Issues of development technical specialties students in higher education

The technical sciences are exploring the world of technical processes and objects in the same way that natural sciences explore the natural world. Objects of technical sciences are a kind of synthesis of "natural" and "artificial". The artificiality of objects of technical sciences is that they are products of conscious, purposeful, directed human activity. Their naturalness is revealed primarily in the fact that all artificial objects in the final outcome are created from natural material

The following cognitive skills are singled out, which are necessary for the student to participate in independent search activity.

• 1.    The ability to "see" and formulate the problem.

• 2.    Ability to analyze facts, different approaches, information; the ability to work with various benefits.

• 3.    The ability to put forward hypotheses, carry out the transfer of knowledge into a new situation.

• 4.    To verify the correctness of the hypotheses.

In practice, there are often cases when students do not acquire the given subject content because of the lack of knowledge in them of mental actions that ensure the mastery of this content. But due to the inclusion in the educational process of technologies of developing education, for example, technologies for the development of technical thinking, students get knowledge about the laws of the functioning of the technical thinking of man aimed at understanding the technical reality, about the organization of thought activity, including their own. Possession of students by the methods of assimilating technical knowledge lays the foundation for the active activity of a person who knows how to build the process of cognition independently. In order for a student to learn how to independently direct his thinking, it is important to teach him to be aware of the processes and mental operations that occur in his mind. In the process of studying technical disciplines, we introduce students to the component structure of technical thinking. We explain the meaning of each component. We give examples of the inclusion of various components in the process of solving the problem. We show their interrelation on the example of solving technical problems. Therefore, knowing the component structure of technical thinking, possessing certain skills for solving technical problems, students move from unconscious activity to a conscious one. This is necessary so that the student himself directs his thinking, he himself is aware of the processes occurring in his mind and mental operations. Thinking begins to form itself.

Thus, the main distinguishing feature of developmental learning is the change in the very nature of the student's activity. While with traditional education, the activity of the student is reproductive (reproduction, performance of tasks according to the algorithm), in the conditions of developing training, it is productive. In the process of productive activity, the student independently searches for the solution of a new task for him, a problem. To do this, he needs to apply knowledge in a new situation, to develop the algorithm for solving the problem before him.

The goal of problem training is the formation of creative thinking and the assimilation of knowledge as a result of the cognitive activity of the subject. The essence of problem training is the optimal combination of reproductive and productive learning, with emphasis on developing thinking abilities and fostering the creative independence of the trainee.

For the teaching of technical disciplines, it is convenient to distinguish the following types of problem situations:

• 1.    Situation based on the discrepancy (lack, contradiction) of knowledge available to students, and those that are necessary to solve this educational problem (information model).

• 2.    Situation based on the need to select the necessary knowledge system from the available (probable model).

• 3.    The situation based on the contradiction between the available knowledge and skills and the new practical conditions of their use to solve the arising (posed) problem (behavioral model).

The next very important condition for the successful implementation of the development of thinking is the activity of the teacher. Teachers must constantly take care of the active inclusion of consciousness in cognitive activity.

One of the most important pedagogical skills a teacher should have is the ability to put a problem. Moreover, the problem should be taken very seriously, in view of the basic didactic requirements: inclusion of the student in the activity, direction of the thought activity in the "right direction", so that the problem provoked active interest and desire to understand it, was based on the available knowledge and experience of research.

Let's give some examples

The task (on the development of the operational component).

You are driving in a car. The warning lamp for monitoring the minimum oil pressure in the lubrication system is on the instrument panel. Identify the possible causes of pressure loss in the lubrication system.

In previous studies, students studied in detail the purpose of the lubrication system, its device, work. To solve this problem, it is necessary to isolate from the entire available information the only necessary. After analyzing the existing knowledge about this system, students should independently identify the reasons that can lead to a decrease in oil pressure. In solving this problem, students master the skills to apply in this particular situation the entire stock of their knowledge and skills to actualize exactly the system of knowledge that is necessary to solve the task.

Thus, the formulation of specific technical problems based on problem situations develops the ability of technical thinking in students.