Translator: Yura Ganjalyan
Distance Teaching has the following definition in Wikipedia: It is a mode of delivering education and instruction, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a classroom. Nowadays the method of applying distance learning is closely connected with the development of new technologies, the Internet, media education. It is an indisputable fact that the Internet has become a wonderful means to create a virtual educational environment. Media education opens new prospects for the development of distance learning, and the Internet alters the ways of learning. Distance learning gives the learners a chance to acquire new skills and qualifications, as well as make progress in new directions. Thanks to distance learning people of all ages have an opportunity to get education and, consequently get certificates, diplomas and different degrees.
Our Educomplex is also making its first steps in distance learning. I have been working with the extra-mural students of our pedagogical college with the method of distance learning for a few years. I have to confess that I don’t know these students in face (and that is not important), but we have established warm working relationships. Our students are people of different ages, who work at educational institutions, nursery schools, schools in Yerevan and in the regions of Armenia. At the beginning of the school year our office clerk opened e-mail accounts for all the students, today our distance learning is realized with these e-mail addresses. So besides acquiring knowledge in their specialty they also make their first steps in computer literacy: typing, copying and pasting, managing e-mails, getting necessary information on the Internet. The first term tasks in Speech Culture were compiled with the intention to develop and stimulate the students’ creative thinking, improve the literacy level, enrich their vocabulary as well as to promote their pedagogical knowledge and skills. There was an active correspondence between me and the students. They sent me the completed tasks and sometimes they sent me additional e-mail letters in which they were inquiring whether I had received their completed tasks or not. These letters speak very well of the students making their first steps in electronic communication. I have published some students’ works, the most successful ones, in my blog. They have been informed of it and I think that it will encourage them to work better and more actively.
We need to apply new ways of developing distance learning in 2014. Correspondence with e-mails may be replaced with creation and usage of personal blogs. Running personal blogs will develop and deepen the students’ computer knowledge and skills.The blog is a wider virtual area for extra-mural students and they will have a new opportunity for self-expression.