professional education

The relevance of the study is determined by the need of pedagogical theory and practice in prognostic research in order to reveal the prospects and risks of the professional school development programmes. The purpose of the study is to determine the specifi c character of professional education as an object of forecasting. The author notes that professional education is a synergetic system, which is characterized by the following features: disequilibrium, nonlinearity, variability and probability of development.

Since theological seminaries have become a part of the educational system of the Russian Federation, they are now subject to state licensing and have to gain accreditation. This requires a revision of means and effective educational principles in the higher theological school. In this regard, the issue of the educational environment development contributes to a rethink of developmental strategies and helps to determine new ones. Moreover, it stimulates the search for additional interaction forms of the teachers and students.

The article presents the results of an empirical study, the purpose of which is to determine motivational and volitional characteristics of secondary professional education institutions’ students. Presumably, personal motivational and volitional spheres in students at the stage of secondary professional education differ from those of higher education students. The research involved students (N = 158) of secondary (n = 81) and higher (n = 77) professional education institutions, aged from 16 to 22, among whom 45% were girls.