Samara Journal of Science

The article is dedicated to the anniversary of Nina Petrovna Khramkova, candidate of historical sciences and professor of the Domestic History and Archeology Department at the Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education. Her work had a significant impact on the development of the Samara humanities pedagogical school. In addition to her teaching, N.P. Khramkova is actively involved in research; without her research on the role of culture during the Great Patriotic War, it is difficult to imagine regional historiography. The history of the country during the war years occupies a special place in N.P. Khramkova's work: articles on the work of higher education in wartime conditions, chronicles of the war years, the conduct of a special seminar for students, and supervision of dissertations by graduate students on this topic. In addition, N.P. Khramkova, together with students, restored the names of the university's faculty and students who died on the war fronts and were later immortalized in a memorial. Through her efforts, a university history museum was created, of which she remains the scientific curator to this day. A search of the archives helped identify seven Heroes of the Soviet Union – students of the history department – and their names are immortalized on memorial plaques located on the department building.

The article examines the influence of urban environment conditions on the photosynthetic activity of small-leaved linden (Tilia cordata Mill.). The study was conducted on the territory of the city of Donetsk, which is characterized by a significant anthropogenic load. The aim of the work was to evaluate the functional state of the photosynthetic apparatus of plants by scanning pulse fluorometry. In the course of the work, leaf blades were selected from trees growing in areas with varying traffic intensity, as well as in the control group on the territory of the botanical garden. The results of the study showed that the greatest changes in photosynthetic activity were observed in plants in areas with high traffic congestion. They manifested themselves in a significant decrease in the effective quantum yield of photosystem II and the speed of electronic transport, as well as in an increase in the parameters of non-photochemical quenching, which indicates the adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus to stressful conditions. Plants in areas with moderate load did not show significant deviations from the control. The data obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the pulse fluorometry method for early diagnosis of stress in woody plants in an urban environment. The results of the work can be used to develop a bioindication system and monitor the state of urban green spaces in industrial regions.

The study examines the dynamics of ground-cover vegetation parameters in aspen-dominated communities with tree layer ages of 10, 20, 55, and 65 years, formed within the Lisinsky Nature Reserve (Tosno District, Leningrad Region). The investigated plant communities, located within a single forest tract, were considered as a spatial-temporal series representing the secondary succession of Oxalis-type spruce forests on abandoned agricultural land. Ground-cover vegetation was surveyed with sample plots of 0,1 m², where were recorded total projective cover of the herb-shrub and moss-lichen layers, species-specific vascular plants projective cover, total species richness, projective litter cover, and maximum herb layer height. For these parameters, basic statistical characteristics were calculated. Based on the species composition and cover values of vascular plants, Pielou’s evenness index and Simpson’s diversity index were used to assess dominance and distribution evenness within the herb-shrub layer. The results show that, with increasing age of the tree layer, species richness, total projective cover, herb layer height, and litter cover tend to decline. Diversity indices indicate the absence of dominant species and a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in the herb-shrub layer. Floristic similarity with meadow community in both species composition and species participation remains noticeable for up to 20 years after initial colonization of abandoned land by aspen.

Tula botanical and geographical district is allocated by S.M. Razumovsky in the author's scheme of botanical and geographical zoning. The district territorially reflects the area of the succession system of broad-leaved forests with key forest-forming species of common ash Fraxinus excelsior L., heart-leaved linden Tilia cordata Mill. and sweet oak Quercus robur L. The Tula district covers a significant part of the East European Plain, occupying a central position in the territorial structure of the East European forests. S.M. Razumovsky outlined the boundaries of the district, provided a list of leading species, and indicated excision and pyrogenic succession series. The purpose of this study is to supplement the description of the Tula botanical and geographical area, remaining within the framework of the concept of the botanical and geographical area of S.M. Razumovsky, in particular, to draw the boundaries of the district in more detail, to consider the features of the territorial structure and patterns of territorial differentiation of vegetation cover. According to the concept of the vegetation zone of S.M. Razumovsky, the zonal vegetation on the territory of the district should be considered forest vegetation, represented by broad-leaved forests. Two structural parts are clearly expressed within the district – the «core» and the «periphery». In the «core» area, which covers the northwestern part of the region with a climate favorable for the development of zonal forest vegetation, there is a maximum diversity of broad-leaved forests. In the «periphery» area, which covers the space of forest-steppe and steppe landscapes, the zonal forest vegetation experiences a lack of moisture, resulting in its limited distribution.

