Distance learning: Interviews with RosNOU College Teachers

The college very quickly adapted to the new conditions. In two months in self-isolation mode, we went through several stages of organization of the educational process using distance learning technologies (DLT) and e-learning (EL) tools.

At first, the educational process consisted in the exchange of lectures and completed assignments between teachers and students of the college. During that period, the amount of material for independent study increased significantly. We understood that we urgently needed to start using distance educational technologies to organize “live” communication between teachers and students. This is how we switched to the Zoom platform, which made it possible to conduct lectures in online format in accordance with the schedule.

In parallel, work was underway to master the Office365 platform. Now the educational process at the college includes online lectures, communication between teachers and students on this platform. Teachers can control the involvement of students in the educational process; check the timeliness of assignments, the level of mastering the educational material, and so on.

To master remote technologies, the college management conducted daily consultations with teachers, students and parents, organized training for teachers to work with the new system. It is worth noting the well-coordinated work of the curators and headmen of the groups, the efficiency in solving any questions by the staff of the dean's office. We express our special gratitude to the parents of our students, because now they have a special responsibility for the involvement of their children in the educational process.

Of course, there was initially a little panic. There were questions: “How to teach? Will the students understand the learning materials?" and so on. Here we should pay tribute to the professionalism of our teachers who convey the knowledge to the students in any conditions.

The adaptation took place individually, much depended on both the discipline and the teacher. Someone faced this for the first time, and it was difficult for him/her to build a strict plan to follow. Others easily adapted to this format.

The lack of time is the problem that every teacher faced. A certain number of minutes is allocated for the lesson. During this time, the teacher needs to answer all the students' questions, discuss the completed tasks, noting any mistakes, and, of course, explain the new material. It began to take a lot of time to prepare for classes: you need to think over every little thing, prepare teaching materials with theoretical data and with solved tasks or examples. When working in a classroom, such difficulties do not arise.

Checking the completed work also takes time - twice, or even three times more than usual. After all, I want each student to understand exactly where he/she made a mistake. To do this, it is necessary to delve into his/her work (students attach photographs of completed assignments to the platform); to disassemble sometimes non-caligraphic handwriting, and if the photograph was taken poorly, then also think about what could have been written there.

On the other hand, in some moments, even this format helps to better understand the material. So, for example, when teaching mathematics, for each of the tasks with the help of special programs you can build 3D-models. It is one thing when students see a drawing for a problem on the board, sometimes without even understanding how a plane or a straight line passes, and quite another, when there is an opportunity to examine a figure from all sides, to understand what exactly needs to be found in a given task. And as a result, the problems of stereometry were solved much easier.

The switch to distance learning came as a surprise to many teachers. Distance learning requires different ways of presenting teaching materials and methods to involve students in the learning process. It took a while to understand that you cannot follow the usual pattern.

College teachers are now using Zoom and Microsoft Teams. On the Zoom platform, the host has all the tools to turn the microphone on and off, as well as mute the video or request that the video be turned on from all participants. The teachers like the interactive whiteboard very much; it can be shown to all participants in the video conference. However, before working with Zoom, you need to spend quite a lot of time getting to know the application.

The advantages of Microsoft Teams include a powerful tool for assigning assignments to students, monitoring progress and assigning grades, as well as easy access for class participants to all possible methods of electronic communications and joint data processing.

It is difficult to say unequivocally which of the platforms is better, because each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

ZOOM PLATFORM

Advantages

• Not overloaded with a lot of applications, so quick access is possible.
• It is possible to share a whiteboard.
• Quick chat entries play.

Disadvantages

• There is no way to post tasks.
• The list of participants is not saved.
• There is no way to attach completed tasks.

MICROSOFT TEAMS PLATFORM (OFFICE365)

Advantages

• It is possible to post tasks.
• It is possible to quickly check test work.
• It is possible to assign options by choosing from the list of participants.
• It is convenient to evaluate attached completed tasks.
• The list of participants is saved.
  
  

Disadvantages

• Many applications take a long time to load.
• Chat recordings are played with a delay.
• Often there are technical problems (sound lags, ejection from the meeting, etc.)

I think all the teachers succeeded. Our Subject-Oriented Committee Board, for example, held a number of events on general education disciplines, which were planned to be arranged in April. Of course, the self-isolation mode and the switch to distance learning made some adjustments to the original plan of the events, but it took place! The teachers held contests for presentations and creative works, open lessons, contests of poetry in a foreign language, and various quizzes. We also held a student conference dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War “I remember! I'm proud!". On the Office365 platform, 15 students presented creative works about the contribution of their families to the Victory.

The format of online classes is very close to the format of full-time education. Online classes in the college are conducted in accordance with the approved schedule. The teacher and students participate in the class. The teacher answers all the questions that arise, explains all the educational material. But there are some disadvantages of online education. The main ones are: the lack of face-to-face communication and the need for high students’ self-discipline.

Of course, face-to-face training has many more benefits. Replacing the communication between the teacher and the student in the classroom with distance learning is possible only temporarily, in special circumstances. And I like many teachers, and even students, look forward to full-time classes.

With the transition to distance learning, the workload has increased not only among teachers but also among students. This is mainly due to the need to study learning materials individually. There is a psychological problem: being at home, you have to study from 9:30 to 16:00. It is difficult to motivate students to study remotely. Therefore, the parents of our students now play an important role in the process of education; they are responsible for ensuring control over the home studies of children.

I would say definitely, yes. There are also new competencies associated with participation in distance learning, and the development of existing competencies. Also, this format contributed to students a more versatile development of professional and general competencies (for example, navigate in the face of frequent changes in technologies in professional activities).

During the distance work period, the role of the teacher has significantly increased, which is associated with a personality-oriented approach. The lack of "live" verbal communication in the educational process requires the teacher to master additional competencies: general technical and technological competence, software skills, and skills in working in an electronic learning environment, programs for audio and video conferencing, and, finally, mastering the basics of educational process management.

Yes, absolutely. Today, distance learning is perceived as something natural and is actively developing, including in the system of secondary vocational education. Many students also prefer this form of training.

Therefore, it is already necessary to expand the interactive possibilities of distance learning in open-source education and train specialists who understand the essence and didactic features of DLT, who can help students overcome the psychological barrier associated with the difficulties of the network learning process.

The specialty "Advertising" by its specificity involves continuous development, a constant learning process since something new is regularly being introduced into this area of professional activity and these changes are reflected in the classroom. But here we are talking more about how the content of the training will change, rather than the direct presentation of the teaching materials. "Live" classes in the specialty "Advertising" will give odds to any online education, even with all its advantages.

We all really miss the "live" communication and dream of meeting again within the walls of our college. When this happens, of course, we will return to the old measured life. At the same time, I am sure that face-to-face classes will become more interesting and useful, because our teachers now have a huge amount of additional material in their subjects.

Any experience is useful and any new knowledge enriches a person. Many students unexpectedly opened up on the other side: they turned out to be more responsible. Those who were invisible in the ordinary life of the college showed themselves actively. And there are students who have always been executive and responsible, and so they remained.

Hopefully, both students and faculty members will return to full-time education with new experiences that will benefit everyone.

It seems to me that all of us have received a strong impetus for development over the past two months. All educational organizations had to master distance learning technologies.

There are many among our teachers who learn new things very quickly and with pleasure, easily adapt to changes. I am sure that they will use the mastered DLT in different variations and after the regime of self-isolation - in full-time training. As for the students, many of them showed their best side during distance learning, and for some, it was an excellent reason to improve their grades thanks to self-discipline and perseverance!