Final State Examination Research Articles

Professional deficits of teachers in the field of subject competencies (Russian), manifested in the conditions of digital transformation of education

Introduction. The relevance of the research undertaken is determined by the fact that the ambiguous VUCA world creates a changeable and complex environment of the modern educational system, in which there is an obvious gap between the needs of the digital economy and the content of school education, as a result of which new professional deficits of teachers arise, including subject ones. Purpose of the study is analysis and generalization of the results of the monitoring of professional issues of teachers in the field of subject competences (Russian language), manifested in the context of the digital transformation of education. Materials and methods. The main research methods are a survey of 1075 Russian language teachers from Belgorod, Volgograd, Lipetsk, Rostov, Krasnodar, Stavropol regions, including Chechen Republic (by Google-forms); method of scaling empirical data; interpretation method. Research results. Data were obtained on the different degrees of severity of professional deficits in Russian language teachers, which are manifested in the context of the digital transformation of education. There was a lack of awareness of teachers about the components of the methodological system (more than 50%) in the field of methodological competencies; on the means of individualization, differentiation of educational programs; on the principles of teaching the Russian language (over 60%). We state small deficits associated with ideas about meta and subject skills (more than 20%), about the structure of the Final State Examination (less than 20%). Problematic issue is knowledge in the field of theoretical foundations of the morphemic structure of a word, its word-formation capabilities (more than 70%) in the field of subject competences; transitional phenomena in the field of morphology (more than 60%), syntactic connections and relationships (more than 50%). The scientific novelty of the research is in fixing and stating whether teachers of the Russian language have professional issues (methodological and subject). The obtained results of the research can be used in the organization of a multilateral system of support for teaching staff in the subject area "Russian language".

Methodological foundations for the implementation of a new format of the final state exam for graduates of the bachelor’s program in pedagogical education

This article deals with the problem of the revision of the content and form of the final state examination for the graduates, who are majoring in “Pedagogical Education”. The existing approaches to final tests are normalized, and a new format for the final state examination is determined. A model of an examination task, which is introduced in the present work as a fund assignment, is based on the efficient combination of systemic, activity, and competence-based approaches. Methodological foundations for the assessment of universal fund assignments are determined, which can be implemented for the evaluation of the graduates’ competencies in various disciplines of pedagogical education. The authors come to the conclusion that the combination of fund assignments, their specification, and test variants for the disciplines of the subject training for graduates determine the content of the evaluation tools for conducting the final state exam.

Is there a point? Teachers’ perceptions of a policy incentivizing the study of advanced mathematics

ABSTRACT A growing body of international research has highlighted the importance of students studying mathematics at an advanced level. In Ireland, the subject has been assigned a special status with the introduction of an education policy called the Bonus Points Initiative (BPI) in 2012. Students are now awarded an extra 25 points in their final State examination results if they achieve ≥40% in advanced/Higher Level (HL) mathematics. This incentive has had a noticeable impact and the numbers opting for HL mathematics in the final State examination have increased from 15.8% in 2011 to 32.9% in 2019. While this is undoubtedly a positive development, there has been little research about any knock-on effects regarding the teaching and learning of the subject. This article examines HL mathematics teachers’ (n = 266) perceptions of the BPI. The findings reveal many mixed opinions with more teachers (46%) agreeing with the initiative than disagreeing (27%), recognizing advantages such as increasing numbers and rewarding students. However, issues perceived by teachers such as questionable student motivation and the negative impact on the pace of lessons appear to be key reasons for a majority of teachers recommending a review (56%) or discontinuation (23%) of the initiative.

State Examination as a Way to Assess Postgraduate Students’ Teaching Competencies

The article discusses the system for developing and assessing teaching competencies of PhD program graduates. The experience of Russian universities in conducting the final state examination in postgraduate schools is considered. The authors analyze the options for the distribution of the competencies being assessed between the two parts of the final state certification of postgraduate students: the state examination and the defense of their research report. The system developed and implemented at Lobachevsky University for postgraduate students’ step-by-step training for a teaching career at a higher education institution is discussed in detail, including: 1) theoretical training in the framework of the discipline “Psychology and Pedagogy of Higher Education”, 2) teaching practice, 3) preparation of a study manual based on the results of the postgraduate student’s dissertation research, and its defense at the final state examination. Assessments of the practice-oriented format of the state examination by postgraduate students are presented.

