Portfolio as a Tool for Prognostication of the Professional Development of a Social Teacher

The article states that one of the innovative, personally-oriented tools for prognosticating the professional development of a specialist is the portfolio. Attention is drawn to the lack of unity among scholars regarding the interpretation of the portfolio method, and the features of its use in the context of prognosticating the professional development of a social teacher are outlined. These features include the fact that a portfolio can be considered in the following aspects: systematic collection of achievements for monitoring the knowledge and skills of education seekers; generalization of information to document the achievements of an individual over a certain period of time; recording not only the efforts and successes of an individual in specific types of activity, but also the activation of analytical abilities through independent comparison of the results of one’s own activities with established standard criteria; planning, assessment, and documentation of the nature, scope, and quality of education during and after formal education in higher education institutions; continuous self-assessment by the social educator of their own professional activities, correction of results and achievements, self-analysis, self-improvement, self-realization, self-motivation, self-determination, self-expression, and self-presentation in the process of their own professional development. It has been determined that changes in the structure of the portfolio may be due to its type, interests and needs, experiences, and results of the activities of a particular specialist, which are presented in the form of qualitative and quantitative indicators. These indicators help to identify advantages and disadvantages, adjust one’s professional development, and determine the prospects for further development, considering modern trends in lifelong education, as well as the integration of knowledge, research, and practice.