Problems and prospects of e-learning. Prospects for the development of distance learning in the world and in Russia Designate the prospects for e-learning forms methods control

13.07.2020

Prospects and problems of e-learning development

Saifullina D.Kh., computer science teacher

MOU secondary school No. 54, Ufa

We live in a new era where our lives are becoming increasingly dependent on information technology. Many of the changes taking place in our world are connected precisely with the emergence and development of information technology. And education is no exception. If we evaluate the most significant changes that have taken place over the past ten years in the educational industry, then most of them are associated with the widespread introduction of information and telecommunication technologies in the educational process.

In modern conditions, children from the very early age are developing in a new information environment: television, the Internet, computer programs. The computer has become an indispensable assistant in study, work and leisure, has simplified the search for and obtaining the necessary and timely information, communication between people, has accelerated decision-making. And traditional teaching methods and tools are losing their significance and are insufficient to meet the increased requirements for the level of graduate training. high school. The high rates of scientific and technological progress lead to the rapid obsolescence of the knowledge of specialists. And thus, modern man you just need to constantly update your knowledge, search and find the necessary information to solve certain problems, use a variety of sources of information to solve your problems, constantly acquire additional knowledge. And this makes it necessary to continue the educational process for them throughout the entire active period of life. But the nuance is that the learning process itself in this case should be carried out without interruption from the main work, and not create problems in production.

It is also no secret that in some schools (especially in small towns and villages) there are not enough qualified teachers, and the level of education does not always meet the requirements that will then be presented to their graduates entering universities. And many simply need to fill these gaps in knowledge on their own. And for this, along with printed educational materials, electronic resources are needed, the use of which significantly speeds up the process of finding the necessary information, expands the choice of information sources.

The intensive processes of the formation of a new educational form, which is replacing the classical one, are also associated with the development of information technologies. It is based on a change in fundamental ideas about a person and his development through education. The traditional form of education begins to lose its significance, because. it does not take into account the growing need for continuous human development in a dynamically changing modern world.

The response to the increased demands on the education system was the emergence of the concept of open education. The global goal of open education is to prepare students for full and effective participation in the public and professional fields in the information society. The implementation of the principles of open education leads to qualitative changes in all elements of the pedagogical system, including the nature of knowledge itself, the forms and methods of organizing education, the role of teachers and students in the educational process.

Consequently, e-learning technologies are becoming increasingly popular today. Of course, the Internet played a decisive role in its development. An acute shortage of time forces us to use any free minute to gain new knowledge: a break at work, evening hours, weekends and holidays, so people are increasingly turning to “non-traditional” pedagogical methods, purchasing training programs based on CD-ROM, popular science videos, mastering the principles of e-learning via the Internet.

Schematically, the stages of development of learning using computer technology can be represented as follows:

1) courses based on CD-ROM;

2) distance learning;

Additional professional education, implemented through e-learning, is in demand for many social groups population.

What is its advantage?

E-learning provides an opportunity to increase productivity, reduce the cost of face-to-face classes, improve the process of knowledge sharing, improve the quality of knowledge and minimize training costs. It makes it possible to study for people without restrictions on age, status, and people for some reason or complexes who have lost the desire to study in public places.

As well as specialists who need to improve their skills, seeking to find or change a profession on the job, people with disabilities, who can use e-learning tools to receive education without leaving their homes. With the help of comprehensive e-learning programs, young mothers on maternity leave, employees of industrial enterprises working in shifts, contract servicemen, people who were in such remote places, schoolchildren from small villages, etc. can acquire a new specialty.

In addition to solving its primary task - distance learning via the Internet - e-Learning is also an excellent complement to face-to-face learning and can serve as a good help to improve the quality and effectiveness of traditional learning. Thanks to e-learning, many people will start a new life, discovering new opportunities for themselves. This will help people develop comprehensively, using their free time purposefully, try themselves in various areas. E-learning in schools will enable students who missed classes due to illness or other reasons, as well as during the introduced quarantine in schools, to study the material on their own, and thereby prevent falling behind in curriculum. Children who wish to study some subjects in more depth can be offered an additional electronic learning option.

Today in Russia, the demand for online learning is growing, but there are also a number of specific problems.

The biggest problem will be big difference in the level of trainees. Insufficiently prepared learners stop learning the material or simply quit. At the same time, it is still necessary to develop a flexible assessment system that would take into account the level of training of students.
Of course, the teacher, using e-learning technologies, can train a larger number of students. But at the same time, we must not forget that in the traditional face-to-face learning process, the teacher has the necessary feedback immediately, reacts to it, in which case, restructuring the educational material, has the opportunity to make this material more accessible in front of the students. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that e-learning courses are of high quality and are constantly updated.