The construction of infrastructure facilities in intensively developed areas, as well as in protected areas, makes the issue of potential changes to the natural environment increasingly relevant. This article presents the results of a geobotanical assessment conducted during the design phase (2023) and construction and installation work (2024) for the construction of an inter-settlement gas pipeline in the Volzhsky District of the Samara Region (Samara Luka) from the village of Rozhdestveno to the village of Gavrilova Polyana. The focus is on a retrospective comparison of the state of the vegetation before and after construction and installation work for the inter-settlement gas pipeline in the Volzhsky District. For the first time in engineering and environmental survey practice, the Jaccard coefficient is used to quantitatively assess changes in the floristic composition. It was established that construction and installation works led to a localized decline in species diversity, a reduced occurrence of rare and vulnerable plant species, fragmentation and simplification of the structure of phytocoenoses, and the replacement of valuable steppe and meadow species with synanthropic and ruderal plants (e.g., Chenopodium album and Conyza canadensis). At the same time, in some sections, the pipeline was installed using conservation technologies without disturbing the soil and vegetation cover. The data obtained confirm the need for mandatory environmental monitoring and subsequent reclamation of disturbed areas to preserve the biodiversity of Samara Luka National Park.

In the Komi Republic, meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim.) (Rosaceae) grows throughout the forest zone, although less frequently in the north. Comparative studies of meadowsweet plants were conducted in two natural populations in the Syktyvdinsky District of the Komi Republic in 2020, 2022, and 2023. The first population was a grass-forb meadow in the Sokolovka tract, and the second was a grass-forb meadow on the left bank of the Sysola River. Meadowsweet flowers were collected for biochemical studies annually in the first half of July, during the period of mass budding and the beginning of flowering. Ten generative, moderately developed shoots were also selected to characterize the morphological traits of the wild plants. In 2022, the number of generative shoots was counted in triplicate in the studied natural populations, and the flower yield per 1 m² was determined. It was found that only one form of meadowsweet, F. ulmaria var. denudata, grows in the grass-forb meadows of the studied populations. Its leaves are green on both sides and glabrous underneath. The morphological characteristics of the generative shoot in both studied populations were characterized by similar indicators. The apical inflorescence on the main shoot is 8–23 cm long, can branch up to the third or fourth order and form from 264 to 1400 flowers. It was noted that per 1 m² of dense thickets of F. ulmaria, the number of generative shoots can vary from 34 to 45. The flower yield of Filipendula ulmaria is 1,5–2,5 cm. The yield of F. ulmaria per 1 m² was 132–190 g of raw material and 38–54 g of air-dried phytomass. It was established that the total flavonoid content in the air-dried flowers of F. ulmaria, regardless of the weather conditions of the growing season, was high (4,3–7,8%) and was within the range of indicators for this group of biologically active substances (2,9–12,0%) in plants of natural populations of F. ulmaria in other regions of Russia. The search for and selection of the most productive populations of F. ulmaria in the middle taiga subzone of the Komi Republic is a reliable method for obtaining high-quality medicinal raw materials for the creation of new pharmaceuticals.

The relevance of this study is conditioned by identification of the ratio between Neolithic and Eneolithic complexes in the region under consideration. The scientific novelty is determined by as well stratigraphical data as original stone artifacts. The scientific significance is explained by the results of investigations that could be used in other regions beyond of borders of this territory. The planographic analysis registered in the different parts of site the finds belonged to different periods and different cultures in the upper horizon. During the excavation of 2024 the ceramics and point of the Bronze Age have been found. Below this layer, the cultural horizon with ceramics and stone inventory of Eneolithic was excavated. Original finds in this layer are numerous quartzite bifacial tools, including the point of the Khvalinian type. Below, under the sterile layer, there is the Neolithic Orlovskaya cultural layer. The pottery from this horizon was made of clay with organic solution and crushed shells. The vessels have straight walls and flat bottoms. They were ornamented in technique of retired pricks. Among the tools, the pointed scrapers prevailed. There are the symmetrical perforators and trapezes with planed back in stone tool collection. The bones of animals are represented by the remains of aurochs, tarpon, clean and sage. According to the radiocarbon dates, the upper layer of the Orlovskaya culture belongs to 6200 BP, but the Eneolithic layer is 5600 BP.

