Competence approach as an important condition for the training of new formation history teachers

The article studies the place and role of the competence approach to the preparation of history teachers, corresponding to modern international standards. Identifying the importance of this approach is based on the analysis of the working materials of Subject Area Group in History, developed within the framework of the international educational project TuCAHEA — «Towards a Central Asian Higher Education Area: Tuning Structures and Building Quality Culture». During the consultations and analysis they worked out the most important general and subject specific competences, which should have a history teacher, as well as determined the connection with the learning outcomes. 

In the Message «Kazakhstan's way – 2050. The Common Aim, Common Interests, Common future» President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev outlined the need for and the importance of becoming one of the 30 developed countries of the world as one of the strategic objectives of the State. This objective is carried out in difficult conditions of global competition, unforeseen situations, and the financial crisis in the global markets and in global politics. According to the President the strategic path of our country is «bond with the creation of new opportunities for the discovery of Kazakhstan’s people potential» [1]. The Republic of Kazakhstan has great natural wealth, also has rich human potential. In these circumstances, especially in the face of global competition, the process of formation of a competitive personality, professional and specialist in a particular area, which has specific competences, is particularly relevant.

To achieve the assigned objectives of the State Program of Education Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011–2020 was indicated that one of the program goals of this sector is the formation of intellectual, physically and spiritually developed citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the satisfaction of his needs in education, ensuring success in a rapidly changing world, the development of competitive human capital for economic prosperity of the country [2]. This process is accompanied by substantial changes in the organization of educational process, methodology of educational activities, changes in the requirements of professional competence of the modern teacher.

The State Program of development of education and science in 2016–2019 years noted that in order to modernize the content of higher and postgraduate education the main emphasis will be directed to the formation of professional competencies of graduates that meet the expectations of employers. For this purpose «education programs of undergraduates will include new disciplines, reflecting the innovative technology of production and give qualifications that are in demand in the labor market» [3].

Traditionally, the training of future teachers of history began with the determination of the educational process content and tools for learning of educational material in the process of studying of disciplines of the educational program. In this case student was assigned to performing only a function of the reproductive nature. The main criterion for the effectiveness of its training was unmistakable reproduction of the studied material. This approach which focused on teacher contributions to the development of the program and evaluation of the program in terms of how well the trainees learned the taught material was found ineffective in the new conditions. The purpose of modern education which is aimed at the training of history teachers of a new formation has been to increase personal potential of students, forming his abilities to competency activities in the upcoming professional and social situations.

In pedagogical science the terms «competence» and «competency» is used from the second half of the XXth century, but in the XXIst century they became a subject of a special all-round consideration. In this process an important role was played by the activity of UNESCO, which outlined the range of competencies that should be considered by all as the desired educational results. Thus, in the report of the international commission «Education: The Treasure Within», «four pillars» have been formulated, which education is based on: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, learn to live, which, in fact, identified the major global competence [4].

Choice of the competence approach is determined, above all, by its advantages over the knowledgebased learning model.

Firstly, the competence approach can effectively generate not only knowledge, abilities and skills, but also personal and professional competence of the future expert. As highlighted in the UNESCO documents, «it is increasing tendency that entrepreneurs need not a qualification, which in their view is associated with the ability to carry out certain transactions of a material nature, but a competence, which is seen as a kind of cocktail (set of) skills peculiar to each individual, which combines qualification in the strict sense of the word, ... social behavior, ability to work in a team, creativity and love of risk» [5].

Another advantage of the competence approach lies in the fact that in the educational process a priority is given to the formation of the students' abilities to apply their knowledge in practice in a variety of professional and life situations. In this regard, of particular importance in training acquires gaming, project, simulation and modeling, research technologies. Finally, in contrast to the knowledge-based model within the competence approach a lot of attention is paid to the formation of the student’s universal competencies that have a particular importance in today's world of high technology.

In the Republic of Kazakhstan competence approach it has also been identified as the main mechanism for the modernization of the education system in the basic regulatory documents. In the State compulsory education standards of higher education (2012) competences are defined "as the ability of students to practical application of acquired knowledge, abilities and skills which was gained while the educational process in the professional activity [6].

Another advantage of the competency approach is its focus on the result of education, rather than on the process. For this purpose, from the beginning there were laid descriptors into educational programs and training courses, i.e. clear and comparable parameters of describing what the student will know and be able at the end of the course and the end of the higher education in the institution.

