Transformation of university-based teacher training: focus on convergence

In this article, we set out to analyze the possibility of transforming the current system of university-based teacher training through the lens of convergence to make its orientation more forward-looking. The relevance of such changes is determined by the contemporary social context, characterized by increasing uncertainty due to rapid technological advances and the establishment of new interactions within the “human–technology” dyad. We treat the educational potential, encompassing intellectual, social, personal, and professional characteristics, as a goal-defining construct for the transformation of teacher training in modern universities, with convergent thinking proposed as its core. Directions of convergent transformations and corresponding practical solutions are presented, including changing traditional formats of teacher training from autonomous to collaborative; ensuring cross-disciplinary integration of content in both theoretical and practical training; and creating and implementing new forms of professionally driven cooperation, involving both horizontal and vertical mentorship in the development of team projects. The findings improve the current understanding of the heuristic and technological possibilities of the convergence concept. This creates favorable conditions for developing the educational potential of future teachers and forms a  theoretical and applied basis for further exploration and implementation of innovative tools to improve the quality of university-based teacher training.

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