The structure of professional identity of students in pedagogical higher education institutions

The subject of the research is professional identity as a result of the formation of labor skills applicable to various types of pedagogical activities. The authors examine aspects of the topic in detail, such as professional identity and the conditions for its formation among students of pedagogical universities. Special attention is given to the issues of the development of pedagogical identity, taking into account the peculiarities of student-teacher communications and the practice-oriented nature of the educational environment. The main focus is on identifying the structure of pedagogical self-identification among students of various levels of education and the risks of its formation under the influence of cognitive dissonance factors. It has been established that the structure of professional identity among students of pedagogical universities is characterized by dynamism and contradictions, which are related to the natural processes of forming representations about the leading types of future professional activities. The factors determining the success of professional self-identification include the exploratory activity of the students themselves, the practice-oriented environment, and the risks of cognitive dissonance that hinder the formation of necessary skills. The methodology of the research is presented through the principles of John Holland's concept, according to which the ability to self-identify in a profession depends on the inclination towards the defining type of activity within it. Identity statuses can be described using concepts such as achieved identity, identity crisis, premature identity, diffuse identity, and false identity. The main conclusions of the conducted research state that the professional identity of students in pedagogical universities represents a dynamic characteristic of professional development, taking into account the subjectively perceived confidence and readiness to accept forthcoming activities as a means of self-realization. The determining conditions for the formation of professional identity include a practice-oriented educational environment and the implementation of inspiring teaching technologies aimed at developing intrinsic motivation and enhancing students' exploratory activity. The formation of professional identity among students of pedagogical universities is associated with the risks of cognitive dissonance, caused by misunderstandings of the logic of educational communications, lack of interest in online communication, inertness of feedback, etc., which dictates the need for a more specific and comprehensible setting of educational tasks for learners and organizational and methodological support for the educational process in the discipline as a whole. The novelty of the study lies in the identification and clarification of certain characteristics of professional self-identification among students at various levels of education.