Modern innovative trends in the implementation of soft skills in higher education: prospects and potential

Abstract

The purpose of the article was to find out the prospects and potential of modern innovative trends in the implemented soft skills in higher education. The research methodology included: psychological and pedagogical substantiation of the means of introducing soft skills into the educational process of the Ukrainian higher school; analysis of empirical data to identify the level of significance of this or that method for the formation of individual components of soft skills; creating a classification of means of implementing soft skills in accordance with the selected components of «flexible skills». The research results are based on the identification of four groups of innovative technologies that contribute to the formation of soft skills in higher education: research and project methods; debates and discussions; business and role-playing games; trainings and master classes. Respondents were asked to evaluate each of the groups of technologies in accordance with its ability to form individual components of soft skills. According to the author’s position, they include cognitive, cognitive, organizational, communicative, informational, emotional, adaptive, creative, axiological and acmeological competence. Studies have shown that research and project methods have a fundamentally important role in the development of informational, cognitive, cognitive and organizational competencies. Debates and discussions primarily contribute to the formation of cognitive, communicative, creative, cognitive and informational competences in students. Business and role-playing games are mostly focused on the development of cognitive, creative, emotional, adaptive, cognitive and communicative competences. Trainings and master classes are important primarily for the formation of communicative, emotional, information axiological, adaptive, acmeological and cognitive competences. The conclusions of the study are that thanks to the named innovative technologies, cognitive, cognitive, communicative and informational competence are best developed. At the same time, axiological and acmeological competences undergo the least development. From this follows the need to select such methods and techniques that would contribute to the best development of these components of soft skills, because it is a comprehensive approach to the formation of the personality of future specialists that is important.