DESCRIPTORS: national education standards, teaching methods, study texts, learning outcomes.
SYNOPSIS: In 2009 the Russian “Elementary School Journal” hosted a discussion on the new education standards. Various authors and educational authorities explain key aspects of the standards and the main vehicle for conveying them in Russian schools.

Implementing the Second Generation Russian Education Standards

The “Schools of Russia” Teaching Set

One of the oldest Russian educational periodicals, “Elementary School Journal,” on April 22, 2009 convoked a round-table discussion on the topic of the suitability of the “Schools of Russia” teaching methods series as the instrument for implementing the second generation, State Education Standards (SES). Participants included managers and editors of the Prosveshchenie [Education] Publishing Company; authors and editorial board of the “Schools of Russia” textbook series; the editorial board of the “Elementary School Journal”; as well as more than a hundred educators from Moscow and other cities of Russia. The editorial board of the “Elementary School Journal” has kindly granted permission to reprint excerpts from materials, reports, and presentations.

Comments of Dr. Alexander M. Kondakov, research advisor of the State Education Standard of General Education project development, CEO of “Prosveshchenie” publishing company, a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Education, (Moscow).   

We are discussing the State Education Standards (SES) of the second generation. It should be noted that this is a “living entity” which is still to be tested and refined. Let me name the current areas of fundamental research in which the Prosveshchenie Publishing Company is designing and developing various “user-friendly” materials that will be of practical benefit to students, teachers, and educational methodologists.

One such area is in research of the modern, information-education environment which has changed drastically over a number of years. Now the issue is not only to get to know what kind of medium we are operating in, its design and functions, but also to figure out its didactics or how it can be used to reach the goals that we have set for modern education.

The initial goal for our research team working on SES was quite simple. The new standards should not launch a revolution in education. I believe that the word, “innovation,” in relation to education should be used very carefully. In other words, every new thing that we offer needs to be understandable, well tested in real education situations, and well-developed with regard to its potential for modern education. It involves both material-technical and human-professional resources because even the best scholarly ideas and concepts often run into teachers who will either not understand them or are not ready to embrace them. 

The key principles of SES development include:

• Building new ideas on the basis of the best practices of Russian and Soviet schools together with the best of world experience and taking into account previous educational reforms and State Education Standards in the 1990s and 2004.
• Making the concept of “education aimed at developing students,” and the “activity approach” which eventually grew into the “systematic activity approach” (developed by L. Vygotsky, A. Leontyev, D. Elkonin, P. Galperin, L. Zankov, V. Davydov, A. Asmolov, and V. Rubtsov) a theoretical foundation for the new standards.
• Adopting the concept of a “nucleus and a shell” which is part of the fundamental core of educational content as developed by A. Markushevich.
• Introducing and promoting the principle of multiculturalism.

How is the second generation of SES different from the previous standards? First of all, the authors were working on an advanced model of education aimed at developing students. For a couple of decades, we tried to adopt the best foreign experiences; discussed organizational and economic issues along with the “competence-oriented approach” and many other issues. We put all those things into the context of Russia and eventually implemented an “overtaking” model for our educational development. The second generation standards offer a more advanced model, focused on scientific research, Russian values, and cultural experiences thereby making them more comprehensible and familiar to the Russian people.

Secondly, we worked diligently on those standards that would make up part of the key system-forming resource for socio-cultural modernization. Our intention was to raise the quality of Russian education. The new standards no longer form a set of “nationally accepted academic programs and requirements to be met by students.” Rather, they embrace all areas of education and are aligned with the new version of Article 7 of the Russian Federal Law, “On Education.”

Table 1
Innovative character of the standards:
Social contract, system-activity approach, focus on the result

For one thing, the innovative character of the second generation SES is manifested in the application of the social contract theory. In this case, it is a contract between the family and the state about expected educational outcomes. The idea behind it all goes like this: the SES developers view society as a civil one, therefore the requirements for the results of education are laid out by neither the nation’s leading political party and state government as was the case in Soviet times, nor by the educational community, alone, as in the immediate, post-Soviet period. Rather, the new standards are the result of a concordance of the demands of family, society, and state which are the main elements of an education system.

