Svetlana S. Polskaya

The article is an analytical review summarizing the research related to applying ecological approach to the concept of faculty professional agency. Through this particular approach, understanding of nexus between educational environment and faculty agency is ensured. The topicality of the given research is rooted in the long-felt urge to reveal specific ways of researching faculty professional development relying on the combination of faculty organic resources and corresponding educational environment, while also taking into consideration present-day requirements towards university teachers’ performance. Such topicality is also stipulated by the need for a greater degree of ecological approach conceptualization. Analyzing the studies related to ecological approach to agency, we aimed at demonstrating the possibilities provided by ecological approach in the process of interpreting the faculty agency concept. With the help of the literature review method, modeling method as well as general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, we concluded on the significance of using the ecological approach within such research as it demonstrates close interrelation between faculty professional agency and ecological conditions in which university teachers operate, allowing to understand not only their ability to engage actively in professional performance but also the possible ways of shaping such kind of agency. Receiving more detailed information related to ecological approach as one of the resultative ways of researching faculty professional agency, which provides a necessary focus for researchers, has become the result of the current study. Theoretical value of the latter is reflected in the combination of ecological approach with devising the principles of developing a university teacher as a professional, while practical application of the results might be found through considering the factors impacting professional agency growth in the professional development programs and teachers advanced training courses. Thus, ecological approach acts as a technology analyzing, modeling and constructing educational environment enabling faculty personal and professional development.

This article studies the issue of professional identity of faculty, which is considered to be one of the most essential types of identity of those who are currently working in higher education sphere. The topicality of this study shows itself in growing importance of professional life of a modern individual, with this undoubtedly referring to the faculty bearing their own responsibility for professional development, acting in the conditions of longer career paths as well as adjusting the directions of their professional trajectories. Being the leading kind of a mature person performance and representing his or her universal function, professional activity demonstrates sense-making nature, giving an opportunity of finding existence reasons particularly in professional activity and in matters related thereto. It is the professional performance which allows a person to express oneself and also structures time and formulates personalized meanings. Rapid transformations of contemporary society, labor market and educational environment changes bring professional identity of a university teacher to the fore as this kind of identity is capable of fully reflecting an individual’s personal values as well as aims and intentions. With that said, professional identity is subject to development throughout the whole life, being the process of continuing interpretation of the accumulated experience and knowledge. This research is aimed at demonstrating greater importance of the faculty professional identity compared to the other types of identities. With the help of the survey conducted with 127 objects-sample as well as using the quantitative method, we concluded that in the process of induced and spontaneous identification, the majority of the surveyed teachers opted for professional identity as the main type thereof. Theoretical value of the given research could find its expression in focusing more on faculty professional identity issues as well as its impact on teachers’ performance efficacy and overall well-being. In terms of practical importance, the conclusions made can be applied in the course of educating would-be teachers and postgraduates and also when devising advanced training courses for the experts in the given sphere.

The topicality of the issue of university faculty providing support for students choosing their professional pathways stems from the long-felt need for changes in universities’ and faculties’ performance, with such changes being implemented in the form of more substantial career guidance support. The latter is to be offered not only to those entering universities and then-graduates but also to those who are ‘in between’ these two categories. Our research was aimed to reveal how faculty itself feels about this role, in what way this support can be implemented and what kind of problems and barriers they can face in this process. With the use of pedagogical, psychological and acmeological approaches, possible algorithms of such interaction between a teacher and a student can be established. The expert survey we conducted showed that the majority of the surveyed demonstrated positive approach towards providing career guidance support as part of their performance, with the elements thereof being incorporated into the teaching process and demonstrating certain understanding in what forms such support should be granted, whereas in the course of in-depth interviews, a number of those taking part in the expert survey described potential problems and barriers in implementing such kind of tasks. The practical importance of our research can be reflected in the revealed opportunity of implementing such pedagogical model into university teachers’ performance, which will allow to make the qualitative shifts of bachelors’ training resulting in individuals then joining workforce being well aware of their professional goals and having made a conscious and informed choice of their career pathway.