Introduction. The emergence of social, political and economic processes in the modern world leads to the development of innovative educational technologies, among which the researchers’ attention is drawn to a professional brand-building foresight technology. The professional brand-building foresight technology is a system of principles, methods and techniques for expert analysis of current achievements of students, young professionals and anyone who seeks self-improvement. Moreover, this training technology includes the development of programmes to optimise the professional and personal self-development of an individual in terms of his/her possible career growth.

The aim of the current research was to justify the professional brand-building foresight technology developed by the authors, and to check the effectiveness of its application in the formation of brand-building and foresight competencies in a future specialist in the educational process of higher education.

Methodology and research methods. The theoretical and methodological strategy in the study is a competency-based approach, which contributes to the formation of brand-building and foresight competencies. The conceptual provisions of the foresight approach, implemented in a complex of brand-forming tools of a single foresight trajectory in order to model and design a professional brand in relation to the strategic goals of a future specialist, became a practice-oriented research tactic. The authors used the following general scientific and specific scientific methods: questionnaire survey based on random systematic (mechanical) sampling, in-depth interview, expert survey, document analysis, self-assessment of readiness for personal brand-building.

Results. The authors presented the professional brand-building foresight technology, the essence of which lies in the design of a professional brand and future career path. Its structure includes four programmes: self-marketing, personal branding, brand-building case and a road map to success. As a result of training, brand-building and foresight competencies are developed. The approbation experiment demonstrated that without special brand-building and foresight training of students, these competencies are formed spontaneously. Based on the results of the conducted surveys, the authors analysed the level of formation of brand-building and foresight competencies and the interest in the technology of personal brand-building as a factor of career self-development. A survey of university graduates revealed the dependence of employment on special teaching methods and the professional brand-building foresight technology. The interviews held with Russian and Latvian teachers determined the effectiveness of this technology. The study of the employers’ opinions showed the reasons that hinder the successful employment of young specialists. In addition, the authors revealed a lack of knowledge and a non-systematic limited nature of teaching these competencies in universities.

Scientific novelty lies in the replenishment of interdisciplinary (at the intersection of pedagogy, brand building, forecasting, professional studies) scientific knowledge about foresight methodology. The emphasis is on the innovativeness of the professional brand-building foresight technology, which contributes to the competitiveness of university graduates and increases their chances of professional success.

Practical significance. The results of the research can be useful for developing ideas about brand-building and foresight competencies development, personal brand-building, professional brand-building foresighting. The research materials can be employed by students and teachers of higher education institutions, heads of educational systems in the organisation of the educational process, as well as by various specialists and practitioners.

Introduction. Recent trends in the sphere of internationalisation of higher education expand theoretical insights into the dialectical nature of correlation between pedagogical science and educational practice, as well as the relationship between the general direc tions of the development of higher education, its national and regional specifics. An analysis of the experience of internationalisation of universities is required for the development of various models to modernise higher education, including legal education, and to substantiate practical recommendations for reforming the Russian higher education system. To date, an understanding has been reached of the need to internationalise higher education in the context of globalization to increase the competitiveness of the Russian higher education system, as evidenced by the Federal project to maximise the competitive position of Russian universities among the world’s leading scientific and educational centres (The Russian Academic Excellence Project 5-100). Internationalisation, being the key to optimising the export potential of Russian higher education, is essential for the modernisation of legal education.

Aim. The research aimed to evaluate the productivity of actual instruments of international cooperation between universities and to outline optimal approaches to the usage of successful practices of international and Russian educational space to enhance the attractiveness of Russian legal education, and, as a consequence, the creation of a sustainable competitive advantage of a higher education institution.

Methodology and research methods. Complex, interdisciplinary goals and tasks of the present research predetermined the application of gnoseological and synergetic approaches to the selection of research tools. The gnoseological approach facilitated a more profound analysis of the nature of internationalisation and integration of education in the current international processes. The synergetic approach resulted in the integration of pedagogical and legal research methods to define an optimal internationalisation strategy for the training of multiskilled legal professionals.

Results. The authors assessed the effectiveness of the existing ways of internationalization of Russian legal education according to foreign student demand. A comprehensive analysis of the legal, political and social aspects of the current state of attractiveness of the Russian market of educational services and the need to identify the specifics of the internationalization of higher legal education was carried out. The experience monitoring of inter-university international cooperation allowed the authors to determine the conditions for the effectiveness of joint legal programmes (creation of an innovative educational environment, project activities and a flexible management system); to analyse modern pedagogical technologies applicable to legal disciplines; to determine the best schemes used by Russian and European universities for external mobility of students and teachers; to develop the proposals for the introduction of disciplines (for Russian students) provided in foreign languages by Russian and foreign teachers; to propose measures to improve the state policy in the field of interest, aimed at stimulating Russian universities to develop international joint educational programmes.

