Training foreign language teachers to implement blended learning technologies

Abstract

The article studies the requirements that a future English teacher must meet according to the higher education federal educational state standards in the sphere of the graduate’s readiness to employ information and communication technology in their professional career; the gap between these requirements and educational results is shown. The author comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to include the questions connected with the usage of digital technologies into the course of methodology or design the corresponding elective courses for students. The author analyzes the terms from scientific literature which suppose the Internet usage in the educational process: digitalization, information and communication technologies, e-learning, distant learning, blended learning. The blended learning models are presented in the article; the most efficient blended learning model for bachelor full-time students is described. The article describes the elective course «Educational Internet resources in language teaching» that was based on this research. The article contains the description of the course as well as face-to-face and distant work aimed at the course acquisition; the examples of tasks for students to accomplish at seminars and work independently are given; the optimum correlation between direct input activities and independent learning via the learning management system Moodle or on the Internet in these terms and conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic is suggested. The advantages of blended learning are considered on the basis of the course piloting at pedagogical university. At the end of the article the conclusion about the necessity to prepare graduates for work at a new digital school is drawn.