The use of social networks in the professional development of pedagogical workers

The article shows that the pedagogical workers of the new generation need to create innovative conditions that meet the demands of the time for professional development and personal development. It was found that social networks provide the teacher with a number of new opportunities for improving professional skills and self-realization. The practical issues of using social networks in the professional development of pedagogical workers are revealed. The concept of “social network” in the perspective of the professional development of pedagogical workers has been clarified, namely: a social network is a tool for building an open informational and discussion space, within which specialists of various fields can exchange experience; accumulate ideas and identify problematic issues of science and education, find common ways to solve them; find or generate points of contact of their professional interests. The directions of using social networks in the professional development of pedagogical workers are highlighted: participation in online professional associations, communities of interest, groups; maintenance of online professional blogs, thematic pages, professional portfolio sites; creation and use of digital educational content. The practical issues of the use of social networks in the professional development of pedagogical workers in each of the highlighted areas are characterized, which will contribute to the formation of a complex of theoretical knowledge and practical skills for the productive use of social networks among specialists in various fields. Prospective areas of further scientific research are the preparation of pedagogical workers for the use of educational social networks in pedagogical practice.