Obviously, e-learning is not a temporary hobby, so today you need to start thinking about a comprehensive solution to these problems. It is likely that online courses will become very popular, both as a primary source of knowledge and as a supplement. However, one thing is certain: online learning offers incredible opportunities for schools to reimagine the learning process, attract more people who want to learn, and slow down the rise in the cost and quality of education.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the development of information technologies, in addition to the obvious benefits, also brings harm, giving rise to a set of interrelated problems, for the solution of which something has to be sacrificed. Despite all these pluses and minuses, we hope that we will still be able to find that golden mean for effective and high-quality education of our population, which will allow us to keep up with the times ...

Literature:

Pavlov A.P. New information technologies in higher education in the USA and Russia // Information technologies and education - M., 1996 - p. 64-82.
Suvorov A.E. Telecommunication systems, computer networks and the Internet. - Rostov-on-Don, Phoenix, 2007.-387 p.
Stroganov M.P. Information networks and telecommunications. M.: Higher school, 2008.
E-learning: tools and technologies / W. Horton, K. Horton, M: Kudish-obraz, 2006.
Open Education: Prerequisites, Problems, Development Trends / Edited by V.P. Tikhomirova // M: MESI Publishing House, 2000.

Topic: E-learning: state, problems, prospects.

Kuramshina Gulnaz Khalilovna,

teacher primary school MOBU SOSH p. Starosubkhangulovo.

E-learning includes all forms of educational methods and tools, where the process of transferring knowledge and skills is provided by new electronic technologies, including computers and the Internet. E-learning processes include web learning, computer learning, learning through virtual environments and multimedia content - text, animation, streaming video and sound. E-learning includes more and more diverse forms, such as distance education, distance tutoring, classroom and extra-curricular activities, various types of collaboration, including with an instructor or interactive objects such as a blackboard.

The modern school relies in its work on the electronic environment in educational and managerial activities. In modern conditions of informatization of education, there is a process of earlier integration of computer technologies into the educational process of elementary school. One of the most important tasks modern teacher elementary school is the ability to organize professional activity in the conditions of the electronic educational environment. In accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard, the results of mastering the basic educational program of primary general education there should be skills in using information and communication technologies to solve cognitive problems; mastery of students in various ways of searching for information. Computer and information technology help primary school teachers in organizing the educational process. The use of ICT in the classroom primary school allows:

develop students' ability to navigate information flows the world around, master practical ways of working with information, develop skills that allow you to exchange information using modern technical means;
move from an explanatory and illustrative way of teaching to an active one, in which the child becomes an active subject learning activities. This contributes to the conscious assimilation of knowledge by students;
to activate the cognitive activity of students;
conduct lessons at a high aesthetic level (music, animation);
individually approach the student, applying multi-level tasks.

This technology is effective at any stage of the lesson: when explaining new material, when consolidating, at the stage of monitoring the assimilation of the material covered.

The intensive development of computer technology, and with it software, today makes very special demands on the training of teachers, both in practical and theoretical terms. After all, a teacher who is given to use multimedia tools in a lesson should not think that a miracle will happen with the advent of a computer and a projector in the classroom. There are no miracles in education, as in any practical field of activity. An effective tool in inept hands acquires the opposite properties, begins to interfere and confuse. When using a computer in a lesson, one should really be aware of the goal pursued and what means must be attracted to achieve it.

In my work, I try to make the most of ICT tools in the classroom and outside of school hours. For a better assimilation of the program material, training is necessary. Children are happy to work on electronic simulators in the Russian language, mathematics. Classes are exciting, children work out the necessary material in a relaxed atmosphere.

A lot of time is always spent by the teacher to prepare various tests, cards for diagnosing and monitoring students' knowledge. With the advent of computer technology, this work has ceased to cause problems, since you can print a test, scan a finished verification work. Texts control works are now on every child's desk.

A teacher who decides on the use of a computer in elementary school must feel where and in what way a computer can be useful. The computer is a good tool, but it affects health and nervous system child. An elementary school student should not work at a computer for more than 20 minutes. Therefore, you need to use these 20 minutes with the greatest efficiency. It is very important for the teacher to be able to choose the priorities of the education and development of the child at each age interval. The modern computer at school is becoming a learning tool, in which pedagogical capabilities exceed those of traditional means implementation of the educational process.

Modern software allows you to use both ready-made programs and those compiled by the teacher himself. To do this, it is not at all necessary to be a programmer, it is enough to own a computer at the user level. The teachers of our school use knowledge and skills in the field of information technology, develop presentations, didactic and teaching materials to support the lessons of the surrounding world, mathematics, the Russian language, and literary reading.

I believe that the use of a computer for teaching schoolchildren is a large area of manifestation creativity for everyone who wants and knows how to work, can understand today's children, their needs and interests, who loves children and gives himself to them. In order for students to be actively involved in the learning process, and not just passive spectators, I use the project method in my work. In the course of the project, schoolchildren learn to independently acquire knowledge, gain experience in cognitive and educational activities. Lesson-projects provide an opportunity to remove overload from younger students. The method of projects in elementary school requires the integration of students' knowledge in various subject areas: music, the environment, fine arts, literary reading, local history, ecology, technology, and the Russian language. At various lessons and independently at home or in extracurricular activities, tasks are performed that are proposed by the teacher or invented by the students themselves. These can be observations of the world around, and drawing what they see, and compiling stories, riddles, poems, and performing application work. The project gives students the experience of searching for information, the practical application of self-learning, self-development, self-realization and self-analysis of their activities. Projects are aimed at collecting information about any object, its analysis, generalization. To this type of project, we attributed the work "Forest Dangers", in which students collected interesting materials about the dangers that lie in wait in the forest and give advice on how to avoid these dangers.

