Science for Education Today, 2023, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 172–191
© Pesha A. V., Patutina S. Y., 2023
UDC: 
331.1+001.81+378.2

Assessing students’ research competencies with the main focus on the level and direction of their development

Pesha A. V. 1 (Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation), Patutina S. Y. 1 (Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation)
1 Ural State University of Economics
Full text (Open Access) — Downloaded 142
Abstract: 

Introduction. The article presents an analysis of approaches to the problem of effective assessment of university students’ research competencies. The purpose of the article is to reveal and demonstrate the results of adopting the inventory for assessing students’ research competencies, focusing on the level and direction of their development.
Materials and Methods. The research is based on the application of a systematic approach and contextual methods in the assessment and development of university students’ research competencies. The authors applied comparative and retrospective analysis, systematization and generalization of existing approaches and methods for assessing students’ research competencies, which allowed them to develop and propose a content-based inventory. The empirical part of the study was conducted at the Department of Labor Economics and Personnel Management at Ural State University of Economics. More than 80 full-time students took part in the research by testing the inventory. The results of the empirical testing are presented using the tools of descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation analysis, and Student's t-test determination.
Results. Based on reviewing scholarly literature, the authors substantiate the importance of involving students in research activities and the development of research competencies (RC) as competitive advantages in the labor market. On the basis of generalization, a number of research approaches to the development and application of methods for assessing students’ RC are revealed. As a result, the authors present a six-component questionnaire for assessing research competencies as the basis of a comprehensive and personalized approach to the development of students’ potential, including: theoretical-information, cognitive, communicative, motivational-organizational, operational-activity and reflexive-prognostic components.
The effectiveness of the inventory is proved by its content validity and the results of a two-stage approbation of the questionnaire in groups of students with and without research experience.
The results of empirical testing of the inventory confirm that with comprehensive, contextual and systematic approaches to the assessment of research competencies containing personal recommendations for their development, the indicators for all 6 components of RC increase.
Conclusions. The study concludes that there are many approaches to the assessment of RC and each of the methods can be relevant to the research tasks in the case of complexity and consistency. The six-component inventory has passed the stage of content validation and has shown relevance to the tasks of assessing university student’ research competencies with the main focus on the level and direction of their development.

Keywords: 

Involvement in research; Higher education; Competencies; Inventory for assessing research competencies; Research competencies; Research work; Assessment of students' competencies.

For citation:
Pesha A. V., Patutina S. Y. Assessing students’ research competencies with the main focus on the level and direction of their development. Science for Education Today, 2023, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 172–191. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15293/2658-6762.2306.08
References: 
  1. Akatov N. B., Kosyakin S. I. Methods for determining the weighting coefficients of the criteria used for the rapid analysis associated with the identification of promising managers in the Perm Krai. Perm University Sociology and Economics Bulletin, 2019, no. 3, pp. 109–124. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.15593/2224-9354/2019.3.9  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=41165864
  2. Arzamastseva N. G., Konstantinova V. V., Arefyeva S. A. Students’ universal competencies: Content and means of their development. Mari State University Bulletin, 2023, vol. 17 (2), pp. 158–164. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.30914/2072-6783-2023-17-2-158-164 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=54095985
  3. Baranova T. V. Development of scientific and research work of students of the university in English classes. RGGU Bulletin. Psyсhology. Pedagogics. Education Series, 2020, no. 3, pp. 141–149. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.28995/2073-6398-2020-3-141-149 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44032766
  4. Belova E. N., Andryushkina E. Yu. Research competence phenomenon in the works of Russian and foreign researchers. Astafyev Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University Bulletin, 2023, no. 1, pp. 5–16. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50435481
  5. Grigorash O. V., Petrenko T. V. Methodology for assessing the potential of the university for the training of qualified personnel. Alma Mater, 2022, no. 3, pp. 80–84. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.20339/AM.03-22.080 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=48198007
  6. Grishayeva O. V., Kaliyeva K. B., Ivanitskaya N. V. Project as a modern technique of teaching university students. Bulletin of Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University, 2019, no. 1. pp. 12–18. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=47236623  
  7. Dvoryatkina S. N., Dyakina A. A., Shcherbatykh S. V. Research work of masters’ students in the context of a digitalized dialogue of cultures. Perspectives of Science and Education, 2022, vol. 3, pp. 108–125. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=49287781
  8. Konstantinova D. S., Kudaeva M. M. Digital competencies as the basis for the professional education transformation. Journal of Labor Economics, 2020, vol. 7 (11), pp. 1055–1072. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.18334/et.7.11.111073 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44395542
  9. Koryakina S. R., Mironova T. I., Smirnova E. E. Methodology for assessing the schoolchildren’s research competency level. Bulletin of Kostroma State University. Series: Pedagogy. Psychology. Sociokinetics, 2022, vol. 28 (2). pp. 38–44. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.34216/2073-1426-2022-28-2-38-44 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=49794304

10. Krupina O., Romanenco G. The first steps in science system of the development of scientific and research competencies of cadets in a presidential cadet school. Bulletin of Military Education, 2021, no. 4, pp. 118–121. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46442950

