Regulations on independent work of students
at National Aerospace University «Kharkiv Aviation Institute»

Approved by:
Academic Council
of National Aerospace University «Kharkiv Aviation Institute»
Protocol No. 1 from September 26, 2012

1. General regulations

1.1 This regulation is concluded on the basis of the laws of Ukraine "On education", "On higher education", the regulation on the credit-modular system of organizing the educational process and the University Charter.

The introduction of the latest teaching technologies, the development of scientific, methodological and material support for the educational process, the gradual integration of the domestic education system into the European and global ones have made it necessary and possible to gradually reduce auditing classes and increase the hours for independent work of the student.

1.2 Training of highly qualified specialists who are competitive in the market, as well as capable of competent, responsible and effective activities in their specialty, is impossible without increasing the role of independent work of students aimed at stimulating their professional growth and educating their creative activity.

1.3 Independent work of a student (IWS) is an integral part of training specialists at the University.

IWS is a form of mastering educational material outside of mandatory training sessions. It is aimed at consolidating the theoretical knowledge gained by students during their studies, deepening them, acquiring and improving practical skills and abilities in the relevant specialty and direction.

1.4 This regulation defines the requirements and conditions necessary for the organization of independent educational and scientific work of students, and is aimed at solving the following tasks: creating conditions for the implementation of a unified approach of teachers to the organization of independent work of students; promoting the formation of students' skills of independent educational, research and practical work, as well as the development and deepening of professional scientific and practical interests of students; the formation of professional qualities, knowledge, skills and abilities of future specialists, as well as creating conditions for the harmonious development of the student's personality.

2. Organizational and methodological support of students' independent work 

The academic time allocated for independent work of a student is regulated by the working curriculum and should be not less than 1/3 and not more than 2/3 of the total amount of academic time allocated for studying a particular academic discipline.

2.2 The main goal of independent work of a student is the formation of his cognitive activity, assimilation of basic skills and abilities of working with educational materials, deepening and expanding already acquired knowledge, increasing the level of organization of students, and so on.

2.3 The main tasks of independent work of students are to fully assimilate the main educational program and consistently develop skills of effective independent professional (practical and scientific - theoretical) activities at the level of world standards.

2.4 The structure of a student's independent work is determined by the curriculum for studying a particular discipline, tasks and recommendations of the teacher.

2.5 Independent work of students covers: preparation for classes (lectures, practical, seminars, laboratory, etc.); realization of tasks in the discipline during the semester; work on individual topics of academic disciplines in accordance with educational and thematic plans; preparation for practice and performance of tasks provided for by practice; preparation for all types of control tests, including course, modular and complex control works; preparation for the final state certification, including the performance of final qualification Bachelor, Specialist and Master work; work in student scientific circles, seminars, etc.; participation in scientific and methodological work of departments, faculties; participation in scientific and practical conferences, seminars, competitions, etc.

3. Organization of independent work of students 

3.1 The organization of independent work of students is carried out by departments that develop the necessary documentation regulating the independent activities of students.

3.2 Increase in the share of independent work of students and reduction in the classroom load of teachers implies a corresponding increase in the number of academic hours allocated to the control of students' knowledge (control of independent work), current group and individual consultations, individual work, the development of scientific, methodological and educational materials.

3.3 In the framework of preparing students for independent academic and research work and in order to form primary skills of independent work in the first year, it is advisable to start conducting elective classes on the topic "Organization and support of independent work of a student".

3.4 Organization and control of the progress and content of academic independent work and its results are carried out in accordance with the schedules of control of students' independent work, developed and approved by departments.

3.5 On their own initiative, departments can conduct student educational, scientific and practical events (olympiads, conferences, competitions, symposia, etc.).

3.6 The organization of independent work of the student is aimed at mastering skills and abilities:

- organization of independent educational activities;

- independent work in the library with catalogs;

- work with educational, teaching and methodical, scientific, popular science literature;

- summary of literary sources;

- working with reference literature;

- processing statistical information;

- work on a PC, use the Internet;

- writing messages, essays, reports on course problems, preparing fixed presentations;

- preparing term papers, Bachelor, diploma and Master works;

- conducting experimental studies provided for by certain topics and sections of course disciplines;

- application of the acquired knowledge to solve practical tasks.

4. Structure and types of independent work of students 

4.1 Independent educational and research work, as a component of the educational process, is performed by students under the guidance of a teacher who performs classroom work in this study group.Teachers of departments develop methodological recommendations with clearly drawn up plans, a list of references, and a brief (abstract) presentation of theoretical material for students in order to perform tasks on independent work.

4.2 In the university there are following types of independent work:

- work with textbooks, teaching aids, and didactic materials;

- problem solving;

- performing exercises;

- writing essays;

- independent observations;

- laboratory work;

- research and experimental activities;

- designing;

- modeling;

- performing descriptive work, homework, practical, test papers, creative projects, etc.

4.3 Individual tasks contribute to the student's in-depth study of theoretical material, consolidation and generalization of the acquired knowledge, and the formation of skills in using knowledge for a comprehensive solution of relevant professional tasks.The types, terms of completion and defense of individual tasks in certain academic disciplines are determined by their work programs and class schedules. Individual tasks are performed by students independently with the necessary advice from the teacher. The presence of positive grades received by the student for performing independent individual tasks is a necessary condition for admission to the semester control in this discipline.

