The model of intermediate assessment of future teachers’ professional competencies

Introduction. The ideas of forming a unified educational space in the Russian Federation actualise the development of unified content and assessment components of teacher education programmes; therefore, there is the need to introduce innovative approaches to the process of assessing the learning outcomes of undergraduate pedagogical students. Currently, the system for assessing educational results in teacher education programmes is most often aimed at assessing the degree of mastery of disciplines (modules, practices), i.e. it has a disciplinary basis. However, in modern conditions, in order to assess the quality of pedagogical education, it is necessary to develop mechanisms for assessing the level of preparedness of a student (graduate) to solve real problems of professional pedagogical activity, including in the process of intermediate and final certification. New challenges require the construction of an assessment system in teacher education in accordance with social needs and requests. Aim. The present research aimed to develop a model for intermediate assessment of the level of professional competencies of undergraduate students in pedagogical areas of training in pedagogical universities. Methodology and research methods. The methodological basis of the article is the ideas of systemic, activity-based, person-oriented and competency-based approaches. In accordance with the research aim, the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis of scientific publications and regulatory legal documents, methods of comparative studies and analogies, a method for constructing a system of theoretical representations of the process to assess student achievements. Results and discussion. The authors proposed a competency-based model for intermediate assessment of the level of competency development among students studying in future teacher training programmes implemented from the standpoint of the unity of higher pedagogical education. The key characteristics of the model are: independence, continuity and consistency, openness, focus on the personal and professional development of the student, focus on the key professional competencies of the teacher, the use of assessment procedures and tools similar to those used in other assessment procedures (Unified State Exam, All-Russian Testing Papers, certification of teaching staff, international comparative studies); the possibility to use the results during the final certification of students. The study presents the main structural and dynamic components of the model for the intermediate assessment of professional competencies of students in pedagogical training programs. The implementation of the model for intermediate assessment of professional competencies of students in pedagogical training programmes, including at the level of universities, can be the basis for assessing the quality of teacher education. Scientific novelty. Based on a comparative analysis of international and Russian studies on the topic under investigation, the authors identified the relevance to study approaches to the design of assessment tools from the perspective of a competency-based approach in the context of the introduction of unified approaches into training programmes for future teachers. In the course of scientific research, based on generalisation and systematisation of research results on the topic, the model for intermediate assessment of professional competencies of students in pedagogical training programmes was developed and theoretically substantiated. A contribution has been made to the field of pedagogical science in terms of the development of the model focused on assessing the readiness of students in pedagogical programmes to carry out teaching activities, to solve problems of professional teaching activities that meet the professional standard. The results of the expert assessment suggest that the developed model is effective. Practical significance. The implementation of the proposed model in the process of assessing the professional competencies of students at pedagogical universities will make it possible to adjust the educational programmes for training teachers in terms of psychological, pedagogical, subject and methodological components, which can become a resource for transforming development programmes at pedagogical universities and educational programmes for training teachers.