Historical and Pedagogical Aspects of the Development of Higher Geographical Education in the Republic of Tatarstan

Abstract

The Article is devoted to the formation and development of higher pedagogical education in the field of geography in the Republic of Tatarstan. It traced the various historic stages of the preparation of geography teachers for secondary educational institutions. Given a brief description and analysis of the contributions of individual scientists - methodologists, geographers, it has left the most appreciable trace in the history of the development of higher geography and pedagogical education in the Republic of Tatarstan. The main tendencies of formation and development of geographical education in higher educational institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan includes: differentiation and integration; humanitarization and humanization; greening; regionalization; the use of competency-based approach reflecting the historical-pedagogical and socio-economic processes occurring in the country. The authors analyze the modern problems of pedagogical education in the field of geographical knowledge and justifies main ways of its improvement. The study showed the necessity of using in the educational process of the universities innovative forms and teaching methods: the use of modern and innovative telecommunications technologies; role-playing and business games, simulation; modular technology; use methods of projects, technology, student-centered learning, etc.

Keywords: Geography, history education, geography education, teacher education, Kazan state University, pedagogical Institute, pedagogical Institute, Department of geography, methodology of geography teaching

Introduction

Geography as a science arose under the influence of vital human needs in a close relationship with

the socio – economic development of regions and the country as a whole. The accumulation of

geographical information and description of differentiated aspects became extremely extensive and

multifaceted branch of scientific knowledge which has an unconditional ideological importance, for the

various divisions of modern geography which encompasses both natural landscape and socio-economic

aspects of the world. Natural phenomenon before the education system brought the necessity to

introduce in the curricula the subject "Geography" and then we needed training and methodological

support of teaching of this discipline.

Professional geography and pedagogical education has a rather long history in Tatarstan, the study

which scientifically-pedagogical community today recognized to be very relevant and timely due to the

reported decrease in geographical and environmental literacy. This problem was met by the concern

and anxiety not only among specialists but also among the public as well as at the state level.

In the aim of the article, the authors put the analysis of rich scientific, educational and technical

heritage in the field of geography and pedagogical education and the isolation from the experience of

previous generations of scientists of Tatarstan's most valuable, having transient values, approaches to

the preparation of geography teachers for the secondary link in the system of national education.

Research methods: analysis of scientific literature on methods of teaching geography, the study and

generalization of the works of Kazan scientists-geographers and geographers - Methodists, testing,

learning training program documentation.

In the process of work on the topic, it is established that the basis for the development of geographic

and teaching areas in domestic science were the works of K. D. Ushinsky, D. N. Anuchina, N. N.

Baranski, A. A. Borzov, L. S. Berg, S. G. Grigoriev, V. V. Dokuchaev, P. I. Krotov, and other scholars

(Gaisin R. I., 2013, Dedkov A. P. 1998, Perevedentsev Y.P. 2004).

In Russia, teachers ' institutes began to function in 1872, and in the Volga region the first teacher's

Institute was opened on October 24, 1876 in the city of Kazan, the third in the country after Moscow

and St. Petersburg. Further with the 20-ies of the last century, teachers ' institutes were renamed into the

pedagogical institutes, and from the middle 90-ies – in the pedagogical universities. The study of policy

documents has shown that such renaming was not simply a tribute to "fashion", it reflects qualitative

changes in the organization and content of higher pedagogical education, in particular, and in the matter

of subject and professional training of geography teachers. A huge contribution to the development of

geographical education in the pedagogical institutes have made scientists of Kazan state University B.

F. Adler, P. I. Krotov, V. N. Sementovskyy, N-B, Vekslin S, N.I. Vorobyov and others (2013 Gaisin R.

I.,Dedkov, A. P., 1998, Kazan state pedagogical Institute, 1974).

