The quality of education is considered today from the position of the competence-based approach. This approach defines the goals as expected results of education, whereas to achieve these goals the different approaches can be used (Zimnjaja, 2006). Taking into account the need to strengthen the operational component of training, as well as the value of the intensively developing information-and-communication technology (ICT) in education, for the assurance of quality education it is reasonable to use information-and-activity-based approach.

The information-and-activity-based approach to a certain extent is the development of information-based approach associated with the use of computer in education. Since the advent of computer a large number of researches have been devoted to its use in education. However, increasing computer performance, the emergence of new peripherals and software necessitate a rethinking of the didactic features and functions of a computer in training. In particular, the issues of optimal distribution of educational information between different resources, management of educational activity, issues connected with the development of didactic materials are actual.

Based on the analysis of the essential provisions both the information-based-approach and the active-based approach we have formulated the essential characteristics of information-and-activity-based approach in education. According to these provisions the information-and-activity-based learning is a way of organizing the joint activities of the teacher and the student based on the wide using of ICT. The teacher, during this process, provides the motivation and the necessary conditions for various types of student research activities through the introduction into the traditional educational system the innovative pedagogical technologies, based on the idea of humanization, personalization and differentiation of teaching, open and active information exchange between the student and the various information sources. Criteria of the selection of innovative technologies for the information-and-activity-based learning, as well as the scheme of their integration with traditional training have been developed (Bezrukova, 2006).

Having analyzed the existing schemes of information interaction «teacher-computer-student» (Robert, 1994, Syromjatnikov, 2003 and other), new schemes involving the use of new computer peripherals have been suggested. Requirements to the didactic materials for implementation of information-and-activity-based training have been developed.

The information-and-activity-based approach has been used in the system of teacher-chemist training at the pedagogical University (Bezrukova, 2006), in teaching chemistry secondary school students (Timirgalieva, 2013). Results of the pedagogical experiment allow to conclude this approach provides the required quality of education. At this stage the effectiveness of using this approach in the development of research competence of the secondary school students in the network community is investigated (Bezrukova et al., 2012).

Bezrukova, N. P., Timirgalieva, T. K. & Bezrukov, A. A. (2012). Razvitie issledovatel'skoj kompetencii uchashhihsja v ramkah setevogo issledovatel'skogo soobshhestva [The development of the research competence of students in the network research community]. Fundamentalnie issledovania [Fundamental Research], 11 (4).

Robert, I.V. (1994). Sovremennye informacionnye tehnologii v obrazovanii: didakticheskie problemy, perspektivy ispol'zovanija [Modern information technologies in education: educational problems, prospects of use]. Moscow, Russia: Shkola-Press [School Press].

Syromjatnikov, A.A. (2003). Metodika komp'juternoj podderzhki nachal'nogo jetapa obuchenija himii [Methodology of computer support of the initial stage of learning chemistry]. (PhD dissertation). Moscow, Russia: Moscow State Pedagogical University.

Timirgalieva, T. K. (2013). Metodika informacionno-dejatel'nostnogo obuchenija himii na starshej stupeni obshheobrazovatel'noj shkoly [Methodology of information-and-activity learning chemistry at senior stages of secondary school]. (PhD dissertation). Moscow, Russia: Moscow State Regional University.

Zimnjaja, I.A. (2006) Kompetentnostnyj podhod Kakogo ego mesto v sisteme sovremennyh podhodov k problemam obrazovanija? [Competence-based approach. What is its place in the system of modern approaches to the problems of education?]. Vysshee obrazovanie segodnja [Higher education today], 8.