Tambov University Review. Series: Humanities

Importance. In the context of the new educational reality mediated by artificial intelligence tools, the key pedagogical category, that of pedagogical interaction, proves to be less and less in demand as focus of research, which makes it difficult to consider current educational practices and develop theory, particularly in fields connected with language, meaning-making, and verbal communication. The article aims to consider the specific features of modern educational process, pedagogical interaction in particular, mediated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Materials and Methods. The research methods embrace a complex of instruments, namely: analysis of pedagogical science discourse, products of teaching and learning activities; comparison, synthesis, systematization, and interpretation of data obtained; monitoring the educational process, survey of participants in the pilot research, expert evaluation of the analysis results.

Results and Discussion. The study contributed to determining the functional capacity of the main agents of the AI-mediated educational process and discovering problem areas of pedagogical interaction as a meaning-making factor. Agency potentials in AI-mediated meaning-making interaction were assessed, with the theoretical findings checked in pilot teaching aimed at testing a “polylogue” of meaning perspectives scenario as meaning-making interaction. Two stable indicators were established: the number of participants who prefer the AI-mediated format of FL learning and believe AI can completely replace a FL professor at a university (20 %), and the number of those who exclude this possibility for themselves (36 %). The group of participants who initially could not make their choice (44 %) decreased by 24 % (to 20 %) during the pilot training – due to an increase in the number of those who do not consider the format of interaction with AI to be preferable for themselves.

Conclusion. Pedagogical “risks” for agents of AI-mediated meaning-making interaction are grouped around such areas as data unreliability, content bias in AI-generated products, and devaluation of pedagogical meanings. At the same time, the results of the study show that language pedagogy has a unique potential in producing multi-agent meaning-making interaction in the scope of AI, encouraging the “polylogue” of meaning perspectives, integrating and multiplying socially and personally relevant meanings on a broad interdisciplinary basis, which may be the focus of further research.

Importance. The shift towards a post-industrial society, coupled with the economy and social life digitalisation, has precipitated substantial changes in the labour market. This has engendered a crisis in higher education, marked by waning interest in higher education that does not align with the needs of employers. One potential solution to this predicament lies in the integration of knowledge-intensive technologies into the educational process. The aim of the research is to describe the experience of implementing the pedagogical technology ‘peer mentoring’ in the process of teaching English for Specific Purposes to humanities students with the use of AI-technologies and to analyze the results obtained.

Materials and Methods. The following scientific methods are employed: experiment, observation, formalized questionnaire, comparative analysis, expert evaluation, self-assessment, statistical methods.

Results and Discussion. The impact of peer mentoring in ESP training with the use of AI technologies on the communicative and digital competencies development has been demonstrated. At the conclusion of the experiment, a statistically significant increase in the communicative (Δ х̅  = +0.94 points, ΔМо = +1 point) and digital (Δ х̅  = +1 point, ΔМо = +1 point) competences formation level is revealed. 

Conclusion. Peer mentoring technology can to a certain extent mitigate the lack of preparedness among foreign language teachers to incorporate AI into the teaching process. There is an acknowledged necessity for two key areas of focus: the retraining of university teachers in the domain of AI technologies in education, and the development of concepts for a university of the future that is integrated with AI. This will facilitate the cultivation of a set of professional and universal competencies that are in demand by the rapidly evolving labour market.

Importance. In the context of increasing interdisciplinarity and the globalization of science, a critical skill for modern researchers is the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences. In this regard, the Elevator Pitch genre holds particular significance. As a concise and compelling presentation format, it enables researchers to capture attention for their work, establish professional connections, and secure funding for their projects. Integrating the teaching of this genre into ESP courses for students at technical universities can foster the development of scientific communication skills. Such training not only enhances their ability to articulate research ideas but also prepares them for active participation in the global professional arena. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of Elevator Pitch training on the scientific communication skills development among students of technical universities in foreign language classes.