Scientific novelty. The article presented the analysis of positive and negative experiences of Russian universities in application of internationalisation key tools in legal higher education. The acknowledged internationalisation methods of higher education were systematised in general. The additional ways for the integration of Russian legal education, in particular, to the international educational space, were identified.

Practical significance consists in the approbation of new methods based on competency and practice-oriented approaches. The authors developed the guidelines for the implementation of internationalisation to enhance university competitive advantage and to increase the demand for graduates in labour market.

Introduction. A great deal of research concerns the impact of education on the socio-economic performance in different countries, with highlighting the positive impact of education.

Aim. The current research is devoted to the relationship between educational indicators and social inequality representing the socio-economic development.

Methodology and research methods. By having the use of correlation analysis, the authors examined the relationship between the indicators of national educational systems, including the participation of the population in education, the structure of graduation in educational programmes, the quality of secondary education, the organisation of the educational process, the volume and structure of education funding, on the one hand, and social inequality, on the other. Social inequality was measured using the Gini index, which represents the level of income inequality in the country. The authors also investigated the educational statistics data in the OECD countries, Russia and some other countries participating in the OECD educational research.

Results. The results revealed the relationship between many educational indicators and the Gini index, as well as showed several features of these relationships in Russia. In particular, the authors observed a relationship between the social inequality index and such groups of educational indicators as the level of education (the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient varies from -0,68 for the level of upper-secondary vocational education to 0,51 for the level of upper-secondary general education), participation of the population in education (the correlation coefficient with the integral indicator of participation in education, the average number of years of learning, was -0,64), the quality of education (a positive relationship with the proportion of students, who have not reached the second level of reading literacy in the Programme for International Student Assessment – PISA, reflected in the correlation coefficient equal to 0,56), the organisation of the educational process (positive correlation coefficient with class size equal to 0,61) and the indicators of education financing (negative correlation coefficients for primary and secondary education – -0.48, as well as for tertiary education – -0.57). It is important to note that the indicators related to master’s degree programmes show a greater negative correlation with social inequality than those reflecting the scale of bachelor’s degree programmes and short tertiary programmes.

Scientific novelty of the research includes the detailed analysis of the determinants influencing the national educational systems in their relationship with social inequality, as well as the correlation between these parameters in Russia as compared with other countries.

Practical significance of the study involves the development of the information and analytical basis for adjusting further policy in the sphere of education with taking into account socio-economic factors.

Introduction. The dependence of autonomous motivation of teachers on the principal’s leadership style was previously considered on the basis of the concept of transformational leadership by B. Bass, whereas its relationship with the styles described in the concept of K. Levin is understudied. The mediators of relations between leadership styles and teachers’ motivation are not sufficiently studied. According to the self-determination theory, such mediators can include psychological climate.

Aim. The aim of the current research was to develop an integrative concept of leadership styles by K. Lewin and the theory of self-determination by E. Deci and R. Ryan model of dependence of teachers’ professional motivation and work engagement on the principal’s leadership styles. An additional task was to analyse the mediating role of the psychological climate of the school staff.

Methodology and research methods. The correlational research was realised with the sample comprising 238 secondary school teachers in Biysk. The participants answered the Professional Motivation Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Style of Leadership Questionnaire and Group Atmosphere Scale. During processing of obtained data the authors used correlation analysis, t-tests for comparison of means and structural equation modelling.

Results. The elaborated structural model demonstrates that the democratic leadership style of the school principal is positively related to the autonomous motivation of teachers directly and indirectly through the psychological climate. The principal’s liberal leadership style is inversely related to teachers’ work engagement. In terms of self-determination theory, these results reflect different opportunities to meet the basic psychological needs of employees in teams with different psychological climate and principal’s leadership style.

Scientific novelty includes elaborated model describing the relationship of principals’ leadership styles according to K. Lewin’s typology with autonomous motivation and work engagement of teachers. The revealed effect of partial mediation of relations between democratic leadership style and autonomous motivation of teachers through psychological climate clarifies the ideas about the system of socio-psychological factors of professional motivation.

Practical significance consists in usage of the results for improvement of psychological training of principals, optimisation of their leadership style for creating better psychological atmosphere and support for teachers’ productive motivation.

Introduction. The digital transformation of society determines the presence of socio-cultural threats and risks, which are associated with the instability of the value system of the individual and the distortion of socio-cultural identity as a result thereof. Today, we can observe various violations of the processes of socio-cultural identification, which threaten the psychological security of the individual and the security of both society and the state. Overcoming threats to socio-cultural identity through the choice of productive strategies is possible due to such personality traits as psychological stability, the ability to counteract risks, formed on the basis of social norms, ethnicity, patriotism, and critical thinking.

The aim of the present research is to identify the psychological factors and mechanisms that ensure the formation of personal resilience to sociocultural threats in the context of digital transformation of society.

