Qualification assessment practices: New possibilities and constraints

Introduction. The transformation of the educational system and the labour market determines the need for objective procedures for independent assessment of qualifications that meet the needs of all stakeholders. The need to overcome the qualification gap is becoming more acute, and it is necessary to change the configuration of connections and relationships in the process of qualifications assessment, which determines the relevance of the current research. Aim. The present publication is aimed to analyse social processes related to the development of practices for evaluating qualifications obtained in both formal and non-formal education in Russia. Methodology and research methods. The methodological framework of the research is based on the principles of the activity approach and the concept of structuration, in which the practice of qualifications assessment is viewed as a combination of social relations between individual and collective actors in the space of social and labour relations. Data collection and analysis was carried out using a qualitative methodology of the sociological approach. A semi-formal interview was selected as the method of expert survey. Twenty-four experts from various sectors of the economy (Moscow, Ekaterinburg and Tyumen) took part in the interviews. Results and scientific novelty. The possibilities and constraints of existing practices for qualifications assessment were identified: assessment centres, qualification assessment centres, internal certification, professional evaluation of working professions within the framework of the “WorldSkills” programme in Russia. The analysis of international experience is presented. Based on expert assessments, it was established that practices specific to the industrial model of the economy prevail in Russia. Thus, the infrastructure and regulatory field were established for the development of new practices of independent qualification assessment. However, the main participants of the process are not involved enough in mutual interaction. The primary sector of the economy hinders the development of the high-technology manufacturing industry and the employers who are interested in creating a competency framework. According to experts, the importance of non-formal education in the development of relevant competencies is increasing, and new mechanisms for qualifications assessment obtained in both formal and informal training are required. The authors presented the cases, which illustrate new configurations of participants’ relationships, when independent assessment of qualifications is integrated with the formal educational system at the stage of state final certification, ensuring the interrelated procedures. The article reveals the contradictions, which are manifested in the interaction between applicants/employees, employers and the state. It is concluded that such contradictions affect the institutional mechanisms for the formation of a national system of independent qualification assessment. Practical significance. The analysis of alternative models for qualifications assessment revealed the interests of different stakeholders involved in this process, the possibility of using “hybrid” forms of qualifications assessment, as well as a number of contradictions related to regulatory, functional and institutional features. The results of the study can be useful for managers of educational institutions and employers to synchronise the processes for mutual assessment of qualifications. As a result, recommendations for the development of an independent qualification assessment system in Russia are proposed, and the prospects for further research are outlined.Введение. Трансформация образовательной системы и рынка труда определяет потребность в объективных процедурах независимой оценки квалификаций, которые отвечают запросам всех заинтересованных сторон. Обостряется необходимость в преодолении квалификационного разрыва, изменения конфигурации связей и отношений в процессе оценки квалификаций, что и определяет актуальность изложенного в статье исследования. Цель публикации - анализ социальных процессов, связанных с развитием системы оценки квалификаций, полученных как в формальном, так и в неформальном образовании в России. Методология и методы. Методологической основой эмпирического исследования выступили принципы деятельностного подхода и концепции структурации, в рамках которых практики оценки квалификаций рассмотрены как комбинации социальных связей между индивидуальными и коллективными субъектами в пространстве социально-трудовых отношений. Сбор и анализ данных реализован с опорой на качественную методологию социологического подхода: использован метод экспертного опроса - полуформализованное интервью, в котором приняли участие 24 эксперта из различных отраслей экономики и регионов России. Результаты и научная новизна. Выявлены возможности и ограничения существующих практик оценки квалификаций: ассессмент-центров, центров оценки квалификаций, внутренней аттестации, профессиональной оценки квалификаций для рабочих профессий в рамках программы «WorldSkills» в России, представлен анализ международного опыта. На основе экспертных оценок установлено, что в российских условиях преобладают практики, характерные для индустриальной модели экономики. При этом для развития новых форм независимой оценки квалификаций создана инфраструктура и нормативное поле, однако не хватает «плотности взаимодействия» основных участников процесса; сырьевая структура экономики сдерживает развитие высокотехнологичного производства и работодателей, которые реально заинтересованы в создании квалификационных рамок. По мнению экспертов, возрастает значимость неформального образования в освоении актуальных компетенций, требуются новые механизмы оценки квалификаций, полученных как в формальном, так и в неформальном обучении. Представлены кейсы, иллюстрирующие новые конфигурации связей участников, когда независимая оценка квалификаций интегрируется с формальной образовательной системой на этапе государственной итоговой аттестации, обеспечивая сопряженность этих процедур. Раскрыты противоречия, которые проявляются во взаимодействии соискателей/работников, работодателей и государства, влияют на институциональные механизмы становления национальной системы независимой оценки квалификаций. Практическая значимость. Анализ альтернативных практик оценки квалификаций позволил выявить интересы разных стейкхолдеров, включенных в этот процесс, возможность применения «гибридных» форм оценки квалификаций, а также ряд противоречий, связанных с нормативно-правовыми, функциональными и организационными особенностями. Результаты исследования могут быть полезны руководителям образовательных учреждений и работодателям для синхронизации процессов по совместной оценке квалификаций. По итогам проведенной работы предложены рекомендации для развития в России системы независимой оценки квалификаций, обозначены перспективы дальнейших исследований.The reported study was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), project No. 19-011-00701 “Non-Formal Education as a Factor of Human Capital Development”Статья подготовлена в рамках гранта РФФИ «Неформальное образование как фактор развития человеческого капитала», проект № 19-011-0070

