Introduction. In modern social and educational conditions, the process of uncertainty in pedagogical practice occurs at a rapid pace, due to the globalisation and digitalisation of education, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there are teachers’ transformations and new functions, which cannot affect their pedagogical capabilities; therefore, the article presents a problem on this issue.

Aim. The aim of this problematic article is to consider from different points of view the phenomenon of uncertainty in pedagogical activity and the transformation of the functions of higher school teachers in the conditions of uncertainty caused by the digitalisation of education.

Methodology and research methods. The work was based on the methodology of interdisciplinary analysis of theoretical sources, foreign and Russian pedagogical experience in the field of uncertainties; the method of questioning and interviewing teachers of higher education was used to identify attitudes to professional activity in conditions of uncertainty.

Results and scientific novelty. In the course of the study, it was found that at the present stage of education development, the transformation of the functions of higher school teachers in conditions of uncertainty is not investigated either in Russian pedagogical practice or abroad due to the undeveloped theoretical provisions in this area of pedagogical activity. The problem is posed in the field of transformation of the capabilities and functions of higher school teachers in conditions of uncertainty from the perspective of different sciences. The scientific novelty of the research is the following developed provisions: 1) a new interpretation of the concept of “professional functions of a teacher” is proposed, including professional competence and professional activity of a teacher in a digital educational environment within his/her subject area at the university; 2) a pedagogical model of transformation of teacher functions in a digital educational environment is developed, including the functions of teaching, upbringing, methodological function, as well as the function of digital didactics and the digital competence function of the teacher; 3) the uncertainty factors and their content that influence the process of transformation of the functions of higher school teachers are identified: technological management of pedagogical activity; pedagogical practice without emotional contact between the subjects of the educational process; self-realisation in a virtual environment; the need for design thinking; personal growth of a teacher in a digital educational environment; transformation of the functions of managing their own pedagogical practice; 4) a classification of uncertainties encountered in the professional activities of higher school teachers has been developed based on two characteristics – belonging to professional educational activities and digital support of pedagogical practice.

Practical significance. The proposed classification and uncertainty factors influencing the process of transformation of the functions of higher school teachers can be used in pedagogical practice to determine internal and external influences on teachers in the digital educational environment.

Introduction. In the context of the availability of information containing misleading arguments, the prevalence of electronic devices and the Internet, there is the increasing demand for the ability to effectively navigate the information field, to establish cause-and-effect relationships, to formulate one’s own conclusions and to make informed decisions. Consequently, one of a modern university graduate’s key competencies is critical thinking, which influences students’ adaptation in society and their professional realisation. Critical thinking development is an urgent task in the process of mathematical education of students, who plan to work in areas directly related to the well-being of future generations.

Aim. The current research aims to identify and test the methodological conditions that ensure the development of critical thinking of students – future biotechnologists in the process of teaching mathematics at the university. An additional task was the development of diagnostic tools aimed at assessing critical thinking skills.

Methodology and research methods. The research involved 81 students of the Vyatka State University majoring in 19.03.01 Biotechnology training programme. The main methods for measuring critical thinking, presented by the UF/EMI Critical Thinking Disposition Instrument and the Critical Thinking Barriers Scale (CTBS), were supplemented with diagnostic tools from specially designed tasks, taking into account the specifics of teaching mathematics to future biotechnologists. Statistical analysis of the obtained results was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results and scientific novelty. For the first time, on the basis of modern research, the features of the formation and evaluation of critical thinking of students – future biotechnologists in the process of teaching mathematics are presented. A number of methodological conditions, which ensure the development of this type of thinking, are formulated. The conditions clarify and expand the ideas about the system of mathematical training of bachelors-biotechnologists. Diagnostic tools were developed and tested. Its key feature is that the student does not work in a simulated environment, but on real problems. The intervention effectiveness based on the described conditions was confirmed by significant differences (Uemp.= 128 < Ucr.= 142; p < 0,01).

Practical significance. The identified methodological conditions and the proposed diagnostic tools can be used to improve the mathematical training of future biotechnologists, as well as to optimise the process of teaching mathematics in order to develop the main components of critical thinking.

Introduction. One of the main tasks of teaching foreign languages for professional purposes is the formation of professional communicative competence of students. In this regard, it is important for university teachers to create conditions for students to master the methods and techniques of productive communication, not only from the perspective of language and culture, but also their future profession. In addition to the logical and rational aspect, it is important for pedagogical students to focus on the value and semantic significance of educational information, to deeply understand rather than to memorise information, to be emotionally “engaged” into knowledge, filling it with personal meaning, in order to avoid formal mastering of pedagogical profession. This is possible in the context of the value and semantic conceptualisation of acquired knowledge, which is carried out in the process of interpreting and structuring the content of training by the principle of linguistic concept.