This article examines the problem of the importance of sacral factor for Roman soldiers of the early empire and the role of religious views in the army, which are applied to processes occurring within the Roman military system, including during the political crisis of the 3rd century A.D. The work identifies and analyzes the main factors that determine the worldview of the warriors, taking into account the importance of the leading military factor in the processes of expansion and evolution of the general Roman pantheon, Also taking into account the complexity and heterogeneity of ideological relations in the early Roman Empire. The moral and ethical aspects of military service for Christian soldiers are addressed. The systematization of the causes that determined the formation of the religious worldview of the Roman warriors indicates that the main aspects were specific historical factors that determined the immediate needs and life of soldiers, religious preferences of the ruling dynasty, The nationality of the soldiers, as well as the religious environment in the provinces where the soldiers were stationed. The study also makes it possible to draw conclusions that the formation of an army pantheon with a specific set of cults took place in the era of principate, in the process of professionalization of the army and its separation from the civilian collective.

This article examines the integration of Scotland into the English Commonwealth in the 1650s. It analyzes the reasons why the country's legal consolidation as part of the Independent Republic took over two years. Governors played a leading role in this process, working to pacify the restless region. Particular attention is paid to General George Monck, appointed governor in April 1654. His policies combined elements of coercion and collaboration with the Scottish population. Coercion consisted of the use of repressive measures against royalist-minded Scots. Arrests and property confiscations were threatened for those who supported Glencairn's rebellion. Furthermore, a widespread intelligence network was created that signaled the sentiments of the Scottish people toward the English occupation regime. Collaboration consisted of encouraging Scots who were willing to reaffirm their loyalty to Cromwell's Protectorate. Trustworthy members of the Scottish nobility, who had once opposed the English republican army, could count on a reduction in their debt obligations to the English government. The authors conclude that it was precisely this policy of General George Monck that cemented English dominance over Scotland in the 1650s.

In recent years, the problem of the scientific family has become increasingly popular in Russian historiography. Historians, following sociologists, cultural scientists and psychologists, turn to various aspects of family and kinship relations among Russian scientists of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods. This article examines the relationship between famous Soviet scientists in the field of microbiology, Zinaida Vissarionovna Ermolyeva (1898/1897–1974) and Lev Alexandrovich Zilber (1894–1966): their marriage lasted several years, friendship for the rest of their lives, as well as professional and scientific intersections. The initial stage of the scientific biography of both scientists is considered, common and different aspects of their entry into the path of research are revealed, as well as the general circle of their scientific acquaintances. Special attention is paid to the role of Z.V. Ermolyeva in the struggle for the release from prison of L.A. Zilber, who got there during the repression. This aspect has not been studied by the authors before, which allows us to note the novelty of this article. The main source base was unpublished documents from the State Archive of the Russian Federation, the Russian State Archive of Economics, the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, as well as published sources represented by memoirs of these scientists.

The article examines various forms of work of Soviet party and public organizations for the ideological and political education of workers, the development of their labor and socio-political activity, and the ideological support of production tasks at industrial enterprises in the 1960s and 1970s. Attention is drawn to the importance of youth in strengthening interethnic unity and its role in the socio-historical transformations of a multinational state. Based on the analysis of archival documents, the article describes the organization of political and economic studies, party propaganda and political information, and measures to increase the effectiveness of the use of mass media in ideological and political work. The article concludes that the formation of a communist worldview, ideological conviction, and a conscious attitude to work among workers took place mainly in the system of party studies and economic education. It is especially noted that the expansion of political and economic education of workers had a fruitful effect on the affairs of production, on its technical improvement, and contributed to raising workers' consciousness. However, the existing shortcomings in the implementation of ideological work did not allow for a fundamental improvement in the state of labor discipline at industrial enterprises in the Kuibyshev Region in the 1960s and 1970s.

This article analyzes pathways for fostering agency in pedagogy students, positing that engaging students in research through a Student Scientific Society can be a key facilitating condition. It examines the mechanism of self-determination in student activities aimed at developing a sense of agency in their future professional field, arguing that participation in a Student Scientific Society acts as a primary catalyst for this activity. Despite the stated priority of the Russian educational system to develop a proactive, agentic stance in future educators, current theoretical and experimental literature on organizing Student Scientific Societies reveals a significant lack of methodological frameworks specifically designed to stimulate self-determination in students' scientific, communicative, professional, and other related activities. Fundamental to this research was the analysis of survey results, which uncovered the attitudes of contemporary Russian students regarding their scientific and professional futures. The survey also assessed their readiness to expand the scope of their transformative activities in work, communication, and self-awareness. The theoretical and empirical findings form the basis for proposing improvements to the structure and function of Student Scientific Societies. These proposed enhancements are designed to establish regulatory mechanisms for developing students' research culture. The approaches outlined in this study are intended to promote the process of the development of agency, with positive effects manifesting not only in scientific pursuits but also in other cultural subsystems, such as professional and social spheres.

