International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)

(IJM
Volume 9, Issue 12, December 2018,
201 pp. 45–50, Article ID: IJMET_09_12_006
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=9&IType=12
ISSN Print: 0976-6340
6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359
0976

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF INTEGRATING THE

MATHEMATICAL AND SPECIAL
SPECIAL TRAINING OF
ECONOMISTS AT A HIGHER
HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTION
Zaurbiy Uchuzhukoich Blyagoz, Aslan Vladimirovich Nagoev, Valeriy Aslanovich
Teshev, Lyudmila Valeryevna Shelekhova
Adyghe State University, Adyghe State University,
University, g. Maykop, 208 Pervomaiskaya

ABSTRACT
The article considers theoretical-methodological
theoretical methodological and practical problems of the
integration processes in modern professional education. It is proved that one of the
promisingg directions for improving the mathematical training of specialists is
pedagogical integration. It is claimed that mathematics is the basic discipline in the
process of integration with economic disciplines.
Keywords: Interdisciplinary Integration; Mathematical Disciplines; Economic
Disciplines.

Cite this Article: Zaurbiy Uchuzhukoich Blyagoz, Aslan Vladimirovich Nagoev,

Valeriy Aslanovich Teshev and Lyudmila Valeryevna Shelekhova, Practical Aspects
of Integrating The Mathematical and Special Training of Economists at A Higher
Education Institution, International
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and
Technology, 9(12), 2018, pp. 45–50.
http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=9&IType=12
http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=9&IType=12

1. INTRODUCTION
The development of theoretical foundations and organizational-methodological
organizational methodological aspects of the
development of knowledge integration in the conditions of professional training of specialists
is carried out in the studies of M.N. Berulava [1], V.S. Bezrukova [2], N.K. Chapaev, and
O.B. Akimova [3], and others.
In the opinion of V.A. Ignatova, the current state of integration is characterized by:
- the dialectical unity of integration and differentiation;
- the preference of the integration trend over the differential
differe one;
- an increase in the speed of integration processes;
- an increase in the level of complexity of integrated academic disciplines in connection
with the increasing sophistication of their subject, structure and functions;

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 Zaurbiy Uchuzhukoich Blyagoz, Aslan Vladimirovich Nagoev, Valeriy Aslanovich Teshev and
Lyudmila Valeryevna Shelekhova

- nonuniformity of the integration process associated with the change of specific

integrating factors [4].
In the process of training of an economist, an integrative approach presupposes the
transformation of all disciplines, including the mathematical ones, taking into account the
result: professional training that adequately meets the needs of the time.
The authors believe that the integration of the content of mathematical and economic
education in the context of training economists will improve the quality of training of
specialists.
The purpose of the study is to substantiate the expediency of developing and introducing
into the process of training of economists the means of integrating mathematical and special
training.

2. THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF INTEGRATION OF

MATHEMATICAL AND ECONOMIC DISCIPLINES
Integration of the content of training presupposes identification of an integration component
that includes a complex of mathematical and economic knowledge that considers general
regularities in the context of the economist's profession with the possibility of mathematical
modeling of their actual implementation. Only in this case, an integral system of socio-
economic and special mathematical disciplines is formed, which provides a complex of social
and professional knowledge, skills, proficiencies, norms and values of the individual.
Using an integrative approach allows weaving the elements of general education into the
context of the process of vocational education. This facilitates the ordering and actualization
of the education content, the accurate selection of knowledge, the unification of
heterogeneous elements of various sciences, the transformation of meaning-bearing concepts,
the formation of a new structure of the academic subject, and allows intensifying the
educational process, improving the quality of educational information mastering and forming
complex skills of the future specialist.
The value of mathematical disciplines, first of all, is that they are the basis for other,
especially special subjects. Therefore, it is important to differentiate between the basic
(generated by the logic of science itself, which meets modern ideas) and the variable (adjusted
by the requirements for professional knowledge) elements of mathematical education. In the
authors' opinion, it is expedient to form variable elements on the basis of integration of
mathematical and special disciplines.
Based on the research of Bezrukova [2], it can be argued that mathematics is a system-
forming discipline that performs a number of integrating functions: unites the components of
the system into an integral unity; directs them; stimulates their integral activity; retains a
certain level of freedom of components; provides self-regulation of the new system, its self-
development.
In accordance with this, mathematics is the basic discipline in the professional training of
specialists in the process of its integration, a kind of interdisciplinary "language". It serves to
represent the data of other disciplines in an analytical, tabular, graphical, schematic form, thus
"compressing" the volume of material, generalizing and formalizing it.
In the authors' opinion, it is integration based on mathematics that is called to realize the
interrelations between these disciplines, to coordinate them to achieve a didactic goal. An
argument for this is that the main object of studying mathematics is mathematical structures
and abstractions that arise from reality and are a reflection of the objective world, as well as
those integrators that unite the diversity of surrounding phenomena and processes.

