Essence, structure and features of lifelong learning competence

Abstract

The article considers the essence, structure, and features of competence to learn throughout life. To achieve this goal at different stages of scientific research a set of interrelated theoretical methods have been used, which are the following: analysis, classification, generalization of theoretical approaches of national and foreign scientists in the field of philosophy, sociology, pedagogy, and psychology for determining the nature, structure, and features of competence to learn throughout life. The paper aims to reveal the essence of the structure and features of human competence to learn throughout life. The semantic part of the components of the categories «competence», «learning», «human life» as the leading components of the phenomenon «competence to learn throughout life» is characterized. The authors’ formulation of the category «competence of lifelong learning» is given. It is considered as the formation of the person’s integrative quality, which contains components (life maturity, educational orientation, creativity and initiative in solving life situations, a high level of life events) and the formation of personal independence. The basic levels of lifelong learning competence formation are considered: primary, adaptation to the conditions of real-life activity, formation of individual style of educational activity, and ascent to the peaks of professionalism. It is proved that student youth achieve optimal levels of life development due to the formation of the individual’s life maturity and independence. Aspects of integration of conceptual and technological bases of preparation of the future teacher of labor training and technologies for the formation of pupils’ competence to learn throughout life in the educational environment of the institutions of general secondary education are outlined.