Soft skills of higher education IT students and pedagogical conditions for their development in blended learning

Abstract

Abstract: In IT industry, soft skills (teamwork, effective communication, interpersonal interaction, creative and critical thinking, time management, etc.) are a prerequisite for successful employment and professional growth. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to take into account the professional orientation of soft skills in order to clarify the pedagogical conditions of their development. The purpose of the publication is to identify key groups of soft skills for future IT specialists, taking into account their professional orientation, and determine the organizational and pedagogical conditions for IT students soft skills development a blended learning environment. To achieve the research goal, we will use the following research methods: theoretical – analysis of scientific sources and teaching materials, comparison, systematization, generalization, modeling; empirical – observation, analysis of educational and professional training programs for IT bachelors, generalization of pedagogical experience. Results. As a result of studying various classifications of soft skills and taking into account empirical experience, the following three main groups of soft skills for IT specialists have been identified: communication (adaptation to the context of communication), personal effectiveness (goal orientation, time management, emotional competence, creative and critical thinking, ability to reflect), cooperation skills (ability to work in a team). Among modern pedagogical approaches to developing IT students soft skills, we highlight the use of interactive educational technologies. Among them, project-based learning and case studies are particularly effective in blended learning as they involve joint practical task completion, online and offline team interaction, and develop skills in oral and written professional communication, time management, task delegation, etc. Since university education is primarily formal education, it is necessary to integrate the development of soft skills into the content of general and professional educational components. It is necessary to create conditions for the development of motivation among higher education students to acquire and develop soft skills through the study of relevant elective subjects and participation in non-formal/informal education. When using blended learning technology, which is closest to the conditions of implementing IT projects, flipped learning, peer coaching, mentoring technologies become particularly important for the development of soft skills. Conclusions. For the successful development of IT students’ soft skills, it is important to work out their pedagogical design, use digital technologies in pedagogical activities, improve the professional and pedagogical competence of lectures and tutors, and raise their awareness of the need to develop students’ soft skills and use appropriate teaching technologies.