The development of professional competence of primary school teachers on the refresher courses within the framework of updating the content of education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The author of the article analyzes the experience of working on the professional competence development of primary school teachers in advanced training courses in the advanced training courses curriculum for teachers in primary school subjects within the framework of training. The author connects the organization of this activity with ensuring the success of the implementation of the State Obligatory Primary Education Standard. The author comes to the conclusion that in updating the curriculum on the subject, the ability to use pedagogical approaches in accordance with the subjects’ curriculum, the understanding and application of the system of criterial evaluation. Through the description of the actions of the trainer and listeners during the course preparation and distribution with a five-component structure of the content of competence, confirming the development of the professional competence of the initial courses teachers. A special role in achieving results is given to active learning and competence approach. Attention is paid to the structure and content of the lesson in the framework of training. In conclusion of the analytical study and analysis of its position in the learning process. 

In 2015, the Republic of Kazakhstan approved the State Compulsory Standard of Primary Education (hereinafter referred to as the Standard) [1], which determined the beginning of the renewal process in the country's education system.

The peculiarity of the Standard was its development in the logic of the methodology of education, focused on the result. Therefore, for the first time in the Standard, values – national and universal have been singled out, which are common to all levels of education and are designed to become the life guides of the learner, motivating his behavior and activities [1].

These values allow you to determine the educational outcomes at the «exit» from the school and the educational areas. In the Standard, the first results are presented as broad-spectrum skills; the second results are differentiated according to linguistic subjects in accordance with the four skills of speech activity, according to the rest in accordance with the Bloom’s taxonomy.

Further steps in the development of the Standard are related to the definition of the content of education for each level of education, the system for evaluating learning outcomes and the development of curricula  and subject plans.

The described actions became the answer of Kazakhstan to the global challenges connected with the revision by different countries of their educational systems about what kind of education these systems provide for future generations.

Successful implementation of the Standard depends directly on the professional experience and competence of the teacher. Therefore, in 2015, the Center for Pedagogical Excellence of JSC «Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools» has developed an educational program for advanced training courses for teachers in primary school subjects in the framework of updating the content of secondary education in the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the Program) [2].

Courses of continuing education of primary school teachers under the Program are aimed at improving the teacher's professionalism for the implementation of the updated content. The main characteristic and indicator of the professionalism of the teacher is professional competence.

We adhere to the following definition of professional competence: «a characteristic that synthesizes the professional and personal qualities of the teacher, reflecting the level of knowledge, skills, experience necessary to solve professional problems, perform professional pedagogical functions in accordance with the norms and standards accepted in the society at the moment» [3; 19].

As O.I. Mezentseva and E.V. Kuznetsova point out [3], the development of professional competence is  a process that continues throughout the professional path, as well as the process of impact, presupposing some standard on which the subject of influence is oriented, and the education and self-education of a specialist. In this process, pedagogical universities are responsible for transferring to future specialists «historically developed, established professional knowledge and skills», and for organizations of additional adult education «the development of relevant and innovative professional competencies» [3; 24].

Let us consider how the development of the professional competence of primary school teachers in the system of higher and additional education in Kazakhstan is organized from the perspective of the correspondence of competence to the requirements of renewal.

In the State Compulsory Standard of Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the expected learning outcomes are determined on the basis of Dublin descriptors of the first level (bachelor's degree) and are expressed through competences.

Descriptors are presented as a description of the level and scope of knowledge, skills, skills and competencies acquired by students upon completion of an educational program at the appropriate level (level) of higher and postgraduate education. They are based on the results of training, formed competencies, as well as the total number of credits (credit units). In turn, competence the ability of students to the practical application of acquired in the learning process, knowledge and skills in professional activities [4].

Descriptors of the first level assume the following abilities:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the area studied, including elements of the most advanced knowledge in this field;
• apply this knowledge and understanding at the professional level;
• formulate arguments and solve problems in the area under study;
• to collect and interpret information for the formation of judgments, taking into account social, ethical and scientific considerations;
• communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists [4].

Analysis of the  Model  Curriculum  on  Higher  Education  5B010200  -  Pedagogy  and  methodology of primary education [5] shows that the list of disciplines of the mandatory component meets the requirements for updating the content of education. Graduates of the specialty will be ready to implement the Standard.

