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UDC 378.147.227.026.7
PERSONAL SELF-DEVELOPMENT IN THE FRAMEWORK OF STUDENT-CENTERED STRATEGY OF MODERN TEACHING INNOVATIONS1
E. V. Murugova
(Don State Technical University)
The article is intended to cover the new strategies to individual activity of students dealing with the selfmanagement of study process organization providing quality higher education, strengthening mobility for better learning in the framework of competence/learning outcome-based, student-centered approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. It presents the main competences of individual activity throughout students' careers, major tasks and trends of individual activity, essential criteria for individual work assessment and modern teaching technologies.
Keywords: independent study activity, project-based learning activities, student-centered approach, a competence/learning outcome-based approach, self-realization, self-assessment, self-management.
Introduction. Convergence of national education systems within EU is an important milestone in global development of modern high school in the 21st century. Signing the Bologna Declaration, on-going reforms of all levels of education have led to a great emphasis on the autonomy of students.
Autonomy is the capacity to act for oneself and is a necessary condition for carrying out independent work. In order to become autonomous, students must develop the cognitive habits of thinking, analyzing, evaluating, argumentation, etc., which are what will open the way to academic progress [1].
In this regard, J. Buron says the following: "The fundamental objective, according to cognitive goal research is that students should become independent, mature, efficient and able to work on their own. When this is achieved, they will not need such thorough, detailed and repeated explanations from a lecturer, but instead will be able to study by themselves, learning what is essential more effectively (understanding more and mechanically memorizing less), and knowing how to use and present what they learn" [2].
Student-centered programmes require a change of paradigm and hence a change of mind set of the academic staff responsible for designing and delivering degree programmes. By this we mean that degree programmes should be organized in view of their desired results. At present, in practice, many degree programmes are designed on the basis of tradition and the resources already available. "Changing to student-centered programmes fits into a worldwide process of educational innovation to make degree programmes and 'qualifications' (academic awards or certification given on completion of a programme) 'fit in purpose' as well as 'fit for purpose'" [3]. This shift is the foundation of the European Higher Education Area, the Bologna Process and ECTS. It means that the outcomes of the learning process should meet the needs and expectations of students and society, ensuring employment, personal development and citizenship.
A competence/learning outcome-based approach to learning, teaching and assessment is an inherently student-centered approach to pedagogy that places the major focus on student outcomes as measured through assessment practices both formative and summative. Moreover, a learning outcome-based approach moves the focus from domains of knowledge to what the students are expected to be able to do with their knowledge and the attitudes and competences they have developed in their learning. Student-centered degree programmes must be designed in such a way that learners will develop the particular mix of competences considered useful and necessary for the academic, professional
1 The research is done within the frame of the independent R&D.
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and/or vocational area. In such a learner-centered approach, institutions have the role of facilitating and supporting learners in shaping their own learning pathways and helping them to build on their individual learning styles and experiences [4].
Learner's autonomy. Learner's autonomy and responsibility for the development of the specific competences is achieved through independent study that contributes to professional development of graduates throughout their careers. Independent study activity is the employability of students in accordance with the chosen programme of education; it's a specific form of study activity. As a productive activity it appears on the bases of the "information gap" when the capacity for something new, unknown is evolving. The essence of any individual activity is self-managing different approaches of problem-solving to serve educational needs. Mastering the new material, not the form of its organization (the most tedious process) is the most captivating key factor. Individual work is an activity based on the cognitive motives controlled by students in the process of their study and by the results of students' activity. It is maintained on the teacher's part or on the part of any computer programme.
Individual activity is connected with the ability to assess final and intermediate results of student's activities. Self-regulation helps to correct the activity in accordance with the required demands. Independent study is the mechanism of obligatory and initiative self-study activity.
Such independent study is usually undertaken in close relationship with classroom-based learning. It may be guided and developed alongside and beyond such learning.
It's very important to enhance the role of autonomous students' work defining the original approaches to teaching, learning and assessment to achieve the intended learning outcomes, providing quality higher education, strengthening mobility for better learning. Higher education must ensure a stronger link between individual research, teaching and learning at all levels.
The main criteria towards initiative educational process transformation: evaluative, functioning, reflective-evaluative.
