Abstract
The recurrent nature of the professional activity of a preschool educator in a dynamically changing educational environment necessitates not a one-time acquisition of professional skills, but their sustained, cyclically reproducible application in practical work. Methodology and Methods. The empirical basis of the study consisted of a closed-ended survey of 49 third-year students enrolled in the Preschool Education and Upbringing Programme. Results. The survey results among third-year students of a pedagogical specialization revealed that the majority of respondents encountered the concept of “recurrent skills” for the first time; however, they acknowledged the need for their purposeful development, critically assessed the existing educational Programme as insufficiently oriented towards their formation, and expressed a preference for teaching practice with reflective components and AI-based simulations over traditional formats such as mentoring and portfolio-based approaches. Theoretical Significance. The study introduces the concept of “recurrent skills” as an independent category of pedagogical knowledge, thereby expanding the theoretical understanding of the nature of professional development of a preschool educator. Practical Significance. The findings may be applied in the design of educational programs for the training of future preschool educators, oriented towards the cyclically reproducible acquisition of professional skills through the use of reflective practices and artificial intelligence technologies.