Digital technologies of methodological support for the professional growth of special and inclusive education teachers

Abstract

Introduction. In a rapidly changing society educational institutions should create conditions for professional growth of special and inclusive education teachers that meet the objectives of modern school practice. These conditions can be built through digitalization and flexible use of network methodological support of teachers. It allows coordinating the actions of teachers on the use of training and education technologies for children with disabilities, carrying out scientific and methodological support of the implementation of new methods and forms of inclusion in educational practice, and assessing the quality of the resulting educational experience. Study objective: to substantiate the effectiveness of using digital technologies in the establishment of scientific and methodological support for the professional growth of special and inclusive education teachers. Materials and methods. The empirical study was conducted with 232 teachers of special and inclusive education in general educational institutions in Russia and neighboring countries. It included the ascertaining and forming experiments. Methods of observation, questionnaires, surveys as well as the results of assessment and self-assessment of teachers’ abilities to innovative activity were used to solve the research problems. Mathematical and statistical data processing was carried out using Student’s t-criterion. Research results. The effectiveness of digital forms of network methodological support of professional growth of special and inclusive education teachers is proved by the qualitative growth of indicators of their readiness for inclusive activity. The increase in the readiness level allowed expanding the content-meaningful and technological components of educational activity due to the implementation of methodic and systemic professional interaction in the network space. Results of the repeated diagnostics showed a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The proposed scientifically substantiated approach to the construction of network methodological support as a specially organized professional interaction allows increasing the effectiveness of professional growth of teachers of special and inclusive education. It also contributes to more effective and relevant construction of inclusive educational space at school, helps in the development, effectiveness evaluation and implementation of educational innovations in working with children with disabilities. Keywords: inclusive education, special and inclusive education teachers, professional growth of teachers, methodological support, digital technologies, network methodological support