The role of Cultural Distance in the Adaptation of Arab Students to the Educational Environment of Russian Universities

In the 21st century, many universities seek to internationalize their educational activities. The number of foreign students is one of the indicators of the university’s success in the market of global educational services. The success of education, in its turn, depends on the students’ socio-cultural adaptation in the host country. In this study, we used cultural distance as a predictor of socio-cultural adaptation for students from Arab countries. When cultural distance is high, immigrants find it more difficult to adapt to the new environment. We conducted a socio-psychological survey among first-, second-, and third-year students from Morocco, Syria, and Egypt receiving education at the universities of Perm, Moscow, Astrakhan, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and St. Petersburg. Our study showed that cultural distance affects socio-cultural adaptation. It was the differences between Russian and Arab cultures in values, traditions, and appearance that affected the adaptation of Arab students in the Russian cultural environment. Our results can contribute to further research into the predictors of adaptation for foreign students. They can also be used to develop adaptation programs for Arab students studying not only in Russian universities, but worldwide

DIRECTIONS OF PREPARATION OF FUTURE TEACHERS TO THE USE OF DISTANCE LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES IN PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY (PRAXIOLOGICAL ASPECT OF THE ACTIVITY APPROACH)

The aim of the article is to demonstrate the need of preparing future teachers to use distance learning technologies in the professional activities. Introduction in educational process of distance learning technologies contributes to improving the quality of education. Methods. The authors’ technique of preparation of students of pedagogical specialities to work in the information-educational environment is designed on the basis of the analysis and generalisation of numerous scientific publications. Results. The system of training to implementation of the distance learning technologies in the teaching activity is developed and described, consisting of the following directions: realisation within the program of the principal educational program of specialised training courses in variable-based curriculum parts; the organisation of educational and research activity of students with the use of distance learning technologies; classroom-based and extracurricular independent work of students directed to designing of teaching and learning aids and materials on the basis of distance learning technologies; application of elements of distance learning technologies for students’ teaching; attraction of students to formation of corpus of multimedia educational resources of university. The purposes, the content and expected results of each direction are specified. Scientific novelty. The authors point out that concrete scientifically wellfounded methodical recommendations for the future teachers on implementation of distance learning technologies haven’t been presented in the Russian literature till now; despite an abundance of scientifically-information sources of distance learning technologies and sufficiently high-leveled degree knowledge of the issues of its efficiency in educational activity, conditions of introduction of such technologies in high school, construction of models of distance training. Authors of article have tried to close this gap. Practical significance. The authors of the presented study propose and describe task-oriented, stage-by-stage, consistent preparation of the future teachers for an effective usage of distance learning technologies. Such preparation allows teachers to rationalize teaching and training processes, to improve means of monitoring, diagnostics of educational activity; it considerably expands didactic, information, methodical and technological possibilities of pedagogical activity

Social Reality in the Light of Values

In the given work the authors try to give an objective scientific analysis of social reality which is in the focus of many investigators today. The article demonstrates possibility of using the system of values to analyze social systems and social reality. It is in the value system, on the one hand, where internalized values of social objects and phenomena are accumulated, and on the other hand it is the source of social creativity reflecting the process of externalization of accumulated values of social objects and phenomena. Sociological research “Family and Personality” conducted in 2012 is considered. A group of people of different age, gender and educational level took part in it. Secondary analysis of its materials points to opportunity of investigating social systems of macro and micro levels, as well as modeling the social reality of a particular society through the system of values existing in it. Keywords: social reality, system, values, value system, shadow value JEL Classifications: C62, O18, P1

DIVERSIFICATION OF STUDENTS' SCIENTIFIC CREATIVITY IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

The purpose of the study is to identify strategic forms of organization of students' scientific work in a virtual environment. The study methods were the analysis of information about the advantages and disadvantages of Internet services and technologies and the generalized ICT practices in the organization of students' research work. The main results consist in positioning scientific creativity of students as a socially important component of professional training at University that promotes personal and professional development of students. The author proves the relevance of the organization of students' scientific work using the powerful potential of modern ICT and Internet technologies in conditions of general informatization of education. The paper shows the possibility of diversification of research activities of students in online space by means of Internet technologies using the potential of scientific social networking, blogs, forums, online conferences, online seminars, webinars, chat, email, multimedia technologies, direct contact technology, electronic and hybrid journals, institutional repositories, electronic preprints, personal pages, scientometric databases, electronic library catalogs, scientific electronic library. All these instruments can be effectively used in working with students

Dynamics of students’ opinions concerning problems in the hostel: a sociological analysis

The article reveals specifics and dynamics of students’ views on acute everyday problems in university hostels during the last thirty years. The dynamics of the opinions of students on these issues were analyzed on the basis of the materials of sociological research conducted in the hostels of the Institute of Perm National Research Polytechnic University in 1993 and in 2016. The authors reveal changes in student’s life assessments in university hostels through such indicators as key problems in the hostel and priority measures to improve living conditions

Dynamics of students’ opinions concerning problems in the hostel: a sociological analysis

The article reveals specifics and dynamics of students’ views on acute everyday problems in university hostels during the last thirty years. The dynamics of the opinions of students on these issues were analyzed on the basis of the materials of sociological research conducted in the hostels of the Institute of Perm National Research Polytechnic University in 1993 and in 2016. The authors reveal changes in student’s life assessments in university hostels through such indicators as key problems in the hostel and priority measures to improve living conditions