Materials and Methods. The study employed experimental learning methods and conducted statistical data analysis using the Student’s t-test. The experiment was integrated into the English for Research Purposes course at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). The study involved 3rdyear bachelor’s students (N = 132) in all areas of training. The experimental group was exposed to targeted tasks designed to develop Elevator Pitch skills, while the control group followed the standard curriculum. At the control stage, the effectiveness of the experimental and control groups was compared in conditions replicating professionally-oriented situations (role-playing games “Job Interview” and “Sell Your Research”), which are characterized by the use of the self-presentation genre. The effectiveness of self-presentation was assessed based on the following criteria: a) structure of the presentation; b) adaptation of speech to a specific audience; c) stylistic design of speech; d) timing. The assessment was conducted using a combination of instructor and peer assessments.

Results and Discussion. Compared with the students of the control group, the students of the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase in skills (p ≤ 0.05) according to criteria such as presentation structure, speech adaptation to the audience, speech stylistic design and timing. Peer assessment in role-playing games demonstrated audience preference for students who learned Elevator Pitch in the experimental group (61 % preference for the EG in the Job Interview game and 64 % preference for the EG in the Sell Your Research game). These results underscore the effectiveness of the Elevator Pitch training in enhancing students’ ability to communicate complex scientific ideas clearly and persuasively.

Conclusion. Students in the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in key areas of scientific communication skills, including self-presentation and the ability to effectively present research in simulated real-world scenarios. Elevator Pitch training is a highly effective pedagogical tool for fostering scientific communication skills among students in technical universities. Incorporating Elevator Pitch preparation tasks into foreign language curricula not only enhances students' ability to engage in professional communication but also facilitates the establishment of academic and professional networks.

Importance. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have significant linguistic and didactic potential, allowing them to be integrated into a foreign language teaching process in order to form aspects of a foreign language and develop types of foreign language speech activity. However, despite the availability of step-by-step methods of teaching a foreign language based on AI, most of them are focused on the lexical and grammatical speech skills formation and the written monologue skills development of learners and students. The methodology development for teaching foreign language communication to English-major students through practice with an AI tool is not the subject of a separate study. The goal of the study is to develop a methodology for teaching foreign language communication to English-major students through practice with an AI tool and to test its effectiveness during experimental training.

Materials and Methods. The participants of the training are 2nd year students of the training direction “Linguistics” (“Theory and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages and Cultures”)  (LGPU) and “Translation and Translation Studies” (LGTU) specialty. In the CG (N = 24), the training took place according to the traditional method of teaching students without practice with the instrument АI. In the EG (N = 24), along with classroom classes, students participated in educational communication in a foreign language with virtual interlocutors on the application Character.AI. The aspects of control are 16 skills (perception, production and interaction) of speech communication. The Student’s t-test is used for statistical data processing.

Results and Discussion. The conducted experimental study has generally proved the author’s methodology effectiveness for teaching foreign language communication to English-major students through artificial intelligence technologies: express their point of view on the issue under discussion (t = 1.44 at p = 0.08), argue agreement or disagreement on the issue under discussion (t = 1.44 at p = 0.08) and follow the communication order. The data obtained show that the students’ practice with a virtual interlocutor did not have much impact on the first two skills development. Relatively high indicators of the ascertaining cross-section in these aspects of control (skill 2,3: CG: 𝑥̅ = 4,25; EG: 𝑥̅ = 4,29; skill 2.4: CG: 𝑥̅ = 4,00; CG: 𝑥̅ = 4,04) indicate that these skills are developed by the majority of students in the 1st year of higher education or in high school secondary schools.

Conclusion. The novelty of the conducted research lies in the author’s methodology development for teaching foreign-language speech communication to English-major students through practice with an AI tool (Character.AI). The proposed methodology can be used in secondary schools and linguistic and non-linguistic universities.

