The Development of Academic Mobility of Students of Pedagogical Departments in Universities

Abstract

The problem stated in this article is stipulated by the fact that academic mobility of students to a large extent facilitates the solution of the main educational goals, which include the development of modern areas of study, promoting the improvement of the availability, quality and usefulness of education. The main goals of mobility are to offer the student the opportunity to obtain a broad education in the chosen field of training, and provide access to the established centers of knowledge. The purpose of this article is the elaboration of recommendations for expanding academic mobility pertaining to the pedagogical department of students in universities. The theoretical analysis of pedagogical literature is the leading method for the given problem of study, and this analysis makes it possible to formulate the definition of students’ academic mobility, alongside with the method of modeling which creates a project of new modules for the bachelor program. The main results of the research consist in developing new undergraduate programme modules for enlarged group of disciplines such as; "Education and Pedagogy" (consisting of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Physics), were appropriately integrated into the educational programme "Pedagogical education", (with profiles such as "Physics", or "Pedagogical education" - where the main profile is "Physics" with the aim to develop academic mobility in terms of networking). The significance of the results obtained is dictated by the fact that the above modules can be offered not only for students involved in "Pedagogical education" (profile "Physics"), but also for those who want to change the track of training after two or three years, or for the trainees of refresher courses with a certain level of required competence, as well as for the specialists from state and private educational institutions, for education management, and for training and retraining of teachers.

Keywords: Academic mobility, training modules, professional education

Introduction

At present, the academic mobility of students is of great importance, firstly as a significant

component of higher education, and secondly, as one of the pillars of the process of integration of

Russian universities into the international educational space. In this respect, the effective expansion of

academic mobility pertaining to the students of the pedagogical department of the universities may be

emphasized as the main issue of this research work. The aim of the is the theoretical substantiation of

different modules for bachelor programs’, and the application efficiency concerning the enlarged group

of disciplines, such as, “Education and Pedagogy” (profile – physics and mathematical sciences,

physics) which are appropriately integrated in the educational programs of the discipline "Pedagogical

education", (profile "Physics", or "Pedagogical education" - where the main profile is "Physics"), with

the aim to develop academic mobility within networking terms.

Studies concerning general pedagogical problems of improving education (Kozhanova, T. M., &

Karev, B. A., & Khabibullina G. Z., & Ibragimov I. D., & Khisamiyeva L. G., & Zaytseva N. V., & M.

A. Kulk, 2015), (Betz, N., 2014), may be highlighted preferentially. The issues of academic mobility

development in Russian institutions of higher education were studied from different perspectives by

many scholars (Artamonov, Y. D., & Demchuk, A. L., 2012), (Ostanina, E. V., 2014, etc.). The works

dealing with the features of future teachers’ training can be outlined individually (Khabibullina, G. Z.,

& Khairullina, L. E., 2014).

How is the concept of academic mobility construed at present? Here are several definitions, which

designate academic mobility of students:

1) The form of student training organization related to their transfer to another University for a

certain period of time, and their subsequent return to a basic higher educational institution to complete

said training (Mikova, M. I., 2010);

2) The integral form of intellectual potential existence, reflecting the implementation of internal

needs of this potential, in motion with social, economic, cultural, and political relationships and links;

3) The opportunity for students to shape their educational track themselves, to choose disciplines

and educational institutions in accordance with their aptitudes and aspirations.

Academic mobility of students is the most important line of international activity contributing the

quality of higher education improvement, enhancing scientific research effectiveness and establishing

external and internal integration links.

Materials and Methods

Theoretical analysis of pedagogical literature has appeared to be one of the leading methods for

researching this problem, making it possible to formulate the definition of academic mobility of

students. Despite the fact that academic mobility is currently a compulsory component of educational

processes, we can distinguish several approaches to its elaboration in Russian universities. For instance,

some authors (Ostanina, E. V., 2014) focus their attention on the unplanned financing nature of

academic mobility in our country, lack of specialists in the field, shortage in financial and material

support, absence of special methods and mechanisms of academic exchange, and failure to develop the

infrastructures necessary for the effective exchange. One could really not agree more with these

statements.

According to statistical analysis of the data obtained by monitoring of FSES of the implementation

effectiveness of the institutions of higher professional education (2011), the students –the participants

of academic mobility faced the following difficulties:

- Organizational issues (paperwork, etc.);

- Financial issues;

- Lack of sufficient information on opportunities to study at another University;

- Psychological difficulties (adaptation under the conditions of another University);

- Transfer of credits by the subjects studied at other Universities;

- Getting permission of the University administration for completing part of training at another

University.

Results

Presently, the academic mobility of students is one of the most important spheres of international

and educational activities at Kazan (Volga) Federal University, provided in accordance with the

regulations on academic mobility of undergraduate students, PhD students, professors and researchers

of Federal and State Educational Institutions of Higher Learning. These regulations are carried out in

order to;

- Improve the quality of higher education,

- Improve the efficiency of students’ research,

- Improve the management system,

- Increase the competitiveness of KFU graduates in the labour market,

- Achieve international comparability of educational standards,

- Establish internal and external integration relations,

- Develop priority areas of the university, etc.

The main forms of academic mobility for students at our university are: student exchange

educational programs in university partnerships; studying in joint educational programmes

implemented by KFU, and the partner university; language and scientific training; participation in

conferences, etc.

Nowadays much attention is paid to the implementation of joint programmes facilitating the

modernization of curricula and teaching methods, improving competitiveness and quality of

educational programmes, as well as contributing to the formation, testing and implementation of

advanced models of higher education.

