Introduction. Today, the competencies that every university graduate should possess upon graduation form the basis of present Federal State Educational Standards for Higher Education (FSES HE). Despite publicly expressed criticism by many representatives of scientific community about the competency-based approach implementation as it is realized at the Russian higher school, however, it continues to be approved as the basic approach that generates a number of negative consequences.

The aim of the publication is to discuss the importance and adequacy of professional knowledge, skills and professional competencies that are formed in the process of higher education.

Methodology and research methods. The comparative analysis, synthesis and generalization of the contents of the Russian and foreign documents and publications describing the theory and practice of application of the competency-based approach in the system of the higher education were used.

Results. Key provisions of the law “On Education in the Russian Federation”, FSES HE, professional standards, materials of the European Tuning and the European Qualification Framework and other sources, disclosing the essence, purposes and problems of university preparation, have been considered and compared. It is shown that the main focus on professional competencies to the detriment of professional knowledge and skills leads to contradictions in the normative framework of the Russian higher education, complicates a possibility of diagnostics of its results and generates some other serious problems. Finally, the author concludes that primary orientation to skills and knowledge corresponds not only to traditions of university education, but also to the interests of university graduates who need to have a strong base for “education throughout all life”; as well as the requests from employers provided in professional standards.

Practical significance. The author withdraws a well-grounded statement that the approach based on a triad of “knowledge-skills-competencies”, precisely in the specified hierarchical order, would provide an opportunity to plan educational programs more effectively and to achieve the strategic objective of the higher education – to prepare the participants for creation of the society of knowledge and knowledge-based economy.

Introduction. In the educational systems of different countries, much experience has been gained regarding the use of project-based learning. This method is an alternative to traditional lecture-based learning: it helps to pull together a theoretical training material with real life; additionally, it changes the roles of pupils and teachers: students become active fully-competent subjects of an educational process, whereas teachers organize, supervise and direct this process, but do not transfer readily available information.

The aim of the publication is an analytical review of the cases of application of project-based learning in Finland, France, Australia, China and the USA, which were described in the articles of foreign peer-reviewed journals.

Methodology and research methods. The methodological framework of the present research is based on systemic and active approaches. The general scientific methods of comparative analysis, synthesis and generalization were applied. The case study method was chosen as a basic tool of the research.

Results. A brief background to the history of the genesis and development of project-based learning is given. The emphasized features of various approaches to project-based learning application are different in their orientation towards the solution of certain tasks, as well as in the possibilities for selecting goals and means for implementing specific projects. The case studies in Finnish universities are worked out for the development of social skills of students; however, students can choose both the goals and tools of project activities by themselves. The industrial project method has gained a wide popularity in France; the method is focused on the market, therefore, the choice of the goals and instruments is made on account of the needs of a particular employer. The experience of some Australian universities shows that the project-based learning is used to develop professional skills; the choice of instruments occurs with an orientation towards the latest technological advances. In China the key objectives of the project-based learning are various social projects (for example, environmental projects) which are declared at the governmental level. A broad range of versions of project-based learning have been practised for more than one decade in the leading United States universities, colleges and schools: social competences of students are formed by the means of this method; there is an introduction of innovative technologies into educational process; partnerships are build between educational organizations and market; comprehensive ecological programs are created; etc. However, at this stage, the project-based learning is singled out for serious criticism; the analysis of previous experience and the search for solutions are conducted in order to increase the efficiency of education and improve academic performance of students.

Scientific novelty. In the Russian Pedagogy, this paper is the first attempt for understanding and generalizing the experience of international project-based learning application.

Practical significance. The materials of the publication provide a possibility for education administrators and educators-practitioners to get familiarized with the educational potential and a variety of approaches of project-based learning in order to adopt the best and most appropriate methods towards the Russian realias and the Russian educational institutions.

Introduction. Many teachers and methodologists note that children, especially at the first step of education and at the initial stage of the secondary school, often can not fully understand and precisely express in oral and written forms their thought and information which is presented in mathematical texts. In the process of mathematical education of the bilingual pupils of younger and middle school age studying at schools with teaching national (native for them) and Russian (state) languages, this task becomes complicated even more since children do not possess the so-called control mechanisms to switch from one language into another as well as speech and thought processes are generally operated in the native language.