Presentation lessons are interesting and dynamic, when the entire course of the lesson is presented in the form of slides. This is both an explanation of new material and a consolidation of what has been covered. Children look forward to the lessons of the Russian language and mathematics, literary reading and fine arts if there is a computer at the lesson.

Together with students, I actively introduce information technology in preparation for various extracurricular activities and holidays. cool watch, parent meetings, matinees cannot do without a computer: presentations, slides, karaoke songs, watching cartoons and movie fragments.

The use of ICT allows you to create an emotional mood and develop emotional interest to the subject, organize independent work of students, implement a differentiated approach, develop the creative potential of students, logical thinking, self-control skills, provide students with educational and methodological materials, didactic and distributing teaching aids and knowledge control.

In the future, I plan to continue work on the accumulation of material, on the development and improvement of the methodology for introducing Information Technology, the search for optimal methods and forms of their implementation.

Thank you for your attention!

Zagorodnaya Elena

E-learning develops innovation

"E-learning technologies: reality and prospects" - an international conference on this topic was held on October 15-16 in the Moscow state university Economics, Statistics and Informatics (MESI). The event brought together leading experts in the field of educational policy, representatives of major companies, rectors of universities in Russia and the CIS countries.

The use of e-learning technologies in Russia has already moved into the working plane. However, domestic education still lags far behind many in this area. foreign countries. This is largely due to the lack of active state support. In this regard, the experience of France is indicative. In terms of the development of the Internet, the country occupied one of the leading places, but in terms of its use in social life- one of the last. With the support of the French government, a project was implemented during which 100% of the training materials were transferred to electronic form. According to the results of an official experiment conducted in the country, the use of electronic courses provided the same level of learning, regardless of the initial level of the student and the social status of his parents.

Electronic Abroad

The project manager of the Finnish Online University of Applied Sciences Teija Lehto spoke about the experience of using e-learning in Finland. The country has a Single Identity Federation, thanks to which students have a single login and password for free access to electronic courses of Finnish universities. In particular, the Finnish Online University of Applied Sciences has a database of more than 680 courses. Ms. Lehto admitted that she is interested in organizing a joint exchange of electronic courses between Russian and Finnish students. In Europe, she noted, they are ready to cooperate with Russian electronic universities. “I see that e-learning in Russia is developing dynamically. You have been doing this for several years and therefore are already a reliable partner. I assess MESI as a modern European university.”

One of the world leaders in the use of information technology in education is currently the Republic of Korea. In January 2004, a law on the development of the e-learning industry was issued in the country, and today e-learning acts as a catalyst for all educational innovations. “E-learning goes beyond technology and benefits. We are already dealing with u-learning – all-pervading e-learning,” said Dr. Dae-jun Hwan, ex-president of the Korea Information Service for Education and Research (KERIS), at the conference. Today, Korea holds 5.9% of the global e-learning market. For comparison: the share of the USA is 79%, the EU - 16%, Japan - 5.5%. 100% of Korean schools are connected to the Internet. In primary and high school the Cyber-House project was implemented (almost 3.5 million listeners). 970 institutions in Korea (5.1% of all educational institutions) use e-learning "in its purest form" in teaching. 21% of all corporate training in the country (more than 1 million students) is implemented through the use of e-learning. According to research results, 61.7% of students are satisfied with the training.

Learn by comparison

On the this moment Great Britain occupies the first place in Europe in the implementation of e-learning: 60.2% of teachers use computers in the classroom. In general, in Europe this figure is about 40%. In Russia, according to research results Microsoft, Windows is used by 80.1% of teachers in their activities. 73% of respondents feel the need to use ICT. 74.9% of respondents believe that ICT increases the effectiveness of learning. Students state the following: “Only 14% of my teachers allow me to create something new with the help of technology, 63% never do this.”

At the same time, simply adding technology to classical education does not make a revolution. “We need deep integration in all areas: we need a new pedagogy, a transformation of people, methods, organization of the educational process,” said Alexander Khvilon, Vice-Rector for Coordination of International Projects at MESI.