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 Practical Aspects of Integrating The Mathematical and Special Training of Economists at A Higher
Education Institution

It should be taken into account that a future specialist gets to know abstract mathematical
concepts and methods even before entering the higher education institution. This is
knowledge gained in school, personal experience, which has not yet a clear professional
focus. A prospective student gains an additional desire to gain professional knowledge. The
authors believe that to strengthen the motivation for mathematical training, it is expedient to
use problems with a professional focus, simplest mathematical models in economics, in which
the elementary functions, describing the most diverse connections between economic objects,
play a decisive role.
For example, in the first semester, the integrated discipline "Introduction to the Specialty"
is taught, which concerns all blocks of disciplines, shows the role and place of each discipline,
and introduces students to the specificity of the content and forms of training. In the first and
second years of training, the traditional disciplines, such as higher mathematics, probability
theory and mathematical statistics are transformed into an integrated discipline "Mathematics
for Economists". To activate the process of mastering new mathematical concepts, they are
filled with and specified by the economic content. So, on one hand, on the basis of
generalized quantitative characteristics, a new mathematical concept is formed and its
economic nature is revealed, but, on the other hand, the study of quantitative relations deepens
the essence of an economic category, phenomenon, or process and strengthens the conviction
in the necessity of using mathematical apparatus in economic activity. At this level, abstract
mathematical concepts are introduced via concrete economic examples. These are such
concepts as risk, investment portfolio, dependence between economic indicators, their
prognosis, and others. This approach, in turn, requires a minimum of economic knowledge.
Consequently, the integration of mathematical and economic knowledge takes place, with
minor inclusions of special knowledge, which are of a theoretical nature. During the second
and fourth years of training, general and professionally oriented economic disciplines are
harmoniously intertwined into this process. These disciplines, on the one hand, specify the
theoretical positions that were formed earlier, and, on the other hand, the amount of facts
accumulated by economics and reinforced by theoretical positions becomes the basis for
carrying out fundamental research. During the fifth year, in the process of studying the
integrated discipline "Modeling of economic processes", future specialists improve and
strengthen the ability to synthesize knowledge from all blocks of disciplines and solve
professional problems at a high scientific level.

3. PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF INTEGRATION OF MATHEMATICAL

AND ECONOMIC DISCIPLINES
The design of the content of the training material can be based on the following requirements:
1. The selected training material should create conditions for the formation of integrated
knowledge, contain professionally significant structural elements of knowledge and
form stable motivation for learning;
2. The content-related component of the disciplinary training complex is projected from
the core of the complex (structural elements of knowledge invariant for the disciplines
of the complex, professionally significant structural elements of physical knowledge
and skills on which the study of special disciplines is based) [5].
To master the educational material of special disciplines, it is required to use economical-
statistical methods, methods of operations’ research, etc.
The idea of integrating knowledge in the teaching of "Higher Mathematics" for the
students, whose specialization is not directly related to mathematics, has many examples of
implementation.

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 Zaurbiy Uchuzhukoich Blyagoz, Aslan Vladimirovich Nagoev, Valeriy Aslanovich Teshev and
Lyudmila Valeryevna Shelekhova

An example of the universality of mathematical methods is the logistic curves that reflect
the main trends in the development of phenomena in time. Logistic curves describe the
economic dynamics, the process of dissemination of information (advertising), demographic
cycles, the dynamics of investment in innovative processes, etc.
Consider an example that is described by such logistic curves.
Example 1. If the demand curve is given by the equation p(y) = 2 – y, the rate of
acceleration (the product release rate) is 1/l = 2, the investment rate is m = 0.5; y(0) = 0.5,
then the volume of product realized before a certain time t, y = y(t) can be found by solving
the differential equation = 2 − . Its solution is the logistic curve = .
To create integrative courses, one needs to identify first the core knowledge of each
discipline and find their intersection. Intersecting the sets of knowledge of two disciplines
leads to the fact that a certain collection of keywords is common to them. The intersection
zone of two sets objectively forms a separate core of knowledge for the totality of the two
academic disciplines: the core of knowledge of the first order. It is quite obvious that the order
of the core of knowledge, which is formed, predetermines the training subject’s encountering
a specific set of terms, schemes, methods of calculation, which increases the probability of
durable, long-lasting and active mastering the material common to a certain group of
disciplines [6-7].
In general, these connections are so strong that one can talk about creating a new
discipline, with a new quality of content and its own object of study.
Similar connections exist, to a certain extent, between all sections of the disciplines
studied. For example, since the concept of a derivative is already familiar to students from the
school course, it can be introduced using the concept of labor efficiency as the time derivative
of the output volume. The economic meaning of the derivative can also be illustrated by
examples of finding average and marginal costs, demonstrating their connection, analyzing
the marginal values of income, profit, or utility. Also, it is expedient to begin the
consideration of definite integral with the economic concept of consumer surplus.
Also, one should consider the connection between the mathematical concept of
"extremum" and the economic concept of "optimization".
Economic calculations often involve finding the optimal possibility, that is, searching for
the largest and smallest values of certain quantities. These are the problems of finding the
maximum profit and minimum risks, costs, time, etc. Both these concepts, maximum and
minimum, can be integrated by a single term "extremum". The problems of finding the
extremum of a function in some domain of definition of its arguments are called optimization
problems.
Usually, the condition of a specific applied problem is first formulated in the meaningful
terms in the area in which this problem originated. Translation of the condition of the problem
from a "content-related" language to a formal mathematical language (in abstract
mathematical terms) is called formalization of the problem.
The search for an extremum involves searching for local and global extrema. The
optimization problem is the search for a global extremum.
The revealed connection gives grounds to integrate the content of the following
disciplines: "Higher Mathematics", "Mathematical Programming", "Linear Programming",
"Methods of Optimization in Economics". In the format of an integrated course, it is
expedient to consider the issue of taxation of enterprises, the optimal volume of the output of
products; for a function of many variables, the profit from the production of goods of different
types, the problems of price discrimination, etc.
Let us consider one more example of the application of integrative connections. Having
carried out the analysis of the course "Theory of Probabilities" and special economic
disciplines in connection with the existence and nature of integrative links, the authors came