For graduates of the specialty of early years already working teachers of primary classes the environment for the development of professional competence creates a system of professional development. Let's return to the Program of advanced training courses for teachers in primary school subjects in the framework of updating the content of secondary education in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The goal of the Program is to improve teachers' pedagogical skills in the context of updating the curriculum in primary school subjects and introducing a system of criterial evaluation [2, 4].

Learning outcomes that meet the update requirements:

• knowledge and understanding by teachers of the purpose, objectives, structure and content of the curriculum in subjects;
• the ability of teachers to use pedagogical approaches, teaching materials in accordance with the curriculum in subjects;
• understanding and application by the teachers of the system of criterial evaluation to achieve the aims of education according to the curriculum in subjects;

Possession of the skills and skills necessary for the implementation of the renewed educational program for primary classes [2, 5].

Knowledge of the updated curriculum on the subject, the ability to use pedagogical approaches in accordance with the curriculum in subjects, the understanding and application of the system of criterial evaluation constitute the current and innovative content of professional competence.

On the first day, an introduction to the updated curriculum is expected. The most important issues are a review of the contents of the updated educational program and the structure of the curriculum and curricula. Learning outcomes: ability to find and highlight key points of the Program, related terminology; knowledge and understanding of the contents of Study Program and curricula; Assist in understanding the update of program content; understanding the need for new strategies in learning and teaching; understanding of the spiral educational program.

Teachers are invited to study the general sections of the educational program and the types of curricula. They compare all the programs in the subjects in order to distinguish the structure of the educational program. When examining curricula, the content of each section is determined. The coach instructs the teachers to think about the proposed program and explain how the learning and teaching will change in accordance with the updated program. The discussion is organized in an active mode, so that colleagues make as many suggestions and comments as possible [6; 16-19].

According to the curriculum of the Program [6], the theme of the second day of the first week is «Effective Learning and Teaching». The day is devoted to the study of the characteristics of effective teaching     and learning, the use of  active  forms  of  teaching  in  the  teaching  process,  organizational  requirements for the learning  environment.  This  day  is  very  important  for  realizing  that  one  of  the  characteristics  of effective teaching and learning is active learning, which is represented as learning from one's own experience.

Students are invited to discuss what active learning is, what are the consequences / problems of active learning, what distinguishes the active teacher and active student, to show and describe the basic principles  of active learning, to give examples from personal experience. At one of the sessions, the coach determines the purpose of the lesson and directs the activities of the teachers. The activity of teachers should be aimed   at the achievement of the goal, and not just on the performance of the task or training. Teachers in groups should explain how they will perform assignments, give feedback on their own ideas and discuss elements of active learning that should be included in teaching in such a development scenario. At the end of the day, teachers should know the characteristics of effective teaching and learning, be able to organize active learning, understand the active learning process, incorporate the principles of active learning in their own teaching practice, understand that learning is goal-oriented, not oriented towards the form of studies, to develop an interactive learning environment [6; 22-25].

The third day is devoted to the study of criteria-based assessment. During the school day, students become acquainted with the valuation principles, the model of criteria-based assessment, formative and summative assessment. The coach is working on the formation of:

• understanding of assessment objectives, principles, purpose and model of criterial evaluation;
• understanding the structure and model of assessment based on criteria;
• knowledge and understanding of the principles of internal summative assessment;
• knowledge and understanding of the preparation of reporting results;
• the ability to determine the evidence of achievement of selected learning objectives, to take into account the needs of individual students;
• the ability to implement the interrelationship between teaching and learning, provide constant feedback to teachers and students;
• skills of drawing up assessment

Due to the fact that the material of the third day of the Program is new for most teachers, the coach uses this form of work as a lecture. Then the teachers receive a number of tasks for group work that allow them to identify the differences between formative and cumulative assessment, find the components of good assessment, observe the learning objectives in the Study Program, curriculum and the collection of assignments for formative evaluation, plan and conduct a formal assessment of students, practice drawing up criteria and feedback on the assessment [6; 26-38].

The material of the three days is systematized and tested in the authentic situations of the fourth day, devoted to planning for the updated educational program. Then, according to the principle of helicity, this material is updated when studying the features of teaching subjects in the next two weeks of training.

