INNOVATIVE CULTURE IN SOCIETY: THE PROBLEM OF STUDYING THE PERSONALITY AND THE CARRIER OF CULTURE

The purpose of the research was to identify the essence of the phenomenon of the person in innovative culture, particularly University students.

The study and understanding of this phenomenon as a pedagogical problem is aimed at promoting a reflexive perception of innovations in culture and education, the conscious development of the personality of the carrier of tradition and innovation, the development of the ability to be selective in the situation of freedom and responsibility.

We formulated a general pedagogical problem based on understanding of interrelation and interdependence of culture of society and culture of the individual, where the innovative culture was viewed as an integral category with its essence, content and technologies of active and reflexive processes of innovation's implementation in education and life.

The study focuses on revealing the ideas of students about today's innovative culture, the identity of the innovative culture carrier as a consumer and creator, about personality traits and understanding of responsibility for the choice made in favor of innovation in the situation of freedom in education and society.

Traditional culture is characterized by the externally given reference points for values and corresponding behavior, but innovative culture implies the independent determination of the system of values and norms of behavior (sometimes even transgressing not only ethical, but also legal boundaries).

Actualizing the personality of students as carriers of the innovative culture we raised the issue of studying this problem as a general pedagogical one.

In the course of study among students of three levels of higher education (bachelor's, master's and postgraduate, 262 people in total) we revealed a wide range of opinions on the concept of "innovative culture" and reflecting oneself as a carrier of an innovative culture, from unconditional acceptance to categorical rejection.

Respondents presented insignificant difference in the determination of the personality traits of the carrier of innovative culture.

The results showed the need for purposeful pedagogical activity aimed at actualizing the personality of students as carriers of innovative culture in conditions of increasing freedom and responsibility.

Scientific novelty of the results is in the following:
- unconscious and spontaneous nature of the formation of the personality of students as carriers of innovative culture (which is revealed and empirically confirmed);
- insignificant difference in the ideas of students of various specialisations and levels of the university education about themselves as carriers of innovative culture;
- correlation links in the ideas of students who consider themselves to be carriers of innovative culture;
- discussion of this problem in the audience significantly changes the attitude towards it and showed interest in self-analysis and self-evaluation.

The results confirmed the idea of unconscious and spontaneous nature of the process of mastering innovative culture by students, regardless of their level of education.

This marked a relatively significant differences in favor of a higher level of education at the University.

In general, we believe that the university educational space should start the process aimed at developing the personality of students as carriers of innovative culture, free in their choice and responsible for it.