Great
attention in the Institute of Social Work is given to research activity which
is carried out within the framework of social - pedagogical scientific school
Formation and Development of the Institute of Social Pedagogues and Social
Workers in Russia (forms and methods of social - pedagogical work in various
societies; a professional training for social sphere), headed by Raisa M.
Kulichenko, Doctor of Pedagogical
Sciences, professor. The school is represented by 20 members, among which are
3 doctors (Phds) and 11 candidates of sciences (Masters).
The
following are the priority directions of scientific schools activities:
research
on the foundation of social work as professional work and development of its
theory and methods;
construction
of a conceptual model of social education;
development
of modern technologies of training of experts in the social sphere.
Members
of the school fruitfully develop methodological aspects of social work as an
area of scientific knowledge. Issues of the inception and development of social
welfare and social work in Russia and foreign countries are investigated. Forms
and methods of social - pedagogical work with populations of various groups
at risk are developed. The conditions of
the effective formation of professional and personal qualities of experts
in the social sphere during their high school preparation are explored.
For many
years researchers of the Institute work on fundamental research by request of
the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation Development of theory
and methodological bases of social - pedagogical activity in conditions of modern
rural society, actively participate in
the scientific and technical program of the Russian Academy of Education
Development of an Education System in Rural Society: Integration of Science
and Practice, and conduct research by request of Administrations of different
territories of the Tambov region.
Results of research activity of the faculty of the Institute have been
presented in 6 monographs, 2 textbooks, 12 educational manuals, 8 collections
of research articles and in numerous publications in the central and university
journals and have received recognition of the professional community of Russia
and foreign countries.
Successful
research activities is possible because of the good connections of the Institute
with the leading scientific and pedagogical centers of Russia and foreign countries,
including the Institute of Pedagogy of Social Work of the Russian Academy of
Education, the Institute of General and Special Education of the Russian Academy
of Education, the Research Center of Problems of Quality of Preparation of Specialists
of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, Moscow State Social
University, Voronezh State Pedagogical University, and Altay State University.
The Institute actively builds international connections. Since 1996 it has developed cooperation with Indiana State University (USA), which is guided by a Memorandum of Cooperation. This Memorandum includes student and faculty exchanges, international internships, introduction to educational process of components of distance education and information technologies, and joint research projects in the field of the well-being of children, problems of family, and gender approaches in social work administration.
Raisa M. Kulichenko, Director of The Institute of Social Work and Yuri A. Zusman, Head of Department of International Communications of TSU at the reception of Lloyd Benjamin, Rector of Indiana State University (in the middle)
A
distinctive feature of the Institute of Social Work of TSU named after G.R.
Derzhavin is wide interaction with non-governmental associations of social orientation.
Among its partners are the Union of Social Pedagogues and Social Workers of
the Russian Federation and its regional branches, the All-Russian public organization
Children's and Youths Social Initiatives, the regional public organization
of pupils and graduates of children's homes and boarding schools Hope, Tambov
regional organization Youths initiatives, regional branch of the All-Russian
public organization of young invalids Ramp, and regional branch of the Union
of Women of Russia, etc.
During the last few years the Institute of Social Work has hosted a number of scientific and practical conferences, including 5 international, 3 All-Russian, 3 inter-regional and 3 regional.