Thus, it is possible to see how the professional competence of primary school teachers develops at the advanced training courses in the framework of updating the content of the education in RK, as it is evidenced by the presence of a five-component structure of competence content according to I.A. Zimnaya:

• cognitive aspect – knowledge, for example, of the characteristics of effective teaching and teaching, the essence of active learning, the principles of active learning;
• behavioral aspect – the experience of organizing active learning on the example of a specific goal or conducting a formal assessment of students;
• value-semantic aspect – the relation to the content of competence and the object of its application, which manifests itself in the discussion of changes in learning and teaching in accordance with the updated program or the creation of the image of an active teacher and an active student;
• Regulatory aspect – emotionally-volitional regulation of the process and the result of the manifestation of competence, visible in the process of group work, when teachers discuss active learning scenarios, constitute criteria and feedback on evaluation;
• the motivational aspect – readiness to display competence [7; 70].

The last component is the most complex in the formation, which is caused by a number of psychological factors [3]:

1. Teaching employees, getting into the learning situation, undergo stressful
2. Teachers of different age categories at different rates absorb the relevant knowledge, have different motivation to achieve the goal,
3. The mastering of the new role of the trainee by the educator-listener of the center of additional education potentially contains threats to status and self-esteem, causes shifts in the most «adult» hierarchy of social roles, which is connected with the «return» to some child's social role of the student, «laden» with individual psychological experiences and
4. The new system of educational communications can potentially also violate the psychological wellbeing of an adult, especially if relations with teachers are built around the school option asymmetrical, emotionally-evaluative, unconstructive or

Thus, «when organizing the process of adult education, it is necessary to specially design a favorable social situation as an adult development situation, offering new positive opportunities, safe for status and self-esteem, expanding, enriching, and not deforming the space of its life activity» [3; 99]. We believe that through the design of such a situation, conditions are effectively created for the formation of readiness for   the manifestation of competence.

This will be possible when implementing a competence approach in the system of professional development of teaching staff with the transfer of the listener from the passive consumer of knowledge to the active creator of knowledge, who knows how to formulate the problem, to analyze the ways of solving it, to find the optimal result and to prove its correctness [3; 122].

The main condition is the organization of the process of training in the courses of raising the qualification of the Program is organized as active with the shift of emphasis from professional knowledge to professional competence and subjective position of the teacher in the implementation of professional activities. Training becomes not just active, situational-positional training, which is characterized by:

1. the principle of reflexivity, involving the comprehension of the teacher's own experience, the discovery of professional-personal senses (comprehension) of educational activity and reflecting the semantic level of understanding of the teacher in professional life, the activity aspect of the formation of the professional position of the teacher (emphasis is on the reflection of innovative experience);
2. the principle of interactivity associated with the formation of value orientations of professional and pedagogical activity and reflecting the level of professional self-understanding of the teacher, the formation of his professional self-esteem;
3. the principle of projectivity, which implies the development of professional self-awareness, the assertion of one's professional position in the activity;
4. the principle of productivity associated with the formation of professional growth of the teacher's personality, expressed in internal and external products of educational activity [8].

The lesson is organized in the following order: active start (introduction to the problem, definition of own goals of educational activity) discussion of the problem (comprehension of the teacher's own experience, solution of the problem) group work (creation of new knowledge) practical activity (solution of authentic professional tasks in accordance with the requirements of updating) reflection (self-esteem, statement of professional position). The principle of subjectivity acquires the status of a leader: learning refers to the existing experience of the formation of the individual professional practice of the teacher and the organization of its reflexive analysis on the basis of the use of scientific knowledge and the construction of innovative models and it is being built taking into account the ways and  characteristics  of building its’ activities  [3; 103]. The choice of approach to the implementation of reflection depends on the style of work, the skills of the trainer and the needs of the listeners [9].

In addition, the lesson is saturated with all the elements studied that meet the requirements of the Standard: the forms of effective teaching and learning, the methods of formative evaluation, the ways of differentiation, which allows students to learn new and assess the application possibilities in the classroom in accordance with the  own capabilities and capabilities of the whole class.

Summarizing the abovementioned, we conclude that the development of professional competence of teachers in the system of additional adult education is impossible without understanding their experience, highlighting the problems in it, and organizing the process of training teachers in such a way that they are active participants in it.

