Organizational and Functional Structure of the Future Geography Teachers’ Research Activities

Abstract

The content and purpose of the future geography teachers’ research activities are considered, its functional structure is investigated in the article. It was determined that the future teachers’ research activity is a dynamic system object, which can be represented in the form of hierarchically set levels of the organization, differing in goals methods of scientific management and the number of participants involved in this activity. It is defined that the foundation of the system is the subsystem of students’ study and research activities, over which the six levels of organization are built. They are: 1) the level of primary students’ scientific associations around the chair topics, 2) the level of the university’s structural unit, 3) the level of the university, 4) the regional level, 5) the all-Ukrainian level, 6) the international level. Each of them has its own specifics and corresponds to the tasks of future geography teachers’ professional preparation. For example, the last one, the sixth level is characterized by the close interaction of the higher education institution with foreign educational institutions- partners and even with associations, international foundations; many domestic universities have experience in organizing joint students’ scientific conferences, academic internships and foreign students’ practices, especially if nowadays students’ publications, indexed in international science-centered bases, are more and more emphasized on, the competitions of scientific students’ projects, grant and framework programs with the participation of young scientists become more and more important. The author made a conclusion that this system is open and interconnected with other social systems. The main purpose of its functioning is the talented young people’ identifying and involving into research activities, ensuring the continuity of higher education scientists generations, creating a university-wide scientific space; increasing of students’ grant and publication activity, preparing them for innovative activity, expanding and developing of professional communications between students at the scientific level, proving the development of students’ self-governance and leadership in the scientific sphere, and the development of international professional cooperation for scientists, teachers, students, practitioners. In author’s opinion, realization of these ideas and other actions will enable the transition of the system of future geography teachers’ professional training to a qualitatively new level.