Methodology and research methods. The current research is based on the theory of digital socialisation of the individual, socio-cultural identity, as well as on the theory of socio-psychological security. The following psychodiagnostic methods were used: “Scale of subjective well-being” (Perrudel-Badoux, Mendelsohn, Chiche, adaptation by M. V. Sokolova), “Definition of socio-cultural identity” (modified version by Krupenko O. V., Frolova O. V.), “Questionnaire of moral grounds” (MFQ) (J. Haidt et al., in adaptation by O. A. Sychev et al.), “Index of self-assessment of information skills” (Voynilov Y. L., Maltseva D. V., Shubina L. V., in the author’s modification), “Index of socio-cultural security of a teenager” (Scale of virtual autism) (by Gilemkhanova E. N.), and the questionnaire of perception of socio-cultural threats to the digital transformation of society developed by the authors. The obtained data were processed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis (principal component analysis, Varimax rotation), and Spearman correlation analysis

Results and scientific novelty. The study showed that students in general have a sufficient level (above average) of socio-cultural identity, critical thinking when working with information, moral norms of loyalty and respect for the authorities, as well as students demonstrate psychological well-being and a low level of virtual autism. Students see the greatest threat in threats to the individual (reduction of live interpersonal communication and withdrawal from the real world; growth of aggression, cyberbullying; growth of information stress) and the state (growth of cybercrime and cyberterrorism). Three factors of social risk of digital transformation of society were highlighted: ethno-cultural risks, antisocial risks, cognitive and communication risks. Three psychological mechanisms were identified that allow an individual to maintain resilience to socio-cultural threats in the context of digital transformation of society: the mechanism of social tolerance (vs alarmism, vs racism), the mechanism of conformity (social adaptation), and the mechanism of psychological protection (coping).

Practical significance. The identified psychological factors and mechanisms allow the programmes for psychological and pedagogical support of students to be developed and implemented.

Introduction. Cloud computing is a new model of computing based on network technology where computer-related technologies are provided as services that are permanently available for use. This technology saves faculty members’ time, and increases their interaction and communication with colleagues and students. Moreover, cloud computing solutions help faculty members finish and follow up all the required courses, in addition to allowing the faculty members to store and retrieve information comprehensively and immediately. As a result, using cloud computing provides practical, interactive solutions to deal with the academic tasks which a faculty member needs to perform his/her current academic work.

Aim. The current study aimed to uncover the reality of using cloud computing to develop the teaching competencies.

Methodology and research methods. The study relied on applying the survey method based on a descriptive approach using two types of questionnaire as the main tools for data collection. The sample of the study includes 48 faculty members and 103 students from the College of Education at Jouf University.

Results and scientific novelty. The results showed that self-assessment of using cloud computing to develop self-learning teaching competencies among faculty members is of a high level, while the teaching competencies for the application of cloud computing in self-directed learning among faculty members are of an average level according to their students. The results also demonstrated no significant relationship between these two main types of assessment.

Practical significance. The current study is significant in light of the fact that it facilitates to understand the impact of utilising cloud computing to accomplish proficient and educational abilities for faculty members at Jouf University.

Introduction. Mathematics comprises grading concepts. It means that one specific concept can be interrelated to another concept, which embodies a continuous process. Mathematics instruction at schools is ordinarily delivered from the easiest to the hardest concepts and requires a considerably deep understanding of each concept. By acquiring the understanding, it is quite certain that students can solve mathematical problems effectively.

Aim. The current research aimed to analyse and describe the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding required by junior high school students in mathematical problem-solving. There is also an attempt to describe the actual level of competence possessed by students, and to determine the level of scaffolding needed to develop students’ learning competencies.

Methodology and research methods. The present research employed a qualitative method within the descriptive approach. The research sample consisted of six students who attended the ninth grade at Muhammadiyah Junior High School 1 in Malang, Indonesia. The participants were grouped based on their mathematical competence levels, i.e. two high-achievers, two average-achievers, and two low-achievers. The data collection technique is done by giving tests, interviews, and observations. As for the teaching material, geometry was chosen as the main theme, covering the topic “Volumes of a Tube and a Ball”.

Results. This research revealed that ZPD of the high-achievers was effective to help them solve mathematical problems independently. Conversely, the average- and low-achievers were found to be problematic at solving mathematical problems independently. The teachers must review and restructure the scaffolding strategies, dealing intensively with students who are less competent in solving mathematical problems.

The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that previous studies have described efforts to improve the quality of learning through scaffolding (Siyepu S., 2013). This study describes in full the scaffolding process in the classroom: identification of students’ actual abilities and potential abilities after implementing instructional scaffolding.

Practical significance. Referring to the results of the research, it is suggested that teachers should be so heedful about their students’ ZPD and thus more appropriate scaffolding treatments can be applied. In addition, teachers are strongly recommended doing self-training in scaffolding and keeping the instruction for their students to analyse their answers repeatedly to avoid a fallacy in operations. Besides, teachers should prepare their students to be good problem-solvers by exposing them to various exercises. For further studies, it is highly expected that more relevant research should be conducted from different viewpoints, i.e. investigating the effective scaffolding strategies.