Importance. The factors influencing the organization of foreign language training of students in a technical university, capable of creating innovative products in accordance with the objectives of higher education, are analyzed. The purpose is to analyze the concept “innovation”, its theoretical understanding within the framework of language education at a technical university, to identify the prospects for innovative solutions in improving some aspects of the content of education.

Materials and Methods. The a set of theoretical methods is used: a) studies and analysis the linguodidactics publications and philosophical works on the nnovation topic; b) studying the experience of using innovative techniques and forms of work in foreign technical universities; c) the observation of teaching activities of both foreign language and technical disciplines; d) testing innovative methods in teaching foreign languages to technical universities students.

Results and Discussion. It is suggested that it is necessary to display the use of a different types set of knowledge: theoretical, ontological, empirical knowledge of specific scientific disciplines and meta-knowledge that arose as a result of the interaction and convergence of different sciences. It is suggested that it is necessary to use a set of knowledge (ontological, theoretical, empirical, model-projective, testological, everyday), which manifest themselves in professionally significant texts and discourses during professionally oriented foreign language training at a technical university. There is a need to use various texts in foreign language preparation in terms of volume, nature and genres, including literary texts in order to translate cultural meanings. The organizational aspects in the foreign language training of university students are described, as well as the subjective determinants of the teacher and student, the innovative educational process characteristic.

Conclusion. Based on the obtained heterogeneous knowledge synthesis, it is possible to effectively build an information model. It will be adequate and productive in teaching a foreign language in solving communicative and cognitive tasks.

Importance. The main problems faced by foreign students from China in the complete transition from the traditional system of higher education to online learning are analyzed. Attention is focused on the study of the discipline “Russian as a foreign language”. Continuous and effective Russian language learning is a strategically significant task, as the educational process at the university takes place in Russian. The purpose of the study is to investigate the primary reaction of students to a sudden change in the educational format.

Materials and Methods. The methods of analyzing the interactive educational platforms educational potential, statistical data processing, as well as the descriptive method and the method of pedagogical research are used.

Results and Discussion. The main difficulties that students experience in the process of distance learning are systematized and classified. The needs expressed by Chinese National Republic’s students when studying the Russian language in a distance mode are analyzed.

Conclusion. It is concluded, that the distance-learning model needs to be modified: students are ready to receive educational and information materials via several communication channels at once. The following key goals: increasing the share of individual work, using an effective and open assessment system, creating a positive emotional mood and expanding boundaries of the studied discipline.

Importance. The pressing issue of developing individual information security (IIS) skills in university students in the face of growing threats from cybercrime and disinformation is considered. The need to integrate IIS skills into the educational process as a key component of media literacy is substantiated.

Materials and Methods. The study employs systemic and culturological approaches. An analysis was conducted of the results of the first cycle of approbation of the technology for developing IIS skills in students majoring in “International Relations,” and interim results of the second approbation cycle in “Advertising and Public Relations” and “Organization Management” programs are presented. Pedagogical experiment, participant observation, introspection, and analysis were used.

Results and Discussion. Analysis of the semester test results demonstrated a positive trend in the development of IIS skills in the experimental groups compared to the control groups. Specifically, in one of the experimental groups (EG1), the average score increased from 4.72 to 7.9, and in another (EG2), from 3.75 to 4.5. A decrease in the standard deviation in the experimental groups is noted, indicating an equalization of the level of competence.

Conclusion. The research results confirm the validity of the proposed technology for developing IIS skills in university students. The integration of the developed methodological materials into the educational process contributes to improving critical assessment of information, increasing overall media literacy, and developing analytical competencies. Prospects for scaling the technology to other levels of education are discussed.

