Media Education Technologies in the Training of Future Social Educators as an Effective Tool in the System of Continuous Education

Abstract

This article is devoted to the conceptual foundations of modelling the system of continuing education of socio-pedagogical personnel in retrospection of modern transformational processes taking place in society and determined by the spread of such a phenomenon as “digitalization”. The authors focus on new approaches in the system of training competitive and highly professional personnel in the field of social sphere using media education technologies. As a result of the research, some conclusions have been formulated: - the phenomenon of “continuous education” is a global trend, a fundamental determinant of socio-economic development and an important condition for improving the quality of professional competence of a teacher at all stages of professional activity; - the authors have developed a model of continuous education for specialists in the social sphere. The basic principles of the model organization are: integrity, multi-stage character, flexibility and variability, continuity and advancement of educational programs of pre-university training. The authors’ position in developing the model is based on the following major components of the system of continuous education for social sphere specialists: - unification of intellectual potential in solving crucial issues of pedagogical education; - training continuum of highly qualified socio-pedagogical personnel and promoting students’ motivation for the pedagogical profession; - practice-oriented training of socio-pedagogical personnel; - selection and implementation of innovative socio-pedagogical practice; - integration of education and science, integration of media education technologies into the educational environment. The authors of the article single out the following as the key determinants of continuing education of social sphere specialists: hard skills (professional skills); soft skills (social/volitional skills); meta-skills (interdisciplinary skills). The implementation of the continuous education model will enable to solve the key task of professional training of socio-pedagogical personnel – building a creative competitive personality.