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32
UDC 378
MODULE AS A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT IN THE PRACTICE OF VOCATIONALLY ORIENTED FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING FOR BACHELORS OF SCIENCE
Ivkina M. V, Merkulova L.P.
The objective of the article is to present the practically-oriented concept of a module structure basing on the "Foreign Language " discipline for the process of vocationally-oriented language learning.
The aim of the article is to give the analysis of Bachelors of Science 'vocational education process problems and modular instruction theory: to determine modular technology principles: to consider a module s definition, structure, formation principles: to find out the advantages of vocational education modular technology in the process of foreign language learning: to present the practically-oriented concept of a module structure basing on the "Foreign Language " discipline for the process of vocationally-oriented language learning.
The results of the research described in the article enrich scientific notation of Bachelors of Science 'vocational education: enlarge scientific notation of foreign language means creating professional activity context in class. From the practical standpoint, the results of the research improve the process of Bachelors of Science 'vocational language learning.
The developed methodic support of the process of Bachelors of Science ' vocationally oriented language learning may be applied in a technical higher education institution in the course of vocational education.
Keywords: module: modidar instruction theory: modular approach to teaching: modidar teaching technology: vocationally oriented language learning: information science students; technical university.
МОДУЛЬ КАК СТРУКТУРНЫЙ ЭЛЕМЕНТ В ПРАКТИКЕ ОБУЧЕНИЯ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНО-
ОРИЕНТИРОВАННОМУ ИНОСТРАННОМУ ЯЗЫКУ СТУДЕНТОВ - БАКАЛАВРОВ В ТЕХНИЧЕСКОМ ВУЗЕ
Ивкина М.В., Меркулова Л.П.
Цель статьи - презентация и теоретико-методологическое обоснование практико-ориентированног/ концепции структуры модуля на базе дисциплины «Иностраннът язык» в процессе обучения профессионально-ориентированному иностранному языку студентов - бакалавров в техническом вузе. Задачи статьи - проанализировать проблемы профессионального образования студентов-бакалавров в техническом вузе и теорию модульного обучения: рассмотреть определение, структуру и принципы конструирования модуля; выявить преимущества модульной технологии обучения профессионально-ориентированному иностранному языку: представить практико-ориентированную концепцию структуры модуля на базе дисциплины «Иностраннът язык» для студентов-бакалавров в техническом вузе. Результаты исследования обогащают научное представление о профессиональном образовании студентов -бакалавров в техническом вузе: расширяют научное представление о средствах иностранного языка, создающих профессиональный контекст на занятиях по иностранному языку. С практической точки зрения, результаты исследования позволяют улучшить процесс обучения профессионально-ориентированному иностранному языку студентов-бакалавров в техническом вузе. Разработанная методическая поддержка процесса обучения профессионально-ориентированному иностранному языку может применяться в технических вузах в процессе профессионального подготовки.
Ключевые слова: модуль: теория модульного обучения: модульный подход к обучению: модульная технология обучения: профессионально-ориентированный иностранный язык: студенты-бакалавры: технический вуз.
Introduction
In the modern world characterized by changes in productive-economic spheres the higher vocational education system paradigms have also undergone certain changes. A shift from a qualification-based to a competence-based paradigm is taking place.
A competence-based approach changes the values system and the character of interrelations between the teaching and educational process subjects. It presupposes existence of the student-centered educational concept and innovation educational technologies introduction [5].
One of such technologies is a modular technology with its main purpose of creating educational structures flexible both by their content and educational process organization. Such educational structures guarantee a human's current needs satisfaction and determine the new appearing interest vector [4].
The analysis of scientific literature and research results showed that the higher education system reconstruction comprises the following principles:
- intended perspective principle. According to it, each student should have an opportunity to actively participate in his/her own education process. In this case the knowledge a student gets automatically become demanded, and not imposed by strict educational programs plans; educational motivation and learning effectiveness strengthen;
- flexibility principle. According to it, the learning content and learning strategies correspond to a student's needs and level of aspiration. This principle determines the possibility of multi-level higher education system existence, specialization changing opportunity and an opportunity to get several specializations during the education period;
- dynamism principle connected with the ability to quickly react to the economics and information system changes as a result of science-technical progress while preparing information science students;
- individual learning principle which realization in the pedagogical practice presupposes collaborative atmosphere creating for both teachers and students [6], [11].
