METHODOLOGICAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE SYSTEM OF CONTINUOUS EDUCATION

Summary The article deals with methodological competence as one of the important components of preschool teachers’ professional activity the system of continuous education. The content of methodical competence’s is considered within the system of three components: scientific-and-theoretical, personal, practical. The objectives of methodological competence development in preschool teachers are achieved in the process of professional training and retraining the system of continuous education. The development of methodical competence by the educators from the pre-school educational institutions in the developed structural-and-functional model is grounded on the basis of developing methodical readiness and educator’s personality traits. Two groups of pedagogical conditions were distinguished for the development of methodical competence of the educator in the course of his pedagogical activity: organizational and download. The technology of methodical competence of teachers of preschool the system of continuous education is based on productive professional experience; which will reflect the system level of functioning of methodological, methodical and research knowledge, skills, motivation, abilities and readiness for creative self-realization in scientific-methodical and pedagogical activity as a whole, provides for an optimal combination of methods of professional pedagogical activity.


Introduction
Within the framework of the modern educational paradigm, the goal of education is the development of personality, the disclosure and development of its abilities. The role of the teacher in the modern world is changing, the scope of his personal responsibility is expanding. A modern teacher must be able to: work in a team, jointly plan educational activities, work in a virtual environment and open educational space, monitor and guide the development of individual children's strides, arrange project-related activities and participate in projects, integrate children with special educational needs, to organize children's activities in an innovative educational environment.
One of the most urgent problems of education is the formation of competence. The idea of the competence approach allows you to answer the question about the necessary result of education for an individual in the context of professional training and lifelong learning (Skrinjarić, 2022). It is the competency-based approach aimed at updating the modern education system, which determines the objective requirements for the development of the education quality assurance system; normative indicators of the quality of education are, in particular, acquired capacities and competence (Bogush 2022).
Methodical competence is one of the important components of the professional activity of teachers at preschool education institutions. Increasing the level of formation of this competence involves the elaboration and implementation of a pedagogical model for the development of methodological competence, the definition of pedagogical conditions for the development of this competence, methods and forms of professional activity organization.
The methodological basis of the study is the psychological and pedagogical provisions on the subject-subject interaction specifics; the theory of personality and its development in the education and upbringing process; methodological provisions on the systematic study of pedagogical phenomena and processes, based on taking into account the provisions of functional-activity, axiological, universal, personality-activity approaches. The implementation of the purpose and objectives of the study involved the application of the following universal methods of scientific research: analysis, synthesis, classification, generalization; study and generalization of work experience of teachers in preschool education institutions for substantiation of methodical bases of development of teachers' methodical competence; theoretical substantiation and creation of a system of work on the development of preschool teachers' methodological competence.

Methodological competence of preschool teachers in the system of continuous education
The results of modern research indicate that the competence approach is considered as a way of consolidating different approaches to checking the quality of an educator to determine professional behavior and results; it is the main condition for successful pedagogical activity and high-quality pedagogical education, which contributes to the development of healthy professional capacities (Kunter, Klusmann, Baumert & Richter, 2013, p. 805).
The concept of an educator's professional competence expresses the unity of his theoretical and practical readiness to carry out pedagogical activities and characterizes his professionalism, due to which professional competence is determined by the level of manifestation of professional readiness to implement professional activities (Sharma, Peeters & Bushati, 2018).
The essence of the phenomenon of "professional competence" is considered as the ability to solve problematic situations arising in pedagogical activities, based on the theoretical and practical readiness of the educator to carry out pedagogical activities; the main characteristics of the professional competence of future educators are: mastery of theoretical knowledge; pedagogical skills; self-improvement and creative work on oneself; using of the newest methods of training and education of children of preschool age (Kovrey & Bobyrieva, 2021).
Methodological competence plays a leading role in the structure of the educator's professional and pedagogical competence, since its maturity allows solving professional tasks in the process of accomplishing educational purposes. The priority of methodical work, the need to develop methodical competence of educators in the system of continuous education is determined by new trends in the information society, related to the accumulation of scientific and methodical attainments and the need to find effective mechanisms for their transfer and use, rapid changes in the didactic-and-methodical support of the educational process in educational institutions.
