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ACMEOLOGICAL APPROACH IN THE STUDY OF THE PROBLEM OF PROFESSIONAL SELF-IMPROVEMENT OF A TEACHER OF A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

10.34142//2708-4809.SIUTY.2022.23

The professional self-improvement of a teacher is defined as the ability of an individual to overcome stereotypes and restructure his or her own thinking and professional activity, to reach new heights of self-development. The role of the teacher in partnership in working with students, organizing trainings, and conducting guest lectures is clarified. It is proved that the knowledge and skills of pedagogical acmeology activate the professional self-improvement of the teacher.
Keywords: pedagogical acmeology, teacher, mobility, achievements, partnerships, training, guest lecture, educational product.

Rybalko L. S.
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor,
Professor of the Department of Education and Innovative Pedagogy,
H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Ding Zhujie
PhD student of the third (educational and scientific) level of higher education
of the Department of Education and Innovative Pedagogy,
H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine

The relevance of the problem of professional self-improvement of a teacher of a higher education institution (HEI) is due to the requirements of society for the training of highly qualified scientific and pedagogical workers who train competitive specialists in any field, including the field 01 Education/Pedagogy. The policy and image of higher education institutions, in turn, also place high demands on the personality of the teacher. The urgent attention to teacher training and internships is explained by the requirements “dictated” by the labor market and employers who are interested in high-quality training. Undoubtedly, a teacher who has the ability to respond to changes and is constantly engaged in professional self-improvement should be able to train specialists at the current level of digitalization and globalization of the educational space and industrial relations.

As noted by researchers O. Hrechanyk and V. Hryhorash, “only a self-sufficient teacher who strives to reach the heights of his/her own spiritual, physical, motivational and value development, to master key competencies, among which acmeological competence occupies a significant place as an important component of the teacher’s professionalism” [1, p. 1].

Unfortunately, in the study of the problem of professional self-improvement of a university teacher, the ideas of pedagogical acmeology as a science of self-development of the subjects of the educational process and the creation of appropriate conditions for the most complete self-realization in the educational environment are not sufficiently used.

Acmeological ideas include the following: achievement of acme as the highest point of flourishing of the potential capabilities of participants in the educational space; increasing self-efficacy in various types of pedagogical activities through the development of innovative approaches to teaching and upbringing of young people.

The purpose of the article is to reveal the ways of professional self-improvement of a university teacher that contribute to the achievement of acme in various types of pedagogical activities.

According to the analysis of the results of the conducted studies [1-4], there is a connection between the professional self-improvement of the teacher, acmeological competence and his/her mobility. The acmeological competence of a teacher is the ability to quickly analyze and respond to changes in the educational space, the willingness to get rid of stereotypes that hinder professional self-realization, the ability to change for the better, gain new experience and introduce their own creative ideas in pedagogical activities. According to O. Ievlev [2], the professional and pedagogical mobility of a teacher is a personal and professional formation that integrates worldview and beliefs, experience of professional and pedagogical activity, conscious attitude to it, desire for self-development and self-realization, creativity and creativity. In this study, we rely on the structure of the qualities of a professionally and pedagogically mobile teacher, identified by the cited author. We fully agree with the identified components, but we consider their content from the perspective of the above acmeological ideas, namely
motivational as the ability to identify the motives of professional activity, the need to achieve and eliminate failures, the attitude to self-improvement and self-efficacy;
reflective – willingness to analyze one’s own actions and achieve new acme;
adaptive – the ability to overcome stereotypes and find ways to adapt to new conditions of the educational process; creative – the willingness to create own products of educational activities.

The cognitive-activity component of the teacher’s professional and pedagogical mobility is practically significant, the essence of which is that in teaching activities, knowledge and skills in psychology, pedagogy, management, and pedagogical acmeology should be formed. It is worth noting that knowledge about the ways and means of personal growth in professional activity and career advancement skills are relevant and prioritized in terms of today’s needs. It is this knowledge and skills that affect the self-efficacy of the individual in professional activities.

In the study, we understand the professional self-improvement of a university teacher as the ability to perceive changes caused by modern educational trends and employers’ requirements, to overcome stereotypes and restructure their own thinking and professional activities through self-education and self-education, to design new ways of self-growth and self-realization.

We are impressed by the stages of the process of self-improvement of a university teacher, indicated in the scientific work of K. Ponomar [3], such as:
— self-knowledge on the basis of adequate self-assessment and reflection;
— development of “I” concept and self-prediction based on understanding and perception of the best results of pedagogical activity
— self-overcoming obstacles that hinder professional self-improvement and advancement to new heights;
— self-expression as the ability to identify and position oneself with the best examples of educational experience
— Adjusting one’s own activities and behavior.

In this study, we will turn to practical advice on the professional self-improvement of a university teacher, achieving acme in various types of pedagogical activities. The teacher needs to change the role position from a “lecturer at the podium” to the subjective position of a partner in the educational process, capable of collaborating and creating new educational products in new conditions, which include the online form of education. The ability to work on different educational platforms, engage students with different levels of learning, and maintain a developmental environment are important for the successful performance of professional activities by a modern teacher.

Conducting training sessions helps to develop interactive interaction between students and teachers, and to communicate on a partnership basis. During the training sessions, the role of the teacher is to organize and coordinate the processes of accomplishing the tasks. We do not dismiss the encouraging function of the teacher, which determines the mood for positive attitude and solving complex extraordinary tasks.

Here’s an example of an anti-crisis training session that helps to deal with panic attacks and hyper-excitability in times of crisis and emergency. In the current environment, human mental health requires attention and support. The role of the teacher in conducting this training is to know the psychology of crisis situations and their management, to have information and explain the mechanisms, causes, indicators of stress in crisis situations. However, this is not enough, because participants want to learn how to take specific actions. Therefore, exercises and tasks should be visualized, practiced and memorized. It is also advisable to use exercise recordings and do the exercises yourself at home.

Guest lectures are popular nowadays, as they expand the range of communication of the teacher in new conditions and with another audience that is still unfamiliar. Such preparation requires careful reflection on the content of the lecture, the use of additional information, and work with the website of the university where the lecture will be delivered. In any case, such a lecture cannot be “failed” because each lecturer creates a part of the university’s image, has his or her own authority and cares about competitiveness. Here is an example of a guest lecture on “Acmeological competence of a teacher” for master’s and PhD students who combine science with teaching. The lecture’s content is interesting because of acmeological technologies, biographical research method, examples of successful specialists, university graduates who are not indifferent to student problems.

Thus, the knowledge and skills of pedagogical acmeology activate the professional self-improvement of a university teacher.

List of references

1. Formation of teacher’s acmeological competence in the system of postgraduate education: monograph. Library of the journal “School Management”. Kharkiv: Osnova Publishing Group, 2019. Issue 9 (200). 144 с.
2. Ievlev O. M. Professional and pedagogical mobility of a teacher as a factor of educational quality: theoretical and experimental research. Public administration: improvement and development. URL: http://www.dy.nayka.com.ua/pdf/10_2020/40.pdf (accessed: 16.10.2022).
3. Professional self-improvement of the teacher as a problem URL: 7234-%D0%A2%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82%20%D1%81
%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%D1%96-14520-1-10-20190717.pdf (accessed 10.10.2022).
4. Formation of professional mobility of teachers: acmeological approach, general secondary education. Library of the journal “School Management”. Kharkiv: Osnova Publishing Group, 2019. Issue 6 (197). 96 с.