Importance. Today volunteering is not just a tendency, but rather a trend in the development of modern society. It’s becoming a life standard for active young people. The society itself begins to act as a social change source. In our country a solid foundation of volunteering is being laid at all levels of education, spreading its influence on other society spheres. Association Dobro.RF together with its partners has been implementing the “Volunteering over a lifetime” concept for many years. A large team is working on it, including the state represented by Rospatriotcenter, Federal Agency for Youth Affairs of Russia “Rosmolodezh”, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Economic Development, Agency for Strategic Initiatives, other agencies and major public organizations of the country, and Russian citizens themselves. The implementation of legislative acts and strategic documents aimed at the educational activities development in educational organizations of higher education (hereinafter – EOHE), as well as the growing demand for the program “Service Learning” makes the search for effective tools and practices highly relevant. They are focused on the education and development of students’ soft-skills, which are adaptive and relevant to the educational programs content. In this study we analyze the experts’ experience and opinion in the higher education field. Volunteering is considered as a tool for seamless educational activities integration into educational and extracurricular activities of students undergoing different academic programs in order to develop both hard and soft skills. The volunteering effectiveness in this area is confirmed by the high level of support for this type of activity, stated in the National Project “Education”, the National Project “Youth and Children” and a number of specialized strategic documents and resolutions. The aim of the study is to identify the key trends in the students’ soft-skills development in the integrating volunteering practices process into curricular and extracurricular activities, considering volunteer work as a convergent tool in the professional education system, based on expert interviews.

Materials and Methods. Using the expert interview method, volunteerism has been studied as a tool of practice-oriented education, which has a high educational value and is aimed at developing professional and supra-professional competencies.

Results and Discussion. The results of an expert interview with the professional community representatives in the education field in Russian Federation are presented, which reflect the respondents’ positive attitude towards volunteerism as a promising tool for developing students’ supraprofessional and professional competencies, acting as an the youth effective element and educational policy of higher education educational institutions.

Conclusion. The importance of universities in the formation and promotion of the volunteerism culture and values is confirmed, and the possibilities of including volunteerism in the educational process as an effective convergent tool in the students’ supra-professional and professional competencies development are substantiated.

Importance. The orientation of modern preschool education towards the subjective qualities’ formation of the preschoolers’ personality, determining the formation of their subjective position and indicating the achievement of target guidelines at the stage of completing the preschool education program, presupposes an active search for effective ways to implement this task. The purpose of the study is to determine the subjective qualities of the senior preschoolers’ personality and substantiate the effectiveness of their formation in joint socially significant activities with adults.

Materials and Methods. The study used a combination of theoretical and empirical methods: an analytical review of scientific sources devoted to the study of the phenomenon of subjectivity and its manifestations in senior preschool age children, results’ analysis and generalization, design, and a pedagogical experiment.

Results and Discussion. Based on the theoretical analysis, the qualities of senior preschoolers’s subjectivity (empathy, initiative, independence, responsibility) are determined, which ensure the “beginnings of socially significant activity” development and are formed through the inclusion of preschoolers in socially significant, socially useful activities carried out by children together with adults (teachers, parents, family members of pupils). In order to form the subjective qualities of the personality of senior preschoolers in socially significant activities, the project “Good Deeds” is developed and implemented, including a list of events (social actions, collective affairs, volunteer projects). 63 children aged 6–7 years, their parents (family members), and educators of the preschool educational organization took part in the experiment. The implementation period of the “Good Deeds” project is one academic year. A comparative analysis of the primary and repeated diagnostics’ results conducted at the final stage of the project implementation using Student’s t-test revealed statistically significant positive changes in the indicators of subjective personality traits of senior preschoolers (empathy tэмп1 = 10.8; initiative tэмп2 = 6.6; independence tэмп3 = 7.1; responsibility tэмп4 = 4.2) на уровне значимости 0.05.

Conclusion. The obtained results allow us to conclude that socially significant activities aimed at the benefit of others and implemented by senior preschoolers together with adults (teachers, parents, family members) contribute to the formation of a child-adult community and the development of subjective personality traits in children.

Importance. Despite the high value of hippotherapy as a means of rehabilitation, currently in the available scientific literature there is very little information about targeted studies aimed at studying the influence of horse biomechanics on the patient and the walking and balance skills’ formation in the hippotherapy process. The aim of the study is to experimentally substantiate and evaluate the effectiveness of using a set of exercises on horseback to improve walking skills and balance development in children with cerebral palsy.

