Lexical Approach and Terminology in Developing Professional Competence: A Case Study in Ukrainian Higher Education

Abstract

The aim of this research is to identify patterns of influence of terminological vocabulary and lexical approach on the formation of professional competence of students majoring in economics, military, and engineering, focusing on the effectiveness of various models of working with the terminological system in the educational process. To analyze the impact of terminology and lexical approach on the development of students’ professional competence in higher education, six hypotheses were put forward. The study was conducted using a mixed methodology that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative component was aimed at measuring the level of mastery of terminological vocabulary and the dynamics of the development of students’ professional competence, using a terminology test, a diagnostic questionnaire, and reflective tasks. The results of the study showed a significant difference in the dynamics of terminological competence development between the control and experimental groups. The control group showed a moderate increase in terminological competence (12%), while the experimental group showed an increase of 28%, which indicates the effectiveness of the lexical approach in learning. Moreover, economic and engineering students demonstrated greater flexibility, while military students need additional practical tasks and simulations for the effective formation of sociolinguistic competence. In addition, the experiment showed that the use of terminological vocabulary increased students’ interest in learning. Finally, the results indicate that the introduction of terminological contributes to the improvement of communicative and professional competence, stimulates motivation to learn, develops critical thinking and adaptability to new contexts, and increases the overall effectiveness of education.