The thesis for obtaining the scientific degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Pedagogy, Speciality 011: professional education (specialization – theory and methods of professional education). – Berdyansk State Pedagogical University. Berdyansk, 2025.
The dissertation is dedicated to the issue of preparing future bachelor’s degree psychologists for educational activities. It demonstrates that in modern conditions, the facilitative and educational functions of professional psychologists-individuals who have chosen to help others build a happy and productive life – are becoming increasingly significant. However, it is noted that numerous pseudo-scientific popularizers have emerged and are successfully developing economically in the education market, which may harm and discredit the efforts of genuine professionals.
An analysis of scientific works, legal and regulatory foundations for the professional training of future bachelor’s degree psychologists, as well as the specifics of the educational activities of modern psychologists, has made it possible to identify key contradictions inherent in modern professional education for future psychologists in Ukraine. In particular, there is a growing societal demand for psychological education as an essential factor in the mental health of the population amid wartime and post-war challenges, yet there is insufficient integration of this field into educational programs for future bachelor’s degree psychologists.
A review of educational and professional programs revealed significant differences in the content and number of ECTS credits allocated to preparing future bachelor’s degree psychologists for educational activities. Despite the inclusion of special competence SC9 and corresponding learning outcomes in each educational program, there is no systematic and targeted approach to such training.
The analysis of the conceptual framework of the study aligns with theoretical positions that define a «psychologist» as a specialist with a higher psychological education who helps mentally healthy individuals improve their lives by consciously influencing their personal values, thoughts, and perspectives to address relevant psychological problems. Their «training» is a process in which personal characteristics (knowledge, skills, experience, and professional qualities, as well as attitudes) necessary for effective educational activities are formed and developed.
The concept of «educational activity» is defined as a process of purposeful informational interaction between a future bachelor’s degree psychologist (educator) and mentally healthy individuals (the object of education – an individual or an audience), aimed at informing them about important issues, spreading new knowledge (ideas) that contribute to their personal development, mental well-being, facilitation of life activities in the complex conditions of modern society, and resolution of current psychological problems.
It is established that, in general, educational activities fulfill functions such as advocacy, promotion, ideological, informational, educational, communicative, consultative, explanatory, upbringing, activity-creative, and recreational functions. However, for the educational activities of future bachelor’s degree psychologists, the most important functions are informational, educational, communicative, consultative, explanatory, upbringing, activity-creative, and recreational.
The structure of the readiness of future bachelor’s degree psychologists for educational activities includes informational, digital, moral-ethical, motivational-volitional, and self-presentation components, which correspond to its main criteria.
It has been determined that the studied readiness can be formed at three levels based on the cumulative manifestation of key indicators: critical, sufficient, and optimal. The critical level reflects a state where the future bachelor’s degree psychologist only partially understands the characteristics of psychological education, demonstrates a low level of knowledge, has underdeveloped and ineffective skills, lacks interest in educational activities, and passively displays volitional qualities. The sufficient level indicates elementary readiness, where the future psychologist understands the features of psychological education, demonstrates a superficial but adequate level of knowledge, has sporadically and fragmentarily formed skills, exhibits situational interest in educational activities, and actively manifests volitional qualities. The optimal level is characterized by a full awareness of psychological education, a high level of knowledge and almost fully formed skills, a strong interest and active engagement in educational activities, and well-developed volitional qualities.
