Specific Aspects Of Ethnocultural Education In Elementary School Of The Komi Republic

Abstract

The article centers on the system of information and methodological and educational and methodological conditions of ethnocultural education in the elementary school of the Komi Republic, where the Concept for the Development of Ethnocultural Education is being implemented. Educational and methodological conditions of ethnocultural education include the following: 1) implementation of the contents of ethnocultural education on the basis of the personality-activity approach; 2) use of a variety of methods and techniques that contribute to the development of creative abilities of students and put them in the position of active participants; 3) classroom activities and techniques; 4) cooperation between school and parents. Information and methodological conditions of ethnocultural education include the following: 1) the possibility of extensive use of information technologies, distant (mobile) technologies and providing the educational process with the relevant IT technologies; 2) availability of textbooks, training guidelines, educational and methodological materials, supplementary literature, and digital educational resources featuring the ethnocultural specifics; 3) network partnership of educational institutions of the Komi Republic; 4) participation of teachers in seminars, meetings and conferences of various levels to share pedagogical experience. The practical value of the research is personal development of elementary school students, better quality of education by providing open access to the resources of all the educational institutions of the Komi Republic, conducting scientific and methodological activities for teachers in elementary schools, teachers of the Komi language and teachers of co-curricular education.

Keywords: Methodological conditionsethnocultural educationelementary school

Introduction

The modern Russian educational system serves to develop an all-round, harmonious and moral-oriented individual, who respects the core national values, i.e. shows conscious perception of the world around and distinctive features of the cultural, historical and spiritual spheres of the region, Republic and country. Cultural heritage of ancestors, authenticity and uniqueness of their traditions and folkways guide children to national identity, respect of other cultures and active social stand.

Ethnocultural education, as a comprehensive learning process and hands-on experience in the field of ethnocultural heritage, as a process of development of a personality in the spirit of the cultural traditions of an ethnic group, “is targeted at the young people to learn those national and cultural traditions, which stem from the supreme moral and spiritual values of a particular ethnic group, as well as of the whole mankind…” (Shpikalova, Baklanova, &Yershova, 2006).

Ethnocultural education of schoolchildren is given a focus in the Federal State Educational Standard of Elementary General Education, “The Standard is aimed at ensuring … preservation and development of cultural diversity and language heritage of the multinational people of the Russian Federation, … developing the spiritual values and culture of the multinational people of Russia…” (FSES EGE, 2009, p. 5). Thus, the 2d part of this document lists the following requirements:

• “…to lay the groundwork for building the Russian civic identity, sense of pride for the nation, the Russian people and the history of Russia; to understand the national and ethnic identity; to develop the values of the Russian multinational society; to develop the humanistic and democratic value orientations;

• to develop a comprehensive, socially oriented view of the world in its organic unity and diversity of nature, peoples, culture and religions;

• to develop respect for a different view, history and culture of other peoples…” (FSES EGE, 2009, p. 8).

These are the requirements to the personal results in terms of the principal educational program of elementary general education.

Problem Statement

Ethnocultural education holds a unique position in the general educational system of the Russian Federation due to its multiethnic and multicultural society. The Republic of Komi is no exception, as it historically emerged as a multinational and multiconfessional region. Alongside with progressing development of ethnocultural education, the general educational system in the Komi Republic faces a number of challenges:

• inadequate level of language and methodological competency of teaching staff engaged in ethnocultural development programs;

• insufficient use of age related information and communication technologies by elementary school teachers and teachers working at extended education institutions in the educational process, which has an impact on the quality of teaching of various subjects;

• few innovative editions of educational and methodic materials that would contribute to ethnocultural education implementation.

These challenges need to be addressed;

Research Questions

Pedagogical conditions for implementation of ethnocultural education in the Komi Republic are the questions under research.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the research is to implement pedagogical conditions for ethnocultural education in the Komi Republic: educational and methodological conditions and information and methodological conditions, as well as to build a flexible, multilevel system of ethnocultural education, which ensures the Komi language to be preserved and developed as the official language of the Republic, as well as the indigenous culture, and which contributes to consolidation of ethnic groups scattered around the Republic through the dialogue of cultures.

Research Methods

The authors of the article used the following theoretical methods of research: analysis of laws and regulations ( the Federal State Educational Standard of Elementary General Education, the Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Education, and Concept for Development of Ethnocultural Education in the Komi Republic for 2016-2020 ), studying the experience, as well as empirical methods such as: development and implementation of educational and methodological conditions and information and methodological conditions (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2002).

Findings

Ethnocultural education in schools of the Komi Republic is based on learning about the ethnic culture of the Komi people through a dialogue with the cultures of Russian and other ethnic groups residing in the Republic in order to develop students' understanding of their place in the national and world culture and to form an adequate model of behavior in a multiethnic environment. The contents of ethnocultural education is determined by the phenomenon of ethnic culture of the Komi people, which is a combination of traditional values, relationships and behavioral features embodied in the material, spiritual, social life of an ethnic group.

One of the main tasks of the development of ethnocultural education in the Komi Republic is “to develop the contents of educational and methodological literature for the implementation of educational programs, which take into account the ethnic and cultural characteristics of the Komi Republic and which meet the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards, and to publish them in their entirety” (Concept for Development, 2015).

The contents of ethnocultural education provides massive opportunities for interdisciplinary integration, which ensures the possibility to show the culture of the Komi people through literature, music and paintings. Ethnocultural content is integrated in all kinds of classes: Russian, Komi, foreign language, literature, mathematics, elementary science, music, fine arts, technology, and physical education.

These days, the specialists of the Komi Republic work diligently to create a new generation of textbooks on the Komi language, literature and local lore. Teaching methodology experts from the Laboratory for the Development of Ethnocultural Education of the Komi Republic Institute for the Development of Education develop educational and methodological packages in the field of ethnocultural education in accordance with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of Elementary General Education and Basic General Education.

To implement the Concept for the Development of Ethnocultural Education in the Komi Republic and to address the abovementioned challenges, it is necessary to create several groups of conditions:

Conclusion

These days, in terms of the modernization of educational system, the challenge of ethnocultural education can be met through the general, professional and supplementary educational programs. The Federal State Educational Standard of Elementary General Education specifies the requirements to the structure of the principal educational programs for the relevant level of education, which determine the ways on how to map out the objectives, contents and to establish arrangements for implementation of an educational program featuring ethnocultural specific aspects (Concept for Development, 2015).

The comprehensive implementation of the abovementioned conditions will help to promote the culture and language of the Komi people among students and young people of the Komi Republic, as well as to implement a comprehensive approach in order to raise the level of ethno-cultural competence, including the language competence of students and teachers.

References

1. Concept for Development of Ethnocultural Education in the Komi Republic for 2016-2020. (2015). Retrieved from: http://minobr.rkomi.ru/page/14089/
2. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2002). Research methods in education. Routledge.
3. Federal State Educational Standard of Elementary General Education (FSES EGE). (2009). Retrieved from: https://xn--80abucjiibhv9a.xn--p1ai/documents/922
4. Gaysina, R., Golovneva, E., & Grevennikova, D. (2015). Ethnocultural education of elementary-school students. Moscow.
5. Shpikalova, T., Baklanova, T., & Yershova, L. (2006). Concept for Ethnocultrual Education in Russia.