The principles considered make a perfect fit with the modular instruction technology. Therefore, scientists pay great attention to it.
Literature review
The analysis of scientific literature and research results showed that modular technology is used in vocational education to allow students independently, autonomously, individually study educational trajectories framed by Russian state educational standards.
There are a number of works that reveal possibilities to choose an individual way of learning taking into account personal characteristics (B. Goldshmid, J. Russell, J. Klingstead, S. Kurkh); various methods and forms of learning are integrated (V.M. Gareev, E.M. Durko, S.I. Kulikov, G. Owens); the content of vocational education is chosen on the basis of modular approach (V.B. Zakoijukin, V.I. Panchenko, N.B. Lavrentjeva, G.V. Lavrentjev, L.J. Makarenko et al.); means of achieving high level of readiness to the professional activity and ways to systemize professional skills in the course of studying are determined (I.D. Prokopenko, M.A. Choshanov, P.A. Jutsjavichene et al). Philosophical understanding of modular education and its usage peculiarities is given (M.T. Gromko-va et al); controlling-educative modules are developed (N.B. Lavrentjeva, P.F. Kubrushko, D.E. Nazarov, M.A. Choshanov et al) [10], [11].
Problem definition
The possibilities to apply modular technology in vocationally oriented language learning for Bachelors of Science are not investigated enough. In our research we aimed to prove the following supposition:
A vocationally-oriented foreign language teacher's strategy should be represented by vocational education modular technology Bachelors of Science by means of vocationally-oriented foreign language learning development and realization as the part of the whole vocational education process. This becomes possible when the content element of the vocational education modular technology includes vocationally-oriented foreign language, and its thesaurus is chosen on the basis of the context approach and constructed by autonomous structural elements - modules.
Main part
The modular instruction ideas stem from B. Skinner's researches and get their development and theoretical grounding in the works by B. Goldshmid, J. Russell, J. Klingstead, S. Kurkh, G. Owens. A boost to introducing modular technologies was given by the UNESCO conference in Paris in 1974, which recommended creating flexible and open vocational education structures being able to adjust to the changing science and industry demands and also to adapt to local conditions [6]. Modular education fits these recommendations ideally. It allows to flexibly construct the content from blocks, to integrate various learning forms and methods and to choose the best of them for certain categories of students. The students, in their turn, get a possibility to independently work with individual education programs at their own pace [4].
The main notion of the modular education theory is a module notion. A module is comprehensible and allows saving the learning material continuity. At the same time, a module makes it possible to provide the learning material adoption by separate structural components.
Modular education specialists analyze various module definitions and highlight the following module components:
- a module as a learning material block comprising one conceptual material part;
- a module as a learning unit, as an information block which comprises one, two o more logically completed learning material units in one learning subject;
- a module as a methodical interdisciplinary learning material structure which represents a set of topics from different subjects necessary for one specialization;
- a module as a set of subj ects necessary to master one specialization;
- a module as a modular vocational education program for a certain profession [7], [1], [2].
Scientists note that modular approach to teaching allows developing innovative and effective teaching technologies, as it uses cooperation pedagogics elements. It personalizes the learning process saves learning time and teacher's energy.
According to P.A. Yutsyavichene, the main modular instruction idea is that a student is able to work with an individual learning program suggested partly or fully independently; the program should include learning goals, information bank and methodical instructions to reach the didactic goals desired. Teacher's functions in such case vary from information-controlling to consulting-coordinative [9].
We may note a significant difference of modular instruction from other teaching technologies. That is, the learning content is represented by complete, individual complexes-modules, which are both an information bank and instructions for mastering it; the essence of modular instruction requires subject-subject student-teacher relationships.
