Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the Union of Soviet Socialist

Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (APN SSSR) 

the highest scholarly institution uniting the most prominent scholars in the field of pedagogical science as well as prominent educators. It was created in August 1966 when the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the RSFSR, in existence from 1943 to 1966, was reorganized. Located in Moscow, the academy is attached to the Ministry of Education of the USSR. In 1968 the APN SSSR had 48 members (academicians) and 80 corresponding members. V. M. Khvostov was president from 1967 to 1972; V. N. Stoletov became president in 1972. The academy may admit foreign members.

The general assembly, made up of all members, is the academy’s supreme governing body and is convened at least twice a year. Between sessions of the general assembly, the presidium, headed by the president, directs the academy’s activities.

The aims of the APN SSSR are (1) to develop and realize leading trends in pedagogy, psychology, developmental physiology, and other sciences dealing with problems in the moral and general education of the younger generation; (2) to find new ways of perfecting education, upbringing, and instruction and to prepare scholarly and practical recommendations for use in the educational system; (3) to improve methods of training and raise the quality of pedagogical specialists; (4) to coordinate all USSR research in pedagogical science and further its development in all the Union republics; and (5) to promote the dissemination of pedagogical knowledge among the people.

As of 1969 the academy consisted of three divisions: theory and history of pedagogy, general teaching methods and individual methodologies, and psychology and developmental physiology. The academy maintains 12 scientific research institutes: general pedagogy, general and educational psychology, physiology of children and adolescents, preschool education, general problems in education, contents and methods of instruction, school equipment and technical educational aids, education in the arts, work training and professional orientation, teaching of the Russian language in national schools, general education for adults, and the study of defectives. The academy operates other institutions, including ten experimental schools, a library, and a scientific archive.

The APN SSSR has published the journal Sovetskaia pedagogika since 1937; Voprosy psikhologii (Problems in Psychology) since 1955; Sem’ia i shkola (Family and School) since 1946; Russkii iazyk v natsional’noi shkole (The Russian Language in the National School) since 1957; and Defektologiia (The Study of Defectives) since 1969.

V. M. KHVOSTOV