Adyghe State University Hosts Intensive Course on Modern Methods for Teaching Specialized Biology in Schools

The program was meticulously developed by leading experts in biology education and addresses key aspects of working with gifted students—ranging from the principles of designing Olympiad assignments to innovative techniques for creating personalized educational pathways for motivated students passionate about biology.

The two-day intensive course, titled "Enhancing Future Biology Teacher Training: Scientific and Methodological Foundations and Modern Teaching Methods at the Advanced Level," is part of the Comprehensive Action Plan to Improve the Quality of Mathematics and Science Education through 2030, approved by the Government of the Russian Federation in November 2024.

This educational event was attended by 75 students representing four universities: Adyghe State University, Armavir State Pedagogical University, North Ossetian State University, and Southern Federal University.

Classes are conducted by leading experts in the field of biology education, including Galina Belyakova, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Biology at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Chair of the Central Subject-Methodological Commission, jury member of the final round of the All-Russian School Olympiad in Biology, and National Coach of the Russian National Biology Team; Anastasia Orekhova, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Microbiology at the Faculty of Biology at Lomonosov Moscow State University and Head Coach of the Moscow National Biology Team; Gleb Shvetsov, Head of the Department of Teaching Methods for Chemistry, Biology, Ecology, and Geography at the State University of Education; and Dmitry Fedorov, member of the Federal Commission for the Development of the State Final Attestation (KIM) in Biology, the Central Subject-Methodological Commission for Biology, a jury member of the final round of the All-Russian Olympiad for Schoolchildren in Biology, and the National Coach of the Russian National Biology Team.

The intensive program is designed to develop professional competencies in future biology teachers, focusing on the design and implementation of advanced educational processes. Throughout the course, students will explore the goals and developmental prospects of school biology education, as well as the modern system of the organic world that underpins a fundamental understanding of biology. They will master the principles of composing Olympiad assignments and innovative techniques for creating personalized educational pathways for motivated students. Additionally, participants will examine subject content and interdisciplinary connections in preparation for the Unified State Exam in biology, and explore the specifics of preparing schoolchildren for the All-Russian Biology Olympiad.

The comprehensive action plan to enhance the quality of mathematics and natural sciences education through 2030 was approved by the Russian Government Order No. 3333-r dated November 19, 2024. The implementation of this plan is expected to increase the proportion of teachers under 35 years of age in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology to 30% by 2030. Additionally, it aims for an annual growth of at least 10% in the number of students enrolled in basic and secondary general education programs who study mathematics and natural science subjects either in-depth or at a specialized level.

Furthermore, the proportion of students opting to take the Unified State Exam in specialized mathematics and natural science subjects -namely chemistry, physics, computer science, and biology- should rise to 35% by 2030.

Since 2025, Adyghe State University has been serving as the operator of the Russian Ministry of Science and Education's Comprehensive Plan for three key subjects: mathematics, chemistry, and biology. The activities to implement this plan are being conducted collaboratively by ASU in partnership with Lomonosov Moscow State University.