The project was carried out by the Russian Academy of Sciences and more detailed information can be found at its website.

The previous standards were defined as an “approved mandatory minimum for the content of educational programs and requirements for graduation.” Therefore, a graduate was evaluated on the basis of whether or not he/she had mastered the required academic minimum. The newly developed standards place responsibility for the outcomes of education on the family as well as on society and the state. The latter is to fund education and create conditions for academic learning while the family needs to provide the child with an opportunity to use these educational benefits.

 The “systematic activity approach” to instruction is another change found in the new standards. The research team thoroughly examined the situation within developing educational systems and analyzed the reasons why the standards have not gained wide popularity. They are currently used with only 3% of the nation’s students. Our goal is to raise acceptance and utilization to a rate of 85% of Russian educators and the same percentage of students. Scholars who were mainly adherents of Galperin, Vygotsky, Leontyev, and Davydov offered up the concept of the “systematic activity approach” which was implemented in the program of universal learning activities. As a result, the term, “expected educational outcomes,” was introduced. This is what a teacher should focus on while planning lessons. Structurally, the basic educational standard accentuates the second part of the school day (which in Russia centers on extra-curricular activities of a wide variety). This emphasis reinforces the “formational” aspect of the general education system, not de facto but de jure, as a requirement for reaching the end result. From grade one in elementary school, ten hours are scheduled weekly for extra-curricular activity including patriotic, spiritual and moral formation, sports, fitness education, and even graphic arts activities.

These newly created requirements in turn expect the formation of a new set of standards regulating general school operation. First of all, we will talk about “expected educational outcomes.” School is viewed as one of the vital foundations of civil society. The second generation standards contain the “Concept of Moral Education” which is the most important document in the package. It sets the parameters for moral guidelines as a product of social contract or consent. Reintroduced in this section is the concept of a national educational ideal.

By the term, the “common goal of education,” we mean the formation, as a result of the joint efforts of family, school, and state, of a person who would correspond to the ideal of a human being. In this context, educators aim at raising a responsible, strong-minded, inventive, and competent citizen of Russia. This goal can only be reached if the society sticks to the national traditions and consistently reproduces the ideals of the past. A national moral ideal requires a foundational value system and putting that together in a multiethnic and multi-religious country is a complex task. The national educational ideal of the previous (mostly Soviet) century disclaimed what was prior to it. Our country, at present, is still reaping the fruit of the period of de-emphasis of ideology of the 1990s which destroyed many society-consolidating values (that existed in Soviet times).

Our contemporary national educational ideal is that of a responsible, strong-minded, and competent citizen of Russia. For the first time in the whole post-Soviet period, school education is faced with the demand to develop a value system that would be based on national traditions and consistently reproduce the ideals of the past. Our children should be deeply rooted in Russian traditions which form an ideological foundation of the new standards.

Another important aspect is the definition of the value system. The concepts offered in the second generation SES could be debated or disputed, but the authors have taken on the responsibility of developing “Russian Identity” as based on the following values:

• Patriotism; civic-mindedness (love for Russia, its people, one’s birthplace; service to the Motherland). All of these concepts are multilevel. They are first introduced in the family setting and go beyond the idea of a great homeland.
• Social solidarity (personal and national freedom, trust for people and social institutions, etc.).
• Work and creativity (workmanship, purposefulness, assertiveness, diligence, and prudence);
• Scientific ideas (cognition, truth, scientific world image, and ecological mindedness).
• Traditional Russian religions (beliefs and concepts of faith and spirituality, religious life at the personal and societal levels, a religious world view).

How are these values to be developed? They are to be introduced and developed through a system of academic and extra-curricular activities. Both the educational and formational functions of the school remain. The elements that are changed are the values and ideals.

The State Educational Standards comprise a conventional norm for implementing the social contract through the outcome requirements for general education. The following requirements reflect family, society, and state expectations for a school graduate:

Table 2

What then is the ideal for an elementary school graduate?