The most popular forms of combined educational programmes comprise of: accredited and validated

programmes (one University admits as equivalent the programmes of the other University); franchising

programmes (one University transfers to another the rights of its educational programme

implementation while reserving the right to control training quality); joint and combined degree

programmes (coordination of curricula and programmes, methods of teaching and assessment of

students knowledge, mutual recognition of learning results in partner universities and joint diploma

issuance).

The research and academic department of the Institute of Physics at Kazan (Volga) Federal

University, with a view to academic mobility of students in the conditions of networking, has

developed new modules of undergraduate programmes for the enlarged group of specialties "Education

and Pedagogy" (preparation track - physical and mathematical sciences, physics), which are optimally

integrated into educational programmes; "Teacher education" on "Physics" profile and "Teacher

education" on two training profiles, with the main profile being "Physics".

Undergraduate students of the track "Teacher education" are supposed to be familiar with the

content of the curricula of primary and secondary (full) schools under the new programme, they must

understand the stages involved in the formation of complex scientific concepts, and the requirements

for the concept definitions and techniques of their content disclosure.

New modules of Bachelor programme comprise of:

1) Module of humanitarian, social and economic cycle: "Innovative Technologies in Education"

providing the student with the unit of knowledge and practical skills necessary to become a modern

professional teacher. These skills include understanding the holistic view of the world, understanding

the scientific world view, having a good sense of justice, patriotism, social positioning, civil and social

identity, and getting ideas on cultural and social-political differences.

2) Module of mathematical and natural sciences: "Problems of Modern Science", the study is aimed

at the formation of the future teacher's personality, acquirement of scientific methods of obtaining

knowledge, encouraging students to elaborate the skills of independent educational activities, and

development of their cognitive needs.

3) Module of professional cycle: "Modern Quantum Physics in Education", aimed at improving,

developing and deepening the previously obtained knowledge in the field of physics in the context of

large-scale introduction of new information technologies into secondary school educational processes.

4) Module of professional cycle: "Informational Technologies in Innovative Pedagogical Activity”,

which is designed to provide students with knowledge in the fields of modern information technologies

and encouraging them to master modern interactive teaching aids.

5) Module of professional cycle: “Academic Work Designing with Application of Modern Methods

of Teaching Physics", allowing the student to take free guidance in a variety of forms, methods and

instructional techniques peculiar to the teaching of physics, to know the structure, purpose, designation,

as well as special aspects of hardware equipment and technical training aids to use them in their work.

6) Module of professional cycle: “Psychological-Pedagogical Designing of Cognitive Development

and improvement of the pupil’s social personality", for the students to master the course, and form their

own vision of educational reality, as an area of interpersonal communication.

7) Module of professional cycle: “Designing of Teaching Physics Based on Information and

Communication Technologies”, enabling the student to take free guidance in the arrangement,

designation and peculiar features of hardware and technical means of training;

8) Module of professional cycle: “Application of Modern Laboratory Course to Prepare Practice-

Oriented Specialists in the Field of Education" stimulating cognitive activity and creative approach to

obtaining knowledge.

Potential students for the developed modules are students:

- Studying on the track of "Teacher education", with the profile of "Physics";

- Wishing to change the track of training after two or three years of study;

- Getting a second degree in higher education;

- Studying on the track of "Teacher education" with two training profiles, one of which is “Physics”.

We believe that these modules can be offered to the students of upgrading courses possessing a

certain level of required competences, as well as to the specialists from state and private educational

institutions, education management systems, pedagogical staff training and retraining.

Discussion

The main challenge of the transition towards the widespread practice of academic mobility stems

from the fact that higher educational institutions do not show any sufficient and appropriate initiative in

solving problems of academic mobility of students.

Development of students’ academic mobility requires deep changes in the work of universities,

namely, starting from new organizational requirements (for example, implementation of joint

educational programs and providing assistance in the search for financial resources for providing

individual academic mobility), to changing the regulatory basis (for example, transfer credit system for

tracking study periods at other universities).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that academic mobility of students is one of the most important

components of higher education. The process is essential for personal and professional development, as

each participant faces the need to solve life situations and at the same time to analyze them from the

perspective of his/her own and "alien" cultural point of view. It is also a means of development and

updating the educational process programmes of higher education in Russia; one of the most important

aspects of this process, is the integration of Russian universities into the international educational space.

References

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• Betz, N. (2004). Contributions of self-efficacy theory to carer counseling: a personal perspective. The Career Development Quarterly, Vol. 52, 340 – 353.

• Artamonova, Y.D. & Demchuk, A.L. (2012). Development of academic mobility in higher educational institutions of Russia and the FSES. Higher education in Russia, 12, 86-95.

• Ostanina, E.V. (2014). Academic mobility as an essential component of higher education. Student scientific forum, www.scienceforum.ru/2014/pdf/445.pdf.

• Khabibullina, G.Z. & Khairullina, L.E. (2014). Training future teachers of natural science cycle in computer test compilation at the lessons of modern methods of learning outcome assessment. Kazan pedagogical journal, 3, 81-85.

• Mikova, I.M. (2010). Academic mobility of students in Russian universities. Bulletin of the Ryazan State University. SA Esenina, 1 (26), 14-20.

• Regulations on academic mobility of undergraduate students, PhD students, professors and researchers of Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Kazan (Volga) Federal University" dated April 20, 2011, № 0.1.1.56-06 / 11.