The aim of the present publication is to determine the main conditions for the development of the mathematical speech of the bilingual students.

Methodology and research methods. The research was carried out with a support on activity and personality oriented approaches in education. The research methods involved: analysis of psycho-pedagogical and educational-methodical literature; observation of the process of education in Mathematics of the bilingual students; questioning of school students and teachers; conversations with the respondents.

Results and scientific novelty. The close interconnection of the processes of the development of mathematical speech and mathematical thinking is demonstrated, wherein a connective component of speech and thinking is perception of the meaning of the educational material by pupils. The stages of formation of the mathematical speech of pupils and non-language abilities which have to be acquired in the course of bilingual education in mathematics are described. The set of basic communicative qualities for assessment of formation level of the mathematical speech of pupils is designated.

On the example of the activities of national schools of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, the problems existing today in bilingual education are revealed. One of them is the fact that at primary school and when moving to secondary school the features of bilingual students’ speech and thought activities, which are usually formed and operated in the native language, are not considered. However, when choosing educational means, the teachers have to give preference to the Russianlanguage sources and to pay considerable attention to the Russian language itself, as the Russian becomes the main language at the secondary school. Besides, the texts of All-Russian Test Works (an obligatory monitoring activity for graduates of primary school) are not translated into the native language of pupils.

speech that lead to formal knowledge. In contrast, a child whose mathematical speech is formed in the native language at primary school, then, at the secondary school, easily switches into the Russian-language education and successfully improves own mathematical speech based on the acquired experience and complete system of mathematical concepts. Therefore, the most part of the teachers interviewed during the conversations and questioning are convinced that younger school students need to be taught in the language which they speak and think. Smooth transition into the Russian-language education should be introduced in the 5–6th grades; at the same time, continuity between education stages has to be maintained.

Practical significance. The materials of the research and the authors’ recommendations on designing the conditions for successful development of mathematical speech and thinking of school students studying in the bilingual national-Russian environment can be useful to experts who are engaged in the development of techniques and methods for national comprehensive schools of Russia.

Introduction.In programs of training of students of medical specialties, Mathematics is a subject of basic education, i.e. non-core discipline. However, studying Mathematics is extremely important for future physicians, as recently there has been an impetuous development of mathematization in the field of health care. Today, a set of the new medical devices, the equipment and high technologies are being developed based on the mathematical modeling, analysis and forecasting. Mathematical methods are widely applied to diagnostics, development of life-support systems and the description of various biological processes both at the molecular level,  and at the level of a whole organism, its systems, bodies and tissues. The solution of many medical tasks in the field of taxonomy, genetics, and organization of medical service is impossible without knowledge of mathematics. Unfortunately, along with the evident importance of mathematical preparation for a medical profession, its need is poorly realized not only by junior students, but even by some teachers of specialized departments of medical schools.

The aim of the publication is to discuss the problems that arise in the teaching of mathematical disciplines to students at a medical school and to suggest possible solutions to these problems.

Methodology and research methods. The study is based on the use of modeling of the educational process. The methods of analysis, generalization and the method of expert assessments were applied in the course of the research.

Results and scientific novelty. The aspects of mathematical preparation at the university are considered on the basis of the application of the multiplicative model of training quality. It is shown that the main students’ learning difficulties in Mathematics are connected with the following factors: the initial level of mathematical preparation of students and their motivation; outdated methods of Mathematics teaching and academic content designing which is being complicated by existing imbalance between the amount of training material and time frame for its studying. The authors suppose that it is possible to improve the quality of education through the increase or redistribution of the number of teaching hours; stimulation students’ motivation; enhancement of content and methodical components of teaching by means of active use of electronic resources and information technologies. Teachers should aspire to avoid excessive mathematical formalism as well to form in students the skills of independent work through the use of mathematical and computer methods.

Practical significance. The authors come to the conclusion that the transition from traditional teaching to the teaching through the technological application of mathematical methods in medical practice and independent conduction of medical research is required for improvement the quality of Mathematics teaching of future physicians.

Introduction. Higher education involves a complex process for the development of cognitive, social, emotional and cultural characteristics of the individual of future specialists; including forming special behavior patterns that in the future will provide competitiveness and success of employment of the university graduates. Intercultural communicative tolerance is considered to be one of the individual’s significant social and professional qualities which are in demand of the modern society. The importance of intercultural communicative tolerance formation is caused not only by the processes of globalization of professional mobility in the modern world, but also the need to create comfortable coexistence of students in the university multilingual educational environment, to reduce conflicts and to prevent the clash of cultures – bearers of various systems of values and standards.

