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64INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 1 ISSUE 7 UIF-2022: 8.2 | ISSN: 2181-3337
THE CREDIT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND
UZBEKISTAN Majidova N.D
English instructor of English Department, Ajou University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7316512
Abstract. Credit system has been implemented into the educational systems of practically all nations; however, it is a new method in Uzbekistan. In the article, foreign credit education systems are discussed, compared, and the benefits of using a credit module system in Uzbekistan are discussed.
Keywords: The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), Credit system, US Credit System (USCS), UK Credit System (CATS), Asia-Pacific Credit System (UCTS), Higher education institution (HEI).
КРЕДИТНАЯ СИСТЕМА ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ В ЗАРУБЕЖНЫХ СТРАНАХ И
УЗБЕКИСТАНЕ
Аннотация. Кредитная система внедрена в системы образования практически всех стран; однако это новый метод в Узбекистане. В статье рассматриваются, сравниваются зарубежные системы кредитного образования, а также обсуждаются преимущества использования кредитно-модульной системы в Узбекистане.
Ключевые слова: Европейская система перевода и накопления баллов (ECTS), Кредитная система, Кредитная система в США (USCS), Кредитная система в Великобритании (CATS), Азиатско-Тихоокеанская кредитная система (UCTS), Высшее учебное заведение (ВУЗ).
INTRODUCTION
The credit-module system is a new system for the education of Uzbekistan. Some work is being done in the higher education institutions of our Republic regarding the credit education system, but it is still not enough. After the approval of the Action Strategy on the five priority directions of the development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 by the head of our state, Sh.M. Mirziyoev, issues such as increasing the efficiency of higher education institutions and introducing world standards for evaluating the quality of education were put on the agenda. The first step in solving these issues was determined by the Decree "On approval of the concept of the development of the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030" signed by the President on October 8, 2019, and the step-by-step transfer of the educational process to the credit-module system in higher education institutions[1].
In order to compare credit education abroad and in Uzbekistan, we aimed to compare the credit measurement model they use, not at the level of countries. Currently, many developed countries have mainly incorporated the US and European credit education system into their educational programs, but there are generally four models of credit education system around the world. They consist of:
1. US Credit System (USCS);
2. Credit system of European countries (ECTS);
3. UK Credit System (CATS);
4. Credit system of Asia-Pacific countries (UCTS).
RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY
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1. US Credit System (USCS). For the first time, research into the credit system of education began in the United States, including the introduction of the concept of "credit hour" in the education in 1869 by the head of Harvard University, Charles Eliot. He personally supported the system of elective subjects, saying that it is a way for students to learn subjects that have real motivation and talent or interest[6]. However, it took many decades to implement a new system to the schools and universities. Some American researchers have covered the period of introduction and implementation of credit hour/unit in American education in different ways. For example, Raubinger, Rowe, Piper, and West (1969) divided the history of the credit system into three stages (1873 to the present, initially high school, college, the introduction of the Carnegie unit, and higher education), while Gerhard (1955) divided the development of the credit system into two stages. (creation of credit units of elective subjects, secondary and higher education institutions) interpreted in a divided manner[6]. In US credit education, the "Carnegie unit is important. It was introduced in US colleges and universities in 1909 and it was clearly stated that its main essence is related to the amount of time spent on science [7]. Currently, the educational institutions of the US mainly use the Carnegie unit to record credits, and it is a priority to collect the amount of credits determined by the educational stages according to the academic year, semester or quarter periods. In the undergraduate program, the student is required to earn a total of 120 credit hours. Full-time enrollment is typically 15 credit hours per semester or 30 credit hours per academic year (deficiencies may be made up in summer sessions or independent study). An academic year on the quarter system consists of three terms of 10-11 weeks and a summer session (the fourth term is considered but optional), a short winter term and other breaks. At a quarter-term institution of higher education, a student must earn 180 credits in an undergraduate program[5].
2. The Credit education system of European countries. The efforts of European countries to transfer all higher education institutions to a single credit system began in the 1970s and 1980s, and the purpose of this was to introduce innovative approaches to education, ensure the integration of all universities, encourage student-oriented education, ensure the uniformity of higher education standards, and define educational outcomes in the design of curricula. , organizing the mobility of professors and teachers and students, introducing a single rating point for evaluating students' knowledge, skills and qualifications, taking into account the needs of potential employers, and helping lifelong learning.
According to David Crosier and Jasmin Maki, the signing of the Bologna Declaration by representatives of 29 countries in Bologna, Italy in 1999 made a fundamental change in European higher education. In 2010, the official European Higher Education Area (EHEA) was established, and by 2020 the number of countries included in the area will be 49[2]. Thus, one of the most important aspects of the Bologna Declaration is based on the use of a single "credit system" of higher education institutions (ECTS). The ERASMUS program, established by the European Commission in 1987, opened a wide path for participating countries in the use of the ECTS system. The ERASMUS Foundation provides an opportunity for professors and students to study at bachelor's and master's levels, to continue their studies, to do internships and to conduct scientific research work in HEIs of other member countries. Training of highly qualified personnel according to the Bologna system is carried out in two stages: bachelor's degree (3-4 years) and master's degree (1-2 years).
