The Republican Case Championship in Solving Pedagogical Problems, organized by the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology in Physical Education and Sports, has reached a new level. This year, for the first time, it was attended not only by students from the Volga Region University of Sport and Tourism but also by representatives from Kazan universities and colleges. The event aims to enhance the competencies of students majoring in pedagogy and motivate them to develop themselves.
The Case Championship has grown from a local competition between student groups at the Volga Region University into a significant national event. This year, applications were submitted by Kazan Federal University, the V.G. Timiryasov Kazan University of Management, the TISBI University of Management, the Kazan School of Olympic Reserve, and the Kazan Pedagogical College. Co-organizers of the event were the Perspektiva Children's and Youth Recreation Consulting Center and the regional branch of the Movement of the First in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Opening the case championship, Natalia Grechannikova, Vice Rector for Administrative Work, Social Development, and Youth Policy, and Adelia Pavlova, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Digital Transformation, delivered welcoming remarks. They noted that if future teachers' education is engaging, they themselves will want to share this experience with children and create lasting memories.
"We're thrilled that Kazan universities and colleges have joined our case championship. We believe that summer is a short life, especially for children, and how it unfolds depends entirely on you. I was a former Pioneer leader and senior Pioneer leader, and I want to emphasize that here you'll be able to prepare for the challenges you'll face at camp. Furthermore, you also influence the experience the children gain during their summer vacation; it may even influence their future career choices," Natalia Grechannikova told the participants.
During the games, participants simulated conflict situations with children and their parents that arise in a camp environment and sought the best solutions. A total of 32 students from universities and colleges participated, forming teams of eight. The competition consisted of several stages. In paired knockout games, the winners advanced to the next round, leading to the semifinals and finals. Participants were evaluated by invited experts—representatives of city and republican children's and youth recreation centers, teachers, and winners of previous case championships.
The case championship brings significant practical benefits to students. During their internship, Volga Region University students will travel to camps as physical education and swimming instructors, as well as counselors. Here, they can prepare for their future careers and hone their skills in working with children and their parents. The experience gained will also be useful for students from Kazan universities and colleges, who can also prove themselves as counselors and camp leaders.
"I'm very pleased with the participants' thorough preparation, as the case championship requires not only subject knowledge but also an understanding of regulatory documents and real-life situations. It's gratifying that both faculty and educational institution administrators joined the students today. Team support groups also attended the event. Overall, the case championship demonstrates that Volga Region University and College students are prepared for professional work in camps," emphasized Svetlana Zizikova, Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology in Physical Education and Sports.
In the university student competition, second-year students from the University of Sports emerged as the top three. Samira Gimranova and Alexandra Semenova won bronze and silver, while Almir Asadullin took first place. Among college students, Alfina Bakeeva and Zarina Gubaydullina, first-year students from the Volga Region University Secondary Vocational Education Department, tied for first and third place. Yaromir Yarokhin, a student from the Kazan School of Olympic Reserve, took silver.
In the overall team standings, based on points earned, the Volga Region University of Sports won among universities, and the Kazan School of Olympic Reserve won among colleges.
Larisa Minina, a teacher of Russian language and literature in the Secondary Vocational Education Department, and Vitaly Sivkov, a senior lecturer in the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology in Physical Education and Sports, were responsible for training the Volga Region University teams.
Text: Adelina Khramova
Photo: Pavel Zheleznyak