Balancing Hardware Intensity in Microprocessor Pipelines

The evaluation of architectural tradeoffs is complicated by implications in the circuit domain which are typically not captured in the analysis but substantially affect the results. We propose a metric of hardware intensity, which is useful for evaluating issues that affect both circuits and architecture. Analyzing data for actual designs, we show how to measure the introduced parameters and discuss variations between observed results and common theoretical assumptions. For a power-efficient design, we derive relations for hardware intensity and supply voltage V under progressively more general situations and illustrate the use of these equations in simple examples. Then we establish a relation between the architectural energy-efficiency metric and hardware intensity, and we derive expressions for evaluating the effect of modifications at the microarchitectural level on processor frequency and power, assuming the optimal tuning of the pipeline. These relations will guide the architect to achieve an energy-optimal balance between architectural complexity and hardware intensity

Optimizing pipelines for power and performance

During the concept phase and definition of next generation high-end processors, power and performance will need to be weighted appropriately to deliver competitive cost/performance. It is not enough to adopt a CPI-centric view alone in early-stage definition studies. One of the fundamental issues confronting the architect at this stage is the choice of pipeline depth and target frequency. In this paper we present an optimization methodology that starts with an analytical power-performance model to derive optimal pipeline depth for a superscalar processor. The results are validated and further refined using detailed simulation based analysis. As part of the power-modeling methodology, we have developed equations that model the variation of energy as a function of pipeline depth. Our results using a set of SPEC2000 applications show that when both power and performance are considered for optimization, the optimal clock period is around 18 FO4. We also provide a detailed sensitivity analysis of the optimal pipeline depth against key assumptions of these energy models.

THE ABILITY TO ESTIMATE POWER CONSUMPTION DURING EARLY-STAGE DEFINITION AND TRADE-OFF STUDIES IS A KEY NEW METHODOLOGY ENHANCEMENT. OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVING POWER CAN BE EXPOSED VIA MICROARCHITECTURE-LEVEL MODELING, PARTICULARLY THROUGH CLOCK- GATING AND

emerged as a major constraint in the design of microprocessors. At the low end of the performance spectrum, namely in the world of handheld and portable devices or systems, power has always dominated over performance (execution time) as the primary design issue. Battery life and system cost constraints drive the design team to consider power over performance in such a scenario. Increasingly, however, power is also a key design issue in the workstation and server markets (see Gowan et al.) 1 In this high-end arena the increasing microarchitectural complexities, clock frequencies, and die sizes push the chiplevel—and hence the system-level—powe