Abstract:

The article presents the findings of a study investigating the perceptions of students—namely, future teachers—trained within a university environment regarding the professional and pedagogical competencies required of the contemporary educator.

The study's aim is to address the following research questions:
- What are the most significant competencies a present-day teacher should possess?
- To what extent does the professional-pedagogical training adequately emphasize the development of these competencies?
- What opportunities exist to enhance the professional-pedagogical training with the aim of cultivating the competence profile of prospective educators?

The primary objectives of the study are as follows: to delineate the perspectives of the researched persons on the key competencies that the contemporary educator should possess; to ascertain the attitudes of the students regarding the quality of the present-day professional-pedagogical training; to systematize and analyze the perceptions of the students regarding the formation of competencies in them in the process of their training; and to summarize the recommendations of the subjects on the improvement of the development of the competence profile of teachers.

The research methods employed in this study include theoretical analysis, semi-structured interviews, and qualitative analysis. The study was carried out in 4 main stages. The first phase entailed the formulation of a research frame comprising the main interview questions;
1) followed by the conduction of semi-structured interviews with students enrolled in the programs of Pedagogy, Non-formal Education, and the Philosophy of English (studying pedagogical disciplines) at the Faculty of Pedagogy, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski";
2) Thematic analysis of the acquired data was conducted; and
3) The results were systematized and presented. The study's sample comprised 15 students.

The results of the study underscore the students' opinions on the most crucial competencies for contemporary teachers, namely language literacy, digital proficiency, social and emotional intelligence, and professional, pedagogical, and psychological aptitude. The data analysis further accentuates the high standard of professional-pedagogical training imparted within a university setting while concurrently identifying areas that necessitate enhancement. The study's limitations stem from its modest sample size; however, it employs a qualitative approach, emphasizing meticulous interpretation rather than large sample sizes.

The applications of the study can be considered in two dimensions: practical—application of the students' recommendations on how to improve the development of a teacher's competency profile in the course of teacher education; and theoretical—the study can serve as a basis for subsequent larger-scale and in-depth investigations.

Keywords:

Teacher Education, Competence profile of teachers, Pedagogical training, Teacher Training, Pedagogical Practice, The Contemporary Teacher.