Competency-based approach to course designing of the training course "Economics of Organizations"
An important final link in the whole educational process, the result of independence, the degree of mastery of knowledge and skills to use them in solving specific production problems is course designing. Course designing is a type of self-educational activity of students which is a creative solution to real educational or professional goals. This kind of learning activities provides training sessions in the form of independent work of students, counseling and the defense of the work performed. Course designing is a mandatory element of the training process. The system of course projects (papers) prepares students to perform a final qualification work. The topics of papers base on the factual material of businesses that students collect during practical training. The starting materials for the implementation of the course work usually contain sufficient data for setting tasks for designing and wording a problem situation: economic, environmental aspects, safety issues in relation to the designed object. However, one of the main requirements to the topic of the course work is its comprehensiveness, that is, considering the modernization of existing automation systems, students should address the issues of restoration or replacement of process equipment, reduction of labor-intensive operations in many stages of the production process. Guidelines for the organization of students'' independent work which allow them to prepare for classes and organize their self-study to perform individual tasks are important for the improvement of the planning and organization of this type of educational activities. The subjects of course designing in the discipline Economics of Organizations is directly related to the subjects of course designing for the discipline Automation of Technological Processes and Production, which allows students to system-ically study designing issues and, therefore, to develop the format of logical thinking which will contribute to the proper formation of specific competencies in a future profession. As a rule, students take the initiative in the choice of topics. A professor traditionally supervises students in their study designing. Students have an opportunity to be more independent. An important tool in designing is a feasibility study. An engineer in any field should have a good understanding of the issues of cost, pricing, working capital investments, profits and other economic categories. A course project is a universal indicator of the competence of students, it is an indicator of their knowledge and skills. Supervising students'' self-study during course designing includes: guidelines for the implementation of course papers; normative and reference books; schedule of works; coordination of students'' work; consulting; schedule of course paper defense; organization of project defense; preliminary assessment of the work by the project supervisor; assessment of the course paper defense; making of a protocol of work defenses. The implementation of the competency-based approach involves the search for answers to quite complex issues related to the reorientation of educational outcomes to the list of competencies that are in demand by employers and are formed under responsibility of an educational institution. Thus, a competency is a combination of characteristics (referring to knowledge and its application, to positions, skills and responsibilities) that describe the level or degree to which a person is able to implement it.