The article substantiates the importance of developing future teachers' professional competence through network design in the current conditions of digital transformation of society and the state, as well as changes in the characteristics of modern youth (critical thinking, clip-based perception, and gamification of the world, etc.). The article also explores the role of a teacher's patriotic stance in fostering the patriotism of the younger generation. It is argued that network design is associated with the structural positioning of unlimited numbers of interconnected participants, with the possibility of adding new links and complexes to the system for organized shared resource use, a system of mutual influence and connections between professional communities of teachers, organized synchronously or asynchronously. The effectiveness of project technology in network interaction is examined using the example of crowdsourcing and confirmed by the results of an express survey of the emotional, communicative, and technological attitudes of future teachers from two universities: Kuban State University and Orel State University named after I.S. Turgenev. Crowdsourcing technology is presented in the form of a technological map of a practical lesson on the consideration of a pedagogical case for future teachers in the academic discipline «Theory and Technology of Education» in four stages: introductory, prognostic, design, and final.

The article discusses the potential of foreign language learning as a means of maintaining social and cognitive activity in senior learners and older adults. It argues that mastering a foreign language in the third age is not only a tool for intellectual growth, but also a mechanism for socialisation, overcoming isolation and maintaining psychological well-being. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study comprises ideas from pedagogy, andragogy, foreign language teaching, second language acquisition, and psychology of learning, as well as a cognitive and communicative approaches to foreign language teaching. Particular attention is paid to heuristic methods and techniques that ensure the effectiveness of older adults’ language learning. These methods contribute to the activation of cognitive processes, the development of communication skills, the reduction of anxiety and the increase of intrinsic motivation among third-age language learners It should be noted that these methods also imply social significance, as they create a favourable environment for overcoming age-related isolation, establishing new social connections and strengthening a sense of community among senior learners. The analysis confirms the need to introduce humanistic communicative methods into programmes for third-age learners, allowing mastering a foreign language to be viewed as an important tool for active longevity and social involvement. Thus, the targeted use of foreign language resources opens up new horizons for improving the quality of life of older adults.

The relevance of the study is due to the ongoing objective changes in the professional and pedagogical activities of modern higher education teachers in aspects related to the content, tools, and forms of information interaction between the subjects of the educational environment. The need to meet the challenges of the time and carry out professional activities in an educational process based on the active use of information and communication technologies highlights the importance of improving the personal and professional qualities of modern higher education teachers. The article describes the organizational and methodological conditions that ensure the effectiveness of a teacher's personal and professional development in the information and communication educational environment. The article discusses the self-educational activities of teachers as part of improving their professionalism in the implementation of information and communication technologies; presents the experience of implementing various forms of advanced training and retraining for teachers in the field of introducing new technologies, tools, and means of informatization and communication; also highlights the importance of scientific and methodological seminars that address the issues of improving teaching activities in an information and technology-rich educational environment.

The article explores the freewriting method and its influence on the alleviation of writing challenges, such as the writer’s block, among second-year students of the Ural Federal University majoring in linguistics and other subjects. It presents the results of an experimental study in which 46 students took part, 29 from a linguistic program and 17 from a non-linguistic field. The following data were collected and analysed: the number of words students wrote in each writing iteration, uncommon elements (smiles, corrections, etc.), survey results, and general observations of the participants. The findings show that over half of the participants showed a positive trend in word count (51% of students of linguistics and 70% of the other group). Having analysed the uncommon elements, we can conclude that there is an increased expressive freedom, particularly among linguistics students. According to the survey, students positively evaluated the practice as reducing anxiety and building confidence when writing. However, there were several challenges. For instance, lack of motivation among some students, fear of negative evaluation, lack of the standard feedback from the teachers, distractions (e.g., classroom noise), extraneous factors (e.g., mood), declining novelty with repeated practice, challenges following the instructions that deviated from familiar writing formats. These results and the solutions detailed in the article can be used for further research of the freewriting method in education.

