Karelina M.V.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE MAIN DIRECTIONS FOR IMPROVING TEACHERS’ TRAINING IN THE USE OF HIGH-TECH TRAINING EQUIPMENT ^{[№ 3 ' 2026]}
The digital transformation of education in transport-focused higher education institutions necessitates the use of simulator equipment incorporating artificial intelligence, robotic devices, and immersive technologies. Currently, existing professional development programs do not fully ensure that instructors possess the requisite level of professional-pedagogical training regarding the methodological support for utilizing high-tech railway simulator equipment (hereinafter referred to as HTSE). Consequently, there is a need to improve faculty training to enable the effective use of such equipment in addressing professional tasks. Simulator-based training is currently conducted largely on an ad hoc basis, lacking the necessary didactic, instructional-methodological, and medical-psychological support. It is essential to develop faculty competence in the use of modern HTSE. The developed course program — “Theoretical and Methodological Support for Utilizing Railway HTSE Based on AI-Driven Didactic Approaches” — comprises a structured set of interconnected theoretical components. These cover fundamental concepts of AI, robotics, and immersive technologies; the theoretical aspects of HTSE application in the railway sector; and the methodological foundations of AI-driven didactic approaches. An experiment demonstrated that, following completion of this course, 71.54 % of participants achieved a medium or high level of competence in utilizing HTSE based on AI-driven didactic approaches.