Irina V. Odaryuk

The relevance of the problem under study is due to the need to improve the quality of foreign language teaching in technical universities. The aim of the study is to justify the expediency of holding a student scientific and practical conference as an interactive form of organizing extracurricular independent work in teaching foreign languages to students of technical universities. The analysis of the long-term experience of the Department of Foreign Languages of the Rostov State Transport University in organizing student scientific conferences has been carried out, positive aspects and difficulties in their preparation have been identified. The leading approaches in conducting the research were theoretical methods of studying, analyzing, comparing and systematizing scientific material, as well as the method of collecting, analyzing and interpreting scientific documentation. As a result of the study, it was found that student conferences, being part of the students’ research work, are implemented on the basis of an interdisciplinary approach, which consists in mastering oral and written speech, improving listening and writing skills in a foreign language, as well as acquiring professional knowledge in their major. In addition, scientific student conferences are classified as interactive forms or teaching methods that are based on the active involvement of students in the learning process through social interaction. The role of participants in the educational process is changing, the emphasis is on cooperation, the exchange of ideas and experience, the teacher acts as a consultant. It is found that the introduction of humanitarian knowledge, principles and methods in teaching natural science disciplines indicates the humanitarization of education. The theoretical significance of the presented article lies in the further development of ideas on the organization of scientific research work of students at the university. The practical significance is due to the possibility of applying the findings and recommendations of the study in the educational process of technical universities.

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the growing need for the digital transformation of modern education, since it is this condition that makes it possible to effectively develop professional skills in students, including learning foreign languages. Digital technologies are an undeniable assistant in the process of developing communicative abilities, enriching intercultural experience and ensuring easy adaptation of students to new language environment. The aim of the study is to analyze the prospects for using immersive technologies in teaching foreign languages to students of engineering universities. The authors provide a comparative analysis of existing approaches to defining the concept of “immersive technologies”, their classification and didactic potential based on the world experience. The main components of an immersive educational environment and its advantages are presented. The use of immersive technologies in teaching foreign languages is justified. A range of problems related to the implementation of immersive technologies in the teaching practice of Russian universities has been identified. It is concluded that it is necessary to develop methodological support for the successful implementation of immersive technologies in the educational process. The method of surveying teachers of the Department of Foreign Languages helped find out their attitude towards immersive technologies. The theoretical significance of the article is in the detailed development of the main tenets of the immersive approach in education, which, without a doubt, contributes to expanding the knowledge of the teaching community in the field of digital methodology. The practical significance is associated with the prospects of using these technologies in the educational process of universities and the possibility of applying research results to create methodological support for disciplines, including foreign languages. It is in this direction that the team of authors plans to continue their work. The results of the research may be interesting for a wide range of scholars and teachers of foreign languages and can be used when giving courses on topical issues of applied linguistics, as well as methods of teaching foreign languages.