Theoretical and Empirical Aspects of Project Activity at Modern Russian School

Due to democratization processes in Russia the search for new methods and forms of education has resumed. In recent years the “Project Method” introduced by American teachers and actively used in the 1920s at Soviet schools but then abandoned in the 1930s has gained large expansion. Currently the project method is developed in terms of pedagogics well enough, but still lacks a clear psychological foundation. In the paper, we viewed the process of formation of ideas about comprehensive cognitive operations, in particular, generalization, analysis, synthesis etc., as a psychological ground for using the project method. The theoretic research was complemented by trial and experimental research of generalizing character. For 4 years Yelets State Ivan Bunin University has held project contest in mathematics among schoolchildren of 5-11th grades. In order to hold the contest, the relevant methodological basis has been developed (contest statutes, project requirements, assessment criteria). The contest results have allowed revealing both advantages and disadvantages of using the project activity that should be taken into account while organizing the education process at school of the future.