THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PREPARING FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK

Abstract

The features of theoretical and methodological preparation of future social workers for conducting research in the social sphere are considered. The importance of forming theoretical and practical knowledge of scientific methods, principles, and methodology of research in the social sphere in higher education is emphasized. The levels of methodological analysis are highlighted and the possibilities of the primary discipline «Theory and Methods of Scientific Research in Social Work» in the development of future social workers' general and special competencies, as well as methods of preparing reports and writing scientific articles, etc. are determined. It has been found that practical mastery of various forms of research activity plays an important role in the learning process. In particular, this involves studying the forms and methods of working with scientific sources, as well as developing skills for the effective search of scientific information. It has been established that an important role in the training of future social workers is assigned to their mastery of programmatic learning outcomes and the formation of social skills. The role of independent work of higher education applicants in the process of preparing them for research in social work is characterized. The purpose of the article is to highlight the theoretical and methodological foundations of training future social workers to conduct research in social work, the formation of their integral competence, general and special competencies, program learning outcomes and the role of independent work and opportunities for the formation of research competence in the process of training higher education students. Attention is focused on the importance of mastering the programmatic learning outcomes by future social workers, in particular, the following: critically evaluate the results of scientific research and various sources of knowledge about social work practice, use foreign sources in performing research and applied activities, express themselves in a foreign language, both orally and in writing; collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative empirical data; use general and specialized software to solve professional problems.