THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF TEACHING THE ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE “MODERN HISTORY OF EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN COUNTRIES” FOR BACHELOR'S DEGREE STUDENTS OF SPECIALITY “HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY”

Abstract

The article highlights specific aspects of the teaching methodology for the academic discipline “Modern History of European and American Countries”, which is based on integrating theoretical knowledge, practical activities, and active independent work of higher education students. Emphasis is placed on the importance of a comprehensive approach to students' mastery of the subject, which is mandatory for study within the framework of Bachelor's training in the specialty “History and Archeology”. The author's own methodology is presented, which involves combining diverse teaching methods during both in-class sessions and in the organization of students' independent work, an approach that has been tested at Cherkasy State Technological University.The necessity of activating the educational process by establishing a dialogue between the instructor and students during lectures and seminars is stressed. Discussions on problematic issues are recognized as the optimal approach for dialogue, during which students acquire skills in arguing their own opinions and searching for scientific facts to support them. The significance of seminar classes is underlined, preparation for which requires systematic searching and summarizing of materials, thus contributing to the development of students' research qualities. The importance of independent work is established as one of the key factors for deepening knowledge and acquiring professional competencies in information systematization, structuring, forming a personal reasoned position, and individual research activity. A range of exercises designed for independent completion is described, including creating or filling out tables, constructing logical schemes, writing essays, working with outline maps, compiling dictionaries, studying historical sources, and preparing presentations and term papers. Specific examples of assignments within the topic “The International Situation after World War I” are provided.