Open letter

To the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation D.V. Livanov
Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation V.M. Filippov

Dear Sirs!

Recent events have drawn public attention to the poor quality of some dissertation research defended in our country in recent years. Unfortunately, one problem has not yet received adequate coverage - this is the extremely low quality and practical uselessness of the absolute majority of dissertations for the academic degrees of candidate and doctor of pedagogical sciences.

In the professional scientific and teaching community, these dissertations and degrees have long become the talk of the town. There is quite an extensive literature and special studies on this topic. As an example, let us refer to the work of Doctor of Technical Sciences D.A. Novikov “Statistical methods in pedagogical research” (M., 2004), who analyzed 118 candidate and doctoral dissertations in pedagogical sciences (successfully defended in various dissertation councils). The general conclusion is that not a single (!) of these dissertations meets the requirements for the reliability of scientific results. And this means, according to the fair opinion of RAO Academician A.M. Novikov that these “research,” strictly speaking, “do not carry any scientific knowledge - after all, one of the most important requirements for scientific knowledge is the requirement of reliability.” And since this study was carried out, the situation has only worsened, and the volume of doctoral and candidate dissertations is still huge.

In his report at the meeting of VAK-RAO on November 20, 2012, academician and vice-president of RAO D.I. Feldstein painted a depressing picture of the situation with dissertations in pedagogy. In his opinion, “this situation not only leads to the clogging of science with pseudoscientific opuses, reducing the value of scientific knowledge, discrediting the value of dissertations as scientific research, but is also a direct threat to the very process of growth and development of scientific frames. Is it any wonder that a very dangerous tendency is emerging in society to form a skeptical attitude towards people of science? First of all, we will add to teachers and pedagogy as a science, which many do not call anything other than pseudoscience.

The paradox also lies in the fact that there are many experienced teachers and methodologists who have serious achievements, are the authors of original methods, manuals, sometimes published in millions of copies, but do not have an academic degree! They simply do not have time to fulfill the many formal requirements for a dissertation. But many slackers and freeloaders apparently have plenty of that kind of time.

Spells that something needs to be done are constantly heard (including at the RAO level), but nothing changes. It is obvious that tightening formal criteria within the existing system (for example, requirements for publications) or mechanically reducing the number of dissertation councils cannot solve the problem. The time has come for decisive, let's not be afraid of this word, surgical measures.

Currently, the opportunity is being considered for businessmen and officials to “obtain a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) diploma in economics or a Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) diploma in public administration. In this case, the degree will not contain the word “science”; it will not be bought or obtained using other levers of influence” (V.M. Filippov). Note that in some Western countries, specialists in the field of pedagogy are also awarded a separate degree Doctor of Education . Without directly calling for the transfer of foreign experience to Russian soil, we believe that some developments can be used here.

In this regard, the following is proposed:

1. Cancel the degrees of Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences and Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences.

2. Establish a new degree Doctor of Pedagogy.

3. Develop clear and transparent criteria for awarding the degree Doctor of Pedagogy. From our point of view, the following should be taken into account:

— a set of theoretical and practical works in the pedagogical field (with a minimum fixed volume and circulation of such works);

— the presence of works that have received official and public recognition (for example, the authorship of textbooks with the stamp of the Ministry of Education and Science, the presence of awards in the field of teaching, grants, etc.);

— approbation of author’s developments in pedagogical activities not only of the candidate for the degree, but also of other participants in the educational process;

— experience in teaching (at least 10 years).

4. Determine the procedure for awarding the degree Doctor of Pedagogy and the range of scientific and educational institutions that have this right (obviously, this degree should be awarded by the professional community). Establish the reputational responsibility of institutions awarding this degree.

5. Conduct a broad public discussion of these proposals.

Morozov Alexander Yurievich,

Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian History of the Middle Ages and Modern Times, Moscow State Regional University, co-author of school textbooks on history, 17 years of work experience at school

You can support the Open Letter on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation http://minobrnauki.rf/feedback/form by copying the following text:

I support the Open Letter from A.Yu. Morozov on the problem of reforming the academic degrees of candidate and doctor of pedagogical sciences, I propose to hold a wide public discussion of these proposals.