• An inquisitive, interested, active knowledge of the world;
• Possessing the fundamental ability to learn;
• Love of his/her birthplace and homeland;
• Respect and acceptance for the values of family and society;
• Prepared to work independently; answers to family and school for his/her own actions;
• Benevolent; able to listen to and understand a partner; able to speak his/her own mind;
• Follows the rules of health and safety for himself/herself and for his/her surroundings.

The second generation standards employ a new system for outcomes assessment. The proposed outcomes were determined on the basis of the educational content, academic knowledge, abilities, and skills of the “Schools of Russia” teaching set. The standards outline the qualities of a modern teacher. It is critical that as a professional he/she be able to:

• Demonstrate general and subject-specified work methods;
• Encourage students to try and to experiment;
• Give counsel and correct student work;
• Seek to involve each student in the learning process.

Since each modern teacher is not only an educator but also a counselor, he/she must:

• Create conditions for the student acquisition of life experience;
• Participate in school events;
• Serve as an arbitrator.

A teacher provides selective assistance. He/she does not solve students’ problems but, rather, gives guidance in the problem-solving process. A teacher is also expected to be “information-computer technology” competent in using a computer, e-mail, Internet and multimedia activities including “ICT” teaching equipment such as an interactive board, classroom control systems, digital, and multimedia classroom equipment.

Comments of O.B. Loginova, Ph. D. in Education, expert-developer of State Educational Standard, winner of President Award in Education.

The evaluated educational outcomes for personal academic performance in different subject areas for elementary school graduates are their skills in doing practical and cognitive academic assignments on the basis of:

• Knowledge and ideas about nature, society, and man;
• Acquired learning and practical skills, generalized work methods;
• Communication and information skills;
• Knowledge of the essentials of a healthy and safe life-style;

The outcomes of the academic performance of elementary school graduates which are not to be evaluated are the following:

• A graduate’s values which reflect his/her personal conviction such as ethical, esthetic, and religious beliefs as well as political preferences and the like;
• The character of social feelings such as patriotism, tolerance, humanism, etc.;
• Personal qualities.

The planned outcomes have been determined for all the education programs and two comprehensive interdisciplinary programs which are to be used for all lessons. The higher subjects and the various subject results will be brought out in the final evaluation. Assessment of these results is done through offering students cognitive and practical assignments of various complexity levels and is based on the general study material. Of special importance are Russian language studies, mathematics, reading, and general study skills.

Comments of A.A. Pleshakov, Ph. D. in Education, research supervisor of the “School of Russia” teaching set, author of “Surrounding World” study program, winner of President Award in Education.

As we discuss the “Schools of Russia” training program in the context of the 2nd generation standard requirements, it is important to answer the main question. Could this training program be an instrument of SES implementation? The answer is a confident, “Yes!” A comparison of the State Education Standards with the general concepts of the “School of Russia” program, its curriculum, and textbooks indicates that they align very well. There are a few things to be modified and that is currently being done. On the whole, however, it is obvious that the conceptual and ideological design of both documents is almost the same. Even back in the 1990s, the program developers realized that Russian education started “falling out” of its cultural and historical context which had been deeply rooted in national traditions. Formational education had always been reinforced to a far greater extent than any other aspect of education. That was the reason why the “Schools of Russia” training program has stressed student personal development with an emphasis on moral education and the new standards affirm this position.

Another key distinction of the “Schools of Russia” program is that it makes elementary education civic-oriented thereby aiming at the development of a full-fledged Russian citizen. The introduction of this principle in elementary education in our country is a conceptual innovation which in the 1990s set this program apart from other training programs. The designers were assertive in bringing out this aspect, foreseeing its future significance for education.

One more conceptual distinction of the program under discussion is its approach to the activity-specific character of education which is elaborated on in the SES. This principle is implemented throughout the textbooks of the package and is currently being reinforced through a program of developing general learning activities as key components of the new standards.

A special emphasis in modern education is also put on the development of family values such as the cultural, spiritual, and moral heritage of the Russian people. This idea permeates all subject areas and is especially strong in The Surrounding World textbook series which makes development of family values a priority. The distinguishing feature of this program is that it formats and offers world exploration as an interactive task, a joint child-adult, family project, which could easily be entitled, “Exploring the World Together.” The tasks indicate that “the following activities are completed by children and their parents together.” They include assigned readings, nature observations, environmental activities like cleaning up in the neighborhood and tree planting. Walks, hikes, touring museums, and visiting other cities in Russia are some of the suggested tasks. Involvement of children and adults in joint activity supports the attainment of a number of educational objectives in the context of world exploration while avoiding solemn moralization and other anti-motivational modes that might result in loss of student interest. It also instills moral values in a most natural way.

