Integration of research and teaching activities of master's students in ecology for resolving permaculture project case studies

Abstract

Abstract: This publication is dedicated to the scientific and pedagogical substantiation and development of a structural and functional model for the integration of research and teaching activities of Master's students in Ecology, who are preparing for the competent design of open spaces through the resolution of permaculture case studies. The study is based on the pedagogical modeling method, which allowed structuring the process of forming the students' integrated competence. The methods of theoretical analysis and generalization of leading integration concepts, specifically the "research-teaching nexus" and "research-led teaching," were utilized to define the model's methodological basis. The core integration technology is formulated as a logical synthesis of the case-study method (used for systemic analysis, diagnostics, and solution justification) and project-based learning (used for the creation, implementation, and presentation of a new ecological product). The ethical and universal permaculture principles are identified as the transversal line of integration, serving as the methodological framework for adopting ecologically sound decisions. The article develops a structural and functional model composed of three interconnected blocks: conceptual, content-technological, and resulting. The model demonstrates a dynamic and cyclic connection between research and teaching: the results of systemic analysis of permaculture case studies are transformed into current didactic material, and feedback from teaching practice facilitates reflection and adjustment of subsequent scientific research. The necessity of forming three key competences in future ecologists is highlighted: research competence (the ability to master scientific research methodology systematically), teaching competence (the ability to ensure the high-quality transfer of scientific findings), and project competence (the skills for creating an effective ecological activity model). Five sequential stages of the integration process, starting with case conceptualization and ending with the adjustment of one's activity, are described. The study confirms that the proposed model is an effective tool for transitioning Master's students from passive assimilation of fragmented information to the generation and transfer of knowledge. Establishing the permaculture principles as the core element ensures both the scientific substantiation of project solutions and their didactic capability, thereby enhancing the specialists' competitiveness. Five key criteria for the formation of integrated competence are identified, including the scientific substantiation of permaculture research, the practical effectiveness of ecological solutions, the quality of teaching activities, and the capacity for reflection. Keywords: ecological education, permaculture, Master's study, pedagogical model, case-study method, project-based learning, integrated competence.