Contemporary academics study methodical competence as the basis of successful pedagogical activity in the present-day conditions of the organization of the educational process, and the components of the methodical competence's content are associated with the formation of relevant abilities, readiness to constantly learn and improve one's skills (Savchenko & Lokshyna, 2020).; Ovcharuk, 2010); they define methodical competence as a component of scientific-methodological competence, which includes such components as: cognitive, personal-and-reflective, the one related to operational activity, information-and-technological and self-educational (Tolochko, 2020).
Methodological competence of teachers in preschool educational institutions is an integral multilevel professional meaningful characterization of teacher's personality and activities, which is based on effective professional experience; it displays the system level of functioning for methodological, teaching and research knowledge, skills, experience, motivation, abilities and readiness to the creative fulfillment in scientific, methodological and pedagogical activity in general, provides the best combination of professional practices in teaching activity (Aleksіeіenko-Lemovska, 2019).
New requirements for the quality of pedagogical education imply the need for changes in the organization, content, technologies, and scope of training of future educators of preschool.

The concept of development of preschool teachers' methodological competence in the system of continuous education
The theoretical and methodical foundations for developing the professional competence of preschool teachers are concept, model, methodical, psychological and pedagogical conditions, criteria and data of developing the professional competence, methods and shapes of organization the activity.
The concept of development of preschool teachers' professional competence is based on a methodological, theoretical and methodological level.
The key idea consists in the application of the concept of systemic, competence and environmental approaches to developing and implementing models and methods of professional competence of preschool teachers in the system of continuous education, taking into consideration the provisional training and forecasting of the opportunities for further professional growth of the individual.
Methodological level provides continuity and consistency of the process of professional competence of preschool teachers, reflects the relationship of the key provisions on the organization of activity and is based on a number of scientific approaches (systemic, competence, environmental) and principles.
Systematic approach reflects the overall relationship and interdependence of phenomena and processes of reality, focuses on the need to perceive the phenomena of life as systems that have a structure and operate based on their laws. The essence of the systems approach lies in the fact that relatively independent components are considered not in isolation but in their relationship, development and movement.
Competence approach allows perceiving the development of professional competence formation of preschool teachers as a gradual process of gaining knowledge, practical skills of organization activity work, emotional and value attitude that correspond to the needs and requirements of the in the society.
Environmental approach it provides for the creation of a special environmental management development process ensures the passage of such basic procedures: creating environments; filling inversion environment niches aimed at restoring understanding of the environment. System actions targeted at the environment must convert it into a means of targeting complex personality. Environment discloses these or other possibilities for personal development.
Methodological reference points appear to be the principles of consideration of individual and collective forms of work, outstripping reaction, performance, sequencing, problematic, professional expediency.
The principle of combining individual and collective forms of work. According to the number of participants, the following forms of work can be distinguished: personal (single person or with the participation of two partners who are in different institutions, organizations, regions, countries); paired (between pairs of participants); group (between groups of participants). The modern interpretation deepens this principle associated with personal and individual orientation, relying on the individuality of each person, up to the definition of individual learning paths with the right to choose the level and methods of mastering the programs, with the wider use of computer programs, but with the inclusion of each in collective forms of work.
The principle of productivity is due to the essence of professional activity and its focus on the mandatory result receipt -product creation.
The principle of productivity emphasizes the pragmatism of the preschool teachers' activity, the obligatory orientation towards obtaining a result that has applied significance. In other words, towards the "product design" of the design process results.
The step-by-step principle is determined by the essence of professional activity, since each issue of organizing activity involves the passage of certain stages. The principle of stepby-step specifies the idea, which is expressed in the definition of stages and resources, means and methods of achieving the result, in the creation of a specific program of action and each subsequent action is based on the results of the previous one.
The basis of the principle of the problematic is made up of three important interrelated components: the problem, problem task; problem situation.
The principle of professional expediency is one of the basic principles in the development of the preschool teachers' professional competence. The implementation of this principle presupposes a wide variety of content and forms of the activity process.
One of the key concepts of organization of activity is the function. We single out the following functions the preschool teachers' professional competence: gnostic, prognostic, organizational, communicative and reflexive.
Communicative component is communicative compatibility, ease and confidence in communication, psychological contact, ability to conduct a dialogue with subjects of professional communication, flexibility in mastering new roles in the group, kindness in communication, social and communicative individuality. Organizational component is openness, self-management, motivated activity, proactivity in creating a barrier-free environment, authoritarianism, tolerance, reflexivity.