The Bologna process implemented Dublin descriptors, which are an integral part of the European framework for higher education qualifications. These are three successive stages, as well as generic descriptions of a wide range of learning outcomes of each of the three cycles corresponding to the definitions of the Bologna process. They are based on the five elements — knowledge and understanding, applying knowledge and understanding, the ability to make judgments, communication skills. Dublin descriptors are harmonized requirements for the assessment of learning outcomes at each cycle of higher education and can be used in national systems of higher education in greater detail. Today the Dublin descriptors are the best of possible guidance on educational outcomes in each cycle [7].

According to the Bologna Declaration Dublin descriptors qualifications of the first cycle of university studies suggest that the bachelor graduates are able to [8; 42]:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the field of study, including elements of the most advanced knowledge in the field;To apply this knowledge and understanding in a professional manner;
• To formulate arguments and solve problems in the field of study; to collect and interpret information to make judgments taking into account social, ethical and scientific considerations;
• Report information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists;
• Have the ability in the field of education, which are needed to continue training with a high degree of autonomy

Dublin descriptors of the second cycle correspond to the acquisition by graduates following abilities and skills [8; 42]:

• Demonstrate developing knowledge and understanding obtained at the level of higher education, which are the basis or possibility for original development or application of ideas, often in the context of scientific research;
• To apply knowledge, understanding and ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar situations in the contexts within broader (or multidisciplinary) areas related to the field of study;
• Integrate knowledge, deal with the complexities and make judgments based on incomplete or limited information, taking into account ethical and social responsibility for the application of these judgments and knowledge;
• Clear and precisely report their conclusions and knowledge and substantiation to specialists and nonspecialists;
• To continue their education on their

Descriptors of the third cycle correspond to the acquisition by PhD graduates following skills and abilities [8; 43]:

• Demonstrate systematic understanding of the field of study, mastery of the skills and research methods used in this field;
• Plan, design, implement and adjust complex process of scientific research;
• To contribute their own original research in expanding the boundaries of scientific areas that may merit publication at the national or international level;
• Critically analyze, evaluate and synthesize new and complex ideas;
• Communicate their knowledge and achievements of colleagues, the scientific community and the general public;
• Promote the development of a society based on

The educational systems of most modern countries, including the Central Asian states, are in the process of reformation. Within the framework of the Bologna process, universities seek to ensure harmonization of educational programs. In this regard, it is particularly important to express the level of education and qualifications in terms of competences and learning outcomes. A key tool for solving this problem is the methodology developed in the framework of the international educational project «Tuning of educational structures». As a symbol of this project was proposed a tuning fork — a tool for tuning musical instruments.

The name «Tuning» was chosen to emphasize that universities do not seek uniformity in their programs and to harmonize educational programs goals and objectives, curriculum, convergence and common understanding of the basic approaches to the organization of educational process. This feature international collaborative projects in the field of higher education reform in no way restricts the independence of state administration bodies and universities themselves, it has become a defining characteristic of «Tuning» project [9].

The «Tuning» project was launched in 2000 as a European Union project designed to link the political objectives of the Bologna process with the objectives of higher educational institutions of European countries. In the framework of the project realization were formulated methodological approaches to the design, development, implementation, evaluation and improvement of the quality of educational programs for the first, second and third highest levels of education.

Objective factors of Tuning, i.e. tuning the programs of different universities are deepening integration processes in higher education, the increased need for training of competitive graduates that meet the requirements of the labor market, activation of the mobility of the students themselves, employers' willingness to participate in the training of future specialists.

The «Tuning» project is a university project, where most of the organizational and analytical work carried out by teachers — participants of the project. In close cooperation of teachers with graduates, employers and students themselves have been defined lists of general and professional competences in different directions for their future use in the development and implementation of educational programs at all levels of higher education.

Direction «History» is implemented in the project Tuning since 2001, almost from the first days of this project, where over the years have been developed Tuning educational structures in Europe, Tuning in Latin America, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russian Federation. In 2012, it launched the Tuning in the US, in collaboration with the American Historical Association. Currently, African countries, Australia, China, Japan and India are waiting for tuning of educational systems.

From 2012 to 2015 the Tuning project became developed in Central Asia countries. It was named TuCAHEA — «Towards a Central Asian Higher Education Area: Tuning Structures and Building Quality Culture». Tuning approach should help new independent states to develop and implement, evaluate and improve the academic programs of the first, second and third cycle of education programs in the university, as well as became an important condition for training history teachers of the new formation.

