DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF KEY COMPETENCES IN THE WORKS OF EUROPEAN AND UKRAINIAN SCIENTISTS

Abstract

The article explores approaches of Ukrainian and European scientists to the definition of “key competencies” within the competency approach. The author underlines that implementation of the competency approach is one of the most important guidelines for change in the national education system, and to achieve the goal of general secondary education requires the formation of key competencies. The genesis of key competencies definition in education, their gradual formation in European and Ukrainian pedagogical science is considered. Key competencies are defined as those that everyone needs for personal realization, development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment and that are able to ensure personal fulfillment and lifelong success. The comparative analysis of key competencies definition is performed, and it is shown that in the modern scientific and pedagogical literature and normative documents the key competencies include from 8 to 11 competencies. It is noted that the main role in the development of definition and listing of key competencies belongs to international organizations that have generalized the work of the world pedagogical community. The approaches to the definition of key competencies set out in the documents of international educational institutions have allowed Ukrainian scientists to make their own definitions and generalizations, which are enshrined in state educational documents. It is determined that the classification of key competencies correlates with the content of education and the main areas of social life in which the personality carries out its activities and realizes itself. The author emphasizes that the definition of key competencies corresponds to the experience of developed countries, in the education of which the competency paradigm has been embodied, so the need for its introduction into Ukrainian educational system is undoubted. Among the promising areas of subsequent researches, the author includes determining the content of the system of concepts that make up natural science competency and ways of forming natural science competency in middle school students.