Materials and Methods. Analysis of scientific and methodological literature and medical documentation, pedagogical observation, pedagogical experiment, functional testing using the “Habilect” method, methods of mathematical and statistical data processing.

Results and Discussion. A hippotherapy course for children with cerebral palsy allows for positive dynamics in gait pattern indicators and brings them closer to the level of healthy children. Moreover, the maximum positive effect is recorded in such indicators as step length, step speed and step cycle. A significant corrective effect of hippotherapy for cerebral palsy has been proven.

Conclusion. Horseback riding not only creates the basis for the correct motor act formation, but also comprehensively develops the child, making him brave, agile, resilient, determined and resourceful, which allows us to recommend the hippotherapy use, both in comprehensive rehabilitation programs and as an independent means for cerebral palsy.

Importance. Currently, the coordination abilities development in children with intellectual disabilities is of particular importance, as an insufficient level of motor coordination negatively affects their physical development and social adaptation. Children with mild intellectual disabilities often experience difficulties in performing everyday movements, which limits their independence and self-confidence. Their underdeveloped coordination reduces motivation for movement and restricts the child’s functional capabilities. The aim of the study is to develop and test a technology for the comprehensive development of coordination abilities in younger school-age children with mild intellectual disabilities.

Materials and Methods. The following research methods are used during the study: analysis of literary and documentary sources, pedagogical experiment, testing, as well as processing and analysis of experimental data using mathematical statistics methods. These methods allowed for a deep study of the problem and an assessment of the proposed technology effectiveness for the comprehensive development of coordination skills in children with mild intellectual disabilities.

Results and Discussion. A pedagogical experiment is conducted, within which a technology for the comprehensive development of coordination abilities in younger school-age children with mild intellectual disabilities is developed and tested. The methodology is based on the step-by-step, sequential, and parallel development of coordination abilities with control over their formation at each stage and corresponding corrective actions. The experiment lasted for 10 months. To evaluate the effectiveness of the technology, diagnostic tests are used to assess the development level of coordination abilities in children. A comparative analysis of the data showed positive dynamics in improving coordination abilities, which confirms the effectiveness of the developed methodology.

Conclusion. The practical implementation of the technology for the comprehensive development of coordination abilities in children with intellectual disabilities began with a pilot study and a survey of specialists. The results allowed for the identification of the algorithm implementation stages, which formed the basis of the technology. During the eight stages, changes in coordination indicators in the control and experimental groups are analyzed. High results are achieved in static balance, significant changes are observed in dynamic balance, spatial orientation, and the acquisition of motor rhythm. An important feature of the technology is the attention given to fine motor accuracy. Despite moderate changes in the coordination of complex movements, the results showed significant progress. The study confirmed the high effectiveness of the developed approach, which can be applied both in adaptive physical education and in sports activities for children with intellectual disabilities.

Importance. According to modern researchers, the organizing the activities process of district courts has not been studied sufficiently. One of the problems in organizing new judicial institutions after 1864 was the problem of providing district courts with buildings (premises). In the premises absence suitable for the purposes of justice, the authorities of the corresponding city, which had the opportunity to accommodate the court, often raised the issue of transferring the court. The mechanism identification for the possible transfer of district courts in the Russian Empire in the post-reform period is analyzed using the Ostrogozhsk District Court example (the purpose of this study). This goal led to the following tasks formulation: general reasons identification for the possible district courts transfer; the main reasons identification for the initiative to transfer district courts on the part of city authorities; the main problems analysis associated with the district courts organization.

Materials and Methods. The main sources of the study are the following materials: archival files from the funds of the State Archives of the Voronezh Region; regulatory legal acts, rules and laws collections; periodicals; statistical and reference publications. The methodological basis of the study is both general and specific methods of scientific knowledge: the structural analysis method; historical-comparative method; historical-systemic method; formal-logical method; other methods of scientific knowledge.