Thus, modular approach to teaching presupposes changing education goals, content and learning methods. Foreign scientists in the sphere of education psychology estimate that such an approach is the most significant contribution from cognitive psychology to pedagogical psychology [8].
Though modular education theory is already a long-term one, there still exist various points of view on understanding module and its' construction technology. Basing on N.V. Borisova's definition we understand a module as an autonomous organization-methodical subject structure which includes didactic goals, a logically complete learning unit, methodical instructions and a control system [1].
The foreign language learning syllabus at the Foreign Languages department of Samara University was constructed on the basis of studying modules, autonomous and logically complete blocks of information. According to the modular technology principles modules allow to differentiate the syllabus and provide mastering a foreign language course on an elementary, intermediate or advanced level depending on the Bachelors of Science' needs. In such a process the student - teacher interaction is brought into action on a principally different basis, because modules help students autonomously achieve a certain level of preliminary readiness to each meeting with a teacher. The essence of the modular technology itself requires unavoidable abidance of prior subject-subject relations between a teacher and students in the studying process [6]. A student may study any module autonomously, at a convenient pace, and, if necessary, to pay
more attention to the most difficult for him or her professional knowledge and learning skills. This allows to reach learning technologization and to make it less dependent on the teacher's pedagogical skills. A teacher in this case stops being an information holder becoming a consultant [2].
While choosing the content for a vocationally oriented language learning course at the Foreign Languages department of Samara University we include separate content elements at the levels of actual knowledge, language, speech and also factual and content material [3]. Each structural element (module) of our syllabus is represented by us as a topic devoted to one of the vocationally important themes for Bachelors of Science taking into account their specialization.
In each module we choose topics for discussion and communication, then fill them with the essential vocabulary. Next, we choose language or speech materials for active and passive mastering, and finally we choose the necessary information sources to support each module. Besides, each module includes learning goals, information bank - atopic on students' specialization with the essential vocabulary, a set of exercises for mastering this vocabulary, methodical instructions and recommendations to reach the didactic goals desired and useful references.
Let's study a module structure basing on the "Foreign Language" discipline for first-year Information Science students (scheme 1).
According to the English language syllabus for first-year Information Science students, we subdivided two learning modules: Learning Module 1 - General English, and Learning Module 2 - English for Computer Science Students. Each module structure includes the following elements: an Introductory Module, a Learning Module, a Practical Module, a Controlling Module and Correcting-developing Individual Studies Module. Each of these elements has a certain goal and contains theoretical information, practical exercises, brief conclusions, methods for self-estimation and references.
The necessity of an Introductory Module is determined by completeness and structural principles, because students become learning process subjects only when they are preliminary aware of the discipline structure and stages and have a possibility to prepare to a teacher-student dialog beforehand [12].
Foreign Language
Learning Module 1.
General Enrclish Ï
s
t
1 a i 1
Learning Module 2.
Ennlish for Computer Science Students
g a. .S
■a >
£ «
•g .?
a
Generalizing Module
Cumulative Control
Correcting-developlng individual studies
Scheme 1. A module structure (T - topics)
A Learning Module is structured according to the subject's topic; each topic should be autonomous and logically completed. A Practical Module is a set of training exercises, a Controlling Module presupposes checking students' level of theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
Our learning module is based on the spiral presentment principle suggested by J. Brooner, an American psychologist. It allows mastering the material from the next attempts, if necessary. For this purpose, our model includes a Generalizing Module and cumulative control including tests from all the modules studied.
After learning the subject the following controlling methods" are possible: a credit or correcting-developing individual studies allowing excluding gaps in theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
Conclusion
Therefore, we can make a conclusion that applying modular instruction technology in the process of vocationally oriented language learning helps significantly develop communicative competence and such important professional characteristics as an uige to constantly renew special knowledge, an ability to quickly make decisions, a skill of problem-solving, creativity, independence and autonomy. It also provides for forming students" readiness to adapt and self-realize on the modern society" job market.
References
1. Borisova N.V. Ot traditsionnogo cherez modiünoe k distantsionnomu obrazovaniju [From traditional via modular to distance education]. Moscow: Domodedovo, 1999. 174 p.