The aim of the research is to reveal the role of intercultural communicative tolerance in the formation of the individual as well as to present a specially designed technology as part of “Foreign Language” learning. The relevance of this research highlights the necessity to shift the emphasis in the foreign language learning process towards practical-oriented learning targeting the development of personal qualities.

Methodology and research methods. Methodological framework of the publication is based on the key conceptions of communication-oriented learning. In the process of designing and application of the authors’ technology, experimental methods and the method of comparative analysis were used.

attitudes towards improvement of communicative skills and corresponding world outlook objectives among students is proved. The authors described own technology of development of intercultural communicative tolerance, which is conditioned by the internationalization processes in higher education. The features of applying the technology in the process of learning a foreign language at a university were also revealed. The approbation of new methodological tools showed significantly excessive level of interpersonal and intercultural communicative competence of students which has grown due to the technology applied.

Practical significance of the research is confirmed by the positive results, proving the effectiveness of applying the development technology, as well as it identifies the need to introduce similar technologies in higher education.

Introduction. Nowadays, modern urban youth is socialized under entirely different conditions than earlier. Moral relativism of society, diversification of information flows and increasing hedonistic orientations can form a tolerant attitude of young people to many taboo practices, and the specificity of the development of the modern urban environment contributes to the intensification of its vandal behaviour.

The aim of the present publication is to identify the understanding of vandalism that is read by modern urban youth and to assess the acceptability of specific vandal practices in the social daily life of young people.

Methodology and research methods. The analytical review of scientific works enabled the authors to reconstruct explanatory models of emergence and development of vandalism among young people. The specifics of perception of vandalism of young people were investigated on the basis of a social survey. The data was processed by the methods of correlation and factorial analysis. Statistical calculations were run with application of Population Viability Analysis software – Vortex.

Results and scientific novelty. The authors made the complex analysis of the attitude of youth towards vandalism. The dominants of vandalism perception among young people are emphasized. The study was conducted among the representatives of Yekaterinburg (n=304, 18–30 years). It was found that more than 30 % of respondents have a real experience in the implementation of vandalism in the urban environment, but only 2 % of respondents recognize and openly declare this experience. The reason is in the narrowed substantial understanding of vandalism by most of youth representatives; they consider it only as the destructive actions which are not beyond doubt. Moreover, young people do not consider many less obvious offenses as vandalism. Thus, the conclusion is drawn that non-conscious vandalism is widespread among young people: a considerable part of young people more or less regularly commit vandal actions, without perceiving them as a deviation from predefined standard pattern of behaviour; young people do not notice vandal behaviour of people around as well.

The data obtained point to considerable flexibility and discrepancy of ideas of vandalism among the young population in megalopolises: vandalism is regarded as deviation and categorically condemned at the level of stereotypes with abstraction from the reality; in a daily occurrence, vandalism is treated as unrecognized norm in relation to specific situations. The tendency of the gradual erosion of taboo nature and deviance of vandalism in consciousness of youth is stated.

Practical significance. The materials of the research could be applied to optimize the work on up-brining in educational institutions and to increase the effectiveness of prevention of vandalism among young people.

Introduction. Early school education as a beginning stage of an individual’s educational trajectory fosters an enabling environment for a child’s personal, physical, intellectual and moral development. A productive interaction between pre-school educational organizations and parents is known to play the key role in the mentioned process.

Aim. Based on the empirical-sociological materials of the research, this paper is aimed to identify specific features of interaction between parents and teachers as subjects of the system of early childhood education in large industrial cities.

Methodology and research methods. The empirical basis of the research was a questionnaire survey conducted among parents (n=220), whose children attended pre-school institutions in Yekaterinburg, and semi-structured interviews with early school teachers (n=30). The teachers were interviewed using the method of systematic sampling.

their main task. The research revealed the main topic for discussion between parents and teachers to be organizational issues (due payments, leaving children in the morning, etc.). The conclusion is drawn that passive acceptance of the current situation prevails in teacher-parent interaction, rather than an active attitude to realization of the principles of partnership and cooperation. Parents’ tight schedules become an impediment for building of partner relationship with their children’s teachers and eventually prevent collaborative interaction between the two sides. Nevertheless, parents are shown to trust teachers and recognize the teachers’ professionalism. This circumstance is seen as a founding principle for formation, reproduction and development of partner interaction of the subjects of preschool education.

