Within the article the main principles for developing competency-based education, the principles for identifying competencies and the list of competencies that must be developed in a learner according to competency-based model, are analyzed. The new learning elements, initiated by the change to the competency-based education model in Russian Federation and by the new demands of Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation, have been included. The new learning elements have been analyzed for the compliance with the considered principles of developing competencies. The competencies, which are developed by each particular learning element, have been identified. The results of an experiment on developing competencies in two groups of students - taught with the use of new learning elements, and taught by traditional means, have been considered. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd
