Two-circuit quality assessment system for theological education in a digital environment

Introduction. The relevance of this study arises from the need to reconcile the academic measurability of educational outcomes with the confessional authenticity, value-semantic orientation, and mentoring support that characterise theological education. Aim. The present research aims to provide a theoretical rationale for, and empirical validation of, a quality assessment model that integrates both ex-ternal and internal assessment frameworks. Methodology and research methods. The empirical component of the study was designed as a quasi-experiment with repeated measures, employing a pre-test/post-test design within a single sample. The empirical base comprised the theological education system in the Ural region, including the Ekaterinburg Theological Seminary, the Missionary Institute, and the Department of Theology at Ural State Mining University. The study involved 190 students enrolled in Theology programmes at both bachelor’s and master’s levels. The methodological framework encompassed analysis of scholarly literature, pedagogical design, modelling, pedagogical observation, questionnaire surveys, analysis of educational documentation, content analysis of students’ digital footprints, expert evalu-ation, and analysis of certification results. Results. It was established that implementing a two-circuit assessment system enhances the integrity and reproducibility of assessment procedures and increases the capacity to record confessional value-based and professionally significant training outcomes. The study revealed positive progress in the overall quality indicator of theological education. Scientific novelty. The theoretical significance of this study lies in advancing methodologies for quality assessment in professional education, specifically as applied to theological training. Practical significance. The practical significance resides in the potential application of the developed model within confessionally oriented higher education institutions.

1. Vykhovanets A.E. Theology in secular and religious educational institutions in contemporary Russia: a comparative analysis. Pedagogika. Voprosy teorii i praktiki = Pedagogy. Theory and Practice Issues. 2018;4(12):26–29. (In Russ.)

2. Gryaznova E.V., Maltseva S.M. Higher secular theological education in the system of continuing education in contemporary Russia. Nepreryvnoe obrazovanie: XXI vek = Lifelong Education: The 21st Century. 2022;4(40):29–40. (In Russ.)

3. Murzina I.Ya., Simbirtseva N.A. Theological education and theological enlightenment in modern Russia: conceptualisation, orientation and development prospects. Obrazovanie i nauka = The Education and Science Journal. 2022;24(8):11–32. (In Russ.) doi:10.17853/1994-5639-2022-8-11-32

4. Shmonin D.V. Theology in the educational system of contemporary Russia: points of growth. Vestnik Russkoj hristianskoj gumanitarnoj akademii = Review of the Russian Christian Academy for the Humanities. 2018;4. (In Russ.) Accessed October 31, 2025. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/teologiya-v-sisteme-obrazovaniya-sovremennoy-rossii-tochki-rosta

5. Shmonin D.V. Theology of education: an introduction to the subject. Voprosy teologii = Issues of Theology. 2021;4. (In Russ.) Accessed October 15, 2025. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/teologiya-obrazovaniya-vvedenie-v-predmet

6. Levitskaya A.A. Teologija v obrazovatel’nom prostranstve federal’nogo universiteta: opyt i problemy = Theology in the educational space of a federal university: experience and problems. In: Teologija i obrazovanie 2018: ezhegodnik Nauchno-obrazovatel’noj teologicheskoj associacii = Theology and Education 2018: Yearbook of the Scientific and Educational Theological Association. Moscow: Publishing House Poznanie; 2018:213–217. (In Russ.)

7. Drobotenko Yu.B. Contemporary problems of pedagogical axiology. Vestnik Orenburgskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta = Bulletin of Orenburg State University. 2023;4(240):17–25. (In Russ.)

8. Ilakavichus M.R., Yakushkina M.S. Building effective educational practices in contemporary religious education. Vestnik Pravoslavnogo Svjato-Tihonovskogo gumanitarnogo universiteta. Serija 4: Pedagogika. Psihologija = St. Tikhon’s University Review. Series IV: Pedagogy. Psychology. 2013;4(31):18–25. (In Russ.)

9. Manoilova M.A. Teologicheskoe obrazovanie kak osnova duhovnoj bezopasnosti lichnosti = Theological education as a foundation of an individual’s spiritual security. In: Formy i metody psihologicheskoj raboty so speckontingentom i personalom = Forms and Methods of Psychological Work with Special Contingents and Personnel. 2019:36–43. (In Russ.)

10. Ilarion (Alfeev), Metropolitan. Theological and religious education in the Russian Church. Cerkov’ i vremja = Church and Time. 2025;63. (In Russ.) Accessed November 12, 2025. https://church-and-time.ru/1446

11. Bermus A.G., Sizova E.V. Methodology of research on the digitalisation of higher education: bibliometric analysis data. Moskovskij pedagogicheskij zhurnal = Moscow Pedagogical Journal. 2025;4:8–20. (In Russ.)

12. Arkhipova O.V. Digital trends in culture: experience in transforming cultural practices. Peterburgskij jekonomicheskij zhurnal = St. Petersburg Economic Journal. 2018;1:67–74. (In Russ.)

13. Vasiliev N.A. Main contradictions of digital transformation. Gumanitarij Juga Rossii = Humanities of the South of Russia. 2023;12(5):16–25. (In Russ.)

14. Korchak K.I., Krasilnikov V.V., Toiskin V.S. Contemporary approaches to the concept of digital transformation of education. Problemy sovremennogo obrazovanija = Problems of Modern Education. 2022;1:171–183. (In Russ.)

15. Bylyeva D.S. Information and communication technologies and religion: from communication to virtualisation. Terra Linguistica. 2018;1:56–61. (In Russ.)