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In the ECTS system, one academic year consists of two semesters (out of 30 credits) in total of 60 credits. In order to obtain a bachelor's degree, a student must collect a total of 180 credits in a 3-year bachelor's program, 240 credits in a 4-year bachelor's degree, 60-120 credits in a 1-2-year master's degree, depending on the academic year. 60 ECTS credits for one academic year are equal to 1500-1800 study hours. It is divided into 5 hours per day, which corresponds to 25-30 academic hours per week[4].
Sh. Mustafaqulov and M. Sultanov mention the advantages of ECTS use for HEIs as follows:
- the presence of similar or identical curricula in the fields of study of universities;
- In order to maintain the level of specialization, the universities receiving and sending the student agree in advance on the content of the programs;
- According to the ECTS system, each higher education institution independently determines the credit structure, the number of credits for each module, as well as the total amount of credits that must be accumulated by the student to complete each course and the study period in general[9].
3. UK Credit System (CATS). The system has been adopted by all UK universities. The program was launched in 1986, and its main goal is to take into account academic achievement in improving the opportunities and quality of education in higher education. Several of these achievements are available at all stages of HE. The UK credit system is designed to help students transfer from one institution to another, enter a higher education institution with academic credit or non-standard entry requirements, and create an integrated curriculum. Individual support for each student is a priority of the program[8]. In the UK credit education system, the total amount of credits in the study stages is more than the European ECTS credit amount, for example, in the UK credit a student accumulates a total of 360 credits in a 4-year undergraduate course. Therefore, 1 ECTS credit corresponds to 2 UK CATS credits. In addition, in Great Britain, as in other countries' credit models, the basis of the credit education system is to improve student mobility, and the individual approach to the student is the most important element in this system.
4. Asia-Pacific Credit System (UCTS). After the establishment of ECTS, other regions, namely the countries of Southeast Asia, also sought to create their own credit transfer systems. Currently, UCTS and ACTS credit transfer systems have been established in HEIs of Asia-Pacific countries. Created by University Mobility in Asia and University Mobility in Asia-Pacific (UMAP), UCTS is the first credit transfer system designed for use in the Asia-Pacific region, including Southeast Asia. It was launched in 1993, modeled on the European ECTS system, to facilitate the mobility of university students in the Asia-Pacific region. While the ECTS system is used by countries that are members of the Bologna Declaration, the UCTS credit system is used by student exchange programs between UMAP member universities. It should be noted that while UCTS is modeled on ECTS, the system does not focus on learning outcomes because many of the features needed to demonstrate student learning outcomes at the state level have not been sufficiently developed in the region. Currently, 438 higher education institutions in 21 countries in Asia and the Pacific region are members of UMAP. However, due to the many shortcomings of this system of facilitating student mobility, other systems are being developed in the region, such as the ASEAN Credit Transfer System (ACTS) and the Southeast Asian Credit Transfer System (SEA-CTS)[3].
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However, according to the research carried out by the Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov on the basis of the national project in 2005-2006, some conveniences and advantages of UCTS in comparison with ECTS have been stated. For example, the fact that it is structured in a simpler way than ECTS, fewer documents are required when transferring credit, the volume of work in institutions is significantly reduced, the faculty fulfills only the general requirements of this system, and the study program in foreign countries is developed by the student, among them[11].
The credit system in Uzbekistan. The first steps were taken in the higher education system of Uzbekistan based on the decree of the President of 2019. Development of higher education is one of the urgent issues facing the country. It was decided that it is necessary to change the education system in order to train competitive personnel in the world labor market and to place the country among the developed countries.
As the head of our state said, "Education is our future, a matter of life and death." Therefore, we
have no right to delay reforms in this area.....because we have lost a lot of time"[10]. In fact,
the reform of education and the transition to a new stage (system) started half a century ago in developed countries and achieved high results and led to the prosperity of various sectors of the state. Uzbekistan chose the European ECTS credit-module system after researching world credit education models. This can be caused by:
• ECTS credit-module system is recognized by many foreign countries;
• The establishment of this system in Uzbekistan and neighboring countries (it will be much easier to ensure the exchange of professors and teachers and students);
• Similarity of educational stages;
• This system shows effective results in education.
Although it was not long ago that the efforts to implement a new education system in our country began, representatives of the field, including B. Sh. Usmonov, R. A. Khabibullaev, V. Urinov, A. Umarov, Sh. Mustafakulov, M. Sultonov analyzed the major differences between the credit-module system and the current educational system, the achievements and shortcomings of the new system.
