RESEARCH COMPETENCE OF FUTURE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TEACHERS: ANALYSIS OF DEFINITIONS

Purpose. To analyze modern scientific studies of the problem of research competence of vocational teachers, to carry out a terminological analysis of the basic concepts as follows: “vocational teacher”, ‘research competence of vocational teachers’. Methods. To identify the level of research on the problem, the methods of theoretical analysis of scientific, psychological, pedagogical and methodological literature, regulatory documents and normative acts have been used: to clarify the content of the studied concepts - generalization and systematization; to summarize the theoretical foundations of the problem and conclusions - analysis and synthesis. Results. The relevance of the problem under consideration is substantiated in the context of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the new paradigm of higher educational system development, which have led to the necessity of bringing the content of education closer to science and can be realized through a combination of fundamental scientific, teaching, general cultural and research training in educational institutions. The concepts of “competence” and “competence-based approach” have been characterized, providing the synthesis of the educational process and research work as the leading principle of modern higher education. It has been emphasized that in the modern scientific literature there are different approaches to the study of the concept “competence”. According to the personal approach, competence is considered as the basic personal characteristics of a person determining the success and efficiency of performing a particular activity. From the standpoint of the activity approach, competence is an interrelated ability, skill and ability required for the successful performance of a particular activity, can be improved through training and can be used to assess the effectiveness of this activity. It has been determined that modern research by Ukrainian scientists demonstrates the multidimensionality of the definition of research competence and different views on it, and there is currently no unambiguous understanding and definition of the concept of research competence of vocational teachers. Based on the study of different approaches to the definition of “research competence” and “teacher's research competence”, it is possible to systematize the variety of definitions, highlighting the essential features of this category. Most scholars consider research competence to be one of the key competencies of a teacher, as it is crucial for professional pedagogical activity and encourages the development of pedagogical skills and professionalism. It has been determined that the professional activity of the future teacher of vocational education includes knowledge, skills and abilities in two components - psychological and pedagogical and sectoral, and they are the object of planning, organizing and implementing search and transformational activities. Conclusions. Based on the generalization of scientific approaches and perspectives, the research competence of a vocational teacher is defined as a holistic, integrative characteristic of a teacher's personality, combining knowledge, skills and means of research activities at the level of technology in a particular scientific and technical field, value attitudes, professionally significant personal traits, expressed in the willingness and ability to carry out research activities to obtain new knowledge for professional activity through the applying methods of scientific knowledge, solving educational problems and organizing an educational process.