Tracking the University Student Success: Statistical Quality Assessment

Higher education institutions are continually striving to make education relevant to the working environment students will encounter upon graduation. One of the tools for enhancing an institution’s quality and sufficiently informing students about their outcomes and learning opportunities is a quality assessment. Quality assessment is a long process which establishes measurable student learning outcomes, then analyses and interprets them. This enables students to receive feedback on their learning and helps them to improve their performance. The authors’ objective was to gather empirical data on students´ learning in order to improve the process of learning and to refine study programmes. A longitudinal study was used to observe students’ performance and outcomes from entrance exams to state exams. Statistical analysis revealed that there is a correlation between the results of the admission tests and the study results, especially the connection between the results of the entrance test and the chance of successful completion of studies. No statistically significant correlation was found between the overall results of military students’ studies. An interesting issue is a comparison between military and civilian students, as well as civilian students´ results. As a continuous process, assessment of students’ performance was observed up until the Final State Examination.

INTEGRATION PROBLEMS OF PREPARATION OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTO THE EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL AREA

This article describes the main points and problems of future physical education teachers, their preparation and the ways to achieve it. Theoretical analysis, generalization and comparison of normatively legal documents and scientifically methodical literature is conducted analyzing the problem occurring during professional process of education of physical training teacher. The basic points of professional preparation of future physical trainers and sports specialists in context of integration according to euro standards is outlined here: imperfection of the system of national student mobility, absence of choice programs for achieving associates and bachelors degrees, significant allocation of educational disciplines, short pedagogical practice, absence of material teacher compensation and pedagogical leaders. For realization of academic mobility of students the standard of higher education, educationally-professional program and base curriculum normative part that would be identical for all higher educational establishments (amount of credits, sequence of study of disciplines, graphic arts of educational process), is needed. During the transition of studies from one educational direction to another there must be reasonable limits. students of contiguous major should be allowed to get masters degree. The process of integration of educational disciplines in Ukraine, as a rule, carries mechanical character, that does not allow: to group material logically and compactly, to prevent duplication of educational material into a course, to shorten its volume; to generalize similar material from different areas into one theme; to attain knowledge integrity. Summarizing the tendencies of improvement of organization and realization of pedagogical practice in foreign higher educational establishments it is necessary to make the following changes to the process of pedagogical practice in Ukraine: duration of practice should be planned during a separate semester or school year in the final graduation year; partially share practice responsibility with the pedagogical school stuff with corresponding payment or school should include pedagogical practice results into teachers score during attestation; to include results of students pedagogical practice into final score during final state examination.

Preparation of Reflective Teachers (Analyses of the Final Reflective and Self-Reflective Tasks Written by Students of Teaching Profession)

Tomkova Anna, Preparation of Reflective Teachers (Analyses of the Final Reflective and Self- Reflective Tasks Written by Students of Teaching Profession) (Przygotowanie refleksyjnych nauczycieli (Analiza autorefleksji i refleksji koncowych pisanych przez studentow studiow nauczycielskich)). Studia Edukacyjne nr 31, 2014, Poznan 2014, pp. 323-338. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISBN 978-83-232-2781-6. ISSN 1233-6688 This paper presents an analyses of the final reflective and self-reflective tasks written by students of the lower primary school teacher training. These tasks are included in the Final pedagogical portfo- lio, which students defend at the final state examination. Students use them to reflect on their work, to present themselves as new teachers, to reflect on their journey on becoming a teacher, describe important landmarks and results of their preparation, including their conception of teaching, and other goals related to their professional development. In the final part of the paper, we formulate recommendations for future development of pre-graduate preparation of future lower primary school teachers, including the suggestions regarding the format of the final state examination.

The Role of the Judiciary in Germany

In 1971, upon the conclusion of my university studies and my first state examination, and before sitting for my second (final) state examination, I commenced my practical training as a so-called Referendar at the Amtsgericht (local district court) in Gettorf, near Kiel. It was a very small court, employing only one judge who was responsible in this position for all legal cases. In addition, a total of approximately 20 other employees were working there. The court had no electric typewriter, and no copying machine. When a copy had to be made, the document was literally transcribed in the true sense of the word. Later, after my second and final state examination, I started my services as a judge at the Landgericht (regional court) in Bremen, a court with approximately 60 judges and a total of approximately 200 employees. It was not a matter of course that each judge had a telephone of his/her own. Moreover, connections to the outside world were frequently only possible through the general telephone exchange. One office had to be shared by several judges. Dictating machines were available, but not taken for granted. On the contrary, as a rule it was the usual practice for a clerk to take the minutes—even in cases for which the Code of Procedure did not specifically require this.

Prof. W. Einthoven, for. Mem. R.S

PROF. WILLEM EINTHOVEN, whose death on Sept 28 at the age of sixty-eight years has been announced, was one of the foremost of modern physiologists. For nearly forty-two years he has been professor of physiology at Leyden, Holland, being invited to succeed Heynsius in November 1885, and actually taking up his duties, after passing his final State examination in medicine, on Feb. 24, 1886. For the first twenty years of his office the chair of physiology was combined with that of histology.