What else hinders the development of e-learning in our country? According to the conference participants, this is the lack of content and a regulatory framework for e-learning quality assessment. Another important circumstance is the necessary investments. The average initial investment for the introduction of e-learning is 100 billion rubles. Creating one course costs 0.9 million rubles and takes more than 100 hours. To reduce costs, speed up the implementation process, use the accumulated and enriched experience, ready-made solutions allow: electronic courses, turnkey electronic universities, connection of library automation systems. The mass dissemination of knowledge is facilitated by the idea of turning universities into knowledge parks, according to which only 30% of the income of universities comes from educational activities, and 70% from knowledge created for further advancement. The knowledge park has existed at MESI for 3 years. “The knowledge management system of the second version and Web 2.0 technologies implemented at the university open up the possibility of generating knowledge for small, medium and partly for large businesses,” said Vladimir Tikhomirov, scientific director of MESI.

Employers' Needs

Russian business needs specialists who are able to carry out continuous self-education - this was the conclusion of the conference participants. The shortage of personnel in the field of IC was noted by the executive director of the Association of Computer and Information Technology Enterprises (APKIT) Nikolai Komlev. “In the Russian IT sector, 1 million people are employed - 1.3% of the able-bodied population. For comparison: in the USA - 3.8%, in Germany - 3.4%. According to the APKIT study, universities meet the demand for personnel by less than 40%. It is necessary to train and improve the skills of specialists in the workplace. However, it is impossible to put even half of the working contingent at desks. The only possible solution is the use of e-learning technologies. They make it possible to learn autonomously and at your own pace, take into account individual needs when developing content and quickly (within 1-2 hours) correct it. “This becomes especially relevant in an era when business is carried out “at the speed of thought,” said Vladimir Tikhomirov. “Information technology has revolutionized not only business, but also education, developing most effectively in adult education.” The philosophy of lifelong learning is being continued in the e-life-long-learning format and requires the formation of a new science of adult education - electronic andragogy.

Summing up the results of the conference, the participants came to the conclusion that it is necessary to change the procedure for licensing Russian universities that use e-learning. Development requires modern methods and means of e-pedagogics. Web 2.0 technologies, knowledge management technologies, social networks. The problem of integration is acute Russian education in the global educational space. This requires connection to international university networks, creation of open international educational resources. The solution of these issues requires joint and coordinated actions of the authorities, the education system, the business community, and the public.

"E-learning: experience, problems and prospects"

Norova Larisa Anatolyevna, educator, MBDOU, Pervomaisky village, Sterlibashevsky district,larisa. norova@ mail. en

Currently, an active process of informatization of preschool educational institutions is underway, as our society is rapidly developing in the direction of the transition to an information society, in which information resources play a key role. An effective mechanism for improving the quality of education, upbringing, and management of preschool educational institutions is the introduction of modern information educational technologies, including the use of the latest electronic educational resources.
Informatization of preschool educational institutions - the process of providing preschool educational institutions with methodology and practice of development and optimal use modern means ICT, focused on the implementation of the psychological and pedagogical goals of training, education and their use in management activities.Informatization of education in Russia is one of the most important mechanisms affecting all the main areas of modernization of the educational system. Its main task is the effective use of the following most important advantages of information and communication technologies:

the possibility of organizing a learning process that supports an active approach to the educational process;

individualization of the educational process while maintaining its integrity;

creation of an effective management system for information and methodological support of education.

The key areas of the DOE informatization process are:

1. Organizational:

modernization of the methodological service;

improvement of the material and technical base;

creation of a certain information environment.

2. Pedagogical:

improving ICT - the competence of preschool teachers;

introduction of ICT in the educational space.

I want to consider the use of e-learning in the educational process.

The educational process includes:

organization of immediate educational activities pupil,

organization of joint developmental activities of the teacher and children,

project implementation,

creation of a developing environment (games, manuals, didactic materials).

Visual-figurative thinking prevails in preschool children. The main principle in organizing the activities of children of this age is the principle of visibility. The use of a variety of illustrative material, both static and dynamic, allows you to quickly achieve the intended goal during direct educational activities and joint activities with children. The use of Internet resources makes it possible to make the educational process informative, entertaining and comfortable.

In our DOE we useonly one computer as an “electronic board.” At the preparation stage, electronic and information resources are analyzed, the necessary material is selected for conducting the OOD. Sometimes it's very hard to find necessary materials to explain the topic of the lesson, so presentation materials are created using Power Point or other programs.

To conduct such classes, one personal computer (laptop), speakers is used. The use of presentations makes it possible to make the OOD emotionally colored, interesting, they are an excellent visual aid and demonstration material, which contributes to the good performance of the OOD.

We also often arrange for children to watch educational animated films. Watching cartoons relevant to the topic (for example, PB, traffic rules, rules of conduct on the water, prevention of terrorism, etc.) contributes to the speedy consolidation of knowledge and skills in preschool children. In April 2018, the Week of Ecology was held in our preschool educational institution, within the framework of which the OOD was carried out on the topic "Separate collection of hazardous waste in the Republic of Bashkortostan". The use of ICT has been the basis for conducting OOD.

In conducting OOD with children with disabilities, we use games from the Mercibo website https://mersibo.ru/ . A very large collection of educational and educational games is presented for children with disabilities and children with normal development. Teachers, for advanced training, have the opportunity to receive free training on the same site. This is very conducive to raising the level of e-learning for both children and educators.

