In view of changes in education, teachers’ professional development becomes particularly important. This raises the question of finding effective tools and methods of teachers’ professional development. The aim of  the study is  to identify current directions of professional competence development based on the data obtained from the study on the difficulties the teachers face during the implementation of professional and pedagogical activities. As a result of the study, priority areas for the professional competence development, as well as problem areas of didactics of vocational education were identified.This study is the first stage in the development of a didactic multimedia complex, which can become an effective tool for the organisation of teachers’ professional development.

Introduction. The article focuses on analyzing domestic and international approaches to  organizing the support of  professional development for educational professionals through the enhancement of qualification levels. The central aspect of this process is the selection of  program content for professional development, taking into account various monitoring indicators, such as educational needs for qualification improvement, the quality of  student education, professional competence, and the identification of  new pedagogical competencies. 

Aim. To  identify and summarize positive trends in  the organization of  professional development for pedagogical staff during qualification enhancement, based on  the analysis of domestic and international experience. 

Methods: The study employs the analysis of scientific sources indexed by international and Russian databases over a 28-year period, as well as normative and legal documents. Pedagogical forecasting and modeling are also utilized. 

Results based on  the synthesis of  the experience in  the qualification enhancement of vocational education teachers reflected in publications by domestic and international authors, relevant directions for organizing the support of professional development for vocational education teachers are formulated. 

Scientific novelty. Based on  the generalization of  experience the actual vectors of organizing support for the vocational education teachers’ professional development are formulated: organization of methodical and substantive assistance in overcoming difficulties in the implementation of professional and pedagogical working; enrichment of  teachers’ professional and pedagogical competences; teachers’ creative research working activation. 

Practical significance. The methods and forms of qualification enhancement presented in  the article can be  used as  a foundation for designing professional development programs for educators within the framework of continuous education.

Introduction. The article is devoted to the phenomenon of teachers’ professional development in the process of postgraduate continuous learning. Due to the growing popularity of  a science which appeared at  the junction of  neurobiology, psychology and pedagogy, known as “Neurodidactics”, a large amount of new knowledge about the neurophysiological processes of the brain is accumulated. The analysis, theoretical understanding and generalisation of it can form the basis for the formation of a new concept of teachers’ professional development. 

The aim of the study is to identify and examine from the standpoint of neurodidactics the key features that determine the phenomenon of teachers’ professional development and which positively influence the organisation of its support, particularly in the process of teachers’ skills improvement. 

Methods. Analysis of scientific sources indexed by international and Russian databases, with a search depth of more than 50 years; pedagogical forecasting and modeling. 

Results. During the analysis of the phenomenon of teachers’ professional development from the standpoint of andragogy, as well as taking into account the neurophysiological characteristics of  the human brain, the following properties that are significant for teachers’ postgraduate education support were identified: neuroplasticity, cognitive flexibility, memory, critical thinking, emotions, speech function. A  neurodidactic characteristic of each was given. 

Scientific novelty. The directions of teachers‘ professional development that were put forward taking into account the peculiarities of brain functioning can be used as a basis for the development of conceptual foundations for the support of teachers’ professional development. 

Practical significance. Based on the generalised theoretical provisions on the phenomenon of teachers’ professional development from the standpoint of neurodidactics, methodical recommendations are proposed and the course of  professional and pedagogical skills improvement of teachers is defined.