Officers’ leadership courses in the structural-functional model of border guard cadets’ foreign language training

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Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

Foreign Languages Department

Officers' leadership courses in the structural-functional model of border guard cadets' foreign language training

O. Voitiuk, PhD in Psych., Ass. Professor

I. Bloshchynskyi, Dr Ped. Sci., Professor

Khmelnytskyi

Annotation

The article deals with the substantiation of the developed structural-functional model of foreign language professional training of the border guard cadets who study according to the educational-professional program `State Border Security' at the first (Bachelor's) level of higher education at Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. This model includes the implemented officers' leadership courses (L-1B - Officers' Leadership Courses, L-1C - Officers' Leadership Courses, CCC Basic Level - Basic Course of Border Guards' Professional Education). The authors consider the content of this model, its goals, blocks and their characteristics. This model provides for the implementation of four educational blocks: target, content (academic course working program, the officers' professional training programs - officers' leadership courses at levels L-1B, L-1C and CCC Basic Level, and an optional English course), methodological (forms, methods and technologies of teaching, educational and material supply, subjects of educational process) and diagnostic-effective block.

Key words: structural-functional model; educational-professional program; border guard cadets; leadership courses; state border security.

Анотація

Войтюк О.А., Блощинський І.Г. Курси лідерства офіцерського складу у структурно-функціональній моделі іншомовної підготовки курсантів-прикордонників

У статті обґрунтовано розроблену структурно-функціональну модель іншомовної професійної підготовки курсантів-прикордонників, які навчаються за освітньо-професійною програмою “Безпека державного кордону” першого (бакалаврського) рівня вищої освіти у Національній академії державної прикордонної служби України ім. Богдана Хмельницького. Дана модель включає впровадження програм фахової підготовки офіцерського складу (L-1B та L-1C - курси лідерства офіцерського складу, CCC BL - базовий курс професійної освіти прикордонників) в освітній процес підготовки майбутніх офіцерів-прикордонників. У статті розглядається зміст цієї моделі, її цілі, блоки та їхні характеристики. Дана структурно-функціональна модель забезпечує впровадження чотирьох освітніх блоків: цільового, змістовного (робочі програми навчальної дисципліни, програми фахової підготовки офіцерів рівнів L-1B, L-1C, CCC BL та факультативний курс вивчення англійської мови), методичного (форми, методи і технології навчання, навчально-матеріальне забезпечення), а також діагностично-результативного блоку.

Ключові слова: структурно-функціональна модель; освітньо-професійна програма; курсанти-прикордонники; курси лідерства; безпека державного кордону.

Introduction

In the context of social development as well as the development of political relations between countries, the role of foreign languages is growing. This is due to the multinational and multilingual nature of the modern world, drastic changes in the labor market, mobility of society, intensive development of Ukraine's international relations with the European Union and NATO, Ukrainian and foreign companies, enterprises and organizations in various fields. Priority in the conceptual vision of ensuring the state's defence capabilities belongs to the issues of effective officers' training and the military education system improvement, which involve participation in international educational and scientific activities, enhancing interoperability with NATO member countries.

Foreign language training of specialists in the field of national security in general and the state border security in particular involves the development of new educational programs, the introduction of new educational components that will provide a new level of professional training for cadets and students of higher military educational establishments in accordance with modern requirements. This, in turn, requires the introduction of modern technologies, methods and means of teaching a foreign language into the educational process of higher military educational establishments. There is a need to develop innovative approaches to designing its content.

Problem statement. Foreign language training of the border guard cadets at Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (NADPSU) is carried out for all non-linguistic specialties, as well as for the specialty `Philology' where the professional training is carried out more profoundly. Each educational program provides a different number of credits and the English language study in different academic courses (especially for non-linguistic specialties). However, the academic discipline `Foreign Language for Professional Purposes', which is taught to the cadets of non-linguistic specialties, is designed in such a way as to cover the main issues of learning English for professional purposes, taking into account the needs of each specialty, namely: study of material from the border guard and military fields and material that provides basic professional knowledge in the chosen specialty `State Border Security', `Law Enforcement', `Psychology' and `Telecommunications and Radio Engineering'.

Taking into account the peculiarities of the implemented officers' leadership courses and their practical results, an educational, structural and functional model of foreign language communicative training of future border guard officers, who study according to the educational-professional program `State Border Security' was developed.

Recent research and publications review. The issue of foreign language training of specialists in the field of national security and defence was researched by I. Bloshchynskyi [1]; [2]. The issues of ESP teaching strategies of Ukrainian border guards' training on the experience of European Union countries were presented by О. Komarnytska, A. Balendr, I. Bloshchynskyi [3]; usage of warm-up as a means of fostering target-language performance in a particular English class was studied in the paper of M. Karpushyna, I. Bloshchynskyi, V. Zheliaskov, V Chymshyr, O. Kolmykova & O. Tymofieieva [4].

