The active introduction of distance learning tools into university practice has made lecturers rethink their work procedures and quickly adapt to new extreme conditions. The modern labour market is constantly technologically progressing, so prospective employees have to think fast, creatively, comprehensively, scientifically, methodologically, and effectively. The research goal is to analyze and subsequently optimize the means of developing methodological competence of students on the example of the undergraduate course “Foreign Language” taught in a non-linguistic university, namely, Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The main groups of methods used in the study are cognitive-synthesizing, theoretical, and empirical. Research methods include the analysis of scientific and methodological literature on education digitalization, observation of teaching experience, and survey. The authors conducted a pedagogical experiment to verify theoretical provisions. The results prove that graduates should think independently, be ready for responsible actions in the professional environment, strive to acquire new technologies, design their creative solutions, and use innovations. The study proposes to consider the algorithms of methodological competence development in teaching and vocational education and training (TVET) of students by the means of the course “Foreign Language” in the distance learning environment. The study involved 30 first- and second-year bachelor students. The authors suggest enhancing the course “Foreign Language” according to the proposed guidelines. In particular, the modification requires emphasizing the career guiding component, active use of interactive training methods, extracurricular research activities, and the extended range of learning and research tools used in the distance learning format.

Methodological competence, foreign language, non-linguistic university, blended learning, distance learning