Digital educational technopark to open at Kazan Federal University

In the upcoming academic year, a large-scale transformation of teaching future teachers to use modern educational infocommunication technologies will be implemented at Kazan University.

The Center for Digital Educational Technologies EduTech KFU will unite in one place modern software and hardware solutions, the latest methodological complexes, technical training tools, as well as interactive software products.

– The increased attention to the formation and development of new digital competencies among student teachers is associated with several factors. Firstly, these are modern trends in the development of education in the digital age. Secondly, this is the university’s active participation in the implementation of the federal project “Digital educational environment”, explained Timirkhan Alishev, deputy director of the Institute of Psychology and Education, director of the Situation Analytical Center of KFU. – It is very important for us that in the process of training in the pedagogical direction of training at Kazan University, future teachers should be able to get acquainted with the widest range of software and hardware digital educational solutions so that they can then make an informed choice and determine for themselves the most suitable options.

The digital transformation of teacher education will go in two directions: education and infrastructure.

To ensure the success of the introduction of digital educational solutions, the advanced training of teachers is a paramount task. So, in the educational system of Kazan University, for students of 1-2 courses, courses related to information and communication technologies are actively developed and processed, and it is introduced into the subject courses in physics, chemistry, biology as a mandatory element – digitalization of instruction.

In order to further develop the university’s infrastructure, it is planned to open laboratories for the design of digital educational environments and the scientific and educational center for digital educational technologies EduTech.

So, in the building of the Institute of Psychology and Education in October, a laboratory for designing digital educational environments opens.

– Equipped with six interactive panels and a set of equipment for creating virtual reality, this laboratory will allow students to learn how to create high-quality content for modern interactive equipment during their teaching activities. The laboratory is designed for active group work of students.

By the way, master teachers have already created a 3-d model of the Institute of Psychology and Education. The developer of the virtual tour of the institute, Associate Professor of the Department of Pedagogy of the Higher School of IPO KFU, Ekaterina Krivonozhkina, is sure, “the experience of such work is very important. Firstly, teachers were able to visually verify that modern technology even allows “pure humanities” to keep up with the representatives of the world of computer science and mathematics. Secondly, working with a virtual environment expands the boundaries of school education. For example, in history lessons you can “go” on an archaeological expedition or to objects of cultural and natural heritage (this is especially relevant in preparation for the state final certification – the USE and the United State Examination), on biology “touch” the world of flora and fauna, on geography ” to be ”in the mountains or on the coast depending on the objectives of the lesson. Thirdly, to prepare a virtual environment for educational tasks for the strength of both the ordinary teacher and the students themselves. ”

The work was carried out in accordance with the national project “Education”, signed by the President of the Russian Federation, according to which “in order to ensure the creation of a modern digital educational environment, it is planned to use modern technologies in the implementation of basic educational programs, including virtual and augmented reality technologies.”

In addition to the opening laboratory for the design of digital educational environments and the JALINGA STUDIO laboratory for the preparation and conduct of filming of video lectures, the Institute for Psychology and Education also plans to open a studio for conducting online seminars and webinars.

– The use of electronic information and educational environment, electronic educational resources, information and telecommunication technologies will teach our students how to work with software that they will use during their teaching activities.

The Center for Digital Educational Technologies EduTech KFU will allow to unite the most modern educational technologies, samples of technical teaching aids, educational-methodical and didactic complexes, interactive software products, as well as provide an opportunity for teachers to undergo training on the application of innovative technologies.

– The Center for Digital Educational Technologies EduTech KFU will become a platform for research and testing in practice of new teaching aids.