Results and Discussion. Based on the results of the study (based on the Ostrogozhsk District Court archival materials), the reasons for the possible transfer of district courts in the second half of the 19th century are identified. The main reasons for the initiative to transfer district courts on the part of local city authorities are identified. The archival materials analysis made it possible to identify the main problems associated with the district courts organization in the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century, and also showed the mechanism for the possible district courts transfer from one city to another.

Conclusion. The transfer initiator of the Ostrogozhsk District Court was the Valuysk City Duma. The main reason for the initiative shown by the Valuysk City Duma to transfer the Ostrogozhsk District Court to the city of Valuyki was a material issue. The decisive factor for officials of the judicial department in the issue of transferring the district court was financial benefits. Officials were ready to neglect the principle of accessibility of the court for the population if only the financial component in the organization of new courts was profitable for the treasury. The main reasons for the transfer of district courts in the Russian Empire can be called the following reasons: 1) the presence (absence) of suitable buildings (premises) for the purposes of justice; 2) the geographic location of the city where it was supposed to place the district court.

Importance. The study of prominent scientists’ political activities, such as Zh.I. Alferov, in the context of the program guidelines of the the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is important for understanding the relationship between science and politics in post-Soviet Russia, as well as the role of the scientific elite in shaping opposition discourse. The purpose of the study is to analyze the political activity of Zh.I. Alferov in the context of the program guidelines and ideology of the the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, to identify the key motives and directions of his partypolitical work.

Materials and methods. The research is based on the analysis of scientific and journalistic works by Alferov, his memoirs, interviews in the media, as well as official documents of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. Systemic and structural-functional approaches are applied, which made it possible to consider Alferov’s political activity as a complex multidimensional phenomenon.

Results and Discussion. The main stages of Alferov’s political career from 1989 to 2019 are revealed. The key areas of his activity in the State Duma have been identified: protecting the interests of the scientific community, criticizing liberal reforms, and fighting for increased funding for science and education. The study analyzes Alferov’s views on the role of the socialist system in the science and technology development, his criticism of the reforms of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the government’s policy in the scientific and educational sphere.

Conclusion. The political activity of Zh.I. Alferov in the the Communist Party of the Russian Federation was dictated by a deep conviction in the advantages of the socialist system for the science and technology development, the liberal reforms rejection the 1990s and the desire to revive the industrial and scientific and technological potential of Russia. His participation in the the Communist Party of the Russian Federation was based on a well-thought-out ideological, socioeconomic and geopolitical platform, reflecting an organic combination of outstanding scientific achievements with an active socio-political position.

Importance. The problem of resolving military conflicts by peaceful means has attracted and continues to attract the attention of not only professional historians, but also broadest sectors of civil society. The issue of resolving military conflicts between states through arbitration courts was discussed for the first time at The Hague Peace Conference in 1898. In the beginning of 20th century, the United States of America was an active proponent of concluding arbitration agreements with its partners, but this was opposed by a number of other countries, in particular the German Empire.

Materials and Methods. The research is based on original archival sources. The methodological basis of the research is the objectivity and historicism principles, which consider modern processes and phenomena in development and interrelationship. Retrospective, synchronous and comparative methods of historical research are also used.

Results and Discussion. Based on original German archival documents the policy of the German Empire in the early XX century regarding the conclusion of an arbitration agreement with the United States of America is analyzed. The conclusion is formulated that before 1904, the Germans were in a very favorable position to the White House’s proposal to sign an arbitration agreement, hoping thereby to improve American-German relations. However, after the United States rejected all attempts of rapprochement with Berlin, Germany refused to sign a bilateral arbitration agreement.

Conclusion. The German Empire's refusal to sign an arbitration agreement with the United States worsened relations between the two countries and caused Washington's rapprochement with the Entente. This eventually led to the entry of the United States into the First World War.