The First Defense of a Candidate's Dissertation in Pedagogy

The Dissertation Council for PhD and Post-Doctoral Dissertations in Education was formally established at TSU following an order from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in June 2024. For a university with a longstanding reputation for excellence in pedagogical research, this development represents a strategic advancement in strengthening scientific and innovative activities in education.

The inaugural defense took place at the end of September 2025. Alexandra Orlyanskaya, a TSU graduate student, submitted her dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences* under the supervision of Professor Irina Rudenko, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, from the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology.

Alexandra Orlyanskaya developed a comprehensive model for teacher training within a continuing professional education framework, designed to equip educators with effective strategies for teaching road safety to children. The model has already been piloted with teachers across the Samara Region. At TSU's Institute for Supplementary Education Zhigulevskaya Dolina, 309 educators from the Togliatti area and 78 teachers from Chelyabinsk completed advanced training through the Child Road Traffic Injury Prevention program. The model integrates expertise from traffic police, emergency services, and specialists from the Togliatti Resource Center.

The dissertation also introduces practical teaching resources, including the Road to Safety educational module and digital technology maps, which educators can readily apply in classroom settings.

A key feature of the proposed training model is its emphasis on social partnership. Partners contribute not only to defining competency requirements for teacher preparation but also to developing learning environments, instructional materials, and assessment protocols. The approach incorporates interactive seminars, hands-on workshops for designing road safety games, digital mapping of safe routes to school, intensive skill-building sessions, project-based learning, scenario-based problem solving, and guided reflective practices designed to help educators consolidate knowledge through experiential learning. The research outcomes have already been integrated into the educational programs of the Institute for the Study of Childhood, Family, and Education of the Russian Academy of Education (Moscow). Through the supplementary educational program "Algorithms for Interdepartmental Cooperation in Prevention Systems," 2,950 teachers from 79 Russian regions have been trained using Orlyanskaya's module "Social Partnership in Road Safety."

“Alexandra Orlyanskaya successfully achieved her research objectives, demonstrating both the theoretical significance and practical applicability of her work,” notes her supervisor Professor Irina Rudenko. “While her primary focus was the professional preparation of educators for road safety instruction, she also identified and rigorously addressed the underlying scientific challenge. I am especially proud that she confidently navigated her first dissertation defense with us.”

The Dissertation Council in Education includes representatives from universities across multiple Russian regions. Two council members participated remotely due to travel constraints, requiring the university to ensure seamless technical support in full compliance with Higher Attestation Commission guidelines. “I am pleased that the session proceeded flawlessly,” adds Professor Rudenko. “This sets a strong foundation for the Council's future work. I am confident that upcoming candidates will bring fresh perspectives, innovative methodologies, and valuable contributions to pedagogical science.”

The dissertation underwent expert review by Professor Galina Kamerilova, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Kozma Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University, and Associate Professor Andrei Shcherbakov, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Chelyabinsk Institute for Education Development. Both reviewers provided highly positive assessments. The Council unanimously awarded Alexandra Orlyanskaya the degree of Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences in research specialty 5.8.7, “Methodology and Technology of Professional Education.”

“The first defense before our Council was a landmark event not only for TSU but for the entire scientific and pedagogical community of the Samara Region,” states Professor Tatyana Ivanova, Doctor of Sociological Sciences and Director of TSU's Institute of Humanities and Pedagogical Sciences. “Ensuring the safety of children and adolescents is a national priority. Alexandra Orlyanskaya's research addresses this critical issue through the lens of educator preparation – a contribution of both scholarly and societal significance.”

Alexandra Orlyanskaya's achievements reflect TSU's integrated pathway for training highly qualified specialists: undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. A graduate of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees at TSU before enrolling as a targeted doctoral candidate. Her dissertation topic emerged from her professional experience: for many years, she has worked within the road safety promotion system of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Samara Region while also teaching at TSU's Department of Pedagogy and Psychology.

The Dissertation Council for Pedagogical Sciences began its work at Togliatti State University in 2024. Comprising 13 leading scholars from institutions in Togliatti, St. Petersburg, the Republic of Kalmykia, and Rostov-on-Don, the Council is chaired by Professor Irina Rudenko. It accepts dissertations for review and defense in two research specialties: 5.8.1 "General Pedagogy, History of Pedagogy and Education" and 5.8.7 "Methodology and Technology of Professional Education."

*In the Russian academic system, the degree of "Candidate of Sciences" (Kandidat Nauk) is broadly equivalent to a PhD in Western academic traditions.