THE CLASSROOM-SYSTEM IN GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: HISTORY, CURRENT STATE, AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS OF SCIENCE CLASSROOMS

Abstract

Summary. The research problem stems from the fact that the classroom system in general secondary education institutions, particularly in the field of natural sciences, has often been viewed merely as an organizational or logistical element of teaching. In contrast, a science laboratory is a specialized educational environment that combines space, equipment, methodology, safety, digital resources and laboratory-based practical activities.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the history, current state and prospects for the development of the laboratory system using the example of science laboratories, and to justify their significance for the development of pupils’ scientific competence.

The methodological framework consists of a combination of historical-pedagogical, source-based, systemic, regulatory-legal and comparative approaches. The empirical basis is formed on the basis of archival materials from the Central State Archives of Higher Education of Ukraine, regulatory documents, educational standards and works on practical work.

The development of science classrooms is traced from the planning stage of the late 20th century to the modern STEM-oriented model. The study identifies its links with curriculum changes, resources, safety requirements and upper secondary specialization, as well as current problems such as uneven equipment provision, outdated facilities and the need to modernize laboratory culture.

The scientific originality lies in the interpretation of the science laboratory as a historically evolving structural unit of the educational environment, combining infrastructural, methodological, regulatory, safety and digital dimensions.

It is proposed that the modernization of science classrooms be viewed not as a one-off upgrade of equipment, but as a strategic direction for the development of science education. The author’s practical proposals involve combining subject classrooms with STEM laboratories, integrating physical and virtual laboratories, and incorporating the classroom system into the school’s development strategy.