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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEACHER BASED ON THE STANDARDS OF THE TEACHERS’ COMPETENCE
I. Duric D. Vucinic
The changes that are taking place in recent decades, in both fields of education in general and in education and specialization of teachers (the changed values, globalization, labor organization, the development of information and communication technology) require a redefinition of the role of teachers and their professional duties. Obsolescence of traditional concepts (teaching as transmission of knowledge, or skills), the widely shared "theoretical" education at the universities (which were even by the students themselves regarded as irrelevant for their future work), as well as the spreading of the opinion that teachers does not have the adequate preparation during the initial education, indicating the necessity of solving these and many other problems in this area. As one of the possible ways to address them, there is a new approach, respectively, a model of teacher education based on professional standards of teachers' competencies (Competence-based teacher education). Competencies now occupy increasingly important place in representing the key concept in educational system and in professional development of teachers, becoming, increasingly an integral part of national and international qualifications framework and the framework of the whole idea of lifelong education of teachers.
Insistence on model of teachers’education based on profesional competences, has caused the increase of number of teoretical works which are clearly set out and define the terms "competence" and "teaching competence". In this sense, some authors the term "competence" understood widely, and defined them as: "a combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations and personal characteristics that allow individuals to actively and effectively act in a certain (specific) situation" (Poole, Nielsen, Horrigan, Langan - Fox, 1998). However, other with ‘’competence’ considers someone who is able to use natural and personal resources, in order to achieve a good result development (Sroufe and Waters 1983, by: Hrvatic, Pirsl, 2007). The defining teacher competence, one of the leading theorists of modern education John Eliot (Elliot, 2006) say that starting point is that in the basis of the process of education and professional activities of teachers are certain values, and, that a competent teacher is one who is able to in interaction with the students recognize the educational value. In the framework of the Tuning project harmonization of educational structures in Europe (Tuning educational structures in Europe) made a list of 30 key competencies grouped into three broad categories: instrumental, interpersonal, and systems competency. It was pointed out also that "(Set) competency means that the person use a particular skill or ability to perform tasks in a manner that allows assessment of the level of his achievements, and competence to be developed by exercise and education, what, in fact means that a person does not have them in absolute terms (Gonzales, Waagenar, 2006). Competence, therefore, are not permanent. Each teacher has them in some degrees on specific way, and developing them by
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learning and practices. Also, about teachers competences, referred to as a type of knowledge and expertise includes the ability to use existing knowledge in a real teaching situation. Therefore, some authors (Buchberger, 2000) rightly suggests that teaching competence constitutes a complex system, or, a set of cognitive and practical skills and abilities, experiences, strategies, habits, and emotions, values, motivations, attitudes (...) and their ability to timely use of the appropriate problem. In this way, competencies are integration of declarative (knowledge), procedural (knowing how) and conditional knowledge (know when). Many Russian authors gave a considerable attention to issues of key qualifications and professional competencies (Е.Ф. Зеера, А.К. Марковской, С.Е. Шитова, Л. А. Андре]ев, В.Д. Симоненко, and others).
For example, Andrejev (Андре]ев, 2006) emphasizes that, competency model of education corresponds to a dynamic "open" society, in which the individual is prepared to become responsible individuals, ready for the exercise of free choice humanistically oriented. Since the professionalism of teachers is an essential precondition for successful quality improvement of education, understood the great interest of "creators" of education policy for the status of the teaching profession. In an effort to solve successfully and in efficient manner problems of initial education and professional development of teachers, in the last few decades, is establishing a model of professional development for teachers based on professional standards of teacher competence. In this sense, some authors (Радуловий, Пе]атовий, Ву]исий-Живковий, 2010), rightly, to develop the standards of professional competence of teachers, it has to be preceded by a serious discussion in order to identify clear and valid criteria for the selection of key competencies. That is, that in this process is necessary to find the right balance between precision and detailed, clarity and comprehensiveness, and the specific operational, general and complex, to ensure common understanding of required standards.
Modern analysis shows that the expected teaching competence, in recent years becomes an integral part of national, European and global document, regulating the educational policies in developed countries. In this sense, some authors (Ogienko, Rolyak, 2009) pointed out that it is possible to formulate a model of professionally competent teachers of 21st century (Education and Training, 2010; Work programme, 2004). That is, the professional competence of teachers classified into the following three categories, keys, basis and specialized, including the establishment of education and training for teachers in which teachers will be able to respond to the numerous challenges. In that context, education teachers are placed in the context of lifelong learning, which involves constant professional development, capacity to grow, adapt to new requirements and at the same time insists on multidisciplinarity. However, although in most modern countries the recognition of the value of lifelong education and training for teachers is based on clearly defined standards of teacher competence, in pedagogical and adult education there are opinions that through standardization process actually takes place de-professionalization of teaching profession and violates their professional autonomy. Critics, in fact, considered being over prescriptive standards, teachers often come down to the level of 'technical' enforcer, rather than develop as an autonomous reflective practitioner (Harris, 1997) according to oppinion of some autors (Bates, 2007; Storey, 2006; Maroy, 2004). In this case the definition
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of educational goals and standards is taking place at the central level, including lack of teacher participation the adoption of the standards of their profession. In this way, the main task of teachers is reduced to meet the prescribed standards, due to increased control over their work and pressure for additional professional development cause increased erosion of individual professional autonomy of teachers (by: Stankovic, 2010).
However, despite some shortcomings, the modern model of teacher training based on competency standards, now largely takes the place of earlier models, which in practice is not proved sufficiently effective. Advantages of the new educational approaches are contained in the fact that it insists on professional development that takes into account the actual practice and actual requirements with which a teacher meets daily. The aforementioned shortcomings are, to a great extent, be overcome by insisting on the reflection and the reflection of their own labor, detachment from social pressures, developing independence, taking responsibility for the treatment status of teaching. That education aimed at developing competencies actually contributed to the realization of the proclaimed goals, it must be understood in terms of the existence of a relatively complex system of acquisition of professional qualifications and competence, based on national standards and request. Standards describe what teachers should know and how to acquire knowledge into practice, rather than describe how the possession of that knowledge will be assessed and what is meant by the standards achieved. Therefore, observation of teacher through standardized competencies today presents, we would say, the dominant approach in the teaching profession. In most developed countries of the world, lists of standardized skills of teachers are contained in educational documents in providing for the education development strategy for teachers. Thus conceived, standards lists are one of the instruments of educational authorities in planning and implementing policies on the teaching staff, especially in the areas of professional development for teachers in the context of their life-long education and training.
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