Independent work in the area of distance education: a study of university students' opinions

Abstract

The article shows the results of a study of university students' opinions about independent work in the area of distance education during martial law in the country. The basis of the study is a questionnaire designed to identify students' opinions and attitudes towards independent work as an individual research form of educational activity. The basis for the research and development of the questionnaire is the scientific and educational principles of the concept "independent work". We have found out that this definition is understood by most scholars as a cognitive activity aimed at self-education and achievement of personally significant goals, is based on independence as a personality trait, and contributes to the formation of self-education skills. However, modern students do not always interpret independent work as an individual research educational activity. The questionnaire focused the respondents' attention on the relevance of independent work and emphasised the importance of this component in distance learning while encouraging students to analyse their own preferences and choose qualities that are important for personal motivation. In addition to the research work, the questionnaire provided an educational goal and self-improvement in terms of understanding the need for independent work as a personal value-oriented activity of the student. To analyse the results, conventional levels were used: high-level choices show an understanding of the relevance and importance of the proposed types of independent work; medium-level choices determine the prospect of strengthening motivation for independent work; low-level choices show the need to develop students' motivation for independent work, to form the need for individual independent work. The analysis of the questionnaire results confirmed the predicted tendency: students more or less understand the essence and importance of independent work and have not thought about this aspect in terms of themselves. Thus, the analysis of students' opinions revealed the need to update distance learning methods in order to stimulate students' motivation to work independently to help them acquire professional competences in the higher education system.