The use of ICT in the process of teaching children (in my opinion) has the following advantages:

1. Implementation of polysensory perception of the material;

2. The possibility of demonstrating various objects with the help of a projector and a projection screen in a multiply enlarged form;

3. Combining audio, video and animation effects into a single presentation

helps to compensate for the amount of information received by children;

4. The ability to demonstrate objects that are more accessible to the perception of the preserved

sensory system;

5. Activation of visual functions, visual abilities of the child;

6. Movements, sound, animation attract children's attention for a long time and promote

increase their interest in the material being studied. High class dynamics

contributes to the effective assimilation of the material, the development of memory, imagination,

children's creativity.

7. Provides visibility that promotes perception and better memorization

material, which is very important, given the visual-figurative thinking of preschool children

age. This includes three types of memory: visual, auditory, motor.

8. Slideshow and video clips allow you to show those moments from the outside world,

which are difficult to observe: for example, the growth of a flower, the rotation of the planets

around the sun, the movement of the waves, now it's raining.

9. You can also simulate such life situations which are impossible or difficult

show and see in everyday life (for example, reproduction of the sounds of nature;

transport operation, etc.).

10. ICT is an additional opportunity to work with children with disabilities

capabilities.

It is convenient to use computer presentation slide films to display information in the form of printouts in large print on a printer as a handout for classes with preschoolers.

With all the same advantages of using e-education in preschool education The following problems also arise:

Recognizing that the computer is a powerful new tool for the development of children, it is necessary

remember the commandment "DO NO HARM!". The use of e-education in preschool institutions requires careful organization of both the OODs themselves and the entire regime as a whole in accordance with the age of the children and the requirements of the Sanitary Rules.

During the operation of computers and interactive equipment, specific conditions are created in the room: humidity decreases, air temperature rises, the amount of heavy ions increases, and electrostatic voltage increases in the area of children's hands. The intensity of the electrostatic field increases when the cabinet is finished with polymeric materials. The floor must be anti-static, and carpets and rugs are not allowed.

To maintain an optimal microclimate, prevent the accumulation of static electricity and the deterioration of the chemical and ionic composition of the air, it is necessary: airing the office before and after classes, wet cleaning before and after classes. Lessons

with older preschoolers we conduct once a week in subgroups. In his work, the teacher must necessarily use sets of exercises for the eyes.

The use of e-learning in preschool educational institutions requires large financial investments. We do not currently have such funding at the preschool educational institution, so we use only one monitor. This makes it very difficult to fully implement e-learning, and this is our main problem - the lack of financial support. Hopefully the situation will improve soon.

It is undeniable that in modern education The computer does not solve all problems, it remains only a multifunctional technical learning tool. Equally important are modern pedagogical technologies and innovations in the learning process, which allow not only to “invest” in each child a certain amount of knowledge, but, first of all, to create conditions for the manifestation of his cognitive activity.

Information technologies, together with properly selected (or designed) learning technologies, create the necessary level of quality, variability, differentiation and individualization of education and upbringing.

The use of information technologies in education makes it possible to significantly enrich, qualitatively update the educational process in distance education and increase its efficiency.

List of used literature .

1. Management of innovative processes in preschool educational institutions. - M., Sphere, 2008
2. Gorvits Yu., Pozdnyak L. Who should work with a computer in kindergarten. Preschool education, 1991, No. 5
3. Kalinina T.V. DOE management. "New information technologies in preschool childhood". M, Sphere, 2008
4. Ksenzova G.Yu. Promising school technologies: educational - Toolkit. - M.: Pedagogical Society of Russia, 2000
5. Motorin V. "Educational opportunities computer games". Preschool education, 2000, No. 11
6. Novoselova S.L. The computer world of a preschooler. Moscow: New School, 1997

distance learning, or rather, e-learning (from the generally accepted term e-learning; in fact, the concepts of distance learning and e-learning are not equivalent, but in Russia they are usually interpreted in the same way, so we will not violate traditions) occupies modern system learning strong positions, organically complementing face-to-face training and a variety of face-to-face trainings and courses. E-learning is actively used both in educational institutions and in enterprises and, according to IDC, in terms of popularity, it will soon catch up with face-to-face. The world's leading analytical companies predict a great future for it and argue that the global market for distance learning systems is a source of great opportunities for sellers and investors. In the best higher educational institutions of the world, e-learning centers have been created that allow you to complete distance learning with obtaining an appropriate diploma; corporate training centers of companies and government agencies are actively developing, and the annual income in the e-learning market in a number of countries is already in the billions.

Such a great interest in e-learning is explained quite simply. In the last decade, there have been significant changes in the labor market: the requirements for personnel have increased, IT technologies have begun to be widely introduced into almost all areas of activity, and the personnel themselves have become more mobile. Such changes have necessitated the creation of conditions for continuous, fast, flexible, and at the same time high-quality training of personnel, and since traditional training systems are not able to meet these needs, a search for alternative systems was required.

