scholarly journals SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE HIGHER EDUCATION IN MODERN BELARUS

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-125
Author(s):  
Anatolij I. Lysiuk ◽  
Maryia G. Sakalouskaya ◽  
Dzmitry A. Lysiuk

In the article, based on the results of a sociological nationwide survey (September-November 2019), status and prospects of online higher education development in the Republic of Belarus are studied. It has been found out that despite respondents are generally positively assess the system of higher education, they are convinced that within its framework it is impossible to prepare good professionals in a number of areas. A positive attitude to the format of online higher education has been revealed, particularly on the basis of reputable Western universities. Categories of individuals potentially interested in online learning services are defined. It is emphasized that this form of learning fits only for highly motivated students. A set of motives is highlighted that encourage students to choose an online learning abroad. Both its advantages and disadvantages are indicated. A sociological study also fixes some risks for Belarus related to the fact that, having received Western diplomas, a significant part of their holders will seek to find a job in European countries. Assessment of employment prospects in Belarus and abroad for holders of “online” diplomas is given. Most Belarusians admit paid tuition for high-quality online education at Western universities and believe that payment should be adequate to the Belarusian standard of living.The set of disciplines which can be popular in online format were defined. It has been established that social modernization of Belarus is to a great extent interested in this group of specialists. It is proved that today Belarusian universities are not able to compete with online offers from Western universities, because they are not ready for this from statutory, financial, organizational, logistical and human resources point of view. The study has practical importance, as empirical analysis results can be used for decision-making process in the country. This kind of study was conducted in Belarus for the first time.

Author(s):  
Rufaro A. Chitiyo ◽  
Florence Nyemba

Online learning has been on the rise during the 21st century. Both instructors and students enjoy the flexibility of teaching and learning from anywhere they choose. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020 forced institutions of higher education around the globe to rely on technology to deliver education whether the institutions, instructors, and students were ready or not. The spread of the virus dictated the quick adoption of remote delivery of education. In this chapter, the authors provide a brief history of traditional learning theories followed by an assessment of their applicability to online education. Next is a delineation of the roles played by both instructors and students in online higher education. Furthermore, they explore generational differences in online learning (i.e., based on existing literature, what generational differences are evident with learning online and delivering content online?). At the end of the chapter, they provide the reader with implications/recommendations for the successful delivery of online learning/education.


Author(s):  
L. A. Lesina ◽  

The article is devoted to the prospects for the development of the online segment in the system of «silver» education — for the «third age» people. The purpose of the article is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the online learning format of the older generation of Russians. The empirical basis of the article is the data of a sociological study of the problems of education of residents of the Sverdlovsk region older than 45 years, carried out in 2019–2020. The results of the empirical study revealed the educational needs of the «silver» age people and their readiness for the digital format of education. In conclusion, author show the risks of developing the «silver» segment of online education associated with the current social and economic crises, pandemics, and unbalanced government policies in the interests of the older generation of Russians.


2021 ◽  
Vol 93 (7s) ◽  
pp. 86-95
Author(s):  
Alona Leshchenko ◽  
◽  
Olena Bezlutska ◽  

The correlation between traditional and MOODLE learning management system usage in the educational process of the maritime higher education institutions has been studied in the article. The need to find new digital tools was due to the current state of the educational system, which should become open to new trends, and exacerbated by the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparative analysis was chosen as the main research tool, which made it possible to conduct a comparative analysis of online and offline modes of implementation of the educational process in higher maritime educational institutions, as well as to determine the main advantages and disadvantages of the LMS MOODLE electronic platform. The collection of data was carried out using a Google questionnaire. The respondents had to answer 9 questions. The survey was conducted among students of the Maritime Academy of two age categories – from 18 to 30 years old and from 31 to 45 years old. Analysis of the questionnaire data allows us to conclude that students of the first age category have more developed digital competencies (87%) and easily switched to distance learning using the LMS MOODLE platform; however, in the second age category, more than 60% had no difficulties with online learning. In general, for applicants for higher education, working on the LMS MOODLE electronic platform has its advantages and may be one of the methodological tools for the implementation of the educational process. For applicants for higher maritime education, it is convenient both in terms of timing and availability for education. The weak side of the platform is the lack of opportunity for teachers to independently organize (without the technical support of the platform administrator) video lessons on LMS MOODLE in real time, which is one of the priority tasks for improving the educational process online. The next step in the development of online learning opportunities is to create opportunities for teachers to independently create online rooms for lectures and practical exercises in real time, as well as expand the possibilities for connecting cloud simulators to practice the practical skills and abilities of students of higher maritime educational institutions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-77
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Thu Huong ◽  
Tran Thi Ngoc Giau

Online education has rapidly become popular worldwide in higher education. There are massive open online courses which could be found in Coursera and EDX. These courses ensure the availability and the accessibility of the online learning through videos with subtitles. Online learning not only gives students unprecedented opportunities to learn, but also reduces the cost of higher education. However, online learning presents unit challenges compared to traditional learning, especially in Vietnamese education. In this paper, we present the advantages and disadvantages of online learning. In particular, we will show the advantages and disadvantages of taking online courses of Vietnamese students. We will also share our experience as a tutor of Funix University which is the first online university in Vietnam. In addition, we will give feasible suggestions to improve the quality of online learning in Vietnamese universities, especially the quality of assessment in online learning. These suggestions could be applied in building new online courses in the universities.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Olexander Horban ◽  
Maria Maletska

