Influencing engineering education through the competency-based approach

Abstract

The article poses a problem of engineering education and training of today, which are facing difficulties while developing an efficient competency-based approach realization. The authors concentrate on an urgent task of developing the integration competence of future engineers which is treated as a metadisciplinary competence providing students with ability and readiness to synthesize subject-oriented professional and social competences into a holistic system. The structure of integration competence is analyzed and the following components are determined: a value and motivation component; a practical activity component; a cognitive component; a self-analysis and self-assessment component. Among distinguishing features of the integration competence the authors define its instrumental character, metadisciplinary and universal properties as well as its nonalgorithmic character. It is shown that professionally oriented training is a core factor of integration competence development. Depending on elements being integrated, the main forms of integration of competences are determined. The model of competence integration presented in the article can serve as the basis for developing methods and conditions for its systematic elaboration in university training. The results of this study can be useful for educators of different administrative levels, teaching-and-training schools which realize a competency-based approach in their teaching.