Formation of an educational space through formal and non-formal education during advanced training of teachers of general education organizations in the direction of “Continuous environmental education”

The research problem and the rationale for its relevance. The problem of using non-formal education technologies by teachers of general educational organizations in the process of professional development is actualized. Motives influencing teachers' desire to engage in self-education are analyzed. The questions of teachers' ability to organize educational space taking into account the filling of their own professional deficits is considered. The idea of two-sided interaction of teachers with the educational space, during which they act both as objects and subjects of the latter, is substantiated. The situation that allows teachers to act as elements of each other's educational space is considered. The goal of the research is to find the optimal option of combining elements of formal and non-formal education in the organization of educational space aimed at improving the qualifications of teachers of general education organizations. The methodological basis of the research was the analysis of scientific publications reflecting the issues of educational space, continuous, formal and non-formal education. Comparative, activity and system approaches were used. Dialectical, synergetic and holistic theories formed the basis of the theoretical rationale of the research. Empirical data were collected by means of survey method using a specially designed questionnaire. The research has shown the most preferred forms of training by teachers in the process of advanced training, as well as their understanding of the essence of formal and non-formal education. The analysis of the survey results revealed the existence of the problem of teachers' use of knowledge obtained at the advanced training courses in pedagogical practice. Theoretical significance consists in determining the main directions of further development of non-formal education in the process of advanced professional training of teachers. Practical significance consists in the recommendations aimed at increasing the interest of teachers in certain technologies of non-formal education.