Gnostic component is the general culture of the individual, critical thinking, independence in learning new things, ability to find and vary new knowledge, ability to generalize professional and social experience, cognitive activity, information culture.
Constructive component is a sensitivity to changes, ability to design one's own activities taking into account professional standards, ability to correct own actions and behavior, ability to search and choose alternatives, purposefulness and perseverance in construction of professional activity, ability to design a barrier-free space, pluralism, etc.

Modelling the process of methodological competence's of teachers of preschool educational institutions the system of continuous education development
The increase of formation's level of the methodological competence of teachers of preschool educational institutions the system of continuous education involves the development and implementation of a pedagogical model for development education' methodical competence.
A structural-and-functional model is an artificially generated object in the form of a diagram, physical designs, semiotic forms and formulas, which represents a generalized perspective of the structure, properties, correlations and mutual relationships between this object's elements.
The modelling method includes the object's building, analyzing and studying. The modelling method's integrity enables the combination of empirical and theoretical in pedagogical research.
A number of methodical provisions were considered during the model's elaboration: the model impartially represents this or other process or phenomenon; the content's richness of the phenomenon under study is represented in the essential features, components, relations; the main link of the model is formed by contradictions.
The goal of our study is most consistent with the structural-and-functional model, which is based on the essential connections and relations between the most important components of the system.
The model enable you to separate the interrelated components: purpose, task, pedagogical conditions, principles, functions, stages, forms and methods of methodical work, criteria, indicators and levels of development.
We single out the following components: -the purpose -methodological competence development of teachers of preschool education the system of continuous education; -the task -study and generalization of work experience of teachers in preschool education institutions for substantiation of methodical bases of development of teachers' methodical competence, theoretical substantiation and creation of a system of work on the development of preschool teachers' methodological competence; -the pedagogical conditions -two groups of pedagogical conditions were distinguished for the development of methodical competence of the educator in the course of his pedagogical activity: organizational and personal; -the principles -of consideration of individual and collective forms of work, outstripping reaction, performance, sequencing, problematic, professional expediency.
One of the key concepts of the structural-and-functional model are functions. We single out the following functions the preschool teachers' professional competence: gnostic, prognostic, organizational, communicative and reflexive.
The stages: 1-diagnostic and designing, 2 -productive and activity, 3 -analytical and final. The forms and methods of methodical work: Interactive lectures and practical classes on the discipline "Organization of methodical work at preschool education institutions" and methods of preschool education; industrial practice, the use of game elements through the creation of problematic imaginary situations, round tables, network projects, presentations of lesson notes and methodical developments, creation of a methodical box; Skype conference, round table "Regulatory and legal support of methodical activity", inspection-and-methodical practice, role-playing and business games, educational and training seminars, project development, creation of reflective maps; Pedagogical meetings, the network community's formation, methodists associations, the creation of a virtual creative group for the professional development of educators, the creation of a website, the use of ICT (information computer technology) in professional activities, the conduct, analysis and introspection of open classes.
The efficiency of methodical competence's development by the educators at the establishments of preschool education is ensured by the following structure of the model: -didactic complex of development of the methodical readiness by the educator: the program of skill advancement and methodical recommendations for its implementation, diagnostic tools for monitoring, electronic base of pedagogical experience and regulatory support of the educator's innovative activity; -stages of implementation of the didactic complex (diagnostic and designing, productive and activity, analytical and final); -parameters of methodical readiness (scientific-and-theoretical component and practical component), along with time-deferred results; -systemic perception of pedagogical reality, the ability to integrate with the different pedagogical experience, the need for self-education.
The development of methodical competence by the educators from the pre-school educational institutions in the developed structural-and-functional model is grounded on the basis of developing methodical readiness and educator's personality traits of preschool educational institutions the system of continuous education development.
The content of methodical competence's components is considered within the system of components: cognitive component, personal component, activity component, reflexive component.

The criteria and data of developing the professional competence of preschool teachers
Speaking about the problem of determining the level of methodical competence development of preschool teachers, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of the analyzed concept. In pedagogical science, the level of formation of certain personal education is determined by a number of criteria as optimal samples for comparison with real phenomena. By comparing with the criterion of real phenomena, it is possible to establish the degree of their conformity, approximation to the norm, the ideal.
In this study, the concept of "level" considered as the degree, magnitude of the development of a particular pedagogical phenomenon, the fact of its differentiation or classification. In this study, the criterion, we considered as an ideal sample expressing the highest, most perfect level of the phenomenon being studied.