Education Style reflects learning and teaching strategies, pedagogical philosophy, assessment methods, learning approaches etc. It includes student centered, teacher centered, teacher guided, selfdirected study, problem-based learning, task-based learning, and research-based learning, learning through laboratory practice, reflective learning, work placements, group work, individual study and autonomous learning. The major tasks of individual study include:
- systematization and utilization of theoretical knowledge and practical skills;
- deepening and theoretical knowledge expanding;
- literature search development;
- evolution of cognitive skills and students' activity: creativity, responsibility, selfmanagement, etc.;
- research skills development;
- self-thinking forming, ability to self-realization, self-assessment;
- utilizing at advanced level laboratory and practical results for graduation paper writing, taking final exams effectively, etc.
The main competences of individual activity throughout students' careers:
- ability to take the leading role in the process of education;
- noteworthy for self-realization, self-activity, self-management;
- ability to use his own experience and environment;
- readiness to be educated for problem-solving;
- focus on immediate skill, knowledge utilization;
- time, space, social factors domain and management that lead to or prevent from successful study process;
- ability to be educated in the process of joint activity in the course of planning, realization, evaluation and correction, etc.
The overall methods are often associated with a task-based approach to teaching and learning, allowing students to study creatively. Skills lessons too have regular shapes that we use to organize lesson plans.
Varied teaching approaches contribute to creating and maintaining students' interests and motivations. One of the most significant teaching methods is computer-based training (CBT) — the use of the personal computer as a training and assessment device;
1. The access to authentic foreign language materials, such as print and electronic media, television, radio, film and speech recordings, virtual library, wikipedia, system of computer testing, multimedia means, electronic portfolio;
2. The usage of e-books, interactive games, presentations, animation;
3. The application of multimedia handbooks aimed at motivation enhancing;
Computer technology becomes thoroughly integrated into teaching patterns as well as project-based learning activities and the guided discussion method. The blended learning approach is taken with the particular emphasis on the development of sociocultural competence through the dialogue of cultures. All these technologies contribute to the development of creativity and quality education. Along with the Internet, the specialized software forms an integral unit of the learning process. This group of technologies includes specialized programs such as: computer courses; Electronic Dictionaries and Translators; test envelope, with the possibility for teachers to create their own tests. Distance learning is based on a combination of learning through advanced technology.
4. Observation activity. Observation is a key element of work placements and autonomous school practice. Practice in developing the different competences making up observation skills can begin with very concrete, easily observed and easily described (low inference) phenomena (who talks to whom, how many times does x occur, etc.) and gradually include events much less easy to 'see' or describe (high inference), such as what kinds of roles people are playing, what the aims of an activity is.
From tutor led observation activities, students can then move to real time observation in their placement area. Each early observation task is followed by an exercise in reflection in which students are required to share descriptions, categorize phenomena (analysis) and evaluate what has been observed and the role of their own values in influencing how they observe. Literature search is an important part of the follow up. Placement observations also have followup sessions with peers and placement tutors.
5. Portfolio assessment normally forms part of a programme of study or section. It consists of different assignments aimed at achievments' demonstration and employers' references. Learners can demonstrate web-based portfolios which may include assessed work, artifacts, learners' profiles, diaries etc. and provide a record of the student's engagement with a range of learning activities presenting the development of competences over time. In the final year about half time is dedicated to the final thesis, which is also presented and discussed with a discussion group of teachers and peers.
6. Project-based learning activities are common for learning and individual teamwork planning. These activities lead to collaboration, critical thinking development, self-planning and problem-solving. There are different types of projects: experimental, research, creative. Project-based learning activity includes the theme choice, bibliography compiling, aim and tasks defining, plan making, product forming on the bases of text-oriented technique.
Students engage in a range of conferences (web conferences). There are some face to face lecture courses, accompanied by workshops and seminars, e-learning, group work, interprofessional learning and peer assessment, self-directed study, research-based learning, reflective learning, work placements, group work, individual study and autonomous learning, final thesis, seen and unseen written
examinations, practice competence based assessments, teamwork, essays, presentations, reports, multiple choice and short answer examinations.
A wide range of formative assessment techniques can be developed, ranging, for example, from simple categorization exercises in which students list what has been observed and then categorize them, to real life observation activities in which the basic observed features are assessed, or their categorization, or their links thereafter to underlying theory etc, to academic assignments which encourage greater understanding of observation based on an in-depth study of the literature.
