Pedagogical Research in the Activity of a Scientific and Pedagogical Worker: Current Issues Theories and Practices Summary

Purpose. The author goals to explore the theoretical and methodological aspects of pedagogical research in the activities of research and teaching staff, to determine their role in improving the quality of the educational process of higher education institutions. Methodology. A system of general scientific theoretical research methods was used to solve the set tasks: theoretical analysis and synthesis, cognitive method, argumentation method, system method, generalization method. The scientific novelty lies in the in-depth theoretical analysis of the concept of «pedagogical research», determining the levels of pedagogical research and scientific methods depending on the studied pedagogical phenomenon, revealing the relationship between the need for pedagogical research and legal requirements in higher education. Overcoming the contradictions that accompany the pedagogical process is impossible without a deep understanding of the essence of pedagogical phenomena, which requires pedagogical research. Scientists use different approaches to the definition of «pedagogical research». Almost all definitions emphasize that the basis of this concept is the process of forming the new pedagogical knowledge about the patterns of learning, education and personal development. The success of the pedagogical research depends on the observance of the general dialectical scheme of cognition of pedagogical phenomena, which provides for empirical, theoretical and metatheoretical levels of research. Each of these levels is characterized by the certain methods of scientific and pedagogical research. In the course of pedagogical research, scientific and pedagogical staff should choose such research methods that would allow to fully reveal the internal contradictions of the studied pedagogical phenomena, to fully understand the patterns of their development and functioning. According to the requirements of the higher education legislation, one of the priority areas of pedagogical research is to justify the mechanisms of acquiring universal competencies of higher education graduates: the ability to learn, to process information, to master the new technologies quickly, critical thinking and creativity. The studies concentrated at solving the problem of ensuring the quality of higher education as a priority factor in the formation of an innovative society are very important. Conclusions. The main task of the pedagogical research is to reveal the internal contradictions of the pedagogical phenomena being studied, to establish the ways of solving the problems in order to improve the quality of the educational process of higher education institutions. Successful pedagogical research requires adherence to the general dialectical scheme of cognition of pedagogical phenomena. The defining component of the development of pedagogical science are the methods of scientific and pedagogical research, the use of which makes it possible to deepen and develop pedagogical theories, expand the range of their application, improve the educational process.Keywords: pedagogical research; pedagogical phenomenon; theoretical level; empirical level; metatheoretical level; methods of scientific and pedagogical research.