KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

“Organization of practice in the sphere of higher education continues to remain the Achilles’ heel of our education system,” Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen

 Ashotyan said during the opening of the international conference entitled Modernization of Constant /Continuous/ Practice and Introduction of Organizational Mechanisms in the System of Higher Pedagogical Education that kicked off at Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) on July 1. 

 

The minister stressed that in recent years the ASPU has shown enviable rates of internalization and modernization: the evidence of it is also the ASPU-hosted conference featuring representatives of different countries which has proved that the University can be a dignified and important partner in Armenia’s education system on the path to internalization. 

 

“We consider the emphasis laid on the goals and objectives of the conference quite topical and believe that the introduction and development of a new model of practice, especially in the sphere of pedagogical education, will help us significantly improve the quality of pedagogical staff,” said Mr. Ashotyan.

 

In his welcoming speech, ASPU Rector Rouben Mirzakhanyan reflected upon the topic of the conference. He underscored the need for serious changes with the view of organizing practice more effectively in the process of education. 

 

 “In the 21st century it is impossible to imagine a teacher without the pedagogical and psychological knowledge and skills required for working at school. The collaboration between the ASPU and leading European institutions [in recent years] has shown that everything should be arranged from the very beginning of the learning process,” he stressed. 

 

Professor Alexander Gluzman, Rector of the Crimean University of Humanities, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Academician of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, presented the main directions of practical training at Ukraine’s higher pedagogical institutions. He emphasized that the conformity of educational programs and practice provisions is an important step in preparing future pedagogues. 

 

The professor singled out two factors which, he said, mighty influence the pedagogical practice – the content of the material and the interaction between the pedagogue and student. Speaking about the pedagogical practice arranged at the 37 pedagogical establishments in Ukraine Alexander Gluzman referred to the content of practice organized in undergraduate (four years) and graduate (two years) courses. “Once a week first-year students ‘work’ in basic schools as a teacher's assistant. It helps them get a clear understanding of the profession and educational process. In the second year, the practice aims to shape students’ psycho-pedagogical thinking, giving them a generalized notion of Pedagogy and modern methods of science,” he said.

 

Continuing to describe the content of practice, Professor Gluzman said in the 3rd and 4th year they try to shape and develop pedagogical culture among students which is closely related to the normalization of relations, as well as partial solution of pedagogical problems. 

 

The last and the longest phase of the practice covering three months gives a student an opportunity to feel as a teacher, who gives lessons, a teacher, who organizes the learning

 process and a teacher, who educates a social educator. 

 

The plenary session was concluded by Professor Vladimir Karapetyan, Head of the Chair of Age and Pedagogical Psychology, ASPU, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, who in his report “Broadening the Base of Operations as a Necessary Condition for the Formation of Practical Skills” dwelt on the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge.

 

The professor said there are many problems in the education system, but practice is a scientific matter which should be subjected to a thorough and comprehensive study: it is not merely an educational problem, but also a guarantee for developing a person’s outlook and belief as a specialist.  

 

After the plenary session, the participants of the conference referred to the problem of theoretical and practical training in the process of modernization of higher pedagogical education and pedagogical practice in the system of higher education system. 

 

Let us mention that the State Committee of Science assisted in the organization and conduct of the conference, as well as in the preparation of reports and program. The conference will last until July 5.