References

1. O vnesenii izmenenii i dopolnenii v Postanovlenie Pravitelstva Respubliki Kazakhstan ot 23 avhusta 2012 hoda № 1080 «Ob utverzhdenii hosudarstvennykh obshcheobiazatelnykh standartov obrazovaniia sootvetstvuiushchikh urovnei obrazovaniia». Postanovlenie Pravitelstva Respubliki Kazakhstan ot 25 aprelia 2015 hoda № 327 (2012) [On introducing amendments and additions to the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan of August 23, 2012, No. 1080 «On approval of state compulsory education standards for appropriate levels of education». Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 25 April 2015 No. 327]. zan.kz. Retrieved from http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/P1500000327 [in Russian].
2. Obrazovatelnaia prohramma kursov povysheniia kvalifikatsii pedahohicheskikh kadrov po predmetam nachalnykh klassov. Rukovodstvo dlia uchitelia (2015) [Educational program of courses for the improvement of professional skills of teachers in the subjects of primary classes. A guide for the teacher]. Astana: Tsentr pedahohicheskoho masterstva AOO «Nazarbaev Intellektualnye shkoly» [in Rusian].
3. Mezenceva, O.I. & Kuznecova, E.V. (2013). Psikholoho-pedahohicheskie usloviia razvitiia professionalnoi kompetentnosti sovremennoho pedahoha [Psychological and pedagogical conditions for the development of the professional competence of a modern teacher]. Novosibirsk [in Russian].
4. O vnesenii izmenenii i dopolnenii v Postanovlenie Pravitelstva Respubliki Kazakhstan ot 23 avhusta 2012 hoda № 1080 «Ob utverzhdenii hosudarstvennykh obshcheobiazatelnykh standartov obrazovaniia sootvetstvuiushchikh urovnei obrazovaniia». Postanovlenie Pravitelstva Respubliki Kazakhstan ot 13 maia 2016 hoda № 292 (2016) [On introducing amendments and additions to the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan of August 23, 2012, No. 1080 «On approval of state compulsory education standards for appropriate levels of education». Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan of May 13, 2016 No. 292]. zan.kz. Retrieved from http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/P1600000292#14 [in Russian]
5. Ob utverzhdenii tipovykh uchebnykh planov po spetsialnostiam vyssheho i poslevuzovskoho obrazovaniia. Prikaz i.o. Ministra obrazovaniia i nauki Respubliki Kazakhstan ot 16 avhusta 2013 hoda № 343 (2013) [On the approval of model curricula for the specialties of higher and postgraduate education. Order of the Acting President. Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of  Kazakhstan  dated  August  16,  2013    343].  adilet.zan.kz.  Retrieved  from  http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V1300008636  [in Russian].
6. Obrazovatelnaia prohramma kursov povysheniia kvalifikatsii pedahohicheskikh kadrov po predmetam nachalnykh klassov. Rukovodstvo dlia trenera (2015) [Educational program for advanced training courses for teachers in primary school subjects. A guide for the coach]. Astana: Tsentr pedahohicheskoho masterstva AOO «Nazarbaev Intellektualnye shkoly» [in Russian].
7. Zemcova, V.   (2006).   Professionalno-metodicheskaia   kompetentnost   primeneniia   aktivnykh   metodov   obucheniia  v professionalnoi podhotovke pedahohov [Vocational-methodical competence of the use of active teaching methods in the professional training of teachers]. Kompetentnost i problemy ee formirovaniia v sisteme nepreryvnoho obrazovaniia – Competence and the problems of its formation in the system of continuous education (school – university – postgraduate education). Proceedings from Actual problems of the quality of education and ways to solve them: ΧVΙ nauchno-metodicheskaia konferentsiia – ΧVΙ Scientific and Methodological Conference. (рр. 68–75). I.A. Zimnaya (Ed.). Moscow: Issledovatelskii tsentr problem kachestva podgotovki spetsialistov [in Russian].
8. Urinova, F.U. & Otazhonov, Zh.M. K probleme situatsionno-pozitsionnoho obucheniia pedahohov sistemy povysheniia kvalifikatsii [To the problem of situational and positional training of teachers of the system of advanced training]. ru. Retrieved from http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/k-probleme-situatsionno-pozitsionnogo-obucheniya-pedagogov-sistemy-povysheniyakvalifikatsii#ixzz4C8rxobnO [in Russian].
9. Shubakova, K.I. (2014). Razvitie refleksivnykh navykov uchitelei na kursakh povysheniia kvalifikatsii: iz opyta trenera [Development of reflexive skills of teachers in the courses of advanced training: from the experience of the trainer]. Үzdіksіz  bіlіm zharshysy – Orleu. Vesti nepreryvnoho obrazovaniia, No. 4(7), 101–105 [in Russian].