4.4 Abstracts are types of individual tasks that involve solving specific practical educational problems using well-known, as well as independently studied theoretical material. The component of such work can be software products and graphic material that is performed in accordance with current regulatory requirements and using computer graphics.

These types of individual tasks should contribute to the deepening and expansion of students ' theoretical knowledge on certain topics of the discipline, develop skills of independent work with educational and scientific literature. Abstracts as a form of individual assignment are recommended for academic disciplines of the humanities and socio - economic cycles.

4.5 The coursework on the academic discipline involves the development of a set of documents: a calculation and explanatory or explanatory note, graphic or illustrative material. It solves specific tasks related to the objects of the expert’s activity.

4.6 Qualification work is an independent creative work of a student, which is designed to assess the level of scientific, theoretical and practical training of a specialist.

4.7 The time allotted for independent work of a student in each specialty is determined by the working curriculum.

4.8 The types and content of independent work of a student in each specialty are determined by the curriculum for the discipline.

4.9 Departments can develop, in addition to academic programs in the discipline, other methodological documents that will contribute to achieving a high quality of independent work of students.

5. Methodological support of independent work 

5.1 Independent work of the student is provided by a system of educational and methodological materials provided for studying the specific academic discipline: textbooks, educational and methodological manuals, lecture notes and workshops (including electronic media), etc.

5.2 In order to provide methodological support for students' independent work, scientists and teachers of departments develop scientific and methodological manuals and publish them in printed form and in electronic form as textbooks, collections of tests and situational tasks, manuals for self-study of all sections of courses and individual complex topics. Methodological manuals should be developed taking into account the specifics of various types of independent work, as well as a system for evaluating the results of independent work.

5.3 Methodological recommendations for self-study of educational material should contain instructions on the term and scope of assimilation of the material, indicating educational and scientific publications, questions for self-control, tests, control tasks, examples of independent written work, design.

5.4 Methodological guidelines for the implementation of term papers and final papers define the topic, purpose, course of research, and contain a list of recommended scientific and methodological literature.

5.5 The subject of term papers and final papers should correspond to the tasks of the academic discipline, be relevant and closely related to the solution of practical professional tasks.

5.6 The requirements for registration of research results, the procedure for meeting the deadlines for performing and protecting these types of independent work are regulated by the relevant provisions.

5.7 Methodological recommendations for conducting training and production practices are developed according to work programs for each type of practice.The organization and conduct of training and production practices is carried out under the control and supervision of the head of the practical work.

5.8 In order to meet the established requirements for the quality of educational literature, manuscripts must pass the procedure of preliminary consideration regarding the recommendation for their publication: discussed and approved at a meeting of the department and faculty (Institute), approved by the educational and methodological Commission of the University and recommended by the Academic Council of the University for publication.

6. Material, technical and informational support for conditions of independent work 

For full-fledged and creative independent work in the study of academic disciplines and the implementation of research work of various levels of complexity, a material base with scientific and laboratory equipment and the use of modern Information Technologies is necessary.

6.1 Conditions for performing independent work of a student are created by all departments of the university (institutes, faculties, departments) using their material and information-technical base and equipment:

- self-training classrooms;

- training laboratories;

- computer classes with the ability to work on the Internet;

- university library with reading rooms;

- educational and methodical offices of institutes, faculties, departments;

- scientific and creative laboratories, research centers.

6.2 Independent work of students is also carried out on the bases of practice during all types of educational and industrial practices at enterprises of various profiles and in educational institutions of the city and region.

6.3 When conducting laboratory, independent research work on technical or laboratory equipment for the purpose of safe work, all students are familiarized with safety rules, fire prevention measures, personal hygiene rules, methods of providing first aid in case of accidents, etc.

6.4 When organizing independent work of students using complex information access systems (for example, computer databases), it is possible to get advice from a specialist.

7. Control of independent work 

7.1 The results of independent work of students are evaluated by the teacher of the corresponding course, and in some cases by the department as a whole.

7.2 Forms of control of independent work are chosen by the teacher from the following options: individual or collective project, provided by the curriculum for the discipline or individual modules that require the formation of practical skills and abilities of students; current control based on the implementation of practical or laboratory work; current control of knowledge acquisition based on the assessment of oral answers to questions, messages, reports, etc. (at practical or seminar classes); solving situational problems; summary, made on the topic that was studied independently; testing, the implementation of written control work; rating system for evaluating students' knowledge; report on the completion of practice and tasks provided for by practice; report on scientific-research work (its stages, parts, etc.); article, abstracts of the presentation and other publications in a scientific, popular science, educational publication, etc. based on the results of independent educational and research work, published by decision of departments or academic councils of faculties.

8. Criteria recommendations to assess students 

8.1 When developing criteria for evaluating the quality of training, it is necessary to take into account three main components:

Level of knowledge:

- depth and strength of knowledge;

- level of thinking;

- ability to systematize knowledge on individual topics;

- ability to make a detailed response plan;

- give precise wording;

- correct use of the conceptual apparatus;

- response culture (literacy, logic and consistency of presentation);

- skills and techniques for performing practical tasks.

Independent work skills:

- ability to search for the necessary literature;

- orientation in the flow of information about the chosen specialty;

- record-keeping skills (drawing up a simple and detailed plan, synopsis, abstract, speech, as well as research skills).

Ability to apply knowledge in practice:

- implementation in practical, seminar classes;

- performing individual tasks during the internship.

These recommendations can be used in the development of criteria for evaluating students' independent work, taking into account the specifics of each academic discipline. The relevant criteria are approved by the decision of the department.