Білім айнасы газеті Республикалық газет Aitzhanova Zh.R.,
JSC NCPD «Orleu»,
Nur Sultan
Education is the most urgent problem of a person who thinks about the future, about his development, both in the professional direction and in raising the level of knowledge on interesting topics. With the advent of the era of digital technology, which is an inexhaustible source of information and knowledge, the situation in the education system has radically changed. In the age of information technology, information support for the education system cannot be limited to such sources as teachers, textbooks, educational or reference materials, and the media.
Given that professional knowledge is aging very quickly, they need to be constantly improved. The development of the global computer network Internet has opened up new prospects for improving the global education system. Traditional teaching methods are complemented by new teaching methods based on the use of the Internet, electronic computer networks and telecommunication devices.
At present, distance learning has become a global phenomenon of educational and information culture, changing the face of education in many countries of the world. Distance learning has a positive effect on students, as It increases the creative and intellectual potential of the student through self-organization, the ability to interact with computer equipment and independently perform tasks, and the acquired computer skills and the ability to learn remotely help students in further socialization.
Distance learning opens up new possibilities, significantly expands both the information space and the information field of education, and it is also economically viable.
The concept of distance learning came to us, like many others from the West. Distance learning is the interaction of a teacher and students at a distance, which reflects all the components of the educational process: goals, content, methods, organizational forms, learning tools that are implemented using certain Internet technologies or other means of interactivity. The essence of distance learning is that it is an independent form of learning. Distance learning information technology is a leading tool [1].
Nowadays in the Republic of Kazakhstan people are faced with distance learning. For some educational institutions this experience is not new: from the 1st of January 2019 correspondence course in institutions and universities has been replaced with distance learning. Students who entered educational institutions in 2018 are able to finish their correspondence studies.
This year, due to the world pandemic, from the beginning of the forth term of the academic year all secondary schools in our republic have switched to distance learning. In the case of institutions and universities abolishing correspondence studies and switching to distance learning are aimed at the quality of received knowledge and improving the quality of higher education. According to the Vice-Minister of education and science of the Republic of Kazakhstan students who study at correspondence courses master only 65 percent of the total volume of the full-time program [2].
In April of 2020 the question of distance learning affected all educational institutions in our country. The organization of distance learning in schools was especially challenging. Firstly, this experience is unique in the system of secondary education. Secondly, there is lack of practical knowledge and skills, lack of resources, and, of course, some uncertainty. Thirdly, children, their parents and teachers were not ready to learn and teach in such format.
But despite the difficulties we faced during the transition to distance learning everything is going well. The Ministry of Education and Science, the Department of Education, the National Center for Professional Development «Orleu», the Center for Educational Modernization, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, the Center of Excellence, and Astana Daryny organize and hold various courses, workshops and webinars to help teachers to adjust to the new reality. Different educational organizations and institutions hold a great number of online professional contests for teachers and online Olympiads in all school subjects and entertaining contests for learners (the best video-presentation, the best composition, the best picture, the best song performance, the best poem performance, the best project, different challenges in ecology and environmental issues).
On the 2nd and 3rd of April explanatory lessons and parents’ meetings were held throughout the country where teachers and class supervisors introduced children and their parents to the concept of distance learning, the rules and the process of this unusual kind of learning.
The Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the order #135 dated 8 April 2020, where he covers methodological recommendations on the organization of distance learning. According to this document distance learning is held through [3]:
— lessons on television;
— the Internet platforms;
— tasks by postal system.
The first way of distance education is watching lessons on TV. Teachers from the whole republic take active part in recording these lessons. TV school has 2-5 lessons five days a week in the Kazakh (Balapan channel) and Russian languages (El-Arna channel). The duration of each lesson is ten minutes.
The second way of learning is the Internet platforms. To implement distance learning in Kazakhstan, online platforms are used that allow teachers to keep in touch with learners. The main educational platforms that are used in educational institutions of Kazakhstan are [4]:
- the Kundelik platform serves as the main platform for publishing educational materials, tracking student and parent activity, and providing feedback;
- platforms for video conferences “Zoom”, “Microsoft Teams”;
- educational platforms, such as Bilimland, Google Classroom;
- various messengers are used to advise students and parents.
And, if teachers and learners live in remote places where the connection to the Internet is very poor, teachers send different activities to their learners by postal system.
In paragraph 12 of “The methodical recommendations” we can see how to organize a distance learning lesson:
- Determine the topic and type of a lesson;
- Work out the organizational model of the lesson.
- Define a list of learning tools and materials.
- Ensure that educational materials are available to every learner (through email, messengers, social networks, the Internet platforms);
- Use various informational learning materials (texts, presentations, graphics, media, drawings, tables, infographics, etc.).
- Apply various methods to organize lessons;
- Allow learners to view the TV / video lesson at any time;
- Provide learners with tasks for self-study and completion;
- Organize feedback with learners [3].
All lessons must follow the curriculum in accordance with state standards and meet learning objectives. The lessons should consist of a theme, lesson objectives, two-three activities or questions on previous themes, explanation of a new theme, some exercises for fixing new material, and reflection. Teachers can use textbooks as well as methodological and multimedia material in the form of digital educational resources, and even prepared lesson plans and presentations covering all school subjects.
Teachers work out special algorithms for learners’ independent work for every lesson and attach them to electronic class register. Learners enter their personal account and do the tasks. After that they attach the done activities to electronic diary (email, messengers) and send to a teacher. Teachers check learners’ works and provide feedback to them through electronic class register, the Internet platforms, and messengers.
Class supervisors regularly tell learners and their parents about learning results through available messengers. Teachers get the done exercises by learners, check these works, correct if necessary, comment and provide recommendations through electronic class register, the Internet platforms, messengers.
Distance education tends to be flexible and more affordable than full time study. It’s useful for a range of people when it comes to teacher education. Those who are just beginning to study teaching, those who want to continue their professional development and those who must familiarize themselves with a changing curriculum can all benefit. This is important, since teachers need an ever-changing set of skills, knowledge and competencies in the context of fast-developing world nowadays.
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