The main trends in the development of the world educational system

Since the education system is one of the social institutions, its development is completely predetermined by changes in the needs of society, conditioned by the nature and achievements of scientific, technical and social progress. The dynamics of modern social development is characterized by rapid and profound changes in all areas of human life and activity - in science and technology, in economics and politics, in education and culture, in the organization of production and in its management. Education as one of the most important social institutions is also subject to constant development in accordance with the changing goals and needs of society, with the development and implementation of high technologies. At the same time, the response of educational systems to social challenges of the time does not occur automatically, but indirectly, in the process of the development of public opinion and the activity of teachers, public and state leaders, differing in a certain inertia.

These circumstances necessitate a constant search, research and monitoring of both general civilization processes and the processes of functioning of educational systems in order to harmonize their main parameters with social changes, with the leading directions and trends of scientific, technical and social progress. At the same time, usually the most radical modernization is required for such an element of education as its content, since it is the content of basic education that forms the foundation and opportunities for improving the training programs for students in senior and vocational schools, predetermines the level and quality of higher education. The content of vocational education directly affects the nature of the development and use of the productive forces of society, on material and spiritual culture, on the wellbeing of the population.

The considered world trends in the development of education are of a fairly general nature. At the same time, practically for the development of each type and level of education, there are also specific tendencies due to their own goals, characteristics, the nature of implementation and new social requirements for the level of training of the respective graduates. So, for the development of the world system of higher technical education today, the following trends are most characteristic (Fig. 24).

First, there is a humanization of engineering education, with the main goal of “humanizing” technology and technology. This tendency is a reflection of a general change in the goals and nature of social production and its orientation towards the needs and interests of a person, as well as an awareness in society of the determining role of the personal factor in ensuring high production efficiency. The system of engineering education pays more and more attention to the formation of students' understanding of the role of moral norms and values in their future professional activities. This is what ensures the instilling in them of a sense of personal responsibility before present and future generations for the possible results of this activity.

Secondly, the role of fundamentalization of engineering education is increasing. In the context of a significant acceleration of scientific and technological progress and a rapid change of generations of technology and technology for the development of new high technologies and their successful use in the process of creating modern competitive products, some special knowledge is no longer enough. A modern specialist must deeply master the physical, chemical and biological foundations of technologies and always be ready to use new effects in their development, while applying the methods of mathematical modeling based on computer technology and information technology. This seems to be very important for accelerating the development of promising high technologies and bringing them to the possibility of industrial use.

Thirdly, an increase in professional and social mobility as one of the defining features of the lifestyle of a modern person requires a refusal from narrow specialization and a transition to universalization, to training a specialist with a wide profile. This allows graduates to freely navigate in a fairly wide range of problems in the field of professional activity, to quickly adapt to inevitable changes in products, technologies, conditions and nature of production.

Fourthly, a serious complication of the ecological situation, the problems of which are acquiring a global character today, requires a corresponding greening of engineering education. This tendency is manifested, on the one hand, in strengthening environmental education and instilling an environmental culture for all engineers, and on the other hand, in organizing the training of engineers of a fundamentally new quality - specialists in the field of environmental monitoring and environmental protection. This is what makes it possible to ensure the harmonization of relations in the “man-society-nature-technosphere” system.

Fifth, the intensification of the processes of globalization of world economic relations based on the principles of a market economy predetermines the need to strengthen the economic and legal training of engineers. Without this, they cannot properly assess the technical and economic characteristics of their products, indicators of its competitiveness, as well as provide legal protection for their inventions and other scientific and technical developments, their intellectual property.

Sixth, in connection with a serious change in the goals, nature and structure of the professional activity of a modern engineer and an increase in the role of the personal factor, the role of managerial competence and functions of training, retraining and education of personnel is significantly enhanced. This circumstance makes it necessary to introduce appropriate changes in the content of their professional education. We are talking, in particular, about a serious improvement in the quality of managerial and psychological-pedagogical training of engineers. Today, relevant knowledge is becoming not just elements of the general culture of an engineer, but an integral part of his professional competence.

The problem of mutual recognition and equivalence of study periods, educational qualification levels and documents on obtaining educational qualifications (certificates and diplomas) as well as academic degrees and titles is closely related to the development trends of the world education system. For a successful solution to the problem, international experts must take into account the features and characteristics of each national higher education system, which at the same time must also correspond to a standardized description and be used for an objective assessment of the quality of education and final educational qualifications.

By now, the following basic models of educational systems have developed in the world.

The American model includes junior high school - high school - high school - two-year college - university four-year college - graduate school -graduate school.

The French model includes a single college - technological, vocational and general education lyceum - university - master's - graduate school.

The German model: general school - real school, gymnasium and basic school - institute and university - postgraduate study.

The English model: a united school - grammar and modern school -college - university - master's - graduate school.

The Russian model: general education school - full secondary school, gymnasium and lyceum-college - institute, university and academy -postgraduate studies - doctoral studies.

The Ukrainian model is basically similar to the Russian one, with the only difference that after graduation from an institute, university or academy, a master's degree follows. The search and development of new models of education continues, and this process is continuous.

The effectiveness of a certain model can only be confirmed by educational practice. In solving the problems of world education, large international projects and programs are acquiring great importance, since they necessarily imply the joint participation of educational institutions and teachers from various educational systems in them.