Malyshevska I. Theoretical and Methodological Bases for Training Specialists in the Field of Psychology and Pedagogy for Work in an Inclusive Educational Environment

The dissertation considers the problem of training specialists in the field of psychology and pedagogy for work in an inclusive educational environment. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the mentioned problem are substantiated, the integrative nature of personnel’s professional training for inclusive education is clarified, thus creating preconditions for implementing the interaction of specialists of different spheres. The theoretical and methodological principles of inclusive education as a social and pedagogical phenomenon are scientifically substantiated. The synergetic concepts influencing inclusive education (value, content, organizational) are grounded. These principles serve as the main components of the system of inclusive education, contribute to its practical significance and control the dynamics and character of certain processes. The integrative nature of personnel’s professional training for work in an inclusive educational environment is clarified thus creating preconditions for implementing the interaction of specialists of different spheres. The concept of professional training of the specialists in the sphere of psychology and pedagogy for work in an inclusive educational environment has been developed. This concept is based on the priorities of ensuring the integration of inclusive-oriented learning content in a competent format and allows solving the problem of a shortage of competent specialists. The analysis of psychological, pedagogical and philosophical literature resulted in defining pedagogical conditions for professional training of the specialists in the field of psychology and pedagogy for work in educational inclusion. These conditions are viewed as a set of elements of the learning environment existing on the interpersonal basis, have a clearly defined professionally-oriented character of training specialists and provide high efficiency of participants of the educational process and high level of professional competences development. The pedagogical conditions, grounded in the research, are of praxeological nature and ensure the integrity of the concept of professional training of the specialists in the field of psychology and pedagogy for work in the inclusive educational environment; reveal the prospects and possibilities of the system of professional training of the specialists for inclusive education; make it unique by providing an individual approach to students’ training. The curriculum on training the psychological and pedagogical specialists for the work in the inclusive educational environment is scientifically substantiated. The curriculum outlines the content (mono-, multi-component or combined) and the procedure of the specialist’s professional competence development. The system of training psychological and pedagogical specialists for the work in the inclusive educational environment has been developed. The competence approach to their training in higher educational institutions has been described. The ways of implementing innovative pedagogical technologies in inclusive education as well as the ways of organizing cooperation of the specialists of various fields in the inclusive educational environment have been suggested. The analysis of scientific and educational literature by foreign and Ukrainian authors helped to identify the main requirements for organizing teamwork of different specialists going the work in the inclusive educational environment. It reveals potential opportunities both for optimizing the educational process and improving the quality of professional training of the graduates from higher education institutions, as well as for providing an effective inclusive educational environment both in preschool educational establishments and secondary schools. The textbooks and guidelines for organizing theoretical and practical training of future specialists in the field of inclusive education, as well as the methods of diagnosing the level of their professional competence development, have been designed and introduced into the practice of higher pedagogical educational institutions. It is proved that the practical implementation of the recommended issues on the training of psychological and pedagogical specialists for the work in an inclusive educational environment contributes to the development of their professional competence and increases the efficiency of students' training in higher pedagogical educational institutions.