Borysenko N. Public Education in the Russian Empire: Public Opinion and Practice in the Second Part of the 19th Century

The object of the research – public education of the Russian Empire in the context of socio-cultural processes of the second part of the 19th century. The purpose of research: based on the analysis of public opinion and the socio-historical practice of elementary education to research the development of public education in the Russian Empire in the second part of the 19th century. The methods: historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-typological, historical-system; mathematical-statistical methods; hermeneutical method. Scientific novelty: the dissertation deals with research of public education in the Russian Empire in the light of public opinion and practice in the second part of the 19th century; the influence of social force on functioning of the educational system within the studied period has been explored based on the critical analysis of historical sources, achievements of historiography, and latest methodological approaches; purposes and tasks of relationship between society and government have been studied in terms of development of educational policy in the second part of the 19th century; alternative variants of reformation of the public education have been comprehended; persons and personal input of statesmen and public men into formation of the public schools in the Russian Empire have been defined; concepts of representatives of the socio-pedagogical movement in the Russian Empire in the second part of the 19th century regarding factors of public education development have been shown; the essence of discussions in the society regarding educational and pedagogic tasks of the elementary education, forms and methods of their realization at school have been explored; directions and forms of educational activity of public institutions, results and consequences of practical activity of the leading parties of the educational policy regarding the elementary school have been found out; dynamics of public schools and their students in the second part of the 19th century, role and value of the parish clergy, counties in organization and operation of elementary education facilities have been shown; specific features of social status of public teachers in the Russian Empire within the period studied have been explored. Practical value of research: the materials of research can be used for further development of the theoretical problems of the history of elementary education in Ukraine and the Russian Empire specified period, during the preparation of general works, monographs, textbooks, manuals, lecture courses, projects on the history of education, history of culture for higher education. Sphere of use: higher educational institutions.