career are created, the problems of a person's social security at the expense of increasing his/her competitiveness at the regional labor-market are solved.
The basic principles of raising the level of skill
are:
• realization of multilevel and variable raising the level of skill; integrity and individuality of educational programs;
• systematic, person-oriented, and active approaches to education;
• problematical character, development of creative thinking, ability of self-realization in the activity.
3. In the sphere of informal education: family upbringing, communication, educational societies, centers organizing public lectures, museums,
libraries, the mass media, the regional educational channel, social movements, methodical unions and councils, popular scientific, methodical and educational literature, educative and popular science films, confe-rences, exhibitions and presentations connected with promotion of innovational-educa-tional developents, etc.
Informal education has different objectives: test of new social roles, personality development, promotion, self-affirmation, interesting ways of spending the leisure time, etc.
Being the necessary constituent part of continuing education, informal education is conducive to permanent creative renovation, development and enhancement of every person during the whole life, ensures professional competence, forms the ability to accomplish professional tasks in an independent and creative way, to realize the personal and public significance of one's activity, is conducive to social stability in the region.
Thus, suggested model is partially idealized and presents a system, the structure of which was determined basing on the concept of development of continuing education published before and on the experience of TSU named after G. R. Derzhavin. The virtual models in practice can be different from those described because of the human factor, of educational and material-economic resources of the certain educational institutions of the region.
In our opinion, formation of the space of continuing education at the regional level requires:
• working out and realizing integrated interdepartmental regional programs, aimed at satisfaction of the regional needs, of the person and society in the context of realization of the idea of the person's continuing education;
• working out the regional component of the state educational standards corresponding the principle of continuity of all stages of education;
• carrying out a complex of measures to form and to develop the regional market of educational services;
• changing the type of educational institutions according to the regional demands;
• developing management of the system of continuing education at the regional and municipal levels and at the level of educational institutions;
• monitoring of the system of continuing education at the regional level;
• active participation in scientific researches into realization of educational innovations in the region;
• study and satisfaction of perspective demands of the region for qualified and competitive personnel;
• creation of new integrated educational structures, providing local population with a wide variety of educational services (educational complexes, resource centers of various types, networks of distance education);
• increase of legal and financial independence of educational institutions;
• working out normative-legal basis conducive to the development of the regional space of continuing education on the basis of the social partnership and of the theory of innovational development.
Thus, we came to the conclusion that gradual formation of the space of continuing education is observed; the necessity of integration of all kinds of educational activity is realized; reconstruction of organization forms and methods in the system of continuing education takes place. The suggested model makes it possible to conceive integrally the structure
of the space of continuing education, as well as to determine the development trends under the modern social-economic conditions.
Bibliograpgy
1. Shienov Y. V. The concept of development of Russian system of continuing education (a project for discussion) / Shienov Y. V., Betin O. I., Yuryev V. M., Chvanova M. S., Astafyeva N. E. // Gaudeamus. 2004. № 1 (5).
2. The E&sential Principles of Open Education / Andreev A. A., Kaplan S. L., Krasnova G. A., Lobachyov S. L., Lupanov K. Y., Polyakov A. A., Skanmitskiy A. A, Soldatkin V. I.; Managing Editor Soldatkin V. I. V. 2. Russian State Institute of Open Education. M.8M RAE, 2002.
3. Continuing education as a factor of socialization. http://www.znanie.org/gurnal/nl 01/nepreriv obraz.html
4. Memorandum of continuing education of the European Union http://www.znanie.org/gurnal/n2 01/ mem_nepr_obraz. html
