Innovation as a pedagogical category: essence and features

The paper presents an innovative structure of pedagogical activity. It is noted that sociocultural competences (research competence, sociocultural and organizational competence, professional, informative and communicative competences, value-orientated competence, innovative-creative competence) are the core of personality. The factors' system for the innovative research approach formation is defined. The requirements to the organization process of the pedagogical research are formulated. The functional meaning of the innovative approach is given. It is noted that research activities based on an innovative approach should be based on a set of principles (competence, axiological, personality-oriented) acting as the basic principles of research.