ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS MAJORING IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT АUSTRIAN UNIVERSITIES

Introduction. The modern paradigm of higher pedagogical education requires the active involvement of students in research activities as one of the leading factors in their professional development. The relevance of the study is due to the need to study foreign experience, in particular, the Austrian model of training future teachers, where research is an integrated part of the educational process. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to analyze the peculiarities of involving students majoring in preschool education in research activities at Austrian universities and to identify opportunities for using positive experiences in the Ukrainian system of pedagogical education. Methods. The methodological basis of the study has been formed by general scientific methods. They are the following: analysis, synthesis, comparison, and generalization of Austrian regulations and university education practices; study of professional literature; comparative and pedagogical analysis of the systems of training future educators in Austria and Ukraine. Methods of interpreting educational statistics and analyzing educational programs and curricula have also been used. Results. It has been established that in Austrian universities, the training of students majoring in preschool education has a research orientation, starting from the first year of study. Involvement in scientific activities is realized through participation in projects, research seminars, and writing bachelor’s and master’s theses on relevant topics in preschool pedagogy. The research initiative is supported through a mentoring system and institutional programs to stimulate students’ academic activity. Originality. For the first time in Ukrainian pedagogical science, a holistic analysis of the mechanisms of involving preschool students in research activities in the educational space of Austria is carried out. The practices that can be adapted to Ukrainian realities are outlined: early scientific integration of students, combining research work with pedagogical practice, and support for individual scientific interests. Conceptual approaches to updating the content of training future educators in Ukrainian universities are proposed, considering the Austrian experience. Conclusions. Austrian experience shows that the systematic involvement of students in research activities significantly improves the quality of professional training and contributes to the formation of a research culture and the development of independence, critical thinking, and creative potential. For Ukraine, it is promising to introduce innovative forms of student research into the educational process, integrate theoretical and empirical research components, and develop academic mentoring.