Egor S. Shcherbakov

The relevance of the study is due to the importance of improving the process of building up information and knowledge competences of students to meet the requirements of the modern digital industry. The aim of the study is a scientific analysis of the problem of finding effective methods of organizing the educational process, which will improve acquiring professional and personal skills of future IT-specialists. To attain the goal, the authors used a set of scientific methods. Theoretical basis for the study of phenomena and processes were: analysis and synthesis of scientific and pedagogical literature in order to reveal the main provisions of the problem under study; classification and systematization of theoretical databases. The empirical method used in the study is represented by polling students of the Volga Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics, the Faculty of "Information Systems and Technology". The total number of respondents amounted to 300 people. The statistical method of processing the survey results allowed to analyze digital educational resources used in training of future IT-specialists and to identify motivation for integrated learning. The authors analyze the use of existing information services and consider the procedure of the educational process management, the use of which contributes to the development of theoretical knowledge. It is concluded that the growing demands of employers to the competence of graduates are not satisfied with their major theoretical education. Therefore, it is necessary to create a line of opportunities to overcome the qualification gap. In order to solve this problem, a structured methodological approach is suggested, which is based on integration of an educational institution and organizations of IT industry. Its implementation will result in integrated education, which leads to qualitative building up information and knowledge competences as well as improving knowledge and professional skills of students. Theoretical significance of the study lies in the expansion of possible options for obtaining knowledge competences of students, and practical importance lies in the possibility of practical application of methodological approach in the educational process. The drawn conclusions will help to improve the educational process in the current digital society.

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that among the skills required for industry 4.0, the STEM education system plays a special role because it forms engineering and mathematical thinking in students. Therefore, creating an environment that supports an integrated STEM approach to teaching and learning is of particular importance in the context of today's digital society. The aim of the study is to develop a digital ecosystem of STEM education, which allows us to form the intellectual competences of students. Research tasks were solved on the basis of the application of several scientific methods. The theoretical and methodological basis for the study of phenomena and processes were: a systemic theoretical analysis and synthesis of legal, scientific, methodological and pedagogical literature. The empirical methods used in the study are represented by a questionnaire and the method of expert assessments. The implementation of a set of methods made it possible to identify the most functional information resources needed for this study. The main result of the study is that the article substantiates the concept and necessity of forming an ecosystem of STEM education in the context of changing labor market, the risks that the fourth industrial revolution brings to the world, its impact on the educational process in the realities of the present day is determined. The authors studied the theoretical foundations of the concept of an ecosystem, interdisciplinary approaches and characteristics of integrated STEM education implementation in the educational process, analyzed the components of the educational ecosystem, and proved that all of them directly affect the formation of the student's intellectual qualities. A survey was conducted to determine the development paths that make up the STEM education ecosystem, in which 105 respondents - teachers of the Samara State Socio-Pedagogical University and teachers of secondary vocational educational institutions of the Samara region were involved. The analysis showed that the successful introduction of STEM education, with the involvement of all components of the ecosystem, provides for the development of scientific education, in particular, the introduction of research-cognitive training, the method of educational projects in the educational process and the use of digital technologies in it. The authors describe integrated skills of the organization of the scientific process, which are formed in the application of research-cognitive training, aimed at developing the intellectual qualities of students. Based on the study, groups of digital tools have been identified that are necessary for the development of the ecosystem and will help improve the efficiency of the educational process, help make STEM learning interesting and productive. The formed conclusions on the implementation of the research results will contribute to scientific works aimed at implementing programs of structural transformations in the Russian educational process.