Aim. The present research aims to substantiate the content, methods, techniques and forms of value meaningful conceptualisation of educational material in the process of teaching foreign languages to pedagogical students.

Methodology and research methods are based on the study of the value-semantic foundations of pedagogical practice with reference to the cultural-historical concept; on the phenomenological-hermeneutical approach, aimed at the actualisation of the interpretive potential of the teaching content; on the utilisation of the methods of theoretical analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction, comparison, modelling, and methods of inclusive observation. The empirical study was conducted during one academic year (from September 2020 to June 2021) in the course “English for Specific Purposes (ESP)” with 60 students of Pedagogical Education major of the University of Tyumen. To assess the results of the experimental work the following tools were used: L. Michelson’s test, free associative experiment, the method of expert evaluation based on the level scale developed by the authors.

Results. The obtained data confirmed the effectiveness of structuring learning content according to the linguistic concept image. In the course of the final test of communicative and professional skills, most students demonstrated a confident command of the basics of professional communication in English. Compared to the initial stage of the study, students’ professional communication in English became more productive. Students’ statements were distinguished by their meaningfulness, structure. They used additional material from other fields of knowledge, emotional and value coloring in the form of metaphors, idioms, statements of famous teachers, precedent texts, the ability to improvise, etc.

Scientific novelty. The authors didactically proved the productivity of the hermeneutic approach in the design of teaching foreign languages on the basis of structuring teaching material by the principle of linguistic concept, which is a mediating link between the scientific concept, on the one hand, and the individual consciousness and the subjective personal experience of students, on the other hand.

Practical significance. The results of this study can be used by teachers in order to achieve a balance between technological and axiological aspects of learning and cognitive activities of students for mastering their pedagogical knowledge, professional and personal experience, which will ultimately contribute to the enhancement of professional training of future educators.

Introduction. Many studies indicate the low effectiveness of the impact of innovations on the quality of modern education. One of the reasons for this situation is the low level of the subjective position of teachers in the development of innovations in the context of advanced training programmes.

It is generally recognised that the formative assessment can directly affect the process of teachers’ person-centred training that is directly related to the processes of individualisation of educational, professional and professional activities. The article presents the experience of organisational process of formative assessment of teachers in the framework of additional professional education.

Aim. The present research aims to describe the mechanisms of person-centred formative assessment in additional professional education of teachers when mastering innovations.

Methodology and research methods. The study was based on the methodology of the competence-based and system-activity approaches, the author’s concept of the components of activity, taking into account the principles of organising the formative assessment by P. Black & D. Wiliam, the methodology for organising feedback in the conditions of teacher training.

As a means of formative assessment in the context of the implementation of the task approach, professional tasks were used to assess the level of mastery by the teacher of innovations corresponding to the competencies of the professional standard. On the basis of emotional-psychological, regulatory, social, analytical, creative components of activity and self-improvement component, the author developed the criteria for the formative assessment in the process of mastering innovative activities by teachers. The study involved 978 Russian and foreign language teachers and mathematics teachers, who participated in advanced training programmes in 2013–2018.

Results and scientific novelty. The developed mechanisms of formative assessment within the framework of advanced training programmes made it possible to implement the predictive, diagnostic and corrective functions of formative assessment; reflective dialogues created conditions for the development of the subjectivity of programme participants in the field of formative assessment. The criteria for the formative assessment of the metaprofessional competencies of teachers, designed on the basis of the author’s concept, made it possible to establish a high level of the emotional and psychological component of the activity, motivation of teachers to master innovative technologies of the system-activity approach. The manifestation of analytical and creative components turned out to be at a low level: with great difficulty, trainee teachers overcame traditional approaches to lesson design, stage development activity motivation of students, design of a competence-oriented test. This analysis could be applied as the basis for building a further trajectory for teacher development.

Practical significance. The presented mechanisms for organising formative assessment can be effectively used to increase the subjective position of teachers in the development of innovations.

Introduction. Today, the act of teaching has become increasingly intricate. Multiple fields of science now aid in comprehending this complexity, enabling instructors to support learners through-out their educational journey.

Aim. The main aim of this study is to determine cognitive and metacognitive thinking process of students and their teachers during a problem-solving situation.