Practical significance. The obtained results can be applied when planning directions to advance the quality and performance of preschool education institutions. Thus, first to be considered is the organization of complex system work on acculturation of pedagogical culture of parents as well as development of special competences of the teachers, enabling them to successfully realize the principles of constructive cooperation with parental community for the purpose of full, prosperous and harmonious education of younger generation.

Introduction. The article was prepared in continuation of the discussion of the topical aspects of the reform of science and education in the Russian Federation, considered in the article by Professor I. P. Smirnov [1].

The aim of the publication is to express criticism about the management methods in the Russian science and education.

Methodology and research methods. The methods involve comparative analysis, generalization and synthesis.

Results.The background of the “digitized society” formation is considered from the positions of educational practice. On the basis of specific examples, the author confirms the conclusions drawn by I. P. Smirnov about inadequacy of administratively imposed formalized qualimetric apparatus for objective assessment of the work of scientists and teachers, and that “digital indicators” (first of all – number of publications and the index of citing) set the false orientations which seriously prevent performance of scientific studies demanded by economy and society. The author provides a basis for a skeptical attitude towards the application of similar digitized technologies in education management. The possibility of operating with digital data at different levels does not enable to estimate the real educational results necessary for correction and planning of educational processes and, in general, for educational development. The consequences of introduction of quantitative criteria for measurement of scientific and pedagogical activity outcomes into science and education are shown. It is highlighted that it is important to take into account the opinions of scientists, teachers and the general public about the appropriateness of the commitment to the nationalization and administrative management of science and education.

Practical significance. A number of proposals concerning the changes of existing approaches to the reform of science and education in the Russian Federation are brought forward: a revision of the leading indicators in the evaluation systems for scientific and educational activity effectiveness; a differentiated approach to the normative indicators of the activities of educational organizations regarding their status and other features; rejection of the use of bibliometrics as the main and exclusive tools for measurement of a scientists’ ranking and a teacher’s qualification; strengthening of the institute of peer reviewing of scientific publications; maximum reduction of the bureaucratic digital reporting requirements in science and education; etc.

Introduction. Today, the issues of formation and assessment of professional competencies of students of the highest professional educational institutions are widely discussed in the scientific community. A large number of the Russian and foreign publications are devoted to the problems of competency-based approach. However, there is still no general technique for assessing a competency level formation as the characteristics of each program of training of specialists are so specific that it is impossible to build up a unified universal professional competency framework.

The aim of the publication is to present the author’s methodology for assessing student courseworks in terms of the academic discipline “Databases” which is studied during a bachelor program “Business Informatics” based on the competency-based approach.

Methodology and research methods. The research described in the publication is recognized as being empirical-exploratory and experimental. The content analysis of the Federal State Educational Standard of the Highest Education (FSES HE), the data mining technology and statistical methods of data processing were applied in the course of the present research. 

Results and scientific novelty. Taking into account the features of the competency-focused model of educational process and specifics of the field of vocational education, the criteria for assessing the quality of student courseworks are formulated. The relationship of these diagnostics criteria with the competencies stated in the educational standard is shown. This article demonstrates how it is possible to assess the general structure and separate sections of student courseworks using the means of the offered indicators. The following conclusions are drawn: 1) the system current control of professional competencies mastering is necessary for timely correcting of individual educational trajectories; 2) the assessment of professional competencies of students means diagnostics of preparation results including a large number of various criteria; 3) the unified approach to level formation measurement of professional competencies is impossible due to complexity and heterogeneity of their structure; 4) there is a need for the variability as well possibility of increase or reduction (association) of criteria for assessment of professional competencies in order to identify the most significant indicators of effectiveness and quality of a particular academic paper.

Practical significance. The method provided enables to establish the relationship between contents of the training program and the requirements of FSES; to concretize assessment of competencies and to give reasons for its numerical indicators. Under a certain adaptation, this technique for assessment of student courseworks of economic and technical specialties can be applied for assessment of other academic works of students.