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 Practical Aspects of Integrating The Mathematical and Special Training of Economists at A Higher
Education Institution

to the conclusion about the existence of certain connections of such nature. Thus, to construct
a theoretical model of economic processes, it is necessary to take into account their
multivariate (probabilistic) nature. To do this, it is necessary to use the skills of determining
the elementary consequences of the investigated problem, building a complete group of
events, and quantitatively estimating the possibility of the appearance of a certain result, that
is, to use the basic concepts of probability theory.
The theoretical material should be selected in such a way that the basic concepts and
methods of probability theory underlie economic phenomena. Thus, the most feasible type of
integration in this case is a professional-applied orientation using integrating concepts.
In the authors' understanding, the integrating concept is a complex fundamental concept
that is within the field of view of several or all disciplines involved in integration; on its basis,
integration connections are established.
For example, in economic activity the concept of "risk" is used, which characterizes
uncertainty of appearance of certain events in the future. The main thing in the risk
assessment is the calculation of certain numerical characteristics and, ultimately, the
quantitative assessment of risk. At present, the methods of risk analysis and risk assessment
are based on the concepts of probability theory, since probability characterizes the measure of
uncertainty in the occurrence of an event in the future. So, the complex integrating concept of
"risk" in the courses of economic disciplines is a reflection of the basic concept of
"probability" in "Theory of Probability" (in this case, the appearance of an adverse event).
Let us now consider how, on the basis of the complex concept of "risk," the classical
problem of the "Probability Theory" (Example 2) develops into an integrated one (Examples
3, 4).
Example 2. It is known that among 1000 balls there are 5 red ones. What is the
probability of pulling out a red ball?
Example 3. Among 1000 identical loans there are 5 illiquid. What is the probability that
the loan will not be repaid?
Example 4. Among 1000 single-type loans, 5 were illiquid. What is the risk of
nonrepayment of the loan?
Let us analyze the development of integration in these problems. The solution in each
problem is the same. According to the classical probability formula, P(A) = 5/1000. In the
third case, it is obvious that the risk is the probability of nonrepayment of the loan. In
Example 1, one encounters only mathematical terms, problems and tools for their solving.
Example 2 has an applied orientation, since it contains economic terms such as credit,
liquidity, but the problem is purely mathematical: to find the probability. Example 3
supplements Example 2 with a problem, formulated by an economic discipline and in its
terms.
Let us note that on the basis of the integrating concept of "risk", problems are gradually
becoming more sophisticated and supplemented by the terms from special economic
disciplines.

4. CONCLUSION
When training economists, the integration of mathematical and economic disciplines is a
promising direction that will improve the level of specialist training. It is a means of resolving
the contradictions between the abstract nature of mathematical disciplines and the actual goals
of training, as well as between the constant content of disciplines and the future-oriented
nature of the labor content.
On the basis of the above, the authors propose the following criteria for selecting the
content of the educational material with the aim of integrating the mathematical and special
training of economists at higher education institutions:

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 Zaurbiy Uchuzhukoich Blyagoz, Aslan Vladimirovich Nagoev, Valeriy Aslanovich Teshev and
Lyudmila Valeryevna Shelekhova

- ensuring the unity of mathematical and special training in the future activities of
specialists;
- correspondence of the volume of components of the structured educational material to
curricula and programs;
- correspondence to the creative character of students' mental activity;
- availability of educational material for students with different levels of basic training;
- the level of the systemic nature of the basic concepts;
- affinity of concepts in different disciplines;
- fundamentality of the selected concepts.

REFERENCES

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