Metacognitive involvement in activities as a basis for the professional competence development of future agricultural engineers

The training of engineering personnel in the context of the digital transformation of agricultural production requires a revision of their professional competency framework. Particular attention should be paid to studying students’ metacognitive engagement in their educational and professional activities as a key factor in developing the professional competence of future specialists. This study aimed to examine the dynamics of students’ metacognitive processes. The authors examined the main approaches to defining professional competence and identified the key components of its structure: motivational-personal, functional-activity, and reflective-evaluative components. It is shown that, in the context of rapid changes in production technologies, the development of metacompetencies is particularly important. These competencies ensure the ability to master new knowledge and technologies, adapt to change, and plan one’s own professional trajectory. The article presents the results of experimental work conducted among first- and third-year students majoring in agricultural engineering. It was found that, despite a slight improvement in some metacognitive characteristics among senior students, the differences do not reach a statistically significant level. This demonstrates the need to incorporate specialized forms of learning activities aimed at developing metacognitive skills. The authors propose a set of measures to improve the educational process, including the widespread use of interactive teaching methods, the organization of industrial internships, the incorporation of computer modeling elements, and the design of situations that approximate a real professional environment. It is proposed to strengthen students’ psychological and pedagogical training aimed at developing reflective skills and the ability to self-develop. The development of educational models that take into account the specifics of modern trends in agricultural engineering will help shape active, creative, and technologically advanced specialists.

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