Development trends in practical training of college students in the context of digital transformation of education

The study proves the key role of practical training as a basic constituent of the content of secondary vocational education, represented by both apical and implicit components. The study’s goal is to identify and highlight the development trends of practical training of college students in the new digital society. The study was carried out on the basis of the Polytechnic College No. 8 and the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. Basic methods involved the analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, regulatory documents, SWOT analysis, generalization, observation, pedagogical experiment. The authors make a strong case for improving the practice-oriented component of vocational education in the context of it digital transformation. For this purpose, network interaction is actively implemented as a prototype of the dual education system. Analyzing the case of a polytechnic college, the authors show the advantages of using computer models in the process of practical preparation, including the SinuTrain program, which can fully simulate the operation of numerically controlled metal-working machines on a personal computer. In the context of the digital transformation of education, an important trend is the use of VR/AR technologies in the training process. The paper outlines the effectiveness of cooperation between the college and partner enterprises in preparing students for the demonstration exam. The authors prove the necessity of transforming practical training in colleges into a system of dual education on the basis of network interaction. This can be implemented in the form of study and production clusters.