The paper discusses the opportunities and limitations of using the systematic synergetic approach to pedagogical research. The main emphasis is on the adaptation of synergetic ideas, as a new cognitive model in educational content, and application of its mathematical apparatus to studying and managing the educational process. The author maintains that the above approach application should not be limited by a mere rephrasing of pedagogical concepts, it is meant to become the effective tool for studying the pedagogical phenomena and assisting the analysis, evaluation and transformation of educational process. As a result, the adaptation of the given ideas can provide the more profound interpretation of pedagogical concepts, development of new models of educational content, identification of hidden patterns of educational process, facilitation of educational system modeling, prognostication of its development and management. The author regards the adaptation of synergetic ideas as the innovative trend of scientific and educational research, considering it along with the positive impact of dialectics,- both concepts being the interrelated and complementary ways of comprehending the regularities and laws of educational process

At the time of educational system reorganization, the higher school’s fast response to the changing personal, labor market and society demands becomes even more relevant. The content flexibility of educationalcurricula and graduates’ qualification are regarded as the main criteria for the budget funding of a particular educational institution. The paper considers the ways for overcoming the Russian higher school’s problems, and improving the competitiveness and education quality assurance. As a solution, the author puts forward the priority selection aimed at improving the education quality in a particular institution and university complex. The above algorithm involves the two following stages: first, the necessary activities are rated according to their prospective impact; then the selected list of actions and implementation sequences are specified considering the maximum productivity of the resources and efforts applied. The author recommends the expert assessment method for conducting the first stage procedure, and Pareto method for the last one. The application of the priority selection algorithm is exemplified by the procedures conducted in Ural State University of Railway Transport. The research data can be of interest to the heads of educational institutions and university complexes.

The paper investigates the potential of the intelligent data processing tools presently implemented by economists, marketers and business analytics for solving the economic problems of synthesis and prognostication of financial processes based on quantitative and qualitative indicators.
The adaptation of the above methods for pedagogical data processing and implementation in educational process can improve the education management quality and control. The paper presents the theoretical and practical aspects of the intelligent data analysis in pedagogy, the relevance of the problem being substantiated.
The author looks at the origination and formation of the intelligent data analysis and gives the estimation examples of qualitative characteristics of teaching process, as well as the students’ personal characteristics based on the Data mining resources. The author recommends the ways for developing the patterns underlying the Data mining methods. The given approach in combination with the modern software tools can provide the data processing related to education management, i.e. pedagogical monitoring, identification of aspects affecting educational outcomes, early correction of educational department activities, etc.

The paper is devoted to methodology problems concerning the higher art school training. The authors emphasize the role of academic drawing in educational process, its impact on developing the substantive perception and professional thinking of architects and designers, and the importance of fundamental assignments for the training quality assurance. The skill of academic graphics is a prime necessity for any artwork and architecture project. Both the designers and architects use the academic drawing as
an instrument for convincing presentations of their concepts and plans. The developed skill of academic drawing can be achieved by means of the verified training techniques, given the adequate amount of time allocated for mastering the skill.
The paper singles out the negative trends in modern designers and architects’ training: insufficient attention to the course of academic drawing in educational plans and curricula, ignoring the strict methodological sequence of academic assignments, violation of didactic principles, cutting down the academic hours, lack of psychological and pedagogical training received by the art teachers.
In conclusion, the authors give a number of methodological recommendations that might be of interest to the curricula developers and teachers of the higher art schools, art faculties and departments.

The paper is devoted to the tutoring system in the modern high school. The system in question is based on the complex developmental educational technology of personalized teaching, aimed at identifying students’ educational motives and interests, and creating individual training programs and educational reflection. The important role is given to the tutor’s competence both in profile teaching and creating the comfortable communicative and stimulating educational environment. The author reveals the structural and functional implementation model of tutoring technologies, and observes its performance in the course of education quality monitoring of senior students in the profile high schools. The effectiveness of the personalized tutor technology system is demonstrated in three different aspects: the students’ education quality and communicative educational activity; development of tutors’ competence in monitoring the profile education quality; and students’ self-assessment and professional self-determination. The experimental research demonstrates that the implementation model of tutor technologies facilitates education quality improvement in the high school. 