The main objective of the project — to contribute to the development of higher education in Central Asia area, in accordance with the European space of higher education, to take into account and assess the specific needs and potentials of the region and partner countries in particular, thus complying with the higher education needs in particular and society as a whole [10].

A key objective of the project is to expand the use of the competence and the basic tools of improving the quality of education in the Central Asian countries in the framework of the overall improvement of the Central Asian higher education system to bring it in line with the European Higher Education Area.

The direction «History» has been allocated in this project as one of the subject areas. The working group of the project consisted of university professors, members of scientific centers of five Central Asian republics. The leaders of a group are historians of the Academician Yе.A. Buketov Karaganda State University. One of the results of the project was the matrix, which reflects the general and subject specific competences of future historians [11].

The methodology of the Tuning clearly differentiates the concept of «competence» and «learning outcomes», in order to demonstrate the role of the teacher and the student in the educational process. Competence is the aim of the educational program, expressed in language understandable to the employer. Competence are mastered by students themselves, with many competencies can be developed throughout the educational process within the framework of the different modules and subjects.

Learning outcomes relate to the elements of the educational program and planned by teacher as expected and measured «components» of competencies, i.e. the knowledge, skills, experience which a typical student should receive and be able to demonstrate after familiarization of the educational program element (module, discipline).

Tuning suggests that the design of the educational program initially at the input is necessary to conduct a thorough job of defining and describing the possible competence mastery levels, achievement of learning outcomes and descriptors for evaluating the system.

Therefore one of the main objectives of the project was to develop an agreed set of common competencies for the different training areas. In order to determine which of the general and specific competencies are the most important, the project team consulted with and sent questionnaires to representatives of the academic community (university professors), employers, students and graduates. Employers for domain «History» were headmasters, archives and museums, heads of government agencies.

Thus, the team drew on the responses of 735 respondents in Central Asia for the selection of generic competences, including 319 teachers, 86 employers, 218 students, 111 graduates. For the selection of subject competences in the direction of «History», data are as follows: the total number of respondents was 679 people, including teachers — 305 employers — 78 students — 199 graduates — 97 [10].

The four groups offered 30 generic competencies offered 30 generic competences [11]:

1. Ability to analyze and synthesize
2. Ability to use logical and critical thinking for solving problems
3. Ability to model, design and forecast
4. Ability to carry out research applying appropriate methods
5. Ability to take initiatives and entrepreneurship
6. Ability to innovate
7. Ability to develop general knowledge
8. Ability to learn including autonomous learning
9. Ability to communicate interactively and receive feedback
10. Knowledge in professional field
11. Ability to communicate in multicultural context
12. Ability to communicate in official state, Russian and foreign languages
13. Ability to lead people and work in a team
14. Ability to manage information
15. Ability to use information and communication technologies
16. Social responsibility
17. Ability to follow a healthy lifestyle
18. Ecological and environmental responsibility
19. Knowledge of the laws
20. Ability to prevent and resolve conflicts
21. Patriotism and preservation of own cultural values
22. Tolerance and respect for others
23. Commitment to quality results
24. Flexibility
25. Ability in apply knowledge in practice
26. Orientation toward the needs of the user
27. Ability to work autonomously
28. Ability to adapt to change
29. Ability to make decisions
30. Time-management

As the subject competences they have proposed as follows:

1. Critical understanding of the relationship between current events, processes and the
2. Understanding the differences in historiographical observation of different periods and
3. An understanding of and respect for national and universal values / social and ethical values, including tradition and
4. The ability to understand the issues and topics of national
5. Ability to use the terminology and techniques taken in historical science in the native and foreign languages.
6. Ability to use tools to search information, such as set bibliographic, archival
7. The ability to use the technique of selection of historical dates (using statistics, mapping techniques, etc.).
8. Knowledge of the ancient
9. Knowledge of local history
10. Knowledge of national history as a part of world history
11. Knowledge of the history of civilizations and world
12. The ability to use the mechanisms of the special sciences / paleography, epigraphy, historical onomastic/ and related / literary criticism, history of language, art history, archeology, anthropology, law, sociology, philosophy, etc. / a historical research.
13. The development of skills and abilities to research
14. Ability to identify the problem and formulate a research
15. Ability to organize and interpret historical
16. Ability to comment on, process and annotate historical texts and
17. Ability to retrieve information from various sources, analyze and correlate it with the knowledge gained during the study of the
18. Ability of logical and imaginative exploration of historical
19. Ability to apply modern methodological the concept of history in professional
20. The ability to acquire new knowledge, using Modern information and communication
21. Knowledge and application of didactics of

Because of the questionnaire, these four categories of interested individuals and according to opinion of a work group, following most important generic and subject specific competences on course of «History» identified.

