Training and advanced training of university teachers in Russia is not given as much attention as in foreign countries. For example, in the USA, a full-time university professor receives paid leave for 1 year for self-education and internships in research centers, and in Europe, qualified teachers of technical educational institutions are entered in a special register. According to Russian legislation, since 1997, the mandatory assignment of the qualification “Teacher of Higher Education” has been introduced, within the framework of which a scientific and pedagogical specialist must acquire knowledge and skills in the field of pedagogy. Advanced training mainly takes place at large universities and academies.
How to become a university teacher?
In the Russian and foreign practice of training personnel for universities, the self-replenishment method is traditional: teachers are usually young people who have received higher educationat the same department of an institute, academy or university and enrolled in the graduate school of the alma mater. If earlier in the preparation of such specialists the main attention was paid to issues of profile or subject orientation, then starting from 1997 the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation included pedagogy as a mandatory discipline containing requirements for the level of training and professional skills.
This standard is called High School Teacher. This work program can be implemented in any university. However, the management of most educational institutions considers the training of specialists for teaching as a secondary factor, so this program often has to be mastered in other institutes and universities on a paid basis. Studying can be combined with postgraduate work. The qualification "Teacher of higher education" serves as an additional qualification to the main one (master's or bachelor's degree) and is certified by a diploma. Those employees who have been accepted to the position of assistant (the initial teaching position at the university) must also be trained under this program.
Stages of training specialists in higher education
Training teachers of institutes and universities through master's and postgraduate studies includes several stages:
- professional selection among the most talented students and graduate students, diagnostics for aptitude;
- training to obtain the right to conduct professional activities at a university or the assignment of additional qualifications (master's, postgraduate, professionalretraining of higher education teachers at institutes and faculties for advanced training);
- pedagogical adaptation, internship, work as a teacher during the first year of activity (assistant internship), integration of pedagogical competencies.
Engineering Training Centers
Training of qualified teachers for modern higher education can be done in many educational institutions. Engineering pedagogy centers have been created for technical specialists.
Among them are several universities accredited to provide training in the system of the Austrian international society IGIP in engineering pedagogy: MSTU. Bauman (Moscow), MADI (Moscow), KSTU TsPPKP (Kazan), FEFU (Vladivostok, Ayaks village), Moscow State Agrarian University. V. P. Goryachkina (Moscow), PNRPU (Perm), St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, TSTU (Tambov), NITPU (Tomsk), RGPPU (Yekaterinburg), IRGUPS (Irkutsk).
Other learning centers
There are also universities and universities in the humanities where you can get a teacher's qualification:
- Higher School of Economics (Moscow).
- MSU them. Lomonosov (Faculty of Pedagogical Education).
- Kazan Federal University.
- MGOU and other institutions.
Most often, graduate students study within the walls of their own universities or in their central branches. The educational program can be both paid andfree. The duration of training for the retraining of higher education teachers can range from 300 to 1000 hours. Institutions where training and retraining, advanced training are carried out must have a license to conduct educational activities.
There are also distance courses that allow you to qualify as a teacher of higher education (educational portal "Infourok", "Educational and Methodological Portal", "Capital Training Center" and others). In some educational institutions, students can learn the additional profession of a teacher at the same time while studying for a master's degree.
Professional development
Continuous professional development is a necessary condition for the competence of a higher education teacher. When applying for a job, the employer may require documents (certificate or diploma) on the completion of advanced training courses over the past 5 years. The right to receive such additional training for scientific and pedagogical workers of state universities is also enshrined in federal law FZ No. 273. This provision is stipulated in the charters of most Russian universities.
Newly graduated graduate students are not required to take these courses, but are allowed on the personal initiative of the employee. In the latter case, advanced training can be carried out within the framework of contracts between individuals or legal entities with the relevant educational institutions. Guarantees of additional training can also be established by local governmentsmunicipal areas.
Where can I improve my skills?
In large universities and research centers there are "Schools of pedagogical excellence", as a rule, intended for novice teachers. The purpose of their activities is to help in mastering knowledge and skills in the field of pedagogy, didactics and psychology.
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Form of advanced training
Study can take place both with a break from the main job (at the same time, the employee retains a place and an average salary, travel expenses are paid), and part-time.