Research methodology and methods. The authors used think-aloud protocol (TAP) in which students (12 participants at the same level) were asked to verbalise their thoughts during a learning activity (math exercise and written production). Similarly, during a pedagogical intervention, nine participants with varying levels of professional experience were required to articulate their professional practices as educators. It should be noted that our approach is purely qualitative following Ericsson and Simon’s approach, from data collection step to coding system and processing of these data.

Results and scientific novelty. The results showed that half of the students solved well what was asked in the problem-solving situation, contrary to the other participants who found particular difficulties in each type of situation proposed (in math and in written production). For the teachers, their verbalisations tend towards three aspects with a degree of dominance for each teacher. The authors consider hat their research is a first step towards a new approach of evaluation of the teaching-learning act that includes both the teacher and the learners simultaneously.

Practical significance. The results obtained can be used by pedagogical practitioners to better understand how their learners think on the one hand and develop their professional practices on the other.

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the need to analyse the ideas of normative body image in the minds of students in the context of current social changes, including those related to the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as updating ideas about the properties and characteristics of the body, its ability to function effectively in modern conditions.

Aim. The article aimed to analyse students’ ideas about the normative body and to determine its model that is relevant in modern reality.

Methodology and research methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the article is a complex of sociological concepts of the body and corporality. An online survey method was used to collect empirical data. The sample consisted of 380 students living in large cities of the Sverdlovsk Region: Ekaterinburg, Nizhny Tagil and Kamensk-Uralsky. The results obtained were processed using the SPSS statistical data processing software. In order to deepen the data obtained, projective methods were applied – the method of an unfinished sentence and the drawing method.

Results and scientific novelty. The survey materials showed that students’ ideas about the normative body correspond to traditional body stereotypes: attractiveness and beauty are attributed to the female body, and working capacity and endurance are attributed to the male body. However, when using projective methods, the rhetoric of corporality shifted into the normative model of a healthy body. The analysis of body care practices indicates the presence of a core, including physical activity and balanced nutrition, which students use to achieve a healthy body as a body that is aesthetically attractive and functionally hardy. Highly appreciating satisfaction with their body, the younger generation strives for a normative model of a healthy body, which gives a sense of comfort to its wearer and allows the realisation of a wide range of needs and interests. In the post-pandemic context, students more often, compared to the pre-pandemic situation, began to include personal hygiene, mental health care, and physical activity in their daily practices.

Practical significance. Empirical data contribute to the understanding of students’ ideas about the normative body, the motives for its construction and care for it, and can also serve as the basis for the development of recommendations and programmes for the formation of students’ culture of a healthy body in terms of physical and mental characteristics.

Introduction. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is among the widely spreading disorders across the globe. Professionals in educational, sociological, and medical fields continuously investigate the effective ways to deal with individuals having ASD because they cannot be dealt in a similar way as others rather teachers have to immerse them in regular classes. Therefore, teachers should have sufficient training and developed competencies to deal with students with ASD Aim. This study aims to explore the extent to which teachers of students with ASD possess of the cognitive competencies and skills necessary from the perspectives of students’ parents.

Methodology and research methods. A quantitative method was adopted to analyse the data. The study sample included 45 parents. The tool used is a checklist of the socio-educational competencies needed for teachers of students with ASD developed by Mehidat et al. (2014). It consisted of 40 items, which determine the response rating scale for the estimation of parents’ perception about the importance of socio-educational competencies needed for teachers.

Results. The results showed that the parents’ estimation of teachers’ possession of socio-education-al competencies needed for teachers of students with ASD was average.

Theoretical significance. The current study contributes in enriching related literature as well as it may practically help in identifying the required competencies and highlighting the importance of teachers’ possession of socio-educational competencies and skills to deal with students having ASD. So, the study helps educationists, policy-makers and most importantly teachers to focus on these important competencies and skills and work on learning them, and eventually can enhance the learning of students with ASD. As the study focuses on parents’ perspective, it has a significant contribution in enhancing quality of education being provided to students with ASD and making them constructive individuals by enhancing their learning, because parents can evaluate the effect of these competencies and they can provide the best and most effective feedback.

Practical significance. There are different aspects of cognitive competencies and skills necessary for teachers of students with ASD to be addressed by special education stakeholders and policy-makers in the field of special education, particularly teaching children with autism spectrum disorders, when they consider and develop pre-service and in-service programmes for teachers of students with ASD. Most importantly, there is a dire need to develop awareness among teachers about the importance of their personal development for enhancing certain competencies and skills to enable them to identify autistic students and effectively deal with them to enhance their learning as well.