Cooperation with Stakeholders in the Professional Training of Future Teachers

On September 5, 2026, lecturers of the Department of Biology, Human Health and Physical Rehabilitation and Master’s degree students of the educational and professional programme “Biology and Human Health” at Berdyansk State Pedagogical University took part in the 5th All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Online Conference “Pedagogical Innovations and Their Implementation (Natural Science Education)”. The event was organised by Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, the Centre for Innovative Teaching Methods, and the NGO “LIKO Educational Innovation Workshop”.

The lecturers and students were invited to participate in the conference by Yana Hoftarchuk, a biology teacher and stakeholder of the educational and professional programme. Cooperation with practising teachers is an important component of future teachers’ professional training, as it enables students to become familiar with current practices in general secondary education institutions, up-to-date teaching approaches, and pedagogical innovations.

The conference programme was diverse and comprehensive. Researchers, textbook authors, teacher-methodologists, New Ukrainian School trainers, and practising teachers shared their professional experience. In particular, Oleksii Kovalenko discussed contemporary views on the kingdom Fungi; Anzhelika Verbovetska presented approaches to lesson design for the generation characterised by clip thinking; Nataliia Zyma addressed professional burnout and ways of restoring teachers’ resources; and Yurii Pakhomov shared his experience of developing students’ critical thinking and media literacy in natural science lessons.

Of particular interest to future biology teachers were the presentations by Leonid Horobets, Doctor of Biological Sciences and co-author of biology textbooks, entitled “Amazing Animals: Is a List from the Internet Enough?”, and Yana Hoftarchuk, entitled “An Eco-Sensory Approach in the New Ukrainian School: Nature-Based Practices for Emotional Relief and Self-Regulation of Students in Grades 5–6”.

During the second part of the conference, the participants continued exploring contemporary approaches to teaching subjects within the natural science education field. The programme concluded with a presentation by Liliia Midak, Director of the Centre for Innovative Teaching Methods at Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, teacher-methodologist, and co-author of chemistry textbooks, who presented the concept of the integrated course “Natural Sciences” for upper secondary school.

Participation in such events is an important component of the methodological training of future teachers. Direct interaction with practising teachers, researchers, and renowned teaching methodology experts enables students to see how contemporary educational approaches are implemented in practice, become familiar with current trends in natural science education, and enrich their own repertoire of teaching methods.

We sincerely thank our stakeholder Yana Hoftarchuk for the invitation and continued cooperation!

Guarantor of the educational and professional programme “Biology and Human Health”
Associate Professor of the Department of Biology, Human Health and Physical Rehabilitation
Nataliia Pshenychna