Transformation of professional activity of university teachers in the context of digitalization of education: trends and risks

Introduction. Digitalization as a steady trend in the development of higher education determines the need for qualitative and structural changes in management mechanisms at universities. There is a need to adapt the teaching staff to the large-scale and intensive digitalization of all elements of the educational system. The purpose of the presented article is to reveal the main trends in the transformation of the professional activities of university teachers in the context of digitalization of education and to identify the risks arising in the process of ongoing changes. Materials and Methods. The study used methods such as comparative and comparative analysis, synthesis, and induction. The methodological basis is articles by Russian and foreign researchers on the subject of the work. The empirical base is the results of sociological studies conducted within the framework of the project “Monitoring the Economics of Education,” as well as other surveys of university teachers on the problems of changes in the nature and content of professional activities in the context of digitalization of higher education. Results. The study revealed the dynamics of digital skills of teaching staff needed in various areas of professional activity, and assessed the demand for digital competencies of teachers in terms of value/complexity. The main risks of digitalization have been identified: the risk of excessive “technologization” of teachers’ professional activities, the risk of a significant increase in the intensity of teachers’ work, the risk associated with the lack of effective mechanisms for motivating and encouraging teachers to increase the level of digital competence, the risk of destruction of the usual formats of interaction between teachers and students, as well as classical university culture. Discussion and Conclusions. The study reveals the current trends in the formation of adaptive models of teachers' activities in the context of digitalization of education. The identified features and risks of digitalization, which determine the dynamics of professional activity of teachers, are of practical importance for the administration of universities. The conclusions and results of the study can be used in the development of effective intra-university mechanisms for organizing and planning the work of teaching staff, implementing measures to support and stimulate teachers who are actively involved in changes in the educational process related to the digitalization of higher education.