1.2. Specific features of the socio-cultural competence
The emergence of the concept of competence corresponds to the history of
professional education, which was associated with changes in economic activity and
the development of industry. Changes in many professional tasks, especially with
the introduction of new technologies, require new skills. The skills that normally
describe the performance of any activity are not always sufficient. You also need to
anticipate challenges, make decisions, collaborate and coordinate your activities.
Uncertainty in assessing professional activity and employment only reinforces the
need to develop basic competencies.
Determining a competency-based approach to the training of specialists in the
field of social work is based on the use of the concept of the basic competencies of
a person. The concept of basic competence includes elements of knowledge,
activities, methods of orientation, as well as the ability to work with information
(searching, storing, processing and evaluating it).
under the main abilities of a person means the ability to acquire general
scientific and special knowledge and apply them in practice, turning them into skills
and later - skills.
The result of solving a professional problem can be expressed in different
ways - in a "productive" form or in the form of psychological and pedagogical
changes. Evaluation of the effectiveness of this result shows the competence of the
specialist. If a social worker has found (finds or can find) a way out of a certain
situation, then he is qualified.
But the concept of competence is not limited to the sum of knowledge, skills
and abilities, it is much broader.
In the West, competences are mainly the result of the development of
fundamental abilities acquired by a person, and competence is the ability to perform
activities in accordance with social requirements and expectations. Thus,
competence is a measure of competence development, and it is determined by the
ability to solve specified tasks. The concept of competence includes cognitive,
operational-technological, motivational, moral, social and behavioral components.
9
It includes learning outcomes (as personal achievements), a system of value
orientations, habits, responsibility for the consequences of actions, etc.
Regarding each competence, it is possible to talk about different levels of its
development (for example, minimal, advanced, advanced).
The main qualification or qualifications are the characteristics of an employee
that go beyond the scope of knowledge and skills in his immediate specialty. This is
due to deep changes in the world of work, which were mainly carried out through
work on improving the organization and management system. For example, today's
required professional qualities include the ability to work independently without
constant supervision; the ability to take responsibility on one's own initiative; the
ability to take initiative without asking others; willingness to perceive problems and
seek ways to solve them; the ability to analyze new situations and apply existing
knowledge for such analysis; the ability to get along with others; the ability to
acquire any knowledge on their own initiative (that is, taking into account their
experience and the opinions of others); the ability to make decisions based on sound
reasoning (that is, not having all the necessary materials and not being able to
process information mathematically).
In Western countries, the specific content of the concept of "core
competencies" is related to the analysis of the survey of employers. When deciding
whether to move up the career ladder, the employer pays attention to the following
characteristics of the employee:
- willingness to grow;
- competence motivation;
- initiative;
- responsibility for the decisions made;
- thoroughness and accuracy in working with documents;
- productivity (ability to manage several projects at the same time);
- mobility;
- experience in solving problems in a group;
- experience in organizing a group to solve problems;
10
- ability to plan and predict;
- the ability to work with information for himself and the group;
- the ability to effectively present work results;
- the ability to make logical, reasoned, reasoned decisions.
The list of competencies based on the summary of expert conclusions in the
European project "Definition and selection of core competencies" includes:
- autonomous reflex action;
- interactive use of funds;
- participation in the work of heterogeneous groups;
- critical thinking;
- problem solving.
In general, the competence-based approach to education (teaching) is focused
on the educational outcome, and not the amount of information learned, but the
ability of a person to act in various problem situations is evaluated. The type (set) of
these cases depends on the type (specificity) and level of professional education.
A competency-based approach requires consideration of key competencies:
generalized and applied science skills, life skills. Core competencies (main, core
competencies) have an extremely subjective nature. These include, for example,
various data processing techniques and technologies, group activities. Generalized
skills (that is, the ability to solve problems in a specific field of activity) have an
objective nature. Practical skills are the field of direct activity of a social worker. In
addition, the content of education should be adequate (relevant) to modern trends in
the development of theory and practice of social work.
Research on the competency-based approach to education suggests that the
traditional educational paradigm does not satisfy either the "customer" of education
(in particular, the social welfare sector) or the public. A university graduate whose
education is focused only on imparting knowledge is not ready for independent and
responsible work and continuous professional training in certain conditions.
Traditional forms of vocational training do not allow young people to reveal their
11
creative potential, gain experience in successful independent and responsible
activities.
For reference
Materials on basic competencies developed by the Cambridge University
Examination Committee are aimed at determining the level of development or
formation of a certain competency in the context of professional activity. Depending
on the complexity of the tasks facing the applicant, five levels or levels of
competence mastery are provided. At the same time, the first level is the foundation
on which all others rest.