Some scholars, namely I. Bloshchynskyi, A. Balendr, Y. Dolynskyi, V. Hrishko-Dunaievska, & O. Herasimova, revealed the peculiarities of designing ESP online course for personnel of law-enforcement agencies of Ukraine [5]. Creating meaningful foreign language environment by means of content-based starters was introduced in the work of M. Karpushyna, I. Bloshchynskyi, A. Nakonechna, K. Skyba [6]. Topical aspects of an analysis of proposed ESP teaching activities in border guard automobile transport masters training were substantiated by O. Lemeshko, V. Lemeshko, N. Moroz, I. Bloshchynskyi [7]. Psychological support for the foreign language training of the students at international relations faculties was characterized in the article of S. Lysenko, N. Lavrynenko, A. Bohuslavets, M. Kryvych, L. Oliynyk, V. Stasyuk, O. Lahodynskyi, V. Osyodlo, V. Yahupov, V. Hrishko-Dunaievska, I. Bloshchynskyi, V. Artemov [8]. The improvement of the cadets and officers' foreign language training according to NATO STANAG 6001 in the security and defense sector of Ukraine has been under the research of many scholars.

The theory and practice of foreign language training of the security and defense specialists is regarded by Lahodynskyi as a separate science military lingvodidactics - due to the complexity of the communication process in this area taking place in highly stressful conditions [9]. The idea of teaching foreign languages in stressful conditions is also reflected in the work of Lysenko et al. [10]. The foreign language communicative competence of the future military officers as a learning objective and outcome is described in detail in another work by Lahodynskyi [11].

Other scholars deal with various aspects of support for the future officers' professional training including using blended learning, automated tests and electronic text-books.

V. Osodlo et al., for instance, look at how the blended learning method effects development of the officers' foreign language communicative competence within the educational and information environment of the military academies. By using the NATO STANAG 6001 language tests the authors prove that the integration of the information and communication technologies tools with foreign language training considerably increases the officers' language proficiency levels. [12].

Yaremchuk et al. describe the advantages of the `English for Border Guards' electronic textbook use within the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine [13]. The application of achievement testing software in the military academies was the subject of the research by Lahodynskyi, Buyalo, and Khamula [14] while the computer adaptive language testing in accordance with NATO STANAG 6001 requirements for the Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel was introduced and considerably described in the article by Gawliczek et al. [15].

The purpose of this research is to determine the content, goals, tasks, and characteristics of the structural and functional model of foreign language training of border guard cadets, who study according to the educational-professional program `State Border Security' of the first (Bachelor's) level of higher education taking into account the integrated leadership courses.

Research methods. To achieve this goal, the following methods were used: theoretical analysis, comparison, substantiation, generalization, systematization of theoretical and practical material, study of the Ukrainian leading military educational establishments' experience in foreign language training of the cadets at the first (Bachelors) level of higher education, formulation of conclusions.

officer professional foreign language specialist

Research results

The model of foreign language training of the border guard cadets who study in the educational-professional program `State Border Security', which includes the integrated leadership courses, at the first level of higher education involves the implementation of four educational blocks, namely: target, content, methodological and diagnostic-effective blocks (Fig.).

The purpose of studying the academic discipline `Foreign language for professional purposes' is the cadets' the mastery of foreign language communicative competence to perform official duties while protecting the state border.

The achievement of this goal is based on the main provisions of the legislative and regulatory framework on this issue, on the Standard of higher education in Ukraine (Order of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 1384 of 12.12.2018), the developed educational-professional programs and curricula for the specialty `State Border Security', as well as the meaningful content of the academic discipline `Foreign language for professional purposes.

All the components work together to achieve the cadets' general competencies, which are covered in program learning outcomes in accordance with the educational-professional program and the higher education standard, which involve the development of professional knowledge, skills, abilities and qualities of the border guard cadets.

This academic discipline provides the formation of cadets' general competencies according to the program:

ability to communicate in a foreign language;

ability to communicate with representatives of other professional groups at different levels (with experts from other fields of knowledge/types of economic activity);

Fig. The structural-functional model of foreign language professional training of the border guard cadets

The discipline ensures the achievement of cadets' program learning outcomes, i.e., to speak a foreign language at Level 2 according to the criteria of STANAG 6001.

The content block of this model includes three interrelated components: the academic course working program, the officers' training programs (the officers' leadership courses at levels L-1B, L-1C and CCC Basic Level - basic course of the border guards' professional education) and the optional course in English.

The academic course working program `Foreign language for professional purposes' covers 12 ECTS credits, which is 360 academic hours, 200 hours of which are practical classes, 100 hours - independent work and 60 hours of individual work. The study of this discipline is carried out during 6-8 semesters i.e., during 3 and 4 years of studying.

