METHODOLOGICAL BACKGROUND FOR DEVELOPING INTEGRATED DISCIPLINES IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Integration is a perspective direction for improving modern education. For persons who have entered a shortened form of education or have an educational and qualification level obtained in another speciality, it is necessary to introduce the teaching of an integrated discipline in the practice of learning. This will allow such applicants for education to systematize their knowledge and focus on the most pressing issues of their future profession. The small number of integrated disciplines in the educational process is due to a lack of awareness among teachers of the advantages and opportunities of integrated disciplines for training specialists, and insufficient development of methodological foundations for the promotion of integrated disciplines. The purpose of the article is to characterize the methodological bases for the development of integrated disciplines in higher education institutions. The main scientific results of the study include the definition of integration as a process, result and phenomenon; characterization of the features and forms of integration of educational disciplines (intra-disciplinary, interdisciplinary, multi-level, combined, trans-subject); identification of the positive and negative aspects of the introduction of an integrated educational discipline. The authors define integration as a phenomenon characterizing the synthesis of procedural and resultant components of integration with the aim of targeted formation of new knowledge and practical skills among students. The main advantages of the introduction of integrated disciplines include systematization and concentration of knowledge within one discipline; comprehensive consideration of the object of the study taking into account all its characteristics; no duplication of information in different courses; saving students� time as a result of workload optimization. The general conclusion is that the development and implementation of an integrated discipline in educational practice contributes to the further development of the professional knowledge and skills of a future specialist. Prospects for the further introduction of integrated disciplines in higher education are related to the improvement of the existing format of training using integrated disciplines, as well as regulatory and methodological bases for the development and implementation of integrated disciplines in higher education institutions.