The problem of the effectiveness of synergetic modeling of pedagogical research is considered. A set of principles of trinitarian-synergetic modeling is being developed that is conducive to the effective identification of pedagogical patterns: the substantiation of “non-essential ” elements of the model is no less a significant task than the comprehensive accounting of “essential”; with increasing complexity of the system, the possibility of its accurate description decreases; the synthesis of a set of relatively autonomous models harmonizes the approach to modeling associated with the description of the most significant manifestations of the process under study the study of educational processes should be carried out through the prism of coherence - nonlinearity - openness, interpenetrability of components and subsystems of the model; the death of the system at the bifurcation point is associated with the return of the macro-level parameters of their degrees of freedom to the chaos of the micro-level; the birth of the macro-level is determined by the direct interaction of mega- and micro-levels, as a result of which its emergent properties appear. The modeling potential of the principles is verified by the example of the problems of professional formation of a university teacher. To identify the most significant elements and processes, a structural and functional analysis of the activity of a university teacher is used. At the same time, the initial understanding is that the specifics of changing a university teacher as a professional teacher is related to the learning process carried out by him. As a result, the following trinitarian-synergetic models are being developed: professional self-development of a teacher, the co-creative learning process and the formation of a university teacher in a socio-cultural environment. The description of the professional selfdevelopment of the teacher is revealed in the most detailed way.