In any case, the total duration of work and training should not exceed the norms of working hours established by labor legislation.
Main curriculum content
When studying under the program "Teacher of Higher Education" they study the disciplines and questions listed below.
Pedagogy of higher education:
- its place in the system of sciences, methodological foundations;
- education system (models of education, history and features at various stages, organizational moments, types of educational institutions and their foundationscontrols);
- general methodological principles and trends in the formation of higher education in Russia and abroad;
- methods of development and education of the individual in the framework of teaching at the university;
- methodology and technology of the educational process;
- functions of the teacher;
- innovative information technologies in education;
- GEF concepts.
Psychology:
- basics of personality psychology;
- social psychology;
- problems of education and upbringing;
- features of adolescence;
- psychodidactics (diagnostics of personality creativity, cognitive development);
- conflict management (methods of diagnosing and resolving them, cultivating a tolerant personality of a student).
Additional disciplines
As part of the teaching of the course "Teacher of Higher Education" other disciplines are also studied:
- Legal and normative acts regulating educational activities and requirements for the qualification of a teacher, labor protection in an institution.
- Ethics in pedagogical activity.
- Economics of the system of higher and postgraduate education.
The required level of knowledge is regulated by the “State requirements for the minimum content and level of training for obtaining the additional qualification “Teacher of Higher Education”, adopted in the Russian Federation in 2001. Additional disciplines may be introduced in various educational institutions.
Acquired Skills
To carry out professional activities, a teacher of higher education must have a number of skills and abilities:
- using the basics and current trends of the relevant scientific field in which training is conducted;
- presentation of the material in conjunction with other disciplines;
- applying cultural and ethical foundations to educate students;
- mastery of scientific research methods, their organization;
- conducting educational and methodological work (drawing up methodological developments, tests, exercises, workshops and other materials);
- ability to use a variety of educational technologies, including computer;
- formation of students' skills of self-acquisition of knowledge, use of scientific and technical literature;
- develop students' professional thinking and creativity.
He must also know and practice the methods of mental and emotional self-regulation in conflict situations.
Functions of a university teacher
Contrary to popular belief, the pedagogical activity of a teacher of higher education is not limited to conducting lectures, laboratory and practical work. One of its main functions is educational. The teacher must also be able to maintain active communication with students, self-correct and improve their work.
There are other teacher functions:
- control of the educational process and constant study of the spiritual sphere and interests, character andemotional state of students;
- awakening students' interest in the subject, stimulating activity, using the acquired knowledge for practical purposes;
- constructive function - the ability to organize the educational process with the greatest efficiency (selection of materials, choice of teaching methods and forms of conducting classes, structuring the course);
- conducting research (the ability to formulate a problem, formulate a hypothesis, solve research problems, create your own creative laboratory);
- cognitive function (accumulation of knowledge, work with literature and other sources of information);
- development of the strategic direction of educational activities, designation of the ultimate goal, solving problems taking into account the specialization of students, establishing relationships with other disciplines.
Personal qualities
Working as a university teacher is a creative activity that requires constant self-improvement not only in the subject activity, but also in the cultural field. Kindness, justice, humanity, honesty, diligence should be the main moral guidelines of teaching activity. The personality of a teacher of higher education, his personal qualities contribute to the formation of students' attitudes towards the discipline taught and the educational process as a whole.
Youthful age is characterized by rudeness and irascibility, therefore, such qualities of a university teacher as endurance, ability toown your emotions. Establishing a friendly and trusting contact between a teacher and a student helps to strengthen the feeling of social security, which is required for the normal existence of an individual in society. To a certain extent, this helps the formation of moral values and attitudes used by graduates in life later, after graduation.
Pedagogical tact
One of the most important personal qualities of an employee of higher education is pedagogical tact. It is as follows:
- showing respect for the student and demanding at the same time;
- firmness in guiding the work of students and creating conditions for the development of their independence and creative abilities;
- reasonable requirements and attentive attitude to the mental and emotional state of students in higher education;
- showing confidence in students;
- business tone, lack of familiarity.
These qualities of a teacher largely depend on the breadth of his outlook, culture and civic position.
