Preservation and Development of Studentsʼ Historical Memory in Teaching Russian History and Industry-Specific History Courses for Non-History Majors: Towards Problem Formulation

Original article

DOI: 10.15293/1812-9463.2603.07

Daniil A. Fedorov
St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia

 

 

Abstract.

Problem. The article addresses the issue of developing and preserving the historical memory of students enrolled in non-history majors at universities. It is noted that the adoption of the Concept for Teaching the History of Russia for non-history specialties and fields of study implemented in higher education institutions has resolved a number of contradictions in this area. However, the integration of didactic units on industry-specific history into the basic course, given its content overload, limited time, and the high academic workload of students in their core disciplines, necessitates the search for innovative methodological approaches to teaching this subject. The aim of the article is to justify and describe an approach to interdisciplinary interaction between instructors of Russian history and industry-specific history courses, aimed at the comprehensive development and preservation of students’ historical memory, taking into account its cognitive, axiological, motivational-orientational, and activity-based components.

Methodology. The methodological foundation of the research is based on axiological and activity-based approaches to understanding historical memory. The research methods employed include the analysis of regulatory documents and scientific literature, generalization of teaching experience in Russian history and the history of medicine at the St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, as well as the interpretation of the results of previous studies conducted by the author.

Results. The author notes that students’ historical memory is subject to fragmentation, and its cognitive component often prevails over the axiological one. The necessity of coordinated teaching of Russian history and industry-specific history is justified, proposed through the identification of core themes in course programs that contain key axiological dominants, and the use of the principle of delayed synchronization to avoid duplication of educational material and its content over-saturation without abandoning the consideration of the specialized component in the basic history course. Specific methodological solutions implemented in the practice of teaching historical disciplines at St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University are described.

Conclusions. The pedagogical innovation of the research lies in the justification of a methodological solution for the interaction between Russian history and industry-specific history courses, which strengthens the value-semantic and subjective foundations of their historical memory.

Keywords: historical memory; history of Russia; teaching Russian history in higher education; concept of teaching history for non-history majors; interdisciplinary connections; students of non-history majors.

For Citation: Fedorov D. A. Preservation and Development of Students’ Historical Memory in Teaching Russian History and Industry-Specific History Courses for Non-History Majors: Towards Problem Formulation. Journal of Pedagogical Innovations, 2026, no. 3 (83), pp. 82–95. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.15293/1812-9463.2603.07

 

 

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Information about the Author

Daniil A. Fedorov – Lecturer of the Department of Humanities and Bioethic, St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University; Postgraduate Student of the Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Education, St. Petersburg Academy of Postgraduate Education named after K. D. Ushinsky, St. Petersburg, Russia, https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4037-2106, fiodoroff.daniil2014@yandex.ru

Received: 28.05.2026; approved after peer review: 14.07.2026; accepted for publication: 18.08.2026.