Abstract
This article examines the scientific and methodological foundations of using digital technologies in preparing 7th-grade students for informatics olympiads. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of digital platforms such as Codeforces, Acmp.ru, and Brestprog in developing competitive programming skills and to design an authorial methodological model for olympiad training. The research employed theoretical analysis of academic literature, content analysis, comparative analysis, pedagogical observation, test diagnostics, and statistical data processing. A pedagogical experiment was conducted with control and experimental groups. The use of the author’s Stepik.org course, regular Codeforces contests, and multi-level practical exercises demonstrated a significant improvement in students’ performance. The findings revealed an increase in algorithmic thinking from 63% to 84%, a reduction in problem-solving time from 14 to 8 minutes, a decrease in error rates from 37% to 18%, and a notable growth in the number of olympiad prize-winners. The results confirm that systematic integration of digital technologies substantially enhances students’ cognitive engagement, algorithmic reasoning, time-management skills, and ability to perform under competitive pressure. The proposed methodological model combines theoretical instruction, practical training, reflective analysis, and motivational components, ensuring comprehensive development of programming competencies. This study underscores the crucial role of digital learning platforms in modern informatics education and provides a scientifically grounded approach to improving olympiad preparation.