Main Types of Students’ Independent Work at Non-Linguistic Departments

Abstract

The value of students’ independent work is difficult to overestimate in modern society. It is linked to a sharp increase of information that students have to learn, and the simultaneous decrease of class hours at higher educational establishments.

This article is devoted to some issues of students’ independent work organization; in particular the analysis of the main types of students’ independent work at non-linguistic departments is presented.

The notion of independent work is given in the article. It is found that scientists define independent work as a component of the educational process, which is performed without teacher’s interference, but under his/her supervision and on his/her instructions.

On the basis of the analysis of pedagogical literature the main types of students’ independent work are presented (reproductive work, constructive and variation work, heuristic work, research work), their main point and content are given. Reproductive independent work of students is necessary to remember new material better and represents the first stage of students’ independent work. Constructive and variation independent work contributes to the development of students’ skills for analysis, comparison of different phenomena and facts that are learnt, and create conditions for creative independent work organization. Heuristic independent work teaches to formulate independently learning activities and develops the plan of its realization. At this level deeper understanding of phenomena and processes happen, and creative activity starts. Research independent work is the next stage of students’ independent work, when students’ activity acquires research principles. The realization of creativity of young people takes place at this level. Students show initiative when performing difficult tasks, try to prove their points of view.

To sum up, it must be told that students’ independent work is a compulsory and necessary element of higher education, which contributes to deepening knowledge, the development of cognitive ability, ability to solve a problem independently. To organize independent work effectively its different types must be used in the educational process.