To determine the level of methodical competence development of preschool teachers, we selected the following objective criteria: motivational, cognitive, technological, reflexive.
The choice of the motivational criterion is due to the presence of motivation for methodical work, abilities and readiness for the creative self-realization of the teacher in the methodological and pedagogical activity.
The choice of the cognitive criterion is due to the need to reflect in the professional activity of the educator the system level of functioning of methodological, methodical and research knowledge, the ability to update them in case of need.
The technological criterion was chosen based on the need for the teachers to develop professional and methodological skills and skills of the teacher in the field of methodology, ability to optimally combine the methods of professional pedagogical activity, their own effective professional experience of teachers' methodological work in preschool educational institutions.
The choice of the reflexive criterion is connected with the need to analyze one's own activities with the aim of self-improvement.
The state of development or the level of a criterion is fixed by indicators that represent phenomena or events by which one can judge the dynamics of a certain process; the use of indicators makes it possible to assess the quality and level of development of certain personal education.
For each of the specified criteria, within the framework of the study, appropriate indicators were selected allowing to determine the correspondence of the level of formation of one or another personal education in the structure of the methodological competence of preschool education teachers: -Indicators of motivational criteria: sustainable motivation and interest in methodical work, readiness for creative self-realization in methodical activity; -Indicators of cognitive criteria: awareness of the forms, methods, techniques of methodical work, knowledge of modern technologies of methodical work in a preschool educational institution; -Indicators of technological criteria: availability of professional and methodological skills; ability to optimal combination of methods of professional pedagogical activity; indicators of the reflexive criterion: the level of development of methodical reflection; the ability to selfanalysis and self-esteem.
Based on certain criteria and indicators, the levels of methodical competence development of preschool teachers are characterized: basic, productive, creative.
The basic level of development of methodological competence was inherent in teachers of pre-school educational institutions, who are knowledgeable with the forms, methods and techniques of methodological work, with modern technologies of methodical work in a preschool educational institution, professional-methodical skills formed. At the same time, their motivation and interest in the methodological work fragmentary; they not ready for creative self-realization in methodological activity, the optimal combination of methods of professional pedagogical activity, self-analysis, and self-assessment; the level of formation of methodical reflection low.
Sustainable motivation and interest in methodological work, awareness of forms, methods, techniques of methodical work are characteristic of the productive level of development of methodical competence; knowledge of modern technologies of methodical work in a preschool educational institution; availability of professional and methodological skills; ability to self-analyze and self-esteem. Respondents of this level are not always ready for creative self-realization in methodological activities, the level of formation of methodical reflection insufficient.
The creative level of development of methodological competence development of preschool teachers -knowledge of modern technologies of methodical work in a preschool educational institution; presence of professional and methodological skills; awareness of the forms, methods, techniques of methodical work; sustained motivation and interest in methodological work; readiness for creative self-realization in methodical activity; ability to optimal combination of methods of professional pedagogical activity; the ability to self-analyze and self-esteem, a sufficient level of development of methodical reflection.
Diagnostics of the level of methodical competence development of preschool teachers took place On the basis of certain criteria, indicators and levels.

Pedagogical conditions for methodological competence development of teachers of preschool education
The results of the problem's study, pertaining to the development of methodical competence of educators at preschool educational institutions made it possible to establish that the improvement of this tendency depends on the totality of pedagogical conditions.
There are several attitudes regarding the definition of "pedagogical conditions". Scientists consider them to be a productive constituent of the pedagogical system, a set of interrelated and mutually determined measures, aimed at achieving a specific pedagogical purpose (Marusynets, 2015). Other researchers emphasize that the term "pedagogical conditions" refers to all components of the educational process: goals, tasks, content, forms, principles, methods, means (Vitvytska, 2022). This concept is used in relation to the holistic educational process when characterizing the pedagogical system or its components.
Pedagogical conditions, according to researchers, are specially created in the educational process in order to increase its effectiveness and efficiency or implement innovations. The development of a truly efficient pedagogical model required the study of the true formedness level of educators' methodical competence. Two groups of pedagogical conditions were distinguished for the development of methodical competence of the educator in the course of his pedagogical activity: -Organizational: 1) Creation of a stimulated environment, containing a mass media sphere, supply of materials and machinery, aimed at the mastering of modern educational technology by educators. Mastering of professional skills promote self-realization of a personality by involving an active interaction with the external environment, in particular, systematic use of multimedia educational technologies allows increasing the efficiency of professional training of specialists in accordance with modern requirements of the society (Bakhmat, Dudka, & Liubarets, 2018).
