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“A social educator is a specialist, who bridges the lives of adults and children, connects schools, families and societies, helps and protects children in difficult situations, acts as a friend and advisor for minors and their parents in the rehabilitation process,” Aida Topuzyan, Head of the Chair of Professional Education and Applied Pedagogy, said during the opening of the roundtable discussion on the theme “Issues of Training Social Educators in the Republic of Armenia.”
Speaking about the qualities of a social educator, the professor stressed that ‘it does not only ensure profession and higher education.’ “It is a calling, devotion, a great responsibility before people, children and childhood, desire and willingness to feel the pain and misfortune of other people, readiness to stretch out a helping hand, and an ability to tolerate,” she said.
On behalf of the academic staff of the Chair, Aida Topuzyan congratulated the attendees on International Day of Social Educators. She also hailed the event organized at the University on the occasion and wished that the specialists of the sector always tried to raise the prestige of the profession.
Srbuhi Gevorgyan, ASPU Vice-Rector for Educational and Scientific Affairs, said that the ‘young’ profession which has been recently introduced at the University, has developed and prospered like other professions: evidence of it is the teaching staff and new specialists, who have greatly contributed to solving a number of key problems faced by the country’s population.
Ruzanna Petrosyan, Dean of the Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology, stressed the importance of social educators in the labor market and, citing the modernization of the profession in various fields, stressed the need for wider awareness.
In his report entitled “Process and Prospects of Formation and Development of Social Pedagogy,” Hakob Tadevosyan, Associate Profession and Candidate of Science (Pedagogy), referred to the formation, development and introduction of the profession at the ASPU and in the entire republic, improvement of training plans, curricula and guidelines at the University.
He stressed that cooperation with foreign universities and professional circles, investment in research development, implementation of joint research projects, training of pedagogical staff members will promote professional development prospects. “There is a misunderstanding about the need of social educators: it works out in the context of inclusive education, but should be included in schools and different departments.”
A number of former and current students of the Pedagogical University made reports, observations and suggestions during the roundtable discussion dedicated to International Day of Social Educators.
Misha Tadevosyan, a 4th-year student of the Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology, stressed the awareness about main functions and responsibilities of social educators in institutions that host student interns and suggested developing students’ practical skills and capacities to the maximum in order to orient them in different social-pedagogical situations.
Elena Khachatryan, a MA student of the same Faculty, who works in a boarding school in Byureghavan, a town in Kotayk marz, emphasized the need of internship in promoting complete and professional activities of social educators.
Anush Sargsyan, a graduate of the ASPU, spoke about misconception of the role of social educators. In her speech, she stressed that a social educator is perceived as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
The graduate, who wishes to pursue postgraduate training, made a number of proposals, specifically, she suggested including the academic discipline in the curriculum of Master's programmes, filling the lack of skills and capacities in using specific methods and technologies, as well as development of guidelines for pedagogues.
The event was also attended by Haykuhi Gevorgyan, Methodological Center for Professional Orientation, and Astghik Minasyan, Head of Social Support Department at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
In her speech, Haykuhi Gevorgyan stressed that social pedagogy is a universal profession. She considers one of the most important achievements of the centre she heads the involvement of social educators in various profession groups. “If the employer wants to pay less and have a higher income, achieve efficiency with a small staff, he/she should include those specialists (social educators) in work,” she said adding that the Centre, where ASPU students also take internships, aims to shape professional skills and abilities of future social educators, give them job descriptions which they will need later, after graduation.
Astghik Minasyan added, in turn, that social work requires creativity, and this sphere is always subjected to changes, and there is a need to learn and upskill constantly.
October 2 is marked as International Day of Social Educators: the corresponding decision was adopted in Copenhagen, Denmark, in May 2009. The academic discipline of Social Pedagogy was introduced in the Faculty of Elementary Education Pedagogy and Defectology, ASPU, in the 2002-2003 academic year. In 2006, the discipline was introduced in the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, which was later renamed Faculty of Psychology and Social Pedagogy.
