The Role of Digital Labs in the Formation of Students' Cognitive Interest in Ecology Extracurricular Activities

The article discusses the role of digital laboratories as an innovative tool for developing students' cognitive interest in extracurricular activities related to ecology. The relevance of the study is due to the need to introduce pedagogical technologies that can motivate students to engage in research activities, while fostering responsible behaviour towards the environment. The article presents the results of a pedagogical experiment conducted at the Moryakovskaya Secondary School in the Tomsk region with the participation of two parallel 7th grade classes (51 students), divided into two groups – a control group and an experimental group. A questionnaire developed by B. K. Pashnev was used as a diagnostic tool. At the assessment stage of the pedagogical experiment, the questionnaire results showed that in the control group, 17% of students had a high level of cognitive interest, 50% had an average level, and 33% had a low level, while in the experimental group, 18% had a high level, 39% had an average level, and 43% had a low level. During the formative stage, students in the experimental group used the RELEON POINT digital laboratory in practical classes. After completing 34 extracurricular activities on ecology, a repeat assessment was conducted. According to the results of the control assessment, the percentage of students with a high level of cognitive interest increased to 48%, the average level was 33%, and the low-level indicator decreased to 19%. In the control group, the high level rose to 29%, the average to 46%, and the low level to 25%. The results confirm that the use of digital labs in extracurricular ecology classes significantly increases students’ cognitive interest, develops their research skills, and helps engage them in solving real environmental problems.