The concept of "research competence" in the theory of education
The article discusses various approaches to the definition of "research competence", nature, its structure, main components, and the place of research competence in various classifications of key competences. Advisability of the study of this issue is due to the fact that while describing the problems of formation of research competence different researchers often use different terms to describe the same event or use the same term which describes different concepts. The author comes to the conclusion that the educational process should increase the proportion of independent work of students, and in the modern education system, the knowledge-oriented education should be substantially completed (or perhaps replaced) by the competency education. The latter maintains traditionally formed components (knowledge, skills, values) but suggests the emphasis not on knowledge but on skills and values with regard to education in their unity. It is the main characteristic of the competency education. The second property is that the competence-based approach involves active and independent work of students, focused on getting experience to solve problems, do exercises, develop and present projects. But unlike the traditional paradigm, tasks, assignments, exercises, and projects here are not abstract; they are connected with real-life situations. It means that the educational process should increase the proportion of independent work of students.