CC BY
7DOI: 10.12731/2070-7568-2014-6-8 UDC 37.01
REALIZATION OF THE ECONOMIC COMPETENCE PRINCIPLE DURING SPECIALIST TRAINING
Sergeeva M.G.
Based on the known principles of continuous education, the author defines the economic competence principle based on requirements of market economy for competitive specialist training. The concepts «competence» and «professional competence» are the basis for determination of economic competence of the graduate of professional educational institution. While identifying the essence of economic competence the author proceeds from the categories «activity», «professional activity», «economic activity» and «work». In the given article realization of the reasonable economic competence principle establishes a ratio between knowledge as information and knowledge as activity while training of practice-focused specialists for market economy. The author suggests a theoretical approach for development of continuous economic education which can be extended to other kinds of activity of the specialist and is applied to different aspects and forms of continuous education; the arguments enriching modern didactics of continuous education regarding justification of the principle of economic competence, the contents establishing interrela-
tion and technologies of continuous economic education both proving need and obligation for training of the practice-focused specialists for market economy are stated; prospects of application of theoretical development in the field of development of continuous economic education, in studying of methodology of adaptation and socialization of graduates in quickly changing social and economic conditions and modernization of system of an assessment of quality of economic education are defined.
Keywords: principles of economic training and economic education, activity, professional activity, economic activity, work, principle of economic competence.
According to the Concept of long-term social economic development of the Russian Federation for the period till 2020 a strategic objective is achievement of level of the economic and social development corresponding to the status of Russia as the leading world power of the XXI century, taking the advanced positions in the global economic competition and reliably ensuring national safety and realization of constitutional laws of citizens [1].
In Russian education the system changes are aimed at providing its compliance, both to requirements of innovative economy and society. Thus the priority directions in this field are reduction of the contents and structure of vocational training according to modern requirements of a labor market and increase of availability of high-quality educational services.
The concept «principle» is defined as fundamental, fundamental idea, the rule of behavior and is considered as the leading concept
representing generalization and distribution of any situation on other phenomena of this or that area [2].
In A.M. Novikov's [3] and T.Yu. Lomakina's [4] works it is specified that in modern conditions the concept of continuous professional education has to be considered as the tool of the economic policy directed towards increase of competitive capacity, achievement of full employment of the population, ensuring professional mobility of workers in connection with introduction of new technologies and has to be under construction on the basis of the following principles: basic education, multilevelness, maneuverability, diversisfication, complementarity of basic and postdegree education, continuity, integration of educational structures, flexibility of organizational forms.
The principle of basic education means to move further in the education world, basic knowledge, and, according to A.M. Novikov is necessary, basic general education preparation corresponds to «school-leaving certificate». The principle of a multilevelness assumes existence of many levels and education steps that will allow to conduct training of specialists of different education levels and qualification which will be able to find itself on a labor market. The principle of diversification assumes expansion of activity kinds in education system and acquisition of new forms and functions. The principle of a complementarity (mutually complementarity) of basic and postdegree education means that in the conditions of continuous education each person will have to continue lifelong education, irrespective of decision-making to study or not at the following educational level. The principle of maneuverability of educational programs means that there is a probability to change a sort of the activity or to get another educa-
tion in other areas at the same time. The principle of continuity provides sequence and coherence in the maintenance of professional educational programs, forms and training methods, nature of educational cognitive activity of the being trained. The principle of integration of educational structures means that the same educational program can be carried out in educational institutions of different types, turning them into versatile educational institutions. The principle of flexibility of organizational forms assumes a variety of forms of education, their flexibility and variability for ensuring free advance of the person into educational area in the conditions of market economy.
Post-industrial society can be interpreted as the transition to the new type of the civilization development which formation is connected not only with technological revolution, but also reformation, criticism and revision of a number of former basic values of technogenic culture: ideals of consumer society, its relation to the nature, force cult as to a basis of reformative activity. The market economy also demands continuous expeditious training for new professions.
