Psychological and Pedagogical Conditions for Developing Professional Competency in Future Social Workers Using the Global Network Internet

Abstract

The enhancement of social workers’ information activity directly influences the development of their world outlook and information competency, which defines both the level of knowledge, abilities, skills, thought patterns, and the student’s motivational sphere. The paper aims to analyse the importance of using Internet resources in developing professional competency, enhancing information activity in future social workers. The experimental work has made it possible to determine specific forms, means and methods of teaching that allow one to enhance information activity of social workers. The experimental training involved students in Years 1-4. The process of studying the courses of practical training in social work enabled the assessment of professional competency at the level of determining the quality of students’ acquired knowledge and at the level of their professionally relevant qualities and skills defined in the educational qualification characteristics and qualification characteristics of specialists. A comparative assessment of applying innovative and profession-oriented teaching methods based on the means of information and communication technologies (ICT), traditional forms and methods has amounted to 0.08 points (3.6%) in the experimental group (EG) versus 0.16 points (7.2%) in the control group (CG). Conclusions. Professional training of future social workers can be more effective if students familiarize themselves with solving real practical problems and learn new methods and means of working for this particular purpose. It has improved the learning process and provided students with the opportunity to learn information technologies with the prospect of using them in future professional activities and develop information activity.