Professional deficits among Russian kindergarten teachers with higher professional education

Introduction. The modern higher education system in Russia is facing challenges related to the training of qualified specialists for preschool education. Educators play a key role in children's development, but the study reveals significant deficits in their professional training and professional development opportunities. The relevance of the work is due to the need to adapt educational programs to the modern requirements of society and the professional needs of teachers. Materials and methods. The study involved 29,649 preschool education workers, among whom 99.5% are women, and 76% live in cities. The main method of data collection was an anonymous online survey, which included questions about motivation for professional development, as well as about the frequency and independence in choosing educational programs. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used for the analysis. The results of the study showed that most educators regularly take advanced training courses, but a significant part is experiencing difficulties due to limited autonomy in choosing educational programs and insufficient accessibility. Psychology, work with children with disabilities and speech therapy are among the most popular teaching topics. KEYWORDS The conclusions of the study. Based on the data obtained, it is proposed to revise and supplement the curricula in the system of higher professional education. It is important to include modules that meet the modern requirements of pedagogical activity: inclusive education, the use of digital technologies and psychological training. It is also recommended to strengthen the practice-oriented component of education and ensure the flexibility of professional development programs to adapt them to the individual needs of educators. These measures will improve the quality of specialist training, employee satisfaction with their profession and the overall level of preschool education in Russia.