Development trends of advanced academic training in Ukraine

A retrospective analysis of post-war archival documents showed that issues of the teacher qualification level were always of concern to society and the government. The system of postgraduate pedagogical education was formed by means of opening and functioning of regional and later republican institutes of advanced academic training under pedagogical higher educational institutions. Advanced academic training also engaged scientific employees of research institutes and workers of the Ministry of Education of the USSR. It has been found out that the system operation of postgraduate pedagogical education depended on the tasks set before the educational institutions. The educational service forms were different for teaching staff at each historical stage. It was simple at first – teachers were provided with methodological literature containing instructions how, by what program, in what sequence and in what conditions to organize the educational activities for students. Early forms also included seminars conducted with subject teachers. Course training had been the primary form of advanced training for a long time. The duration of the courses varied from one week to one year, and the part-time courses were even for 2 years. It entirely depended on the necessities and capabilities of the educational institutions constantly experimenting on these issues. Seminar-workshop (republican, province, regional, district) had been an important form of advanced training with an interval from 3 to 7 off-job days with a lively exchange of experience for a long time. Additional but effective forms of teaching were pedagogical readings, scientific sessions, research work of teachers as scientific correspondents, applied research conferences, seminars, forums. At the present stage the advanced training forms were complemented with the distance learning having given a new lease of life to the postgraduate education. The concept of the new Ukrainian school has also enriched the education forms. Coaches have been introduced, who has been specially selected and certified by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for the purpose of mastering professional competencies well and in time. The primary learning form is pedagogical training. Both quantitative and qualitative changes have been proved and highlighted for the development of educational services in the system of postgraduate pedagogical education.