The focus on family is especially evident in the second grade textbook of the series. Through the entire learning process, the second grader is assisted and guided by a fictional, “textbook family” consisting of a mother and father, a son named Sergei, a daughter called Nadya, their dog, Ryzhik, [Ginger] and a parrot. Introduction of these characters serves to reformat a normal lesson into a plot-based story which consistently models family interaction including mutual help and care, family activities, games, leisure time occupations, housekeeping tasks, and so on. Certain lessons in the textbook broaden the scope of immediate family by introducing grandparents who live in the country and friends from Saint Petersburg. This is done to show the value of family and the bonds of friendship.

A special system of assignments connects the textbook and the workbook on the one hand and the textbook and the evaluation-book on the other. It also gives guidelines for information searches on the Internet as well as in encyclopedias, reference books, local history resources and popular science books.

An important distinction of The Surrounding World study program is its dual level, basic and advanced, material presentation which allows for a better adjustment of subject content to the student’s individual interests and abilities.

The second generation standards allow for the construction of a learning process that supports the child’s creative work and permits presentation of his/her efforts to be displayed in new ways. According to the “Schools of Russia” training program, the child’s activity will go beyond normal work methods  and will encourage individual forms of expression. For example, while using The Surrounding World material the student might prepare an interview with a professional, design quiz questions, put together a program for a special event, create a regional sight-seeing guide book, compile a “traveling museum,” or organize an exhibition of student crafts in order to fulfill the text assignment. The “Schools of Russia” approach provides lots of room for single subject or interdisciplinary activities.

Comments of  L.M. Zelenina, co-author of The Russian Language: A Course of Study; senior scientific associate of the Russian Academy of Education; PhD in Language Studies, Moscow State University.

Let’s take a look at how learning activity in Russian language classes is organized. Psychological and pedagogical models were employed throughout our textbook series in the organizational design of the material and teacher-student interaction as well as the order of each topic’s presentation:

• Problem and goal statement; their analysis under teacher direction;
• Study of the assigned material; definition of rules, actions, and concepts;
• Clarification of rules, actions, and concept generalizations;
• Introduction of corresponding terminology;
• Multi-level assignments for application and clarification of acquired knowledge and skills.

Comments of T.E. Khokhlova, co-author of The Russian Language: A Course of Study; assistant principal and extracurricular program coordinator of School #710, Moscow; Merited Teacher of Russia.

Textbooks guide the teacher’s work. They reflect the goals and material content for each topic and set the time schedule. They represent a means for organizing student study activities in the form of conventional signs and analytical plans. They describe learning outcomes such as attributes and concept definitions; ways of identifying language facts and phenomena under study. Textbooks also identify action algorithms and spelling rules.

A special role is played in our textbooks in the course of the study process by the questions that are provided with almost every assignment. They are introduced for the purpose of helping students: understand the point of the assigned work, concentrate on the main concept, remember and reproduce the learned information when required, and select suitable work methods. They are also meant to show the connection between the task goal and the knowledge that in combination with the learning activities will ensure a positive outcome. They show students how to select strategies for reasoning, explanation, search, as well as verbal statements related to the assigned work. They also elicit interrelations and language patterns. They aid in developing learning motivation and habits of self-control in elementary school students. They help them to choose the best way to reach a goal as well as understand why it is the preferable approach in this particular situation.

Of special significance is the fact that The Russian Language: A Course of Study provides language information for reflection, deeper understanding, insight gaining, and, in certain instances, for memorization. The methodological system employed in our language textbooks is designed to evoke in students the desire to think, meditate, analyze, and reason, as well as the motivation to study their native language. Our course of study helps the teacher to develop student habits of independent study and research as well as create that all important classroom atmosphere of discovery that will enable students to reach their “Eureka!” moment.