Innovative methods of teaching legal disciplines by the example of the problem regarding the studies of the treaty on sale of Alaska

The article focuses on the analysis of innovative methods of teaching legal discipline «History of Russian State and Law» which can help to optimize the education process, enhance its quality and contribute to integration of theory and practice. Problems regarding priority of theoretical knowledge over practice and passive teaching methods over active ones are typical for many higher educational institutions in Russia. But theoretical knowledge and practical skills should be inseparably linked. Combination of theoretical course with practical activity (using active instruction methods) allows to update the common education process, to provide students with the possibilities to learn the most important professional approaches. It should be noted that these problems acquire specific function during the teaching process and studying legal disciplines, as practical application of legal regulations and previously gained knowledge may often be difficult. It is the authors’ opinion that teaching of professional skills must be closely associated with developing competences to apply such skills. The task involves necessity to determine exactly what kind of skills the students should master. This problem acquires specific relevance in the nowadays conditions. It is for that very reason, that the authors illustrate application of innovative teaching methods by the example of such section of the discipline «History of Russian State and Law» as the Russian Empire’s cession of Alaska in favour of the USA in 1867. A lot of researches, articles and monographs, both of Russian and foreign scientists and historians, are dedicated to cession of Russian possessions in North America. But in the education program this aspect is paid inadequate attention. This situation seems to be not correct, particularly in the context of the latest political events in the world.