Institute of Education

Publications

• Book

  Anchikov K., Denisenko I., Ebersöhn L. et al.

  Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries

  The report “Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries” explores the diverse educational frameworks in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, highlighting their unique socio-economic contexts and strategies for addressing challenges related to school education. It emphasises the need to adapt educational policies to local conditions while fostering inclusive systems. The report examines successful policies, underscoring the importance of tailoring international standards to local environments. BRICS nations play a major role in global education, with both shared characteristics and notable differences shaped by unique socio-economic backgrounds. Key challenges include inequalities in access to and the quality of education, particularly between urban and rural areas, as well as teacher training and aligning education with labour market demands. Approaches to inclusive education emphasise programmes for children with special needs and diverse cultural groups. Countries are increasing funding for education and developing curricula focused on modern requirements, including STEM and vocational training. Digital technologies are being applied to enhance access and quality. The report addresses environmental and social aspects, such as climate change’s impact and community involvement in school management. It advocates for exchanging best practices among BRICS nations to solve common problems and achieve sustainable development goals in education, underscoring the need for international collaboration to ensure sustainable development and social justice.

  M.: BRICS Expert Council – Russia, 2025.

• Article

  Semenov A.

  Smart Learning in the 21st Century: Advancing Constructionism Across Three Digital Epochs

  This article explores the evolution of constructionism as an educational framework, tracing its relevance and transformation across three pivotal eras: the advent of personal computing, the networked society, and the current era of generative AI. Rooted in Seymour Papert’s constructionist philosophy, this study examines how constructionist principles align with the expanding role of digital technology in personal and collective learning. We discuss the transformation of educational environments from hierarchical instructionism to constructionist models that emphasize learner autonomy and interactive, creative engagement. Central to this analysis is the concept of an “expanded personality”, wherein digital tools and AI integration fundamentally reshape individual self-perception and social interactions. By integrating constructionism into the paradigm of smart education, we propose it as a foundational approach to personalized and democratized learning. Our findings underscore constructionism’s enduring relevance in navigating the complexities of technology-driven education, providing insights for educators and policymakers seeking to harness digital innovations to foster adaptive, student-centered learning experiences.

  Education Sciences. 2025. Vol. 15. No. 1. P. 45-45.

• Book chapter

  Pavel S. Sorokin, Vyatskaya Y., Chernenko S.

  Higher education system development in Russia. In search of increasing contribution to socioeconomic transformation

  This chapter looks at the transformations of the Russian higher education system with special attention to the most recent years, beginning from 2020. Currently, socioeconomic development is problematic, and the external pressures (international sanctions and risks of “brain drain” as well as social tensions) are unprecedentedly high, which demands that higher education institutions produce a greater impact on economic growth, technological modernization, and social cohesion. Instead of one-sided integration in the international field and adaptation of Western approaches to policies and procedures (i.e., Bologna process), new models of policymaking are principally being launched. The priority for higher education policy now is engaging students and young scholars in both world-class fundamental research and applied projects. Participation in research and development activities becomes an essential and obligatory part of the education process. These are the core features of the program “Priority 2030” (issued in 2021). The chapter further looks at other key initiatives in higher education policy, including the federal project “Platform of University Technological Entrepreneurship” and the “World Class Research Centers” project, demonstrating a variety of ways how higher education institutions are being pushed toward producing more impact by, for instance, generating tens of thousands of students start-ups and launching university start-up studios.

  In bk.: Transformations of Higher Education in BRICS. Policy, Procedures, and Practice. Abingdon: Routledge, 2025. Ch. 6. P. 105-135.

• Working paper

  Antipkina I., Ivanov A., Guzhelya D.

  Explicit continuum scale format reduces the ceiling effect in self-report questionnaires comparing to Likert response format

  This study presents a methodology for developing a new questionnaire format called explicit continuum scenario scales, in the example of a client focus questionnaire. Elements of the Rasch Guttman scenario scale methodology were used in its development. In three consequent studies, different aspects of the scale functioning were investigated. In Study 1, on the sample of 100 respondents, it was shown that the explicit continuum scale produces reliable results and helps avoid the ceiling effect shown in the Likert response format version of the client focus questionnaire. In Study 2, the scale was administered in a competition environment, in a sample of 735 people. Despite the positive shift of scores, the instrument shows excellent psychometric characteristics and still resists the ceiling effect. In Study 3, new items were included, and the scale was presented in an interactive format. In the sample of 65,000 university students, it demonstrated the robustness of its psychometrics characteristics including dimensionality. The results of the three studies show that the explicit continuum format has the advantage of the stable dimensionality similar to the expanded format and is promising for measurement in social sciences.

  Basic research program. WP BRP. National Research University Higher School of Economics, 2024