APPROACHES TO DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ INFORMATION CULTURE IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Abstract

The article focuses on the importance of information culture as an integral part of professional culture of engineers, which affects the quality and safety of engineering solutions. The main two approaches to the definition of "information culture" are determined, which include an information approach when the information culture is reduced to the concept of computer or information literacy and a culturological approach when the concept "information culture" is seen as a way of human life in the information society. Development of the information culture acts as a process of harmonization of the inner world of man in the acquisition of socially significant information.

The main components of information culture of engineers are highlighted, including literacy and competence in understanding the nature of information processes and relationships, humanistically oriented information value-semantic sphere, developed information reflection, creativity in information behaviour and socio-information activity.

Based on a broad understanding of information culture as a qualitative characteristic of the life of a specialist in terms of receiving, transmitting, storing and using information, where universal moral values are the main priority, basic methodological approaches to forming information culture of future engineers are proposed, namely: system, personal, activity, integrative, culturological, axiological and reflexive approaches. The process of developing future engineers’ information culture in the process of professional training in higher educational institutions will be effective providing that it is based on the substantiated methodological approaches.