Digitalization and practice-oriented training of future teachers: the role of assistant practice in the formation of professional competence and the assessment of its quality

Abstract

The article highlights current approaches to organizing industrial (assistant) practice for students of the second (master’s) level of higher education in the field of pedagogy within the context of the transformation of the modern educational environment. It presents practical experience in implementing assistant practice as a holistic, stage-structured process of professional development for a future higher education instructor within the educational and professional program “Pedagogy. Management of an Educational Institution.”

The regulatory, legal, and competency-based foundations of organizing practical training are defined, particularly in the context of the requirements of the professional standard for higher education instructors and contemporary trends in the development of higher education in Ukraine. The structural and content-based stages of assistant practice are revealed, ensuring the gradual integration of students into a real educational environment and the development of their capacity for pedagogical, scientific-methodological, organizational, and managerial activities.

The role of industrial (assistant) practice is substantiated as a system-forming component in shaping the professional qualifications of a future instructor, ensuring the integration of theoretical training with practical activity, as well as the development of reflective skills, professional autonomy, and readiness to perform job functions. Emphasis is placed on the use of modern digital technologies, quality assurance tools in education, and interactive teaching methods in the process of practical training.

A system for assessing the outcomes of assistant practice is defined, characterized by an integrated, competency-based approach that ensures the evaluation of the achievement of program learning outcomes and professional competencies in accordance with the job functions of an instructor.

It is demonstrated that the implementation of the proposed model for organizing assistant practice contributes to improving the quality of master’s-level professional training, fostering readiness for effective work in higher education institutions, and supporting adaptation to the challenges of digitalization and contemporary socio-economic conditions.