2. Vazina K.Ja. Samorazvilie cheloveka i modiilnoe obuchenie [Human"s self-development and modular education], Nizhniy Novgorod, 1991. 191 p.
3. GalskovaN.D., GezN.I. Teoriyaobucheniyainostrannymyazykam. Lingm-didaktika i metodika [Foreign languages learning theory. Language education and methodology]. Moscow, "Academia" Publishing House, 2006. 335 p.
4. Ivkina M.V. Vestnik Samarskogo nauclmogo tsentra Rossiyskoy Akademii ncmk [Scientific Journal of "Proceedings of the Samara Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences"], Vol. 11. № 4 (30) (4). 2009, pp. 1007-1012.
5. Lobanov A.P, DrozdovaN.V., KarlionovaN.V. Vysshayashkola [Higher School], №5. 2006, pp. 33-36.
6. Merkulova L.P, Merkulov V.A. Sibirskiypedagogicheskiy zhurnal [The Siberian Pedagogical Journal]. № 5. 2011, pp. 284-294.
7. Meskon M.H., Albert M.A., Hedowry F. Osnovy menedzhmenta [Management Basics]. Moccow, 1992. 704 p.
8. Rudneva T.I. Vestnik Samarskogo nauclmogo tsentra Rossiyskoy Akademii nauk [Scientific Journal of "Proceedings of the Samara Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences"]. Issue № 2-3. Vol. 14. 2012,pp. 634-639.
9. Yutsyavichene Р.А. Sovetskaya pedagogika [Soviet Pedagogics]. №1, pp. 55-60.
10. Ivkiiia M.V, Merkulova L.P. Vocational education modular technology for bachelors of science // Social Sciences. Vol. 11. Issue 22.2016, pp. 533 8-5346.
11. Owens G. The Modele in "Universities Quarterly" // Universities Quarterly, Higher education and society. Vol. 25. № 1, pp. 94-98.
12. Savignion S. Teaching for Communicative Competence: a Research Report//Audiovisual Language Journal. 1972. Vol.10. Issue 3, pp. 32-36.
Список литературы
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8. Руднева Т.Н. Педагогические средства формирования коммуникативной компетентности у студентов // Вестник Самарского научного центра Российской Академии наук. Вып. № 2-3.Т. 14. 2012. С. 634-639.
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10. Ivkina M.V., Merkulova L.P. Vocational education modular technology for bachelors of science // Social Sciences. Vol. 11. Issue 22.2016, pp. 533 8-5346.
11. Owens G. The Modele in "Universities Quarterly" // Universities Quarterly, Higher education and society. Vol. 25. № 1, pp. 94-98.
12. Savignion S. Teaching for Communicative Competence: a Research Report//Audiovisual Language Journal. 1972. Vol.10. Issue 3, pp. 32-36.
ДАННЫЕ ОБ АВТОРАХ Ивкина Маргарита Викторовна, кандидат педагогических наук, доцент кафедры иностранных языков и русского языка как иностранного
Самарский национальный исследовательский университет имени академика С.П. Королева ул. Московское шоссе, 34, г. Самара, 443086, Россия margarita. ivkina(a)gmail. com
Меркулова Людмила Петровна, доктор педагогических наук, профессор, заведующая кафедрой иностранных языков и русского языка как иностранного
Самарский национальный исследовательский университет
имени академика С.П. Королева
ул. Московское шоссе, 34, г. Самара, 443086, Россия
DATA ABOUT THE AUTHORS Ivkina Margarita Viktorovna, PhD (Pedagogical Sciences), Associate Professor of Department of Foreign Languages and Russian as a Foreign Language
Samara National Research University
34, Moskovskoye shosse. Samara, 443086, Russia
margarita. ivkina(a)gmail. com
Merkulova Lyudmila Petrovna, Professor, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Head of Department of Foreign Languages and Russian as a Foreign Language
Samara National Research University
34, Moskovskoye shosse. Samara, 443086, Russia