Generic competences:

1. Possession of professional knowledge
2. Capacity for analysis and synthesis
3. Capacity for logical and critical reasoning to solve problems
4. Capacity to learn and self-education
5. Oral and written communication in Native, Russian and foreign languages Subject specific competences:
6. Knowledge of National History as a part of World
7. Critical understanding of the contact between present events, processes and
8. Capacity to understand problems and themes of national historiography
9. Developing skills and capacities to research work
10. Capacity to get new knowledge, using modern information communication technologies

These general and subject specific competences more clearly define the subject area of «History», highlighting the most important areas of activity of the future historian. Achievement of these competencies is required for a graduate with a degree in «History», regardless of the profession in the field of history, which the student chooses in the future. These competencies can call universal to those skilled in the humanities.

Selected competences cannot considered outside the context of social and ideological nature of the subject «History», which is caused due to socio-economic and socio-political relations and helps to determine the place of historians in public life and society.

Traditionally the Central Asian countries substantiate the ideological component of historical science.

It plays an important role in the formation of national consciousness and identity.

The importance of addressing historical education and historical science also defined by the role of history in shaping national identity arising from consolidating and educational function of history

Competence orientation of the project required the need to develop learning outcomes corresponding to the selected competencies. Let’s consider the ratio of subject specific competences and learning outcomes at the three levels of education in the direction of «History».

According to the competence of «Knowledge of domestic history as a part of world history» as the learning outcomes there were identified the following project participants:

• for the level of «Bachelor»: demonstrate knowledge of national and world history, obtain, collate and verify critical historical information obtained from various sources, to share national and world history into stages and evaluate historical events, confirm the arguments and facts in their own estimates of historical processes;
• for the level of «master»: demonstrate in-depth knowledge of national history, apply knowledge of national history in defining its place and role in world history;
• for the level of «PhD»: know the general and specific laws of the world and national history, apply latest achievements in the study of the humanities general and specific processes of national history as a part of world history, to use the knowledge of national history in the implementation of research projects at the comparative study of current events and

According to the competence of «Critical comprehension of relationship between current events and the past processes» as the learning outcomes there were identified the following project participants:

• for the level of «Bachelor»: characterize the relationship and draw parallels between the historical events of the present, past and future; explain the reasons and to predict the course of historical processes, to be able to collate and compare historical periods;
• for the level of «master»: demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the methodology of scientific knowledge; to identify, analyze and synthesize historical facts, phenomena and processes from the perspective of historical knowledge; to critically assess the course of historical processes in the implementation of analytical work;
• for the level of «PhD»: objectively evaluate current events and processes to apply critical thinking in the analysis of the main and private issues past and present history; to analyze historical information based on comprehensive scientific methods to operate modern methodological principles and instructional techniques in the study of national and world

According to the competence of «Ability to understand the issues and topics of national historiography» as the learning outcomes there were identified the following project participants:

• for the level of «Bachelor»: identify key stages in the development of historical thought, to identify general and particular in the development of foreign and national historiography, to understand, critically analyze and present the basic historiographical information to demonstrate a methodology for analyzing historiographical sources and scientific literature;
• for the level of «master»: demonstrate knowledge of modern concepts of domestic achievements of sources, national historiography, methodology of historical research, to apply the basic theory of scientific knowledge, self-isolate and solve basic philosophical problems in the study of sources, historiography, methodology of historical research, to carry out expert and analytical work in the field of sources, historiography and methods of historical research;
• for the level of «PhD»: to know the current state of historical research in the world and domestic science, demonstrate the ability to self-directed learning and the development of new methods of source and historiographical studies demonstrate the teaching methods of the national historiography, to apply the methodology of scientific research in the professional

According to the competence of «Development of skills and abilities to research activities» as the learning outcomes there were identified the following project participants:

• for the level of «Bachelor»: represent the essence and content of research, to reproduce the main scientific functions and methods of scientific research, to carry out bibliographical work using modern information technology, process the results, analyze and interpret them in the light of available scientific and source data, demonstrate skills clearance outcome of the work done in the form of reports, course works;
• for the level of «master»: be able to classify the different approaches and methods of research, to determine the content of the studied problem, its place and significance in historical knowledge, synthesize, organize, and theoretically interpret the empirical material to choose appropriate research methods to represent the results of the research work done in the form of scientific articles, designed according to the requirements, using modern means of editing and printing;
• for the level of «PhD»: be skilled in conduction of independent scientific research on the chosen theme, using the methods and methodology of scientific research; generate own new scientific ideas; share own knowledge and ideas with the scientific community, expanding the boundaries of scientific knowledge; modify existing and develop new methods, based on the specific tasks of scientific research; summarize the results of experimental research and analysis in the form of theses, articles, reports; actively use the language of modern historical science.

