ENHANCING FUTURE EDUCATORS’ DIGITAL COMPETENCE THROUGH METACOGNITIVE SKILLS

Abstract

The article examines the issue of developing the digital competence of future educators through the application of metacognitive skills. In the context of rapid digitalization of the education system, new content and requirements are being introduced into educators’ professional activities. Under these conditions, an educator is not only a transmitter of information but also an individual capable of creatively processing and critically analyzing it, as well as effectively working in a modern digital environment. Therefore, the formation of digital competence of future educators in integration with metacognitive abilities is a relevant direction of professional training. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to integrate digital competence and metacognitive skills within the educational process. Metacognitive skills enable future educators to effectively plan learning activities, select appropriate technological tools, evaluate their effectiveness, and carry out self-reflection. Such abilities allow individuals to understand and regulate their own cognitive processes, which is considered a key mechanism for continuous professional development. The purpose of the study is to provide a scientific and theoretical justification for the methods of applying metacognitive skills in the process of developing the digital competence of future educators and to determine their effectiveness in practice. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the systematization of metacognitive skills as a factor in the development of digital competence and in the proposal of an author’s model consisting of diagnostic, planning, digital activity, reflection, and correction stages. The study includes a theoretical analysis of works in pedagogy, psychology, and digital education, which enabled to identify the relationship between digital and metacognitive competencies in the professional training of future educators. The results of the study demonstrate the possibility of developing digital competence through the improvement of metacognitive thinking, self-regulation, and reflection skills of future educators. This approach contributes to enhancing the quality of teacher training, supporting the digital transformation of the education system, and improving innovative teaching practices.