Strokal V. Methodological principles in educational practices for the future environmentalists.

The dissertation deals with the methodological principles of organizing educational practices for future students-environmentalists. The main role of training students (future experts) has been discussed in the context of higher environmental education. The practical trainings aim to facilitate students to learn innovative methods/tools required for their future careers as well as to develop and improve their professional skills. As a result of conducted practical trainings, the students (future experts) are able to make independent decisions, to choose and apply appropriate methods/tools, and to conduct their own research in the field of environmental sciences. A number of research directions in practical trainings at research universities have been established. These include social-environmental, methodological- environmental related to environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources, environmental systems analysis, and environmental-biotechnological directions. The main approaches to organize practical trainings have been developed either. The key definitions related to practical trainings in higher education have been elaborated. These include concepts such as «practical training of future environmentalists», «method in practical training of future environmentalists», «professional activity of environmentalists», «method in organizing educational practical trainings for future environmentalists». Two methodological components to organize educational practices for future environmentalists have been revealed. First is a methodological component itself that combines methods, techniques, ways of practical and educational activities during trainings. Second is an organizational component that covers institutional education units, joint work of teachers, administrators and students. A framework regarding organization of educational practices has been developed based on determined pedagogical conditions. These conditions are establishment of a scientific-based practical trainings; organization of appropriate conditions to carry out practical and scientific-research activities; development of methodological provisions for conducting practical trainings. The framework consists of four components namely organizational, meaningful-methodological, action-creative and resultive (or evaluative). They define the effectiveness of conducted practical trainings according to the developed method. Experimental data verified the effectiveness of the developed method. Proposed three criteria (reproductive, heuristic and creative) to evaluate the progress of students have been shown to be successful in students’ evaluation. The students’ progress is assessed in terms of four levels such as high, moderate, medium and low. These levels determine practical skills of future environmentalists that have been obtained during trainings, conducted according to the developed method.