The history of society development shows that under the influence of life requirements the training and education principles therefore have to react sensitively to various changes and society requirements as well as personal changes.
We support N. E. Popova's opinion [5] that the basis of systema-tization of the principles takes interdisciplinarity. Thus we assume that the classification of economic training and economic education principles can be the following:
1. Principle of illustrative model. Education process is based in such a way that teachers illustrate economic concepts, laws, systems that allows «economized « contents in all subjects.
2. Integration principle. The modern science accumulated enough knowledge from nature, society, humanity, work, equipment, art, etc. Speaking about society, we mean at the same time the person, speaking about the person - we mean work. Where we imply work - we mean economy and equipment. All listed above can become a study subject within all disciplines and represent a whole, which is integration of knowledge. Familiarizing being trained to scientific integration becomes an essential task of vocational school, as it is not mechanically transferred into the training of the main directions of sciences, and conscious need.
3. Principle of convergence. Coincidence of knowledge, skills in one subject with knowledge, skills of other subjects. The given principle helps to solve a problem of a person's survival in the conditions of anthropogenous load of the biosphere, demands ability to think globally and economically to estimate various programs of social development on the basis of understanding of system essence of all phenomena and the processes happening in the world. Thus, the principle of convergence promotes deep studying of several subjects at the same time.
4. Principle of an emerdzhentnost. On the basis of the created knowledge there is absolutely new knowledge, new skills. Emerdzhentny economic knowledge can be presented in the form of a hierarchical chain: formation of enterprise knowledge, skills of economic activity; formation of an economic mentality; formation of quality of thinking for research and
analytical activity; formation of economic thinking; formation of economic competence.
5. Principle of semantic turns. Semantic turns on economic problems allow to generalize knowledge of other subjects, to designate economy interaction with other disciplines, to present a real contribution of each subject to disclosure of the economic substantial line reflected in standards of education on economy.
Based on the known principles of continuous education, we allocated the principle of economic competence based on requirements of market economy to competitive specialist training. The basis for the determination of economic competence of the graduate of professional educational institution we take the concepts «competence», «professional competence» which define a terminological field of research and allow to give the characteristic to the concept «economic competence of the graduate of professional educational institution».
While identifying the essence of economic competence we proceed from categories: «activity», «professional activity», «economic activity» and «work».
The concept «activity» in Psychology and Pedagogical science is defined as «dynamic system of interactions of the subject on the world in the course of which there is an emergence and an embodiment in object of a mental image and realization of the relations of the subject mediated by it in subject reality» [6]. Analyzing activity as a socio-historical category, B.F. Lomov emphasizes that it needs to be considered in connection with process of production, an exchange,
consumption, with the property relation on means of production, with a civil and political system, with cultural development, ideologies, politicians, etc. [7].
The most characteristic for the person activity is work and its version - professional activity. Schemes of classification for profession and work are created. Work in them represents the system which components are subjects and products, means of labor and people as subjects of work. The profession usually is understood as the typical, historically developed form of activity necessary in the social relation for which performance the worker has to possess a certain sum of knowledge, abilities, skills, and also to have certain abilities and features of the personality [8]. Thus, the profession is considered always from two parties: with purely professional where there are such characteristics as a scope, complexity, technical and technological equipment, organizational forms of implementation, etc. Other party of a profession contains characterologic and personal features of the worker owning a profession. Here data can contain intellectual features of the person, including and its economic values and the relations.
The point of view of V.D. Shadrikov presents special importance as he places emphasis on concept of psychological structure and psychological system of activity in professional activity. «As it is possible to see, - the author writes, - the psychological system of activity turns on the following main units: motives of professional activity, purpose of professional activity, activity program, information bases of activity, decision-making, subsystems of work important qualities» [9]. In our opinion, all allocated blocks have a direct bearing on economic competence as to speak about its successful formation it is possible
only on condition of representation of each of these components in their professional activity.
