Аңдатпа
The present study addresses one of the key issues in the modern education system — the development of students' research competence. The literature review section reveals the essence of research competence, its structural components, and its role in the educational process. The study aims to identify ways to develop students' research competence in grades 7–9 through the effective organisation of research-based learning activities in biology lessons. To achieve this aim, the following tasks were set: the development and testing of research-oriented assignments for biology lessons; the selection and application of teaching methods and techniques that foster research competence; and the modelling of lessons and their practical implementation. The study found that organizing students’ research activities using methods such as observation, identification and recognition of natural objects, description, experimentation, and hypothesis formulation increases their cognitive activity and promotes the development of research skills. The results of practical work showed that the systematic use of research-based assignments and practical methods in biology lessons significantly enhances students’ research competence. Particular effectiveness was noted in the integrated use of verbal, visual, and practical teaching methods. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed methodology and provide recommendations for further improvement of the process of developing students’ research competence.