The number of credits and study loads at higher education levels are the same as the ECTS system. In the bachelor's program, 30 credits per semester and 60 credits per academic year are set, and it is desirable to accumulate a total of 240 credits to obtain a bachelor's degree. 1 ECTS credit is equivalent to 25-30 hours of study. A student spends a total of 6000-7200 hours to obtain a bachelor's degree. In our HEIs, 1 ECTS credit is defined as a study load of 30 hours, of which 12 hours are class hours, and the remaining 18 hours are divided into independent study hours, that is, in the ratio of 1/1.5. So, for 4 years, 2880 hours of classroom hours and 4320 hours of independent study are spent in the Bachelor's program. The distribution of credits within subjects is defined as 3-7 credits on average, depending on the number of subjects covered in one semester.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
So, the credit-module system is several times different from actual education, and we list its advantages:
1. Prior to the applicant or student, the educational programs, directions, study plans, syllabuses, the list of subjects to be taught in the academic year, educational results (how to
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acquire knowledge, skills and abilities in the field of education), educational grants, contracts that a guide containing the necessary information about fees is provided on the HEI websites;
2. Modular organization of sciences; (entry control of the course, materials of theoretical, practical and laboratory work, project assignments, explanatory dictionary of science, terms, literature, final control, etc.);
3. Students should be aware of all information about each subject (course), such as the number of subject credits, subject plans, study loads, study results, evaluation criteria before the course begins;
4. The student's choice options (availability of elective subjects in addition to compulsory, optional subjects, subject teacher, individual lesson schedule);
5. Organization of student-oriented education;
6. Taking into account the needs and interests of the student when creating the lesson plan;
7. It is based on independent education;
8. Transparent implementation of educational activities;
9. Preparation of specialists specific to the requirements of the labor market (creating a bridge between theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and qualifications);
10. Provision of exchange of professors and teachers ("El-yurt umidi" fund, etc.);
11. Establishment of self-financing of HEIs;
12. Availability of higher education platforms (for example, HEMIS, MOODLE, GOOGLE, AIS, BLACKBOARD);
13. The new system credit will be applied to the total time spent on mastering the science, not just the time of learning achieved in the classroom or laboratory;
14. Transition to a new rating system for evaluating the student's acquired knowledge, skills and qualifications;
15. Strengthening of healthy competition among professors-teachers, work on themselves, acceleration of improving their skills, increasing attention to scientific potential.
CONCLUSION
When the educational system is moving to another system, it requires a gradual implementation, and this in turn is a long-term process. Similar aspects of credit models are the availability of elective subjects, the importance of learning outcomes, increasing student mobility, etc. When introducing the educational system of foreign countries to our country, it is necessary to take into account our national and cultural characteristics, our views on education. Because developed countries have introduced reforms after studying their national and cultural units, human qualities and problems in national education while creating their systems. Therefore, it is known to everyone that the direct introduction of the European education credit system will not show good results. For example, the full introduction of student selection opportunities in the new system to our education system, the reduction of staff units of professors and teachers in the creation of educational programs, some imbalances in their distribution, or the use of our students without fully understanding the selection opportunities will create some problems. In addition, it should be noted that ECTS implemented in HEIs of Uzbekistan will bring education to a higher level in the future. Only for this, research, learning-teaching, implementation and cooperation are appropriate.
REFERENCES
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1. Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On approval of the concept of development of the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030" No. PF-5847 of October 8, 2019.
2. David Crosier and Jasmin Maki, "3 Understanding the European higher education area, The impact of the Bologna Process", DOI: 10.432419781003229384-5
3. https://books.google.co.uz/books?id=GQvGBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=U CTS+education+credit+system&source=bl&ots=WaGmxRuZhj&sig=ACfU3U3APqbtpp Jfn3QnxCqTyBRrLHI4mw&hl=ru&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2yuKe8qT3AhVypIsKHSzI BIQQ6AF6BAgoEAM#v=onepage&q=UCTS%20education%20credit%20system&f=fal se
4. Igor F. Tsigelny, "Educational Credits in the USA and Credit Transfer from the UK and European Union", Analytical Reports in International Education METHODS Vol. 4. No. 1, p.91-92, November 2011.
5. International Affairs Office, U.S. Department of Education, Feb 2008 http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/edlite-index.html ]
6. Jessica M. Shedd, The History of the Student Credit Hour, p. 9-10. (https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/hainline2013/files/2013/04/History-of-the-credit-hour.pdf)
7. Kreplin, Hannah. "Credit by Examination: A Review and Analysis of the Literature." Berkeley: University of California, p.90, 1971.
8. Omporn Regel, The Academic Credit System in Higher Education: Effectiveness and Relevance in developing countries, p.14, The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, 1992.
9. People's word / Online chat. http://navoiy-uni.uz/uz/new/Kredit-modul-tizimi-haqida-bilasizmi
10. Presidential video selector meeting, January 28, 2022. https://uzreport.news/politics/biz-kop-vaqt-yoqotganmiz-shavkat-mirziyoyev-talim-tarbiya-sohasidagi-islohotlar-haqida-gap
11. Review of foreign credit systems (based on the materials of scientific research carried out by Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov within the framework of the FPRO project of 2005 and the national project of 2006), p.33-34. http://inpro.msu.ru/PDF/kredit-in.pdf
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