Individual educational trajectory: Grounds for electives choice

The fact that individual educational trajectory (IET) is one of the key factors of modern Russian education development determines relevancy of studying issues of IET implementation into higher educational institutions teaching process. This research aims at rates students’ awareness of IET advantages and finding out factors influencing students’ choices. A survey covered first-year students of the Saratov State Law Academy (N = 1325, aged 16–18, male – 38,2%, female – 61,8%), pursuing Bachelor and Specialist Degrees. Authorial questionnaire is aimed at rating students’ awareness of IET advantages and finding out factors influencing students’ choices. The survey results analysis showed that a students’ IET awareness level is rather high but there is a need in additional measures for clarifying IET advantages and opportunities. Firstly, it is essential to broaden a list of IET information resources: a higher educational institution official website, deans’ offices, curators, tutors, teachers, written sources. Secondly, it is necessary to structure an electives choice procedure. Thirdly, there is a need in working out a plan of events to be held during the first term of the first year of study to shape first-year students’ skills of an informed choice. Constant monitoring of studying within IET (students’ and teachers’ surveys, observations, interviews) will provide material for further research in several directions: 1) an analysis of cumulated material for providing teaching results of high quality; 2) a deeper research of factors influencing elective choices; 3) studying of digital technologies opportunities for shaping IET