Vasilyeva E. N. Problem-Based Method of Teaching Philosophy to the Students of Non-Humanities Tertiary Institutions
(Institute for Tourism and Hospitality, Moscow
[the branch of Russian State University of Tourism and Service]))
Abstract ♦ The article justifies the need for problem-based approach in teaching philosophy to non-humanities majors. Psychological and didactic aspects are exposed in this approach.
The psychological aspect is related to the activation of the students' attention and interest in philosophical questions. The main emphasis is laid on the reliance on existing knowledge and finding ways to acquire and use new philosophical knowledge. The didactic aspect of the problem-based approach is revealed in the techniques of lectures and seminars. Lectures are oriented to elicit the kernel of a problem and its topicality by penetration into the world perception and outlook of an epoch, to reveal the sociocultural background of the problem. It would be also important to consider a philosophical prehistory of the problem and to present a philosophical project that determined the whole direction of research.
The teacher should watch his or her logic of presenting the material at the lecture, control students’ understanding and learning of the topics by using special exercises. For example, it may be a development scheme of a philosophical problem. It includes briefly formulated problems and subproblems, the field of proposed solutions (philosophical conceptions). Current control of the progress in studies may include creative exercises. The same technique in the form of exercises for drawing manifold schemes of philosophical issues could be used at the seminars. The author of the paper proposed a technique for the development of dilemma situations.
The conclusion is that the problem-based method of teaching makes it possible for students to develop philosophical thinking, to see the diversity of ways of solving philosophical problems, to find the most rational decisions. Using the problem-based method helps us to mould educated and creative individuals who are capable of making original decisions and being strategists through their lives.
Keywords: methods of teaching philosophy, problem-based learning, non-humanities majors.
Vasilyeva Elena Nikolaevna, Candidate of Science (philosophy), associate professor at Institute for Tourism and Hospitality, the branch of the Russian State University of Tourism and Service. Postal address: Kibalchich St. 6, B. 2, Moscow, Russian Federation, 129164. Tel.: +7 (495) 682-09-90. E-mail:
falsafa@list.ru
Citation: Vasilyeva, E. N. (2014) Metod problemnogo obucheniia v prepodavanii filosofii studentam vuza negumanitarnogo profilia [Problem-Based Method of Teaching Philosophy to the Students of Non-Humanities Tertiary Institutions]. Znanie. Ponimanie. Umenie, no. 1, pp. 89–94. (In Russ.).
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