The main advantages of e-learning in comparison with traditional face-to-face education

The basis of the educational process in distance learning is a purposeful and controlled intensive independent work a student who can independently determine the sequence of mastering subjects, study in a place convenient for himself, at an individual speed, and in some cases at a convenient time for himself. Therefore, the main advantage of e-learning should be considered a certain freedom in terms of location, time of study and its pace, which makes distance learning attractive for those users who, for one reason or another, do not have the opportunity to study full-time, but want to improve their educational level.

One of the most important advantages of e-learning is the lower cost of education, which, according to Cedar Group, is 32-45% lower on average. In exceptional situations, there is an even more impressive decrease in the cost - in this sense, the calculations of the specialists of the corporate training center REDCENTER are of interest. Taking as a basis a certain conditional company with a total staff of 280 employees, 80 of which are subject to training, REDCENTER specialists made calculations and came to the conclusion that, if properly organized, distance learning can cost a company seven times cheaper than attending full-time courses on similar topics (Fig. . one). Therefore, it is not surprising that companies are increasingly choosing this training option as a priority for staff development. This moment is also important when receiving education in a higher educational institution - if paying for traditional full-time education on a commercial basis is not affordable. True, the lower cost of distance learning should not be considered the main argument in its favor when receiving a basic education at an academic university. The fact is that not every student, due to their personal characteristics, is able to receive distance education: there is a certain percentage of people for whom the only possible way of perceiving educational material is the classroom form of education, and someone may simply not have enough discipline and perseverance in organizing self-study.

(source - REDCENTRE, 2005)

An important advantage of distance learning is its great efficiency - according to Cedar Group, the training time is reduced in this case by 35-45%, and the speed of memorizing the material increases by 15-25%. True, this advantage does not always work - it all depends on the material being studied and on the method of its presentation. For example, it is problematic to work out the correct pronunciation by studying foreign languages remotely and without sufficient conversational practice - if the grammar of a language can be mastered remotely, then face-to-face communication is necessary to master oral speech. In addition, many specialists, including the rector of the IT Academy Igor Morozov, pay attention to the fact that greater learning efficiency can be achieved only "with careful consideration of such factors as the structure of the course and the method of presenting the studied material."

Online learning improves the quality of education through the widespread use of world educational resources and an increase in the share of self-learning of the material, the latter being especially important, since it gradually ensures the development of such qualities as independence, responsibility, organization and the ability to realistically assess one’s strengths and make informed decisions, without what a successful career is unthinkable. In addition, according to Vladimir Tikhomirov (Chairman of the Expert Advisory Council on e-learning, open education and the introduction of new educational technologies under the Committee on Education and Science of the State Duma Russian Federation), e-learning automatically leads to "early mastery of skills in the use of information and communication technologies, which allows in the future to significantly increase the efficiency of using knowledge in the economy."

We must not forget that distance learning is the only way to get an education for those who, for a number of reasons (lack of time, the need to combine study with work, geographical distance from the university, etc.) cannot study in the usual full-time way.

In general, according to Igor Morozov, distance learning is most relevant in those cases "when the task is to train a large number of employees of a certain organization in a minimum period of time, and the organization itself has a geographically distributed structure and organizational changes are carried out quite often in it."

At the same time, distance learning and face-to-face learning should not be opposed to one another - they are different, but complementary forms of education, between which "there is a fairly large area of mixed solutions that often turn out to be much more productive," says Igor Morozov. In practice, this means, for example, supplementing full-time basic education with the necessary online courses or using a combined form of education, in which a part of the theoretical material that is more accessible for self-study is studied by the student remotely, and practical work and the development of complex theoretical material take place in the classroom under the guidance of a teacher.

State support

UNESCO and government experts developed countries they agree that it is possible to meet the requirements of the information society for the level of people's qualifications only through the use of e-learning as a technology that orients students to a new style of education and develops their skills and abilities for further lifelong learning. Therefore, e-learning, which makes it possible to prepare the necessary personnel in the right quantity for society in the shortest time and at the lowest cost, has been recognized as a priority in the course of reforms. educational systems in such leading countries of the world as the USA, Great Britain, Canada, Germany, France, etc., and even at the UN level.

The latest report of the Commission on e-learning to the President and the US Congress lists the creation and development of educational Internet resources, the training of teachers and administrators of the educational process, and the development of high-quality e-learning content, among the main tasks, and $ 6 billion has been allocated for their implementation.

The final report of the European Commission on Education and Culture for 2004 noted that 77% of European universities already have the necessary technical solutions and appropriate faculty for e-learning, and for 65% of universities the development of e-learning is the most important priority of the present time.

The European Parliament adopted many decisions on e-learning issues, including the decision of 05.12.2003 No. 2318/2003 / EC on the adaptation of long-term programs in order to effectively integrate information and telecommunication technologies into educational European e-learning systems.