Qualification is defined as a professional maturity, readiness of the individual for professional activity; existence of knowledge, abilities, skills and the experience, necessary for high-quality performance of a certain work. It should be noted that there is a point of view that the concept «qualification» doesn't reflect the changes accruing in modern production, being too general, theoretical concept. The qualification kernel (technical, professional knowledge) has some property to become outdated quickly. In this regard instead of the term «qualification» «competence», as more flexible and pragmatical concept, which core - personal qualities of the worker: initiative, cooperation, ability to work in group, communicative abilities, ability to self-improvement, ability logically to think, select and use information, etc [10]. Competence is thus considered as a measure of compliance of knowledge, abilities, skills and experience of persons of a certain social and professional status to real level of complexity of tasks carried out by them. Everything mentioned above allowed us to consider economic competence as the integrated qualitative and professional characteristic of the personality including economic competences, forming economically significant qualities of the personality (competitiveness, initiative, mobility, enterprise, independence in decision-making, criticality of thinking) both reflecting readiness and ability effectively to carry out professional activity in various spheres and economy segments by means of forming of the professional career, proceeding from the individual values and projecting them according to strategy of development of society, the moral bases and rules.
We consider economic competences as an open system of knowledge, abilities, skills, experience of practical economic activity and a personal responsibility which is stirred up in the course of professional activity in process of emergence of real economic problems which the graduate of professional educational institution faces [11].
The carried-out analysis of classifications of competences on various bases (a context of solved tasks: common cultural and professional; level of distribution of competences: corporate, management, professional; level of development: threshold, differentiating; essence and contents: cognitive, personal, functional, social, etc.) We developed the structure of economic competence, including the following economic competences: the key; the professional; the additional.
Key economic competences include the basic economic knowledge necessary for adaptation to professional activity in market conditions.
In primary professional education (PPE) system for non-economic specialties on the basis of studying the economic theory competences on application of economically reasonable technologies and the work organization are formed.
For economic specialties when studying all-professional and special disciplines (taxes and the taxation; bases of the economic theory; the organization and technology of branch) abilities to use sources of economic information, to count the main economic indicators of activity of the enterprise, documentary to make out economic operations are formed.
In secondary professional education system for non-economic specialties knowledge of provisions of the economic theory, economic
bases of activity of the enterprise, the main methods of control over the enterprise are formed; abilities to find and use the economic information necessary for orientation in the professional activity; the listed competences are formed when studying the economic theory; economy of the organization (enterprise).
For economic specialties when studying all-professional and special disciplines such competences which allow to be able are formed: to use standard and administrative information in the professional activity; to reflect operations in accounts of accounting and to make out them documentary; to carry out inventory of property and obligations; to make accounting, tax and statistics; to estimate liquidities and solvency of the enterprise [12].
In higher education system for non-economic specialties when studying the economic theory, economy of the organization (enterprise), management, marketing, statistics knowledge of bases of the economic analysis, an exchange, public sector are formed; functioning of the competitive market; basic concepts of property; macroeco-nomic problems of inflation and unemployment.
For economic specialties knowledge of problems of a choice of the optimum economic decision is formed; economic strategy and economic policy; economic restrictions; economic risks; economic analysis; these competences are formed when studying the following disciplines: economic theory; economy of the organization (enterprise); management; marketing; statistics; world economy; financial management; theory of the economic analysis.
Professional economic competences assume existence of abilities to put economic knowledge into practice, ability to estimate new economic situations and to make optimum economic decisions.
In primary professional education system for non-economic specialties when studying bases of the economic theory; marketing bases; the organizations and technologies of branch are formed abilities to count and analyze the main economic indicators of activity of the enterprise.
For economic specialties when studying all-professional and special disciplines competences of drawing up accounting and statistics are formed; carrying out inventory of property and obligations; participations in development of long-term plans of production and production realization; applications of the main methods and methods of statistics for the solution of practical tasks; carrying out the analysis financially - economic activity of the enterprise.
In secondary professional education system for non-economic specialties of knowledge of the organization of production and technological processes, techniques of development of the business plan are formed when studying the following disciplines: economic theory; economy of the organizations (enterprise); management; marketing.