As it was mentioned above, the academic discipline covers the material related to the English language for everyday use of professionally oriented nature (`Revision Course'), with border topics `State Border Guard Service of Ukraine', `Service on the Border', `Border Integration in Europe', etc.) and with military topics (`Information on the Army of the Country the Language of Which We Study', `Military Operations', etc.). There are 11 topics in total and the cadets graduate from the Academy after 4-year-study and passing the State Final Attestation.

The officers' professional training programs of different levels are integrated into the academic course working program. The cadets take these programs during their studies at the first (Bachelor's) level of higher education.

The Officers' Training Program (L-1B - Officers' Leadership Courses) aims at improving the cadets' professional competencies and practical skills to perform their future service duties. This course consists of 446 academic hours, i.e., 15 ECTS credits. The academic discipline `Foreign language for professional purposes' includes 84 academic hours and covers topics of everyday use at the basic level. In other words, this course involves the development of reading, listening, speaking, writing and translation skills at the level which is sufficient to ensure the fulfilment of the border guard officer's responsibilities.

The Officers' Training Program (L-1C - Officers' Leadership Courses) aims at improving the cadets' professional competencies and practical skills to perform their future duties. The total study budget is 228 academic hours (10 ECTS credits). The academic discipline `Foreign language for professional purposes' comprises 28 hours of practical classes and 8 hours of independent work. This course material is related to military service and combat operations and it provides the development of relevant lexical and grammatical competencies of the border guard cadets.

The officers' professional training program (CCC Basic Level - Basic Course of Border Guards' Professional Education) aims at forming basic knowledge, skills and abilities of the border guards. This course covers 690 academic hours (50 ECTS credits). The study of the discipline `Foreign language of professional orientation' includes 84 hours of practical classes. The discipline involves the study of lexical, grammatical and factual material on topics that are mainly related to the border guard service:

1. Revision course (Profession of a Border Guard, the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Daily Routine at the Academy).

2. Information about the Army of the Country the Language of Which We Study.

3. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

4. Service on the State Border.

5. Fight against Smuggling, Illegal Migration and Terrorism.

6. Military operations and combat actions.

7. Rendering of Professional Texts.

Along with the officers' professional training courses, the optional course in English has been developed and implemented into the educational process. This course provides for independent work of cadets while working on a number of topics. The optional English language course is designed for 4 academic years (100 academic hours per academic year). Each year includes the study of five topics consisting of 10 units. As a result, the cadet's study 20 topics during 400 academic hours within 4 academic years.

The optional course in English focuses on the development of the cadets' foreign language communication skills to create so-called “lifelong learning” (during 4 academic years) and maintain the cadets' foreign language level from the moment they complete their general secondary education until they start studying the academic discipline `Foreign language for professional purposes' in the 3rd academic year.

The methodological block of this model consists of the following main components:

1. Forms of teaching: classroom training (practical classes), independent work, individual work, control measures, consultations.

2. Teaching methods: conversations, discussions, analysis of situations from the border guards' professional life, role-play games, situational trainings, exercises; visual-illustrative method, problem-searching method, project methods.

3. Teaching technologies: Moodle, Zoom, Google Classroom (Forms), Google Meet, Anki Droid, Duolingo, Lingualeo, Memrise, Quizlet, etc.

4. Educational and material supply: textbooks, reference materials, visual aids, technical teaching aids, audio/video materials, electronic libraries, testing systems, etc.

The logical conclusion of the model is its diagnostic-effective block. After all, any educational process must be controlled not only for its compliance with today's requirements, not only for its content of various teaching forms and methods, use of modern technologies, but it should be controlled if it works for the achievement of the main purpose of studying any educational material - to understand it, remember and be used in practice. Thus, there must be a diagnostic-effective block, which provides effective interaction and complementarity of its components such as: types of assessment (current and final); forms of final control (differentiated credit, exam); assessment scale (current one - according to a 5-point scale, and final scale - according to a 100-point scale); State final attestation.

Conclusions

Thus, the professional training of specialists in law enforcement and military structures requires the obligatory knowledge of English at a level that will ensure the effective performance of their duties during the state border protection and security. Taking into account the course chosen by Ukraine to join NATO, the law enforcement and military establishments of higher education have developed and implemented the officers' leadership courses that work in a holistic combination for practical results and are aimed at training the cadets in accordance with the NATO standards.

The study substantiates the developed structural-functional model of a foreign language professional training of the border guard cadets who study according to the educational-professional program `State Border Security' at the first (Bachelor's) level of higher education, taking into account the offices' leadership courses. This model provides for the implementation of four educational blocks: target, content (academic course working program, the officers' professional training programs - officers' leadership courses at levels L-1B, L-1C and CCC Basic Level, and an optional English course), methodical (forms, methods and technologies of teaching, educational and material support, subjects of educational process) and diagnostic-effective block (types of assessment, forms of final control, etc.).

References

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