In the UN report on the state of e-learning in the countries included in European Union in 2004, a list of universities and training centers promoting e-learning solutions was contained, and opportunities for cooperation in this area were considered.

In Russia, the legal grounds for the introduction of distance learning are the laws “On Education”, “On Higher and Postgraduate Professional Education” and the order of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation dated December 18, 2002 No. 4452 “On Approval of the Methodology for Using Distance Educational Technologies (Distance Learning) educational institutions higher, secondary and additional vocational education Russian Federation".

Areas of use of distance learning

Today, distance learning firmly occupies its niche in the education market and it is possible to clearly identify areas where it is confidently positioned as an alternative to traditional education. Mostly we are talking about the corporate sphere and the field of education - in the first e-learning there is no equal in terms of initial training of company employees, their certification and advanced training, and in the second online training is attractive to applicants as a possible option for obtaining education.

Distance learning is becoming more and more widespread today in government structures, where it is indispensable for organizing and supporting a permanent system of continuous professional development of civil servants. Besides,

e-learning has gained recognition in a variety of training centers, specializing mainly in conducting online courses in the fields of information technology and business.

In companies, enterprises and government agencies, online training allows solving the issues of training and retraining of employees, which is especially important in the context of the introduction of new technologies, including information technologies, when training a large number of employees is often associated with significant costs. The relevance of e-learning increases even more if the company has remote branches, when the organization of traditional trainings on the ground not only increases the cost of training by almost an order of magnitude, but also turns out to be technically more difficult - if only because of the lack of the right specialists. In the public sector, in this sense, it is even more difficult - the remoteness of certain structures is the norm here, and with the introduction of any technology or innovation in one or even several areas at once, the corresponding retraining of employees can turn into an extremely costly task in terms of effort, money and time .

It is equally important for companies to maintain a certain level of competitiveness - after all, as Henri de Geyza (Living Book) very aptly said, "the ability to learn faster than competitors is the only source of competitive advantage over them." This circumstance also causes the emergence of a significant number of consumers of educational services interested in distance learning.

In addition, in a number of industries (especially in the service sector, in retail and wholesale trade) there is a high turnover of personnel, as a result of which companies constantly have many new employees who need to be trained, and the organization of ordinary trainings in this case will actually mean throwing money away.

In educational institutions and training centers, distance and blended forms of education make it possible to cover remote regions with training and reduce direct training costs.

The degree of popularity of online learning for various structures and in various fields is very different. In corporate business, a clear preference is given to online courses. Concerning higher education, then to obtain a bachelor's degree, most students prefer full-time, and remotely complete any additional courses. With further education, the percentage of those choosing online education increases, and with the development of both basic and additional disciplines (Sloan Consortium, 2005).

AT different areas there is an ambiguous attitude towards distance learning. At the moment, it is most in demand in the corporate sphere as a replacement for traditional trainings and in the field of education when studying individual courses. In addition, this training option is gaining more and more strong positions in the financial and IT sectors, in the retraining of civil servants, and in healthcare (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. The degree of popularity of e-learning in different areas
(Source: Sloan Consortium, 2005)

E-learning in the world

The development of the world distance learning market continues very actively, which is facilitated, on the one hand, by an increase in demand for educational services, and, on the other hand, by the development of information technologies and the growth in the number of Internet users.

The largest number of today's consumers of e-learning solutions is concentrated in the US and Canada, and among European countries - in the UK, followed by Germany, Italy and France. In the US, more than 200 universities and thousands of colleges offer distance learning, and the number of online courses is increasing by about 30-40% annually. Over 50 universities offer a variety of distance learning programs in the UK.

The number of online courses offered by other institutions and aimed at the corporate sector is growing even more rapidly. For example, according to a recent press release from British Telecom, this company alone offers over 1,700 e-learning programs for staff training.

The rise in popularity of e-learning is relatively stable. For example, in the US, according to the latest report from the Sloan Consortium, the vast majority of the higher education institutions surveyed confirmed an increase in the number of students taking one or more online courses. The number of school leaders who recognize the promise of online learning is also growing, although much more slowly - in the United States it increased from 48.8% to 56% in three years (Fig. 3), while the number of opponents remained virtually unchanged.

Rice. 3. The attitude of heads of educational institutions to the prospects of e-learning
(source - Sloan Consortium, 2005, %)

In total in the world, according to Brandon Hall (http://brandon-hall.com/), at the end of 2003 there were about 100 million listeners of various e-learning programs, and the total volume of the distance learning market amounted to $ 9 billion. By the end of 2005, the number of distance learners had grown to 130 million, and the total global e-learning market, according to preliminary estimates by Gartner, reached $33.6 billion.

At the same time, the US share occupies more than half of the market - approximately $ 18 billion (data from IDC). A significant market share is in Canada, but in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region (including Japan), the distance learning market is still in its infancy and is growing at an insignificant pace - for example, in Japan, according to IDC forecast, in 2005-2009 market growth will average 16.6% per year. For comparison: in the US corporate sector in medium-sized companies, the e-learning market grew by 30% in 2005, while the growth rate in large companies was close to 35%.