A special place in the history of the development of geographical education in Kazan University

belongs to Professor P. I. Krotov, who was a prominent scientist, researcher, educator, organizer,

known among the scientists of the country, especially the Volga and Ural regions. Many of his research

interests were devoted to the problems of geography teaching methodology at universities, institutes

and secondary schools. No less ambitious person was a follower of Professor P. I. Krotov, the famous

geographer, ethnographer, specialist in teaching methods of natural science B. F. Adler, who along with

the classical University worked in the Kazan teachers ' Institute, where he became the founder and first

head of the natural-geographical Department and, where under his leadership, in the early twentieth

century opened the first specialized classrooms and laboratories of natural-geographical profile (Gaisin

R. I., 2013, Perevedentsev Y.P. 2004).

In the early 20-ies of XX century B. F. Adler was Director of the Kazan pedagogical Institute. The

systematic preparation of geography teachers in the Kazan teachers ' Institute began in 1918. Among

the graduates of this University incldes Noson Ber, Zalmanovich Vekslin, who graduated from the

biological and geographical separation of the Eastern pedagogical Institute in 1923 with a degree in

geography. The level of training and personal qualities by -B. Z. Vekslin allowed him to work

productively as Director of the Kazan state University from 1931 to 1935. At the same time he worked

as the head of the Department of economic geography at KSU and worked as part-time associate

Professor at the Department of geography at the Kazan pedagogical Institute, where he taught economic

geography of Tatarstan and the Soviet Union.

Further study by the authors on the subject showed that the translational motion of geography and

pedagogical education did not stop throughout the twentieth century and was provided by the works of

many outstanding scientists.

So, in 1922 at the Kazan pedagogical Institute, N.I. Vorobyov began working as a teacher graduate

of the University of Kazan, who having become a Professor, worked as the head of the Department of

geography, and head of the geographical Department of the pedagogical Institute, and the Dean of

geographical faculty, sometimes combining these difficult positions. His contribution to the

development of geography and pedagogical education is worthy of a separate study. More valiant

names remained in the history of formation and development of geography and pedagogical education

in the Republic of Tatarstan: E. P. Busygin, V. A. Kondakov, A. S. Tisin, V. G. Muzafarov, V. P.

Ignatyev, R. A. Dulaeva, Y. V. Babanov, E. M. Khakimov, N. N. Laptev, G. P. Butakov, A. G. Musin,

A. M. Trofimov, Z. A. Khusainov, etc. (Busygin, E. P. 2002, Gaisin I. T., Gaisin R. I. 2013, Gaisin R. I.

2011, Dedkov A. P. 1998).

In 1934 the decree of the SNK and the CPSU was published on the teaching of geography in primary

and secondary schools. According to many researchers, this ruling played a major role in improving the

quality of geography teaching in school and has had a favorable impact on the development of

geographical science in pedagogical higher education institutions, including on the development of

physical and economic geography (R. I. Gaisin 2011).

In 1947 the staff of the Department of geography of the pedagogical Institute was enlisted

Professor, corresponding member of APN of the RSFSR V. A. Kondakov, started to conduct courses on

teaching methods of geography and the physical geography of the USSR. In 1949, the pedagogical

Institute opened the Department of teaching methodology of geography. It was the third Department of

methodology of teaching of geography in Russia after Moscow and Leningrad pedagogical institutes.

Manager of this Department was appointed Professor A. V. Kondakov.

From 1956 to 1993 at the Department of geography of the pedagogical Institute, V. P. Ignatiev

worked as the associate Professor, who led the training course "Methods of teaching geography".

He has published training manuals for students of pedagogical institutes Pedagogical drawing in

teaching geography", "Pedagogical pattern in a modern didactic system of teaching methods", etc.

Since 1981, as Associate Professor (later Professor) R.A. Dulaeva worked, she led courses on the

economic geography of the USSR, the geography of the world's population, economic and social

geography of Tatarstan, and since 1989 worked as head of the Department of Economic and Social

Geography at the Department geography KGPI. The results of the research of Professor R. A. Dulaeva

presented numerous publications, including monographs and textbooks on economic geography of the

Russian Federation, North Ossetia, Republic of Tatarstan. R.A. Dulaeva principles of transition to

market methods of managing the Kazan industrial site have been proposed, designed card scheme

structure, specialization, typing and inter-connections of industrial sites. Based on the study the

experience of foreign countries and the Soviet Union was created by the program and developed the

main approaches to the formation of the company "Tatle stop prom" in Tatarstan that created elements

automation - industry, information and dispatching of its management system in the 80 years of the

twentieth century. R.A. Dulaeva was issued training manuals: "Geographical aspects of the

development of industrial centers of economic regions" (1990), "World Religions" (2005), a textbook

for students of economic and pedagogical universities, "Economic and social geography of the

Republic of Tatarstan" in two volumes (2009). In her work, Professor R.A. Dulaeva paid particular

attention to the computerization of the educational process at the department (R.I. Gysin 2013).