The dynamic nature of changes occurring in the professional training of university students is determined by the current requirements of the modern information society. They are associated with the formation of students' readiness for professional activity, for solving professional problems, for building interaction and communication with the professional community, with the formation of media literacy and media competence. In this regard, in the context of digital transformation of education, there is a need to search for fundamentally new approaches to the professional training of university students. The purpose of the article is to substantiate and identify organizational and methodological conditions for the formation of university students' readiness for professional activity based on a media-oriented approach. The objective of the article is to clarify the content of aspects with the help of which it is possible to describe the idea of a special organization of professional training of university students based on a media-oriented approach. The study is based on a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature, as well as a metaphorical analysis in revealing the working definition of the concept of «media and educational communication». In accordance with the idea of a special organization of professional training of university students in the context of digital transformation of education, a media-oriented approach is presented that allows optimizing this process. The content of organizational and methodological support (organizational and methodological aspects) of professional training of university students has been identified and substantiated, which serves as the basis for the implementation of media technology for the formation of readiness for professional activity of university students. The media-oriented approach serves as the basis for the introduction and implementation of technology aimed at developing the readiness of university students for professional activity. This approach promotes the creation of new forms of interaction between participants in the educational process, which, in turn, improves the quality of professional training of university students.

This article substantiates the relevance of moral education for university students in the context of contemporary sociocultural changes and demonstrates the importance of developing strong moral convictions for the professional and personal development of future specialists. It argues for the need to integrate educational objectives into all areas of the educational process, including physical training. It explores the importance of physical training as a discipline with the potential to develop not only the physical but also the moral qualities of university students. It also demonstrates that play is an effective means of moral education in physical training classes. The article explores the potential of the main types of games used in physical training classes at universities (outdoor games, sports, relay races, ball games, and logical motor games) for fostering moral development in students. The article also identifies the potential of outdoor and sports games in promoting the moral development of university students. Examples of situations with pronounced moral content arising during sports and active games are presented. These games aim to develop students' experience making independent moral decisions in real-life situations, as well as foster responsibility, honesty, compassion, justice, and other moral qualities in future professionals. The role of the teacher as the organizer of the educational environment is explored, providing moral guidelines, simulating situations of moral choice, promoting reflection, and creating conditions for students to develop stable moral attitudes during physical training classes. It is demonstrated that game-based activities in physical training classes contribute to the simultaneous development of students' physical, spiritual, and moral values, becoming an integral element of the comprehensive educational work of a modern university.

The article addresses current issues related to the development of professional competence among students of financial study programs in the context of the digital transformation of the economy. Particular attention is given to the fact that the modern system of higher education must ensure the training of specialists capable of effectively applying mathematical tools, digital technologies, and data analysis methods in their professional activities. An analysis of various scientific interpretations of the concept of «professional competence» in the context of training specialists in different fields has been conducted, which made it possible to identify the diversity of approaches to its definition. The necessity of developing practice-oriented mathematical digital competence in future finance professionals is substantiated. Such competence ensures graduates’ readiness to use mathematical models, methods, and digital tools in solving problems within the financial-economic and financial-management domains. The article reveals the essential characteristics of this competence, highlights its structural components (mathematical, cognitive-knowledge, practice-oriented, communicative-digital, value-motivational, and reflexive-evaluative), and establishes the importance of their formation among finance students in the process of learning mathematics. It is concluded that the development of practice-oriented mathematical digital competence is a crucial condition for improving the quality of training for financial sector specialists and enhancing their competitiveness in the labor market under the conditions of the digital economy.

The article examines the current problem of professional self-determination of future teachers in the context of implementing modern educational standards and the requirements of the professional core of higher pedagogical education as a key factor in their successful professional training. Professional self-determination is regarded as a fundamental condition for the development of subjectivity, enabling the individual to make choices between personal capabilities and social demands. The necessity of integrating diagnostic and practice-oriented tasks into the educational process to form the value-semantic foundations of the profession and develop career-guidance significant competencies is substantiated. The paper presents the results of an empirical study conducted at Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University involving 51 students of pedagogical specialties. Using the example of Technological practice (Psychological foundations of professional activity), the effectiveness of applying diagnostic tools to assess the dynamics of students' professionally important qualities is demonstrated. The results of the empirical study confirm statistically significant changes in the level of development of empathic, communicative, and organizational abilities of future teachers after completing the practice. It is concluded that the use of professionally oriented tasks contributes not only to the development of specific competencies but also to the formation of professional identity, ensuring the continuity of the self-determination process.