For economic specialties when studying all-professional and special disciplines knowledge economic - statistical methods of processing of registration and economic information is formed; abilities to estimate efficiency of activity of the enterprise for the current period and to predict enterprise development for the forthcoming period according to received information in the current period.
In higher education system for non-economic specialties when studying the economic theory; information systems in economy; economy of the organization (enterprise); management; marketing; statisticians are formed knowledge of the main doctrines in the field of
humanitarian and social and economic sciences; abilities scientifically to analyze socially significant economic problems and processes and to use economical and statistical methods in different types of professional and social activity.
For economic specialties when forming competences it is considered that professional activity of the specialist with the higher economic education is carried out in all spheres of a national economy and is directed on professional service of functioning of managing subjects of all legal forms of ownership, spheres of the state budget and off-budget institutional structures. In this regard at the expert on the basis of professional economic knowledge competences of the analysis and use for information directorate about assets, obligations, the capital, movement of cash flows, the income and expenses, and also financial results of activity of the enterprises, the organization, establishments, etc. are formed.
Additional economic competences are considered as ability of creative economic behavior, ability to effective behavior on a labor market, ability for professional growth and continuous economic self-education, ability of system application of economic knowledge in investment projects; these competences of process of studying of disciplines at the choice of trainees and elective courses are formed.
In primary professional education system for non-economic specialties when studying discipline of a basis of accounting abilities to keep account and documentary to make out operations on investment of means are formed.
For economic specialties when studying bases of banking; bases of business competences by calculation of economic effect of invest-
ments into business are formed, according to risk when opening enterprise business.
In secondary professional education system for non-economic specialties knowledge of the main economic methods of management is formed by the enterprise; abilities to find and use the economic information necessary for orientation in investment activity. These competences are formed when studying world economy and business bases.
For economic specialties when studying accounting; world economy; business bases; research of operations in economy knowledge of types of risks in economic activity of the enterprise and criterion of their minimization, the principles of the organization of financial and economic calculations is formed; knowledge of an order of carrying out analysis of financial and economic activity of the enterprise; abilities to use computer technologies when processing registration and financial information; abilities to estimate efficiency of activity of the enterprise for the current period, to predict organization development for the forthcoming period.
In higher professional education system for non-economic specialties knowledge of computer technologies in economic science and education is formed; abilities on a scientific and economic basis to organize the work, possession of computer methods of collecting, storage and processing (editing) of information, applied in economic activity; abilities in the conditions of development of science and changing social practice to revaluation of the saved up economic experience, the analysis of the opportunities, ability to acquire new economic knowledge, using modern information educational technolo-
gies. These competences are formed when studying the following disciplines: investment analysis; assessment and risk analysis; marketing analysis; financial analysis.
For economic specialties it is supposed that the specialist of an economic profile can adapt for the following types of adjacent professional activity: management-and-economic; financial-and-credit; expert-and-consulting; taxation; property assessment; external economic; scientifical-and-methodical; legal; scientific-and-pedagogical (on a specialty profile).
The levels of continuous economic education developed by us (basic, professional, additional) in professional education system are congruent to economic competences (key, professional, additional) and assume transition from one step of economic education to another, keeping continuity, universality, integrity of professional education, considering psychological development of the personality, providing to graduates after completion of training at a certain level of continuous economic education to hold the corresponding positions.
Thus, the economic competence principle establishes a ratio between knowledge as information and knowledge as activity reflects necessary requirements for formation in the course of continuous economic education of the competitive personality possessing a certain level of economic competences, necessary for performance of professional activity in various spheres and segments of economy and capable to solve practical problems.
References
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DATA ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sergeeva Marina Georgiyevna, Leading Researcher of the Laboratory of the Theory of Lifelong Education, Doctor of Pedagogics, Associate Professor
Institute of the theory and history of pedagogics of the Russian Academy of Education
7A, Pavel Korchagin St., Moscow, 129626, Russia e-mail: [email protected]