In this article, the use of videogames in online learning has been considered. It is emphasized that new forms and methods of organizing the educational process are becoming increasingly important in times of global educational crisis and the crisis in education. It is noted that new strategies for the establishment of modern educational space, based on the involvement of new, primarily digital, technologies, and new methodological approaches to the organization and content of the educational process, including game approaches, are quite effective in solving problems of modern education. An essential means of increasing students’ motivation is the use of videogames in the educational process. The main aspects of videogame phenomenon that actualize its use in contemporary education have been analyzed. The following forms and methods of involving videogames in the educational process have been considered: gamification as a partial use of game mechanics or complete transformation of the educational process into a (video)game; game-based learning as the use of particular videogames in education to motivate students and improve learning; educational videogames as a separate category of games that are developed primarily for educational purposes and for which the entertainment-motivational function is secondary. The advantages and disadvantages of videogame activity within each of forms in conditions of online learning have been determined. The authors raise the question of the need to develop and involve comprehensive multiplayer videogames, aimed not at supplementing the educational process, but at the complete transformation of online learning. It is noted that such videogames can be an environment for learning and communication between teacher and students and contain the information base necessary for studying the subject. It is concluded that the development of a comprehensive videogame for online learning in higher education institutions can increase the effectiveness of online education in general by increasing students’ motivation and interest in learning, giving them an opportunity to acquire the additional experience, moving to more individualized and flexible trajectory of higher education.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 135-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. McPherson ◽  
Lawrence S. Bacow

When two Silicon Valley start-ups, Coursera and Udacity, embarked in 2012 on a bold effort to supply college-level courses for free over the Internet to learners worldwide, the notion of the Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) captured the nation's attention. Although MOOCs are an interesting experiment with a role to play in the future of higher education, they are a surprisingly small part of the online higher education scene. We believe that online education, at least online education that begins to take full advantage of the interactivity offered by the web, is still in its infancy. We begin by sketching out the several faces of online learning—asynchronous, partially asynchronous, the flipped classroom, and others—as well as how the use of online education differs across the spectrum of higher education. We consider how the growth of online education will affect cost and convenience, student learning, and the role of faculty and administrators. We argue that spread of online education through higher education is likely to be slower than many commenters expect. We hope that online education will bring substantial benefits. But less-attractive outcomes are also possible if, for instance, legislators use the existence of online education as an excuse for sharp cuts in higher education budgets that lead to lower-quality education for many students, at the same time that richer, more-selective schools are using online education as one more weapon in the arms race dynamic that is driving costs higher.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Thu Hoa

Information technology has created tremendous chances in higher education across the globe. With the availability and flexibility of learning online, there are increasing competitions between online learning and traditional, face-to-face classroom. These two types of learning both have their pros and cons. From the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, universities have recently changed the way of their teaching through combining online learning and traditional classroom. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and understand the advancements of the combination of the two types of learning. In this paper, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of online learning and the combined learning. We also share our experience on teaching at Flinders University, South Australia through Flinders learning online system. From this knowledge, we will suggest some solutions about building a combined learning system which is suitable for Vietnamese universities.


2021 ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
J. P. Bayer ◽  
N. A. Churaev

In this article we talk about education as a global phenomenon that includes many actors with their own political interests. In this regard, the question of the anthropological component of modern education, including in the international context, arises extremely sharply: what kind of person is formed by the new global education, to whom it applies, and what values it forms. Main trends in global education policy are defined. The formation of a global educational policy has not yet been completed, and the pandemic of coronavirus infection has brought both positive and negative aspects. We name both of them: the advantages and disadvantages of pandemic situation that shifted the global higher education into the different format. Also, we make the forecast on further higher education development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 929-943
Author(s):  
Olga A. Gritsova ◽  
Elena V. Tissen

The quality of online learning mechanisms, widely implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a significant issue for regional higher education systems. The research aims to assess student satisfaction with the quality of online education by identifying discrepancies between their requirements and the actual learning process. In order to examine the gaps between students’ expectations and perceptions, a new approach was proposed based on the integrated use of Gap analysis and SERVQUAL methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative aspects. SERVQUAL questionnaires for measuring student satisfaction with online learning include the following criteria: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy. Full- and part-time undergraduates of humanitarian and socio-economic departments of two universities participated in the study. Ural Federal University bachelors, learning via Moodle and Microsoft Teams platforms, could directly communicate with their peers and professors, while students of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI were engaged in massive open online courses (MOOC). As a result, all five criteria were analysed in the proposed model for quality assessment of online learning to reveal the gaps between students’ expectations and perceptions of the educational process. Significant discrepancies in the «empathy» and «responsiveness» criteria in both groups demonstrate low student satisfaction with the quality of communication and individualisation of learning. The research findings can be used to construct resource allocation models for implementing educational programmes and developing support measures for regional higher education institutions.


Author(s):  
Bernice Bain

Online education has grown to more than 6 million students with an average age of 33 years old (Kolowich, 2012; Selingo, 2012; Sheehy, 2012). Research indicates online programs are part of many institutions' strategic planning initiatives. Institutions are undergoing increased scrutiny from accrediting bodies, employers, and adult learners. To remain competitive and valid in this changing environment, a significant issue for leaders of online higher education institutions is how to effectively assess online cognitive learning outcomes, such as critical thinking. Adding to the challenge of online assessment of critical thinking is the contextual nature of critical thinking and two differing approaches to assessment. Leaders of online higher education institutions should seek a critical thinking assessment that is based on a theoretical framework of Transformative Learning and Adult Learning Theories. This is explored in this chapter.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document