11. Mikidenko N. L., Storozheva S. P. Students’ research work at a regional university: Opportunities, achievements, experiences and practices of participation. Professional Education in the Modern World, 2019, vol. 9 (l), pp. 2528–2538. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.15372/PEMW20190116  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=37266242

12. Pevneva A. N. The relationship between rigidity to flexibility and students' research potential. Siberian Journal of Psychology, 2023, no. 87, pp. 86–103. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=52240723 

13. Pesha A. V., Patutina S. Yu. Conceptual model for the development of university graduates' research competencies. Herald of Omsk University. Series Economics, 2022, vol. 20 (4), pp. 82–93. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50268567

14. Pesha A. V. Factors of building and developing an academic career: Systematic theoretical analysis. Higher Education in Russia, 2023, vol. 32 (7), pp. 9–34. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.31992/0869-3617-2023-32-7-9-34 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=54910103

15. Tanikulova A. Research competence of college students as a subject of pedagogical analysis. Bulletin of Science and Practice, 2023, vol. 9 (3), pp. 332–338. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.33619/2414-2948/88/41 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50403808

16. Tolochek V., Mashkova A. Competencies and professional interactions of managers: Open questions. Organizational Psychology, 2023, vol. 13 (1), pp. 181–202. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/2312-5942-2023-13-2-181-202 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=54125553

17. Chekardovskaya I. A., Bakanovskaya L. N. A program of automation of a criteria assessment methodology for master's students scientific work studying “oil and gas business”. Automation and Informatization of the Fuel and Energy Complex, 2019, no. 8, pp. 44–48. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.33285/0132-2222-2019-8(553)-44-48 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=39174868

18. Beaulieu M., Rebolledo C., Lissillour R. Collaborative research competencies in supply chain management: The role of boundary spanning and reflexivity. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-07-2022-0277 

19. Bissola R., Imperatori B. HRM 4.0: The digital transformation of the HR department. In: Cantoni F., Mangia G. (ed.), Human Resource Management and Digitalization. The Effects of Industry 4.0 on Human Resource, Routledge, Abingdon-on-Thames, 2018, pp. 51–69. URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10807/121548

20. Böttcher-Oschmann F., Groß Ophoff J., Thiel F. Preparing teacher training students for evidence-based practice promoting students’ research competencies in research-learning projects. Frontiers in Education, 2021, vol. 6, pp. 94.DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.642107

21. Egamberganov I. S. Formation of research competencies in students based on an integrative approach. Galaxy International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 2022, vol. 10 (11), pp. 508–513. URL: https://internationaljournals.co.in/index.php/giirj/article/view/2816

22. Grande R. A. N., Berdida D. J. E., Villagracia H. N., Ablao J. N., Garcia P. R. B. Multi-university assessment of Biggs's constructive alignment as an index of nursing research competencies among Saudi students. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 2022, vol. 17 (1), pp. 68–76. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.teln.2021.09.004  

23. Ivanova S. A., Tleumbetova N. V., Tyurina S. Yu. Development of the potential of research activities of students in a technical university. Bulletin of the Karaganda University. Pedagogy Series, 2022, vol. 105 (1), pp. 49–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31489/2022Ped1/49-55 

24. Konovalova V. G., Aghgashyan R. V., Galazova S. S. Perspectives and restraining factors of HR analytics in the conditions of digitization of human resources management. Socio-Economic Systems: Paradigms for the Future, 2021, pp. 1015–1024. Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56433-9_106   

25. MacDermott C., Ortiz L. Beyond the business communication course: A historical perspective of the where, why, and how of soft skills development and job readiness for business graduates. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 2017, vol. 11 (2), pp. 7–24. URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3215098 

26. Nakamura Goshima P., Rivero Panaqué C., Velasco Tapia A. Developing research competencies in education students through situated learning. Aula de Encuentro, 2019, vol. 21 (1), pp. 182–197. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17561/ae.v21i1.10

27. Nijhuis S. A. Somebody has to teach them, but what? Moving towards sustainable teaching of project management. In: Cuevas R., Bodea C. N., Torres-Lima P. (eds) Research on Project, Programme and Portfolio Management. Lecture Notes in Management and Industrial Engineering. Springer, Cham, 2021, pp. 261–271. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60139-3_18

28. Persaud A. Key competencies for big data analytics professions: A multimethod study. Information Technology & People, 2021, vol. 34 (1), pp. 178–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-06-2019-0290

29. George Reyes C. E., Glasserman Morales L. D. Research competencies mediated by technologies: A systematic mapping of the literature. Education in the Knowledge Society, 2021, vol. 22, pp. e23897. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14201/eks.23897

30. Roman A. Research competencies and performance of higher education institutions (HEI) faculty. International Journal of Research Publications, 2021, vol. 78 (1), pp. 37–44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47119/IJRP100781620211975 

31. Shapieva A. V., Nolev E. V., Ochirov O. S. Involvement of schoolchildren of Buryatia and the Transbaikal territory in scientific activities. SHS Web of Conferences. EDP Sciences, 2019, vol. 121, pp. 03002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112103002

32. Yan L., Yinghong Y., Lui S. M., Whiteside M., Tsey K. Teaching “soft skills” to university students in China: The feasibility of an Australian approach. Educational Studies, 2019, vol. 45 (2), pp. 242–258. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2018.1446328

Date of the publication 31.12.2023