According to forecasts, the positive dynamics in the global e-learning market will continue in 2006 - according to Bersin & Associates, the volume of distance learning in 77% of companies will increase, while in the rest they will remain approximately at the same level. Growth will also continue in the education sector, although growth rates, according to some analysts, will slow down somewhat.

E-learning in Russia

we note once that it is impossible to name exact data characterizing the volume of the Russian distance learning market due to their absence. There are several reasons for this. First of all, this market is just beginning to form, so analytical companies do not take it into account and, therefore, do not conduct official research on it. And this market is not transparent either, since Russian companies operating there do not openly declare their income. Therefore, it will be necessary to judge the features of the development of the Russian e-learning market indirectly, by analyzing data from various sources.

The year 2004 can be considered a turning point for the development of distance learning in Russia, when significant successes in a number of projects became noticeable. In 2005, the positive dynamics of the development of the e-learning market continued, and at the moment remote training of personnel has been successfully implemented at such large enterprises as Russian Railways, SeverStal, Norilsk Nickel, RusAl, VimpelCom , UralSib, Svyazinvest, etc. Distance learning opportunities were used in the retraining of employees of the State Duma Federal Assembly Russian Federation, the Central Bank of Russia, Vneshtorgbank and a number of other organizations.

In 2005, Russia was able to draw attention to itself at the international level - October 14, 2005 International association ADL (Advanced Distributed Learning) officially announced the successful completion of tests of the domestic distance learning system SDT REDCLASS for compliance with the international standard SCORM 1.2. This standard is a worldwide recognized standard in the field of e-learning and is supported by almost all leading manufacturers of distance learning systems, and the REDCLASS SDT has become the first and so far the only one of the internationally certified Russian systems e-learning.

As noted in one of the ROCIT press releases, about 40% of universities in Russia currently provide the opportunity to receive education remotely. Leading Russian universities and large training centers (IT Academy, REDCENTRE, etc.) offer an increasing number of courses in various subject areas, an active process of localization of foreign content from leading suppliers is underway, and Russian distance courses are being developed.

However, the main factor hindering the development of the e-learning market, according to the rector of the IT Academy Igor Morozov, is still "the lack of good Russian-language electronic content, the need for which is very high among large companies." In addition, insufficiently developed infrastructure and cultural barriers are serious obstacles for the regions.

Estimate the total number of consumers distance courses in Russia does not allow the lack of data. We can only say that their number is growing quite rapidly. For example, in the Distance Business Learning System for Entrepreneurs (RBBS — a joint project of the National Business Partnership Alliance Media and the International Institute of Management LINK, http://businesslearning.ru/), growth rates in 2005 amounted to over 170%, and in total at the time of writing, almost 22 thousand students were registered in it (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. Change in the number of users in the RBSS system, in 2001-2005,
(source — SDBO, 2005)

Popularity Information distance education in the center and in the regions is very contradictory. For example, according to the data of the IT Academy for 2004, 64% (that is, the majority) of students studying remotely in this academy represented the regions, which is quite logical due to the independence of e-learning from the place of residence. At the same time, according to the latest RBSS data, it turns out that almost half of the students of this distance learning system live in Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Moscow region. True, and this can be explained by the greater possibilities of the center in terms of access to the Internet and greater awareness of the possibilities of e-learning.

The intensive growth of the IT market and the rapid introduction of information technologies in many areas, along with the readiness of enterprises for change, the lack of highly qualified personnel and the rather high educational needs of Russians, suggest high growth rates in the distance learning market. According to the forecasts of the IT Academy, an effective combination of traditional types of education and the latest developments in the field of IT will allow the distance learning market to take at least 30% of the total volume of education, and in some industries even up to 75%.

The most promising in terms of the introduction of e-learning should be considered the corporate sector, government agencies and retraining centers. The educational sector that unites higher education institutions is also quite interesting, though not for basic education (full-time education is preferable for this), but for the implementation of combined study options, when full-time students will study part of the subjects remotely. For obtaining basic education in Russian universities, the e-learning option is apparently not very promising so far, primarily due to a significant decrease in the number of applicants. In 2010, their number will be only 62% of the level of 2005, and it is not difficult to guess that the vast majority of applicants will prefer the familiar and long-justified option of full-time education.

Prospects for the development of e-learning

In the future, or rather by 2010, according to experts from the American Educational Research Association, two-thirds of all education will be carried out remotely. Most likely, this forecast should be considered too optimistic, but one thing is certain - e-learning has become a worthy alternative to the traditional one and in certain areas, primarily in corporate and government, it will be given clear preference, since this is the only way to quickly learn at minimal cost.

In the educational field, as well as in commercial training centers, e-learning will continue to complement the traditional face-to-face learning option, and in most cases, blended learning will remain the most appropriate, when some courses, depending on their specifics, are studied in a traditional way, while others are studied in a traditional way. remotely.