2) Implementation of differentiated complete methodological support of the educator's professional activity. The wording of "methodical support" of the educational process envisages the subject-subject relations of the participants of the educational process in the preschool, the help and support of those steps of teachers, which are aimed at optimizing the educational process in the preschool institution, after all the traditional forms of methodical work with teachers are not effective today and need to be revised and modified both in terms of content and form (Basiuk & Kovalenko, 2021).
3) Structuring of the process for skill enhancement by the school teachers, established subject to compliance with the initial level of their competence, by means of creating an individual route, participation in online communities, strengthening the role of efficiency monitoring during the skill enhancement of educators. The development of pedagogics' professionalism takes place in the system of continuous education, the process of transfer of pedagogical technologies is observed, the purpose of which is to expand the resource base of the technological support of the educational process, directed at the creation of educational practices that enhance the quality of scientific and educational activities and the ensure the openness of the mentioned system, the continuity of education, the flexibility of the educational process (Zhorova, 2019).
-Personal: 1) Development of a value-based attitude towards the pedagogical activity, established on grounds of integrating the educator's personal position and his own general cultural psychological-and-pedagogical, methodological and methodical attainments, actualization of his individual experience. The problem of forming values is closely connected with the task of developing individual humanistic needs which a person possess from his early fays. Humanistic needs (a need of emotional contact, a need of respect, a need of self-actualization and selfrealization) are the base of forming values and humanistic traits, being the strongest driver for their development. Value structures exist across culturally diverse groups, suggesting that there is a universal organization of human motives, but even if the types of human motivation that values express and the structure of their relations are universal, individuals and groups differ substantially in the relative importance they attribute to particular values, that is their value priorities or hierarchies differ (Schwartz, 2010).
2) Inclusion of an educator into active creative interaction within the systems "educator -child", "educator -educator", "educator -educator-methodologist (or another person providing support of methodical activity in the educational institution)", "educatorparents" on grounds of "subject-subject" relations. Pedagogical excellence is defined as the highest level of professional pedagogical activity and is a manifestation of creative activity of the individual (Maksymenko, 2020). Pedagogical excellence of the educator is determined by their abilities, which are an important prerequisite for mastering pedagogical profession and an element of the structure of pedagogical skills of the teacher of the preschool educational institution. The presence of abilities ensures successful mastery of professional knowledge and skills. Pedagogical creativity in the structure of professional competence is determined by the personal component as a self-realization of the teacher, awareness of themselves as a creative individuality, identification of individual ways of their professional growth, creation and maintenance of a program for self-improvement.
3) Self-reflection of pedagogical actions at different stages of activity (self-analysis and self-evaluation). The reflection is one of the main components of innovative process of learning, due to which the consciousness appears to be an active tool of self-organization of a personality; the necessary conditions for the creation of educational and reflective environment is the promotion of innovative activities, which is an feature of activities, the complex relationships of the common culture and creative potential (Levsheniuk, 2019). In the process of reflection the self-knowledge, self-development and self-regulation of personality are provided. Reflection involves self-control, consciousness of action. Methodical work has a potentially reflective character, during which the college teacher carries out self-analysis of his own attitude to professional activity, assimilates its means and methods (Denha, 2022).
So, the determined pedagogical conditions are expected to represent an aggregate of educational and material-and dimensional environment, as one of the pedagogical system's components; the mentioned environment influences personal and procedural aspects of the system, ensures its efficient functioning and amplification.

Conclusions
Thus, the analysis of the results of the introduced technology proved that the development of methodological competence of preschool teachers will be effective, if a multi-level organization of methodological work is ensured: at the strategic level -training of personnel, study of the experience of educators' practical work, represented in mass media and periodicals; at the tactical level -changes in approaches to the organization of methodical work in preschool educational institutions, methodical training of educators; at the operational leveldirect organization of methodical work, updating methods and techniques of methodical work; updating the content of the educational discipline "Organization of methodical work"; the use of diagnostic complexes for the purpose of monitoring the quality of the methodical work's organization in modern preschool educational institutions.