Abstract
The article addresses the issue of developing environmental research competence in the training of biology teachers at pedagogical universities. The new socio-cultural and ecological situation has significantly changed the role of the educator and the content of their activities in overcoming the ecological crisis, pushing the boundaries beyond professional subject competencies, increasing their responsibility for the results of environmental education of the younger generation, and necessitating the formation of new professional competencies in the field of education. The goals and objectives of the study are to form environmental research competencies in the training of biology teachers by identifying significant shortcomings of the traditional system of ecological-pedagogical education, comparing results, and solving the problem of developing the competencies under study through innovative practices of professional training of future specialists. The authors used cluster analysis in forming the environmental research competencies of students. The problem of forming competencies can be solved both through innovative practices of professional training of future specialists and through scientific support of various pedagogical concepts, theories, approaches. The analysis of the study results allowed identifying significant shortcomings of the traditional ecological-pedagogical education system in solving the problems of development and formation of environmental research competencies during university education. The experimental verification of the competence formation concept confirmed its main provisions and allowed determining the main conditions for its successful implementation.