Individual work may be based on text books and lecture notes, individual consultations with academic staff, preparing coursework's, doing discovery activities, web-quests, having private study based on library and internet resources, project work. Interactive study allows individualizing the process of learning language.
There is a focus on personal self-awareness-development, group and project work, seminars and design, implementation and evaluation of a substantive service improvement, critical self- and peer assessment, project reports, evidence appraisals, critical incident analysis, seminars, essays and presentations.
Summing up the main trends of individual activity, we may identify:
• joint study activity in the collective forms (group work, discussions);
• joint study activity in the individual forms (the ability of self-planning, controlling, evaluation, material organization);
• creative activity (art creativity, designing, projecting, technical and other creativity aimed at self-cognition and self-realization);
• labor activity (self-service, non-profit participation);
• sport activity (sport games, competitions, etc.);
• joint project activity;
• research activity;
• systematic objects management, etc.
Individual activities are planned in accordance with the study plan at regular intervals. The formal assessment is focused mainly on overall language abilities marking (proficiency test), learning assessment at the end of a course (achievement test) or at the end of part of a course (progress test). Objective test tasks will give information about learners' knowledge of a particular language items and specific areas of language skills or about learners' general ability to use spoken and written language doing some tasks as oral interviews, letters and essays, conversations and role-plays.
Students' learning experience will normally involve exposure to various forms of learning technology. The essential criteria for individual work assessment are the following:
• level of material comprehension;
• ability to demonstrate the theoretical knowledge utilization;
• diversity of skills;
• answer accuracy;
• results forming in accordance with the demands.
Methodology of individual work organization depends on the structure and discipline peculiarities, workload, individual traits of students and study environments.
Conclusion. The ability to self-manage study activity is essential to sustainable lifelong professional education. The main focus is on educational technologies dealing with the new modern e-technologies combined with the student-oriented, competence-centered paradigms.
Individual activity deals with the self-management of study process organization that leads to joint activity, process individualization based on the students' experience, system context study, results actualization, electivity of education, development of educational needs and awareness. Individual activ-
ity contributes to the enhancement of motive sphere where personal values prevail. Activity is projected in accordance with the students' motives. Students are eager to mobilize themselves on problemsolving. They are capable of making individual decisions and act in accordance, evaluating means and results of their own activity, being able to solve complicated tasks, demonstrate initiative on personal professional self-awareness-development. Individual activity establishes conditions that foster studentcentred learning, innovative teaching methods and a supportive and inspiring working and learning environment. It enhances employability, lifelong learning, and problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills through improved cooperation with teachers, especially in the development of educational programmes. References (Библиографический список)
1. Sanchez A. V., Ruis M. P., Olalla A. G., Mora G. M., Paredes J. A. M., Otero J. M., Ildefonso M.I.M.S., Eizaguirre J. S. Competence-based learning. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2008, p. 24.
2. Burón J. Enseñar a aprender. Introducción a la metacognición. Bilbao: Mensajero, 1993, p. 19.
3. Lokhoff J., Wegewijs B., Durkin K., Wagenaar R., Gonzalez J., Isaacs A., Luigi F. Dona dalle Rose, Gobbi M. A Tuning Guide to Formulating Degree Programme Profiles. Bilbao, Groningen and The Hague, 2010, p. 19.
4. ECTS Users' Guide. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009, p. 13.
Материал поступил в редакцию 14.02.13.
Саморазвитие личности в контексте студентоцентрированной стратегии образовательных инноваций1
Е. В. Муругова
(Донской государственный технический университет)
Рассматриваются перспективы развития самостоятельной деятельности студентов в контексте перехода к новым образовательным парадигмам, влияния Болонского процесса, раскрываются критерии готовности человека к инициативному преобразованию образовательной деятельности, основные компетентности, критерии, направления самостоятельной образовательной деятельности в течение жизни, дидактические принципы самостоятельной образовательной программы, инновационные виды современной самостоятельной деятельности.
Ключевые слова: самостоятельная деятельность, сетевые технологии, саморегуляция, саморуководство, самостоятельность, саморазвитие, самореализация, самообразование, самоопределение.
1 Работа выполнена в рамках инициативной НИР.
