Innovations in professional activity: what students of specialty “Preschool Education” think about it

Abstract

Contemporary challenges of society, its dynamic development cause changes in all spheres of life, particularly in education. To obtain a university education in the Ukrainian state, higher Education Standard in specialty 012 Preschool Education for the second (master’s) level of higher education (2020) was approved, which provides for the formation of relevant competencies. The purpose of the study was to analyze the essence of innovations in the professional activities of teachers of preschool educational institutions (PEI). To find out the attitude of students to the implementation of innovations in professional activities, a thematic survey was conducted. The selection of questions and respond options is based on all competencies of the Standard and the materials of theoretical analysis. The sample of the online survey covers the students’ responses from two state universities of Ukraine (n =159), who are obtaining the second (master’s) level of higher education on the educational-professional program “Preschool Education”. Respondents were grouped according to the mode of study. The obtained quantitative and qualitative data revealed the influence of the experience of practical experience in the PEI on the choice of the respond. This determined the necessity to teach students the educational component “Innovation activities in PEI” and the development of corresponding tasks during their teaching practicum in the system of preschool education.