The Academic Council of Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) convened its recurrent sitting during which a cooperation agreement was signed between the ASPU and Artsakh State University (ASU).
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Following a well-established tradition, ASPU Rector Rouben Mirzakhanyan congratulated all those who are celebrating their birthday in April.
Then, Melanya Astvatsatryan, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, presented the project “The Concept of Development of Pedagogical Education” which is aimed at improving the quality of pedagogical education and ensuring its sustainable development.
The aim of the programme developed by the ASPU Research Centre is to create an effective, flexible and dynamic system that meets international standards and provides a qualitatively new level of pedagogical education based on universal values. “The concept needs to be complied with the requirements of educational reforms and pedagogical training,” said Melanya Astvatsatryan.
She also presented in detail the sections of the concept and their content, those including development trends of higher pedagogical education system, the present situation and problems, main directions of modernisation, proposals for amending pedagogical education and prospects for development.
While the members of the Academic Council highlighted the project and hailed the work done, they made a number of suggestions. It was decided to present the observations and proposals to the initiative group, review and edit the concept and send the final version for publication.
Rector Rouben Mirzakhanyan also highlighted the concept and said it was highly valuable for its content and was a unique document based on the international educational experience.
Vice-Rector for Educational and Scientific Affairs Srbouhi Gevorgyan referred to the organisation of educational and scientific activities of students.
In her report, she said research works were carried out in accordance with the standards enshrined in curricula and pursuant to activities of the Student Scientific Society.
“Educational activities are based on curricula and programmes with relevant subjects and hours. Better quality is achieved when the aforesaid components are enriched and accompanied by scientific and research activities,” said the Vice-Rector.
She presented the research works carried out in each faculty and made suggestions for improving the process.
Further, the Academic Council proceeded to discuss the changes introduced in the curriculum for Informatics specialty.
In his report, Acting Head of the Department of Informatics and its Teaching Methods, Hamlet Harutyunyan, referred to the teaching of the subject and changes made in the curricula and programmes.
Mr. Harutyunyan stressed that Informatics is a rapidly changing subject; any change leads to changes in the educational process, causing the need to update and modernise the educational plans and programmes of the subject.
The professor stressed that programming and languages lie in the basis of Informatics: it is necessary to correct the ‘business-oriented’ weakness, focus attention on practical issues and create an instrumental environment. “We should also pay more attention to the illogical relevance of Bachelor’s and Master’s courses and modernise the education process with the introduction of new methods and subjects. It is also important to set new criteria and demands for lecturers: trainings and self-education will help solve the issue in the best way, making the transition even smoother. We have many plans and much work to do, we need time and seriousness,” he added.
Hamlet Harutyunyan said the changes in the subject do not only relate to the Faculty of Informatics, but to other faculties as well: the programmes are already outdated and new updated programmes will be used in the faculties starting the new academic year.
During the sitting, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Souren Danielyan was elected Head of the Department of New and Modern Armenian Literature. Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor Aida Topuzyan was elected Head of the Department of Professional Education and Applied Pedagogy, and Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Hamlet Harutyunyan was elected Head of the Department of Informatics and its Teaching Methods.
Lavrenti Barseghyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Acting Head of the Department of Museology, History of Literature and Bibliography, and Samvel Khudoyan, Acting Head of the Department of Development and Applied Psychology were awarded the title of ‘Professor,’ while Metaksya Darabyan, Assistant of the Department of English Language Teaching was granted the title of ‘Associate Professor.’
The meeting participants also approved topics for five Ph.D. theses, confirmed scholarship allocations to students of the Faculties of Special Education and Primary Education and discussed other issues.