For example, at the first level of competence, the student is asked to show that
he can correctly understand the problem presented to him and make two proposals
for its solution.
In the second stage, the task becomes more complicated: the student must
show that he can see the problem (problematic situation), describe its main features
and propose two ways to solve it.
In the third stage, the requirements are even higher: the student must
demonstrate his ability to study a complex problem and propose three ways to solve
it.
At the fourth level, the applicant must develop a strategy for using problem-
solving skills and demonstrate that he can create opportunities to use this
competence and identify the results he expects. In other words, he must show what
opportunities he sees for developing problem-solving skills in the various situations
he has been involved in for, say, three months.
At the fifth stage, the student must show that he is able to manage group work,
ie. able to take a leadership position in order to solve at least two complex problems
while adapting the strategy, if necessary, to achieve the desired results. In this
process, he is required to build effective relationships to motivate employees and
help himself and others. At this level, it is necessary to combine and use other
competencies: communication and interpersonal skills.
12
Based on this, as part of the training of a university specialist, the following
basic competencies should be formed:
learning competence (turning education into self-education, self-
development, self-work);
- information competence;
- organizational competence.
The competency approach to social work has historically developed based on
the nature of professional activity. In clarifying the leadership competencies of
social workers, the opinions of employers about the most important professional and
personal qualities of a social worker were studied.
We list the most important knowledge, skills and abilities for a social work
specialist: knowledge:
- family development;
- national problems;
- specific characteristics of settlements;
- dynamics of group development;
- problems of teenagers;
- basics of educational theory and methodology; skills:
- oral communication,
- written communications,
- involving customers in solving problems
- formation of professional conclusions;
- interracial interaction; values:
- understanding personal life;
- strict adherence to ethical standards;
- understanding humanist values;
- responding to the needs of others
- work within the authority of the organization.
Competency-based approach is consistent with the understanding of the main
goals of education expressed in UNESCO documents: teaching to acquire
13
knowledge (teaching to learn); training to work and earn money (training to work);
teaching to live (teaching to be); teaching to live together (teaching to live together).
The article examines the introduction of a competency-based approach in the
higher education system, in particular, the formation of general cultural, general
professional and informational competencies of master's students, as an example of
the "Organization of Scientific Research" course. The experience of introducing a
competency-based approach at the master's level of the Ural State University of
Economics is considered. It is shown that it is impossible to check the formation of
general cultural, general professional and informational competences using
traditional methods of education and training, as well as current control, that is, tests
and exams. Training that allows formation and adequate assessment of the level of
formation of relevant competencies, Competency-building and development
technology, including learning and assessment methods, is offered.
At the current stage, the development of society, the quantitative and
qualitative growth of information has set the task of eliminating the conflict between
the rapid growth of the volume of information in the world and the limitation of the
possibilities of their assimilation by a person before obtaining higher education. It is
this contradiction that encourages universities to develop in students the ability to
find information, critically evaluate it, and learn to use it creatively. In the process
of modernization of education, attention is paid to new methods of pedagogical work
from the content of education, in which new technologies and analyzes play an
important role. To train a specialist capable of creative thinking, self-development,
self-education teaching methods (transfer of knowledge in a ready form from a
teacher to a student) become ineffective. A student's competence can be formed only
as a result of practice-oriented and interactive learning aimed at self-development,
as well as learning in the environment, especially with students around him, as skills
confirmed by practice. In the new environment, not only the professional
competencies of the graduate, but also his ability to obtain and work with
information will be of great importance. This means the formation of information
competence that will enable students to study successfully throughout their lives in
14
the future; preparing for the chosen professional activity and constantly improving
professional skills, living and working in the information society. This creates a basis
for the further development of the individual and self-development.
The process of formation of information competence of university students
can be divided into three stages.
Stage 1. Information literacy. It is formed during the study of basic sciences
in the field of "Informatics". As a result of studying the courses, the student should
be a trained user, able to work with various software products (Internet work
programs, office programs, mathematical packages, modeling programs, data
processing and visualization, etc.). The foundations of information literacy are
created at school.
Stage 2. Information education. It is formed in the process of studying general
professional subjects. As a result of the training, students will be able to choose
software, justify their choice, and analyze the results obtained in solving professional
problems.
Stage 3. Information competence. It is formed in the course of his scientific
research. As a result, students demonstrate a systematic knowledge of information
technology, a reliable knowledge of intelligent information-search technologies, and
the ability to identify hidden trends in this data and visualize the results.
One of the important aspects of ensuring the quality of education is as follows:
the structure of the program should be such that it allows students to achieve the
educational results defined in the Federal State Educational Standard. Educational
methods should ensure the achievement of educational outcomes. The methods of
assessment of learning outcomes should be such that they allow adequate
verification of the achievement of these outcomes.
|