Benefits and risks of switching to distance learning in a pandemic

Abstract

Introduction. The need to maintain social isolation in the spread of COVID-19 required educational organizations to implement accelerated measures to introduce distance learning. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of adaptation of students from Russian universities to new educational practices, the benefits and risks of distance learning in the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. The study was conducted from May to early July 2020 in the form of a questionnaire survey of senior students of the full-time and part-time modes of study at the Russian State Social University (N=146; girls – 58.9%, boys – 41.1%). Results. The results of the study show the success of students’ adaptation to distance learning; most of the respondents did not experience any difficulties in organizing the educational process remotely. Students’ problems relate to a change in the format of interaction with a teacher, an increase in the teaching load, an insufficient level of material-and-technical equipment of the workplace. The results of the study showed that in the context of distance learning, the emphasis in the teacher’s work shifted onto the demonstration of videos (27.4%). Only 9.6% of the respondents indicated that the teacher used business games at lessons; 5.5% – virtual reality technologies; presentations were mentioned by 1.4% of the respondents. Lack of “live communication” with the teacher, poor quality of feedback with him/her, decreased motivation and interest in learning are the key limitations of distance learning effectiveness. Students’ interest in distance learning is determined by such parameters as the teacher’s charisma (79.5%), his/her ability to keep the listeners’ attention (57.5%), the level of use of digital innovative technologies (72.6%). Conclusions. According to the research results, the authors come to the conclusion that the compensators of the identified problems can be: the widespread use of information and communication technologies in the educational process, increasing the level of interactivity of the lessons, flexibility and an individual approach in organizing training, the teacher’s personal interest, support for student feedback.