The paper continues the authors’ previous publication (№ 6 (105), 2013) addressing the issue of quality assessment of educational outcomes in the Russian higher school. The research analyzes the approaches to creating and selecting the appropriate ways and means for the level assessment of the acquired disciplinary competences and their components – the disciplinary competence elements (DCEs); and demonstrates the structure of the conformity matrix of DCEs and corresponding educational outcomes. In addition, the algorithm of filling the matrix is illustrated along with the correlation of diagnostic indices and ratings with the assessment scales; the decoding algorithm of the unconditional testing procedure is described including the computation examples and outcome analysis. In conclusion, the authors consider the implementation options of the conditional testing procedure; analyze the related advantages, disadvantages, and proper conditions; and give recommendations for applying the given research materials.

The paper is devoted to the scientific and educational cooperation of Russia and China. Over the last two decades it has developed dramatically due to the constant support of the countries’ leaders and resulted
in a large number of agreements in scientific, technical, educational and cultural spheres. The partnership involves the joint research programs, training programs, scientific and educational activities, mutual support of academic mobility of teachers and students, international conferences, workshops, contests of innovative projects and students’ festivals. The research methodology combines general scientific methods of logical
cognition, analysis and synthesis, and statistic methods of selection, combination, comparison and generalization. The paper demonstrates the dynamics of Chinese students graduated in Russia from 1950 to 2013 and Russian students graduated in China in the last thirteen years, as well as the
related prognoses for 2020.

The partnership between Russia and China in educational sphere has a strategic importance for economic stability and steady development of both countries in the nearest and distant future, given the globalization processes, complicated international situation, etc. However, there still remains a considerable potential for the reciprocal friendly cooperation in educational and cultural spheres. The author emphasizes a need for further exploration and development of the intellectual exchange mechanisms and effectiveness of the process.

The paper demonstrates the rising importance of further education in the context of market economy. The fast changing reality of the postindustrial information society dictates the necessity of developing and
mastering different models of further education. The problem of training and retraining the competitive domestic specialists has become even more urgent due to the membership of Russia in the International Trade Organization. The system of further education can become the key element in solving the above
problem providing the employees’ competence adaptation to the ever changing market demands.
The research is aimed at studying the ways of improving the employees’ competitiveness in the secondary vocational institutions of the regional level, the competitive specialist concept being defined, organizational and pedagogical conditions facilitating the formation of such specialists denoted. The basic training model developed for the regional market is revealed along with its practical implementation in the Further Training Department of Novocherkassk State Industrial Humanitarian College. In the author’s opinion, the effectiveness of further education structures depends on the advancing educational content, formation of required professional competences, orientation on the personal development and individualization of educational process

The paper deals with the innovative educational concept of teaching the foreign languages to the senior university students. The research methodology is based on M. Bennett’s model of intercultural sensitivity
development necessary for the gradual transformation of ethnocentrism into ethno-relativism. The development of students’ relativistic perception of national stereotypes is perceived by the author as an important factor of both the natural cognitive mechanism and intercultural communication. The author argues that relativistic perception of national stereotypes can be achieved by fostering the intercultural world outlook, and therefore recommends incorporating a relativistic world view component in educational content structure along with the traditional components of knowledge, skills, attitudes, motives, creative activity expertise, etc.
The paper emphasizes three consequent educational modules of ethnodifferentiation, ethno-integration and ethno-relativity in the proposed methodological system. The gradual fulfillment of educational goals, related
to the above modules, can ensure the transformation of students’ perception of national stereotypes at the cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels. The proposed educational concept, approbated in the German
Language Department of Zabaykalsky State University in 2010 – 2013, along with the research data prove the effectiveness of the given method, and demonstrate a substantial development of students’ intercultural competence and a decline in the ethnocentrism level.

The paper discusses a model of social teachers’ training for the higher school, and analyzes its approbation in several Ukrainian higher schools. The author accentuates the general pedagogical and special training
principles, applied in the teaching course, and denotes the main criteria of the future teaches’ readiness for professional activity. The research conclusions demonstrate that the social teacher training for the Master of Education degree involves the following factors: developed social educational network, pedagogical content guidance, intensification of training processes, motivation for professional self-development, and pedagogical
identification. The pedagogical content guidance and training process intensification imply the combination of psycho-pedagogical disciplines and other professional courses, elaboration of didactic materials, educational
forms and methods. The pedagogical professional identification and motivation development provides the integrity of the value oriented, operational, and reflective components. The development of pedagogical identification is regarded as a complex dynamic phenomenon similar to socialization processes with their consequent stages of trust, autonomy, initiative, achievement, identity, creativity, and integrity.