Integrated analysis of risks in terms of Russian Arctic zone sustainable development

The sustainable development of the Russian Arctic zone is characterized by unique hydrocarbon and mineral resource potential and the key spheres of regional development are negatively affected by various risks. The present article addresses the issue concerning a longterm development strategy for the Arctic region growth, which is beyond the existing traditional approach. It examines a complex range of environmental, social, political, and industrial problems caused by the increasing industrial activities. The negative impact of the revealed risks has been specified. The model of the Russian Arctic zone sustainable development has been proposed

The Russian Arctic: innovative possibilities at the turn of the past and the future

Under the growth of the geopolitical tension a political, economic and symbolic meanings of the Russian presence in the Arctic region take on special significance. The theme of an innovation development of the Arctic and its symbolic sense for the citizens of our country are actual for the modern political discourse. The considerable scientific and technical reserve accumulated during the Soviet period and representation of the Arctic as a major symbolic resource for Russian people that helps to determine the sense of patriotism and the pride for the country can promote the growth of the authority of Russia in the region. The development of the Arctic is being conducted in two ways: expansion of the extraction of hydrocarbons and strengthening of a military and political presence. The Russian consolidation in the Arctic can potentially increase the state status in the international community. However, in order to pretend to the strong positions in the region it is absolutely necessary to answer to the arctic technological challenge by the innovative technologies and decisions

The concept of "Tea" in the language picture of the world (based on Chinese and Russian languages)

This article presents a study of the “tea” concept and its representation in the language picture of the world based on the Russian and Chinese languages and identification of linguistic-cognitive and linguistic-cultural specification of its comprehension by Russian and Chinese people. The following issues were examined in the article: the cultural and historical background of the formation of the “tea” concept, the frequency of occurrence of the “tea” token and also the representation of the “tea” concept in both linguistic worlds. The results were as follows: the language representation of the “tea” concept was described and compared, and the similarities and differences in the content of the concept were revealed. The language representation of the “tea” concept in the Chinese and Russian languages was taken as the material of the study

Promoting international students autonomy: the experience of Tomsk Polytechnic University

The current study aims to define the optimal language teaching conditions for international students to exhibit and develop their autonomy. The survey of foreign and domestic scientific research works provided the grounds upon which to elaborate the concept of autonomy as a combination of activity-meaningful personal qualities necessary for a language learner to become an effective language user, who is able to develop and make full use of communicative abilities in order to successfully accomplish communicative tasks by means of a foreign language. Based on the structural components of Self-conception (cognitive, affective, conative), the typological characteristics of the dynamics in the development of student autonomy in the process of language training are introduced as the levels and criteria for evaluation. The results of diagnostic measuring of autonomy using expert assessment method, combined with students’ self-evaluation at the intermediate and concluding stages of the pedagogic experiment, demonstrated evident positive dynamics in the experimental groups by contrast with one control group. The results obtained in the experimental study prove that the established language teaching conditions are efficient

Resource Efficiency in TPU: Implementation of English Language E-courses

This article considers e-learning as one of the efficient technologies implemented in National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) for teaching Russian and foreign students. The paper introduces the courses designed for teaching General English. The authors have analyzed the results of e-learning implementation in TPU and identified the advantages and probable disadvantages of the technology. One of the most significant benefits of e-courses is optimization of learning technology, which contributes to efficient use of human and technological resources and enhances the national education system in general. Avoidance of the recognized disadvantages suggests a blended learning strategy

Collaborative learning at engineering universities: Benefits and challenges

This paper concerns the cutting edge educational approaches incorporated into syllabuses of the most progressive Russian higher technical schools. The authors discuss one of the active methods in teaching foreign languages – collaborative learning implemented in e-courses. Theoretical and historical aspects of this approach are addressed, as are its suitability for engineering education and possible ways of introducing collaborative learning into e-courses. Collaborative learning technology offers wide prospects for teachers of foreign languages as it enables the use of various patterns of interaction, promotes discussion, opinion exchange, peer assessment and building an e-learning community, fosters the development of e-culture and netiquette, and prepares future specialists for work in their professional sphere under the new conditions imposed by society’s technological and cultural development. This paper describes real pedagogical experience of teaching English to students using the platform Moodle, focusing on the capacity of different Moodle instruments for designing group work tasks. Recommendations are given for their usage and the results of implementing a collaborative learning approach into certain e-courses offered at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) are presented

Project-based method in teaching foreign language for specific purposes

This paper considers the innovative methods of teaching Foreign Language for Specific Purposes. The methods are intensively implemented in teaching 3–4-year students at the Institute of Natural Resources, Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), Russia. In particular, the paper presents the international project “Approaching the Arctic” developed in cooperation with NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Norway. This paper analyzes the efficiency of the implementation of the project-based method in teaching English for Specific Purposes

Integrated analysis of risks in terms of Russian Arctic zone sustainable development

The sustainable development of the Russian Arctic zone is characterized by unique hydrocarbon and mineral resource potential and the key spheres of regional development are negatively affected by various risks. The present article addresses the issue concerning a longterm development strategy for the Arctic region growth, which is beyond the existing traditional approach. It examines a complex range of environmental, social, political, and industrial problems caused by the increasing industrial activities. The negative impact of the revealed risks has been specified. The model of the Russian Arctic zone sustainable development has been proposed

The Russian Arctic: innovative possibilities at the turn of the past and the future

Under the growth of the geopolitical tension a political, economic and symbolic meanings of the Russian presence in the Arctic region take on special significance. The theme of an innovation development of the Arctic and its symbolic sense for the citizens of our country are actual for the modern political discourse. The considerable scientific and technical reserve accumulated during the Soviet period and representation of the Arctic as a major symbolic resource for Russian people that helps to determine the sense of patriotism and the pride for the country can promote the growth of the authority of Russia in the region. The development of the Arctic is being conducted in two ways: expansion of the extraction of hydrocarbons and strengthening of a military and political presence. The Russian consolidation in the Arctic can potentially increase the state status in the international community. However, in order to pretend to the strong positions in the region it is absolutely necessary to answer to the arctic technological challenge by the innovative technologies and decisions

Promoting international students autonomy: the experience of Tomsk Polytechnic University

The current study aims to define the optimal language teaching conditions for international students to exhibit and develop their autonomy. The survey of foreign and domestic scientific research works provided the grounds upon which to elaborate the concept of autonomy as a combination of activity-meaningful personal qualities necessary for a language learner to become an effective language user, who is able to develop and make full use of communicative abilities in order to successfully accomplish communicative tasks by means of a foreign language. Based on the structural components of Self-conception (cognitive, affective, conative), the typological characteristics of the dynamics in the development of student autonomy in the process of language training are introduced as the levels and criteria for evaluation. The results of diagnostic measuring of autonomy using expert assessment method, combined with students’ self-evaluation at the intermediate and concluding stages of the pedagogic experiment, demonstrated evident positive dynamics in the experimental groups by contrast with one control group. The results obtained in the experimental study prove that the established language teaching conditions are efficient