Abstract:

Under the conditions of the development of innovative processes and globalization there appeared new concepts of «lifelong learning» and «renewable education», which require essential transformations and innovative education introduction. The innovative learning is defined as "the process and the result of such training and educational activities which stimulate the introduction of innovative changes into existing culture, social environment".
In response to this trend different approaches to innovative education have appeared: the theories of variable education (A.Asmolov, A.Belousova); developing education (V.Panov, V.Rubtsov); student-centered learning (I.Yakimanskaya). V.Liaudis identifies the following components which require the transformation of education to the level of innovation: the identity of a teacher; changes in the functions and structure of knowledge; highlighting the social nature of learning; changes of assessment functions.
The authors dwell on the social nature of learning, which has been the subject of many scientific papers (A.Asmolov, A.Verbitsky, M.Klarin, V.Rubtsov et al). The authors believe that the innovative education is based on the principles of collaborative thinking activity, while innovative methods are developed as people’s interaction, which is transformed into collaborative thinking activity in the course of their cooperation and communication. At present, the idea of collaborative learning is actively developed in the concepts of collaborative knowledge building (M.Scardamalia et al; G.Singh et al), group learning (G.Stahl), collaborative learning (P.Dillenbourg et al).
The authors propose the following principles of innovative group learning: in the cooperative sphere - the principle of role functions; in the communication sphere - the principle of intensive communication. The principle of role functions involves the distribution of functions between the parties in the process of collaborative learning. The principle of intensive communication means the intensification of all participants’ intercourse through the exchange of hypotheses, estimates, objectives in the course of problem solving activities.
The implementation of the principle of role functions has allowed the authors to identify the following factors: the coefficients of each function representation in a group – the ratio of the total value of different types of statements of each participant to the total number of statements according to all functions; the coefficients of functional representation - the ratio related to the definite function statements of one participant to the total number of the related to the definite function statements of all participants. In 27% of cases the inefficiency is due to the lack of participants in a group who would take over some role function performance.
The use of the principle of intensive communication makes it possible to calculate the communication intensity coefficient - the ratio of the total numeric values of each role function in a group to the value of a single performance of all role functions by each participant. The authors have found: low coefficients of communication intensity are observed in 60% of ineffective groups and 23% - in effective ones; the high communication intensity coefficients are discovered in 77% of effective groups and in 40% of ineffective ones.

Keywords:

Collaborative thinking activity, collaborative learning, innovative education, innovative methods, interaction, functions, the principle of role functions, the principle of intensive communication.