The transience of time and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) have led to the urgent necessity – the formation of the educational process subjects’ ICT competence. In today’s educational sector in Ukraine and foreign countries, the studied phenomenon has acquired special significance. The goal: a) theoretical analysis of various aspects of the individual’s ICT competence formation, clarification of the essential content of the concept and offer its working definition; b) figuring out psychological factors of influence and their constructs on the ICT competence formation; determination of criteria, indexes and levels of the studied phenomenon formation; c) empirical study of the influence of psychological factors on the ICT competence formation in applicants for educational services of higher education institutions (part-time students of 2 Ukrainian universities). Conceptually psychological factors which have an influence on the ICT competence formation were characterized. The main criteria of ICT competence were offered, their indexes were defined and the description of levels of formation was given. According to the results of the empirical study the dependence of the influence of various psychological factors on the ICT competence formation in accordance with the pedagogical experience of 187 respondents was found out.

In today's world, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has become much more relevant because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The consequences of quarantine restrictions have sharpened the problems connected with the education and upbringing of preschoolers with special educational needs (SEN), who needed to establish an effective intercommunion of parents with specialists through ICT. The authors' aim was to clarify the theoretical basis of the research problem and to determine the ethical aspects of the ICT usage in communication with parents of preschoolers with SEN. Based on the methods of analysis, synthesis and generalization, the authors presented a theoretical review of the feasibility of ICT in the process of working with preschoolers, outlined the specifics for children with SEN, and established the role of ICT in cooperation of teachers with parents of preschoolers in preschool educational institutions (PEI). Empirical material was collected using the method of written survey (questionnaire) of parents. The research group consisted of parents of preschoolers with SEN (n=124) from four PEIs inUkraine. The results testified to the existing problems and difficulties that parents face in the process of communication through ICT. The key and additional ethical aspects of the use of ICT in communication between teachers and parents are identified, which not only raises knowledge about information content, but also produces a friendly attitude between all participants, aimed at compliance with socio-ethical norms of behaviour, respect and mutual trust.

Fundamental changes in the educational paradigm of the Ukrainian education modern system have led to a revision of the process of improving the university students’ professional training. The issue of students’ soft skills formation as mandatory for the diversification of career opportunities in the labor market is relevant. Unification with European standards has led to the necessity to fill the new content of university education to ensure personal development and self-development of future professionals in the course of mastering fundamental and special disciplines and the soft skills formation, which determines the novelty of the issue. The purpose of the study was to carry out a theoretical analysis of the problem of students’ soft skills formation and empirical study of the students’ attitude (pedagogical specialty) of Ukrainian universities to this process in the context of preparation for their future career. The main method was a survey conducted by respondents filling out an author’s questionnaire “What is an ideal preschool teacher?” in electronic form on the online platform Google. Students of the specialty 012 “Preschool Education” of the first (bachelor’s) level of higher education (1‒4 years of study) from 2 Ukrainian universities (n = 191) were included into the sample. The results were processed both quantitatively and qualitatively and demonstrated that students are aware of the need to form soft skills in preparation for their own professional activities. However, more emphasis was placed on them by senior respondents, who, having mastered a large number of specialized subjects and had various types of educational practices, realized the importance of developing skills (soft skills) for personal growth. In this regard, changes are needed in the educational and professional curriculum of the first (bachelor’s) level of higher education, where it is important to outline the task of students’ soft skills formation as a mandatory component of future professionals’ training to meet the requirements of today’s labor market.

Contemporary challenges of society, its dynamic development cause changes in all spheres of life, particularly in education. To obtain a university education in the Ukrainian state, higher Education Standard in specialty 012 Preschool Education for the second (master’s) level of higher education (2020) was approved, which provides for the formation of relevant competencies. The purpose of the study was to analyze the essence of innovations in the professional activities of teachers of preschool educational institutions (PEI). To find out the attitude of students to the implementation of innovations in professional activities, a thematic survey was conducted. The selection of questions and respond options is based on all competencies of the Standard and the materials of theoretical analysis. The sample of the online survey covers the students’ responses from two state universities of Ukraine (n =159), who are obtaining the second (master’s) level of higher education on the educational-professional program “Preschool Education”. Respondents were grouped according to the mode of study. The obtained quantitative and qualitative data revealed the influence of the experience of practical experience in the PEI on the choice of the respond. This determined the necessity to teach students the educational component “Innovation activities in PEI” and the development of corresponding tasks during their teaching practicum in the system of preschool education.

The article substantiates the problem of health-preserving competence development in teachers of preschool education: as an important task of the modern world, as a priority personal characteristic, as a component of professional training. The essence of the phenomenon of “health-preserving competence” is revealed, the following structural components are distinguished: emotional and motivational, cognitive and activity-centered. The goal of the research is to determine the conceptual foundations of the development of health-preserving competence in teachers of preschool education; data collection and processing of information to clarify problematic aspects of the phenomenon being under consideration. In the course of empirical research, the authors used the method of anonymous thematic survey (questionnaire) and its analysis. The research group consisted of: students of the 4th year of dual mode of study (who work on specialty) – 38 participants (group A); students of the 4th year of part-time mode of study who work on specialty (in preschool educational institutions) – 45 participants (group B) and students of advanced training courses – 53 participants (group C). The total number is 136 respondents. The conducted research proved that the respondents are aware of the main categories of health; are motivated and aware of the importance of health-preserving behavior, but are not sufficiently aware of modern health-preserving technologies. Therefore, the activity-centered component requires to be strengthened for the development of health-preserving competence in teachers of preschool educational institutions. Prospects for further scientific work will consist in the implementation to the system of higher education and advanced training courses for preschool teachers of the elective course “Formation of health-preserving competence in the subjects of the educational process” and determining the effectiveness of its implementation.