The article is devoted to the current issues of methods of training future specialists in agricultural engineering during the study of the discipline "Agricultural Machinery", which is aimed at developing their research competence. The views of scientists on the level distribution of students' educational activities are characterized hereinafter. The author's distribution of levels of development of educational activity which includes reproductive, reconstructive, heuristic and creative levels is offered. The general structure of differentiated and gradual organization of students' education is described, which includes target, content, activity and monitoring and correcting blocks. Differentiated and gradual organization of education is defined as a specifically built process in providing an educational integrated environment, which provides purposeful general implementation of all components of the methodological system of education as a single complete mechanism, the functioning of which provides consistent and optimal combination of the theoretical and practical training, the scientific researches of students, the choice and application of content, methods, tools and forms of learning. The structure of the organization of gradual educational activity of students within the borders of studying of one theme from discipline "Agricultural Machinery" is defined; the distribution of teaching methods is covered; the model of a subsystem of methods, forms, means of training in methodical system is offered. The requirements for the planning of classes and individual work of students with the implementation of research and scientific-research tasks are determined
research competence; methodical system; differentiated and gradual organization of training; educational activity