ACTUALIZATION OF P. K. ZAHAIKO’S PEDAGOGICAL IDEAS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITY IN MODERN HIGHER EDUCATION

Introduction. The problems of effective ways of national pedagogical progress preservation, identification of originality of educational system historical development, consciousness of sources and correlations of the main pedagogical ideas are actualized at the current stage of the development of Ukrainian national educational system. Modern Ukrainian educational system is aimed preserving of Ukrainian education and cultural progress, patriotic education of youth and creation of national mentality. Therefore, the importance of re-comprehension of previous generations' experience and progress, pedagogical theory and practice history research, personal experience and educational heritage of outstanding educators increases nowadays. Ukrainian educator, scholar, literary critic, public figure Petro Zahaiko (1928–2013) was one of the outstanding persons in Ukrainian education history. Scholar's multidirectional educational and social activity has been devoted to national education system development, Ukrainian cultural revival, education of Ukrainian active citizens and patriots. The purpose of the study is to actualize of P. K. Zahaiko's educational ideas and social activity experience at modern higher education establishments. Methods. The study is based on the analysis and generalization of educational ideas, systematization and description of pedagogical and social activity experience of Ukrainian educator Petro Zahaiko. Results. Study and analysis of P. K. Zahaiko's professional and social heritage confirms that talented Ukrainian educator has mastered world education theory and practice heritage, combined them with long-term national educational traditions and the necessity of Ukrainian national and cultural revival. That's why the distinctive feature of his educational and social activity is the active use of Ukrainian national traditions, values and heritage which are reflected in his educational ideas. In the context of increasing interest to education, science and culture problems P. K. Zahaiko's educational and social activity experience are topical. It claim attention and deserve application in practice of Ukrainian educational establishments. The main P. K. Zahaiko's ideas are in harmony with the main regulations of state documents and are implemented on the current stage of education theory and practice development. It concerns the problems of the direction of educational system to personal development, security for education and training unity, acknowledgment of national and patriotic education as one of the priorities in state and education systems, Ukrainian language use in educational process, education and life correlation, civil education orientation, humanism and democracy in education system. Conclusion. P. K. Zahaiko's educational ideas and social activity experience actualization in modern Ukrainian educational system lies in the following aspects: 1) national and patriotic education priority acknowledgment; 2) Ukrainian language use in educational process; 3) orientation to the students' personal development; 4) education and training unity security; 5) civil education orientation; 6) principle of education through the education process organization, and appropriate methods, techniques and forms use.