Introduction of Interactive Teaching Methods into the Disciplines of Forest Specialities: a Case of Petrozavodsk State University

At Petrozavodsk State University, within the academic process, an experiment with students was conducted involving higher interactivity of studying in a cycle of disciplines related to organization of forest exploitation. The following disciplines were taken as basis: "Design of timber industry enterprises", "Forest harvesting operations technology", "Technology of reforestation works", "Forest care", and for each of them, examples of organization of interactive methods of teaching the students in the direction of applied bachelor's degree "Technology of forest harvesting and timber-processing production". In order to increase the quality of education and the efficiency of implementing the interactive teaching methods, three directions were selected: development of academic process organization plans, creation of conditions for giving classes, and elaboration of new approaches to teaching taking into account the analysis of results of the experiment. The analysis of results has demonstrated that if interactive teaching methods are implemented in the academic process, the students' level of knowledge rises, skills and abilities for independent work are consolidated, the subject of work is better understood, and the interest for independent work, participation in conferences is manifested, as well as the abilities for generating new ideas and skills of defending them, and the process of self-determination within the profession selected are activated. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.