The training and professional development 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 internship in research centers, and in Europe, qualified teachers of technical educational institutions are entered in a special register. According to Russian law, since 1997, mandatory qualification “Higher School Teacher” has been introduced, within the framework of which a scientific and pedagogical specialist should receive knowledge and skills in the field of pedagogy. Further training mainly occurs in large universities and academies.
How to become a university teacher?
In Russian and foreign practice of training personnel for universities, the self-completion method is traditional: teachers are usually young people who have received higher education at the same department of an institute, academy, or university and entered graduate school at alma mater. If earlier in the preparation of such specialists the main attention was paid to issues of profile or subject orientation, since 1997 the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation has included pedagogy as a compulsory discipline containing requirements for the level of training and professional skills.
This standard is called the “High School Teacher”. This work program can be implemented at any university. However, the leadership of most educational institutions considers the preparation of specialists for teaching activities as a secondary factor, therefore this program often has to be mastered in other institutes and universities on a paid basis. Study can be combined with work in graduate school. The qualification "Teacher of higher education" serves as an additional to the main (master or bachelor's degree) and is certified by a diploma. Those employees who were accepted to the position of assistant (initial teaching position at the university) should also be trained under this program.
Stages of training specialists in higher education
The training of teachers of institutes and universities through master's and postgraduate courses includes several stages:
- professional selection among the most talented students and graduate students, diagnostics for professional suitability;
- training for obtaining the right to conduct professional activities at a university or the appropriation of additional qualifications (master's degree, postgraduate studies, professional retraining of teachers of higher schools at institutes and faculties for advanced training);
- pedagogical adaptation, internship, work as a teacher during the first year of activity (internship of assistants), integration of pedagogical competencies.
Engineering Training Centers
Qualified teachers for modern higher education can be trained in many educational institutions. Centers of engineering pedagogy have been created for technical specialists.
Among them are several universities that are accredited to conduct training on the system of the Austrian international society IGIP in engineering pedagogy: MSTU. Bauman (Moscow), MADI (Moscow), KSTU CPPKP (Kazan), FEFU (Vladivostok, a.Ayaks), MGAU im. V.P. Goryachkina (Moscow), PNPIU (Perm), St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, TSTU (Tambov), NITPU (Tomsk), RGPPU (Yekaterinburg), IRGUPS (Irkutsk).
Other training centers
There are also universities and universities of the humanitarian direction, where you can get the teacher qualifications:
- Higher School of Economics (Moscow).
- Moscow State University Lomonosov (faculty of teacher education).
- Kazan Federal University.
- MGOU and other institutions.
Most often, graduate students study in the walls of their own universities or in their central branches. The educational program can be either paid or free. The duration of training for retraining teachers of higher education can be from 300 to 1000 hours. Institutions where training and retraining, advanced training is 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 methodical 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 the title of master.
Training
Continuous professional development is a prerequisite for the competence of a teacher of higher education. When employing, the employer may require documents (certificate or diploma) on the completion of continuing education 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 Federal Law No. 273. This provision is stipulated in the charters of most Russian universities.
Newly graduate students do not need to take these courses, but they are allowed on the personal initiative of the employee. In the latter case, further training can be carried out under contracts of individuals or legal entities with relevant educational institutions. Guarantees of additional training can also be established by local authorities of municipal areas.
Where can I improve my skills?
In large universities and research centers there are "Schools of pedagogical excellence", as a rule, intended for beginning teachers. The purpose of their activity is to help acquire knowledge and skills in the field of pedagogy, didactics and psychology.
To improve the subject area of knowledge, training is organized on the basis of academies, industry and regional institutes, continuing education courses, training centers (ANO DPO, FPK MGPPU, Institute for Advanced Studies and Retraining at MGOU, Interregional Academy of Continuing Professional Education and other educational institutions).
Continuing education forms
Education can take place both with a separation 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 labor activity and training should not exceed the norms of working time established by labor legislation.
The main content of the curriculum
When studying under the program "Higher School Teacher" they study the disciplines and questions listed below.
Higher Education Pedagogy:
- its place in the system of sciences, methodological foundations;
- education system (education models, history and features at various stages, organizational issues, types of educational institutions and the basics of their management);
- general methodological principles and trends in the formation of higher education in Russia and abroad;
- methods of personality development and education in the framework of university teaching;
- educational methodology and technology;
- teacher functions;
- innovative information technologies in education;
- GEF concepts.
Psychology:
- basics of personality psychology;
- social Psychology;
- problems of training and education;
- features of adolescence;
- psychodidactics (diagnosis of personality creativity, cognitive development);
- conflict management (methods for their diagnosis and resolution, education of a student’s tolerant personality).
Additional disciplines
Other disciplines are also being studied as part of teaching the Higher Education Teacher course:
- Legal and regulatory acts regulating educational activities and requirements for teacher qualifications, labor protection in the institution.
- Ethics in pedagogical activity.
- Economics of higher and postgraduate education.
The necessary level of knowledge is regulated by the "State requirements for a minimum content and the level of training for additional qualifications" Higher School Teacher "adopted in the Russian Federation in 2001. Additional disciplines may be introduced in various educational institutions.
Acquired skills
To carry out professional activities, a higher education teacher must possess a number of skills and abilities:
- using the basics and current trends of the relevant scientific field in which the training is being conducted;
- presentation of the material in conjunction with other disciplines;
- application of cultural and ethical foundations for the education of students;
- possession of research methods, their organization;
- conducting educational and methodical work (preparation of methodological developments, tests, exercises, workshops and other materials);
- ability to use a variety of educational technologies, including computer;
- the formation of students' skills of independent knowledge acquisition, the use of scientific and technical literature;
- development of students' professional thinking and creative abilities.
He must also know and put into 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 higher education teacher is not limited only to lectures, laboratory and practical work. One of its main functions is educational. The teacher should also be able to maintain active communication with students, make self-correction and improve their work.
There are other teacher functions:
- control of the educational process and constant study of the spiritual sphere and the interests, character and emotional state of students;
- Awakening students' interest in the subject, stimulating activity, using the knowledge gained 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 work (the ability to pose 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);
- elaboration of the strategic orientation of educational activity, designation of the ultimate goal, solving problems taking into account the specialization of students, establishing relationships with other disciplines.
Personal qualities
Work as a university teacher is a creative activity that requires constant self-improvement not only in substantive activity, but also in the cultural field. The main moral guidelines for teaching should be kindness, justice, humanity, honesty, hard work. The personality of the teacher of higher education, his personal qualities contribute to the formation of students' attitudes towards the taught discipline and the educational process as a whole.
Rudeness and temper are characteristic of adolescence, therefore, such qualities of a university teacher as endurance, the ability to control one’s emotions acquire special importance. The establishment of a friendly and confidential contact between the teacher and the student helps to strengthen the sense of social security that is required for the normal existence of the 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 beat
One of the most important personal qualities of a higher school employee is pedagogical tact. It is as follows:
- showing respect for the student and at the same time demanding;
- firmness in guiding students' work and creating conditions for the development of their independence and creative abilities;
- reasonableness of requirements and attentive attitude to the mental and emotional state of students in a higher educational institution;
- display of trust in students;
- business tone, lack of familiarity.
These qualities of a teacher largely depend on the breadth of his horizons, culture and civic position.