According to the competence of «Ability to acquire new knowledge, using modern information and communication technologies» as the learning outcomes there were identified the following project participants:

• for the level of «Bachelor»: possess the ability to describe the basic techniques of using ICT in the study of history; understand the mechanism of the use of ICT and the Internet resources in the search and retrieval of historical information; apply in practice the possibility of Internet resources and ICT in learning and teaching of history;
• for the level of «Master»: be able to describe latest achievements in the field of innovative technologies, use them in research projects;
• for the level of «PhD»: be able to classify the ways of using ICT in the study of history; critically evaluate sources of information and the possibility of their use in historical research; creatively apply knowledge of ICT in solving scientific

Therefore, competence approach is an important condition for the preparation of future teachers and history teachers of the new formation, relevant to international standards. A clear definition of the content and the ratio of competences and learning outcomes allow us to calculate the trajectory of the educational program for all three cycles, making transparent and clear to the student goals and objectives, which it faces in the learning process. In addition, student has an opportunity to actively participate in the educational process, the role of self-learning and self-evaluation increases, when the teacher and the student, graduate student, doctoral student become partners in training who equally participate in the learning process. 

This article was prepared with the financial support of the State grant «Best University teacher – 2015» Tuleuova B.T. 

References 

1. Nazarbaev A. Kazakhstan's way – 2050. The Common Aim, Common Interests, Common future, [ER]. Access mode: http://www.akorda.kz/ru/addresses/addresses_of_president/page_215750_poslanie-prezidenta-respubliki-kazakhstan-n-nazarbaevanarodu-kazakhstana-17-yanvarya-2014-g [date of the adress: 12.02.2016 г.].
2. State Program of Education Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011–2020 years, [ER]. Access mode: http://www.edu.gov.kz/ru/zakonodatelstvo/gosudarstvennaja_programma_razvitija obrazovanija/gosudarstverniajajrogramrna razvitijaobrazovanijarespubliki kazakhstan na_2011_2020_gody/ [date of the adress: 10.02.2016 г.].
3. State Program       of    development     of     education     and     science     in     2016-2019     years,     [ER].     Access     mode: http://www.edu.gov.kz/ru/gosudarstvennaya-programma-razvitiya-obrazovaniya-i-nauki-respubliki-kazahstan-na-2016-2019-gody [date of the adress: 10.03.2016 г.].
4. Plotnikov N.A. KAIU Herald, 2, 2008, [ER]. Access mode: http://www.vestnik-kafu.info/journal/14/539/ [date of the adress: 01.2016 г.].
5. Report of the International Commission of UNESCO «Learning: The Treasure, Мoscow: UNESCO, 1997, [ER]. Access mode: http://www.ifap.ru/library/book201 .pdf [date of the adress: 30.01.2016 г.].
6. State compulsory       education          standards       of       higher         education          (2012),       [ER].       Access       mode://http://www.edu.gov.kz/ru/dejatelnost/vysshee_i_poslevuzovskoe_obrazovanie/vysshee_i_poslevuzovskoeobrazovanie/soderzhanie/ [date of the adress: 12.02.2016 г.].
7. Center of Bologna process and academic mobility of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, [ER]. Access mode: http://naric-kazakhstan.kz/ru/o-bolonskom-protsesse/glossarij [date of the adress: 12.02.2016 г.].
8. The Bologna Process: European and national qualifications framework, edit. V.I.Baydenko, Мoscow,
9. Tuning in Russia, [ER]. Access mode: http://www.tuningrussia.org/index.php?lang=ru [date of the adress: 12.02.2016 г.].
10. The official website of the project TuCAHEA, [ER]. Access mode: http://www.tucahea.org/rus/ [date of the adress: 12.02.2016 г.].
11. Materials of the second plenary meeting and working Tuning Tucahea, 15–16.11.2013, [ER]. Access mode: http:// tucahea.org http://www.tuningrussia.org/index.php?lang=ru [date of the adress: 12.02.2016 г.].