In 70-90 years of the twentieth century, geography teachers for secondary and vocational schools are

also prepared at the geographical faculty of the Kazan State University. In these years, a great

contribution to the training of teachers of geography was made by Professor G.P. Butakov, A.M.

Trofimov, A.P. Dedkov, V.I. Mozzherin, Y.P. Perevedentsev etc. (A.P. Dedkov 1998, Perevedentsev

J.P. 2004). Currently, many graduates of KSU successfully continue to work as teachers of geography

and the heads of educational institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan and neighboring regions. KGPI

teachers had close scientific - methodical communication with scientists and teachers of the department

of economic geography and regional analysis of KSU.

At the Department of Geography, professor Trofimov A.M worked concurrently as a doctor of

geographical sciences,. Under his leadership, together with the teachers of the department textbooks

were published: "Actual problems of social and economic geography," "Problems of general

geography", "Statistical methods in social and economic geography "for students enrolled in the

specialty" Geography". Research interests of A.M. Trofimov were multifaceted: spatial modeling of

stable and unstable areas and risk areas, geo-ecology, geo situational analysis in geography, etc.

Professor A.M. Trofimov at the geographical faculty KGPI for teachers and senior students conducted

scientific seminar on actual problems of general and economic geography.

In the early 90-ies of XX century in Naberezhnye Chelny, Pedagogical Institute has an open

department of geography and later the Faculty of Geography. The first head of the department and the

dean is elected Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor A.G. Musin. This institution prepares

teachers of geography, geography and biology for educational institutions for Eastern municipal

districts of the Republic of Tatarstan (Gysin R.I. 2013).

Modern conditions of modernization of education in Russia devote considerable attention to

updating the structure and content of geographic education in secondary and vocational schools. During

the development of geographical science, questions of culture, geographical education were and remain

relevant to society as a whole, as well as the structure of geography is complex and due to the different

quality of the objects of study in the vast space of "nature-economy-population" (2011 Gysin R.I.,

Dedkov A.P. 1998; Perevedentsev J.P. 2004). The study showed the need for the use in the educational

process of high schools in the study of objects geographic cycle of modern pedagogical technologies,

innovative forms and methods of training: the use of modern telecommunications technology, and

innovation; role and business games, simulations; Modular technology; the use of a method of projects,

technology student-centered learning, and others. The authors of the study identified the major trends in

the formation and development of higher geographical and teacher education in the Republic of

Tatarstan (R.I. Gysin 2011, Gaisin I.T., Beketova S.I., Gaisin R.I. 2014 Perevedentsev J.P. 2004). In

October 2015, Thematic Committee "Geographical Education" was created using the Tatarstan branch

of the Russian Geographical Society. The commission scientists and university professors were elected,

heads of educational institutions, teachers of geography and others. In this regard, there was big and

hard work by giving the teaching corps geographical profile of the Republic of Tatarstan of the

importance and influence that meet the requirements of modern times (Gysin R.I., 2011, Gaisin I.T.,

Beketova S.I., Gaisin R.I. 2014).

Conclusion

In the work conducted, historical and pedagogical analysis of formation and development of

geographical education in pedagogical higher education institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan was

included. Teachers of geography at the Kazan pedagogical Institute began to prepare on the first of

September 1918. In 1922 the Eastern pedagogical Institute opened the faculty of biology and

geography and in 1933 created the Department of geography, in 1934 the geographical faculty, and

further natural-geographical faculty. Teachers of geography are also prepared at the faculty of

geography of Kazan state University in NaberezhnyeChelny pedagogical Institute.

An analysis of scientific, educational and psychological-pedagogical literature, we identified the

major trends in the formation and development of geographic education in higher educational

institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan: differentiation and integration; humanization; greening;

regionalization; the use of competence approach reflects the historical and pedagogical and socio-

economic processes taking place in the country.

References

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• Gaisin I. T., Gaisin R. I. (2013). The Development of economic geography in the Tatar state humanitarian-pedagogical University in twentieth century the beginning of XXI century// Modern problems of science and education.-2013.-№4.

• Gaisin I.T., Beketova S.I., Gaisin R.I. (2014). Competence-based approach as an effective way to increase the level of training of geographers in universities.Life Science Journal; 11(11s):166-170 (ISSN:1097-8135)Kazan state pedagogical Institute. Scientific notes, vol. 132, Kazan, 1974.-198с.

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