PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE FUNCTION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF STEAM APPROACH

The professional development of preschool teachers and readiness for innovative action is challenging for educational policy-makers and teachers. The starting basis of the work is the analysis of normative acts, legal regulations, and guidelines that document the importance, expediency, and effectiveness of teachers’ professional development. The paper discusses the relevant scientific sources, which shed light on the basics of the STEAM approach. The challenges and perspectives faced by preschool teachers when implementing the STEAM approach are determined through the analysis of research findings, as well as the importance of professional development for the improvement of knowledge, skills, and values ​​necessary for the implementation of the STEAM approach. The literature analysis identifies the challenges that can be a dysfunctional factor in the STEAM implementation in educational practices and which primarily originate during the professional development of preschool teachers. By reviewing relevant sources, the specific implications of using the STEAM approach are determined.