16. Kovalenko V.D. Institutional approach to the study of the mediatization of religion: application to contemporary Orthodoxy. Nauchnyj rezul’tat. Sociologija i upravlenie = Research Result. Sociology and Management. 2025;11(2):33–48. (In Russ.)

17. Bokov G.E. Orthodox theology, secular education and science in contemporary Russia: dialogue, conflict or autonomy? Manuskript = Manuscript. 2017;12-3(86):22–24. (In Russ.)

18. Gorbunov A.P., Ibragimov I.D. University theological education as a unique factor in the continuity of interfaith dialogue in a multicultural space. Minbar. Islamic Studies. 2009;2(2):121–127. (In Russ.)

19. Musin A.I. Some possible scientific and methodological approaches in Orthodox theology. Sovremennye filosofskie issledovanija = Modern Philosophical Studies. 2024;1:24–32. (In Russ.)

20. Polskov K.O. Who is the contemporary academic theologian and what does theological method have to do with it? Vestnik Pravoslavnogo Svjato-Tihonovskogo gumanitarnogo universiteta. Serija 1: Bogoslovie. Filosofija. Religiovedenie = St. Tikhon’s University Review. Series I: Theology. Philosophy. Religious Studies. 2025;122:11–27. (In Russ.)

21. Khrapov S.A., Martynov A.G. Orthodox education in Russia: theological and pedagogical interpretation. Pedagogicheskie issledovanija = Pedagogical Research. 2023;2:188–207. (In Russ.)

22. Bushueva E.V. Contemporary technologies that improve the quality of education. In: Murzina Zh.V., ed. Pedagogika, psihologija, obshhestvo: ot teorii k praktike: sbornik materialov II Vserossijskoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferencii s mezhdunarodnym uchastiem = Pedagogy, Psychology, Society: From Theory to Practice: Proceedings of the II All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation; March 04, 2022; Cheboksary, Russia. Cheboksary: Publishing House Sreda; 2022:39–41. (In Russ.)

23. Vaindorf-Sysoeva M.E., Subocheva M.L., Kudryavtseva L.A. Methodological model of hybrid learning in the digital educational environment of a technical university: theoretical substantiation, development and testing. Pedagogika i psihologija obrazovanija = Pedagogy and Psychology of Education. 2024;3:121–140. (In Russ.)

24. Chelnokova O.Yu. Indicators for assessing the effectiveness of regional higher education systems. Izvestija Saratovskogo universiteta. Novaja serija. Serija: Jekonomika. Upravlenie. Pravo = Izvestiya of Saratov University. Economics. Management. Law. 2019;19(4):409–414. (In Russ.) doi:10.18500/1994-2540-2019-19-4-409-414

25. Hudson T.D., Mack H., Reed-Bouley J., Rose M. Assessing student learning about the Catholic social tradition: a validated rubric. Journal of Catholic Higher Education. 2018;37(1):127–150.

26. Yang H., Wong R. An in-depth literature review of e-portfolio implementation in higher education: processes, barriers, and strategies. Issues and Trends in Learning Technologies. 2024;12(1).

27. Dimara V., Chatzivasileiou D., Psomiadi A., Efthymiou-Egleton T.W., Kassar L., Gancas H. Artificial intelligence and theology: can different doctrines have different outcomes? Journal of Politics and Ethics in New Technologies and AI. 2024;3(1):e37714.

28. Kuznetsova A.G. Genezis sistemnogo podhoda v sovetskoj pedagogike = Genesis of the Systems Approach in Soviet Pedagogy. 2nd ed. Khabarovsk: OEPI RIOTs TOGU; 2023. 180 p. (In Russ.) Accessed June 27, 2026. https://pnu.edu.ru/ru/library/elektronnye-izdaniya/collections/#monographs

29. Nikulina N.N., Davityan M.G., Shevchenko S.N. Systems approach in pedagogy as a general methodological principle of science. Politematicheskij setevoj jelektronnyj nauchnyj zhurnal Kubanskogo gosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta = Polythematic Online Scientific Journal of Kuban State Agrarian University. 2015;111:986–1005. (In Russ.)

30. Hazaimeh M., Al-Ansi A.M. Model of AI acceptance in higher education: arguing teaching staff and students perspectives. The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology. 2024. Accessed June 27, 2026. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2056488024000209

31. Gin D.H.C., Deasy J.A., Pena-Camprubi G. Reimagining the role of graduate theological education in clergy formation. Christian Higher Education. 2025;24(2):148–179.

32. Bondarevskaya E.V. Teorija i praktika lichnostno orientirovannogo obrazovanija = Theory and Practice of Learner-Centred Education. Rostov-on-Don: Rostov State Pedagogical University Publishing House; 2000. 352 p. (In Russ.)

33. Maslov S.I., Maslova T.A. Axiological approach in pedagogy. Izvestija TulGU. Gumanitarnye nauki = Izvestiya Tula State University. Humanities. 2013;3-2. (In Russ.) Accessed January 27, 2026. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/aksiologicheskiy-podhod-v-pedagogike

34. Koroleva D., Khavenson T., Tomasova D. Genesis and predictive ability of ecosystem approach in education. Foresight and STI Governance. 2023;17(4):93–109. doi:10.17323/2500-2597.2023.4.93.109

35. Rozin V.M. Ecosystem approach in education. Kul’tura kul’tury = Culture of Culture. 2021;4. (In Russ.)

36. Alieva A.S. Education as a basic requirement for sustainable development of a contemporary individual throughout life. Science Time. 2023;12(119):33–35. (In Russ.)