Professional development of teachers: a psychological profile

Introduction. The issue of inconsistency between the quality of specialists trained by the vocational education system and the demands of the labour market, as well as the broader needs of the economy, becomes more pronounced each year. In this context, vocational education teachers play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of vocational training in contemporary circumstances. The qualifications of teachers and industrial training instructors are directly linked to educational outcomes, while the effectiveness of a teacher’s work is closely associated with their personal attributes.

Aim. The aim of this article is to identify the key psychological characteristics of vocational education teachers that are essential for their professional and pedagogical activities. Methodology and research methods. The study was conducted by considering the primary tenets of personality-oriented approaches (E. N. Volkova, S. Lee, E. Tadesse, H. Yin) and practical-oriented approaches (V. I. Blinov, S. Billett, A. Ibrahim, N. Zhou). The research involved 213 vocational education teachers from the Sverdlovsk and Tambov regions of the Russian Federation. To assess the individual psychological and personal characteristics of these teachers, the authors utilised an individual typological questionnaire developed by L. N. Sobchik and a brief orientation test created by V. N. Buzina and E. F. Vanderlik. For the analysis of the results obtained, the authors employed various statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, non-parametric correlation analysis using the Spearman correlation coefficient (r-Spearman), and cluster analysis.

Results. The analysed characteristics were categorised into three distinct clusters: internal susceptibility and reflexivity; protective factors; and activity-based traits. Sensitivity, rigidity, and spontaneity are identified as the dominant qualities of vocational education teachers. Two negative tendencies in the personality profile of a vocational education teacher – anxiety and rigidity – are noted, along with one positive trait: lability.

Scientific novelty. The results obtained during testing, which highlight the personal qualities of vocational education teachers that promote or hinder the effective implementation of professional pedagogical work, can serve as a foundation for developing programmes aimed at providing psychological and pedagogical support, as well as personal development opportunities for vocational education teachers. Practical significance. The practical significance of this study lies in the application of the developed methods for assessing the severity of personal qualities in vocational education teachers. This assessment aims to facilitate timely responses through the organisation of targeted corrective and improvement measures.

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