On the relevance of distance education

It ought to be noted that the timeliness of the distance education (DE) during the pandemic in the learning experiences of Azerbaijan is realistic in terms of DE specialized training facilities of the country based on the developed information-communication technologies (ICT). To all appearance, high level of educational network of the country is required (with due regard for interests of school and university teachers under the Ministry of Education (ME)); resources of the Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies (MTCHT) - (developed Internet-network in the country), as well as aspirations of students. https://www.astna.biz/ext/news/2018/10/free/pol-education/ru/390.htm

At present, politicians, experts and even ordinary citizens are engaged in foretelling our future life in the post COVID-19 period and guessing how the pandemic will affect our country’s education, medicine, trade, policy and economy as a whole. Regretfully, all progressive decisions in Azerbaijan by various branches (DE included) are made by immediate managers (heads of sectors, not decisions of appropriate institutions and experts, if any).

Account has to be taken of the fact that a teacher (a tutor abroad) is meant to know the simplest principles of the distance education in the learning process. This refers to the transition into "on-line" regime which is not a mere transformation of education into the virtual system of education but the modernization of country’s educational system through the world’s Internet-network (it is so easy, isn’t it?).

It should be remembered that tutors (DE teachers) are usually engaged in drawing up individual educational programs for schoolchildren, college and university students depending on subjects they learn, in the remote mode; true, not all teachers are capable of getting through the task. However, even despite our "traditional methods of teaching" and curriculums of the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan, we could have long done it (given the will).

As a matter of fact, the DE is neither E-mail, nor textbook pages.

It is fair to assume that the DE world experience revealed that despite changes in the education system and transition to the remote regime, learning process and teachers requirements tend to intensify abetted by mutual relation between pedagogics and digital communication in the form of Internet. Probably, the point is about extramural studies based on capacities of information technology and computer networks with their methods, philosophy and training technology.

https://www.cnews.ru/reviews/free/national2007/articles/remote_training.shtml

One has to admit that the studies of this sort abroad are like construction of a new building that requires scaffolding around a building under construction designed for schoolchildren or students. This is a really creative process with its various approaches to the communication of a teacher with schoolchildren or students; use of group and individual works and involvement into the learning process of all remote mode students (in terms of Internet resource).

It is worth pointing out that DE teachers, or tutors are set to specify their strategy of teaching and operate as barometer tactful to all inquiries of present-day schoolchildren and students and meant to improve the material in the remote regime (at a distance). Obviously, those willing to grasp the basics of the distance teaching must be aware of technical methods of curriculum studies through Internet network.

It has to be emphasized that teacher’s "on-line" responsibility is much higher than in terms of traditional teaching methods: teaching and learning process follows a new approach aimed at radical improvement of curriculum acquisition and methods of teaching.

A teacher should take into account that his pupils are not placed at a lecture hall and incapable of responding to all unintelligible questions (like traditional courses) or attend consultations weekly: DE time is limited (in "chat"- group conference-communication for tutor-led students).

It will suffice to mention that in terms of traditional teaching (at schoolrooms or lecture halls), a teacher is capable of responding and helping a student if the task is incorrectly formulated. That’s why all distance questions of the teacher are to be accurate and comprehensible from student’ (schoolboy’) standpoint and, hence, a matter suggested must be acquired. In all probability, we must formulate our curriculum, tasks and questions as if self-made/self-asked, i.е. simpler and clearer.

Confidence is required that students are effectively mastering teacher-suggested resources (references), not only their own views and arguments. As a matter of fact, the DE subject-matter comes down to views and opinions as set forth in DE technical resources while teachers, or tutors have to find ways for problem solution via coordination of teaching methods, new technologies and Internet.

Beyond any doubt, not all DE issues are resolvable within a year, for learning materials are suggested to students in a certain order but this is not to say that that these materials are effective for them in the remote regime. True, we dream of becoming best of teachers and our students most gifted.

It should be realized that in terms of the DE a particular responsibility lies with a student, or a schoolboy with raised requirements to mastering the learning material and, first of all, to developing network educational communication infrastructure technologies. Provided with all necessary learning materials (Internet references included) by each academic subject via E-mail on Web-site by means of mail, interactive communication, etc.), students must pass an exam (credit) over this academic subject. A student should learn not only teacher-suggested materials but also promptly react to all incomprehensible questions through his own methods of knowledge acquisition.

It must be borne in mind that students may find difficulties in their studies (technical included); however, these issues should be addressed with the help of philosophical, methodical and technical approaches to the matter. For example, which part is to be studied individually; what materials are to be learned in a group manner, for instance, in "chat". A student has to single out necessary resources to learn the task and avoid relying on teacher’s material only. https://monographies.ru/ru/book/section?id=4724

Below-cited are DE specificities:

1. Flexibility and modularity of education courses by subjects chosen.

2. Parallelism and asynchronism of academic courses and plans in keeping with DE requirements.

3. Teaching quality profitability and economic effectiveness of DE courses.

4. Sociability and internationality of DE education services across the world.

As viewed by a great number of teachers, under the distance education is meant the oldest and simplified variant, for instance, availability of learning material in the paper mail or electronic form to be posted to a student (a sort of Case method) and its connection with teachers and universities via Email. In this case, the distance education is touted as an old system of extramural tuition with maximum use of opportunities provided by present-day communication means (Internet). Note that the above is far from the DE.

Particular emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that our task lies in the detailed preparation of learning material so that a student having opened the site could get full-length information and be supported to learn training materials. For instance, one of the most consecutive steps toward acquisition of training materials is ltts-method suggested by the Indiana University, i.e. the substance of the distance education. Granting this, teachers are up to find a solution to the problem and thus pave the way towards acquisition of the learning material.

It has to be kept in mind that some issues of the teaching process cannot be resolved in no time, hence, it is necessary to have a specific teaching strategy. In all probability, tutors are set to develop their own understanding of the matter and gain experience of some countries worldwide (at the top are Great Britain, EU countries and our fraternal Turkey).

https://www.cnews.ru/reviews/free/national2006/articles/do_usa/index.shtml

One has to admit that today the coronavirus is fundamentally changing our world while the education in the United States and Europe switches to on-line mode thanks to large-scale DE teaching. It is not surprising that in the United States “two million students are attending lessons at virtual classrooms amounting 5 to 10 students. A great number of American physicians switched to on-line –reception of patients using present-day medical gadgets. The whole job can be performed in the remote regime, and companies are doing this by Internet”. https://haqqin.az/news/173330

Here it is worth citing that the Ministry of Education of the country made a statement to the press which said that “the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan cannot specify a level of proficiency of high schoolers that formed in the coronavirus quarantine. Some schoolers studied in the remote regime through Internet; other schoolers have no computers or with ineffective Internet in the countryside”. https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/blogs/83772/posts/42735

Added to this can be that intensive talks began in Azerbaijan earlier 2003 on joint work between the Indiana University (USA) and the Azerbaijan Republic Education Network Association (AzRENA) within the framework of the Partnership Education Program under the independent support of US State Department Education and Culture Bureau.

A draft US Partnership Program on Distance Education was signed between the Indiana University and AzRENA-IU/AzRENA (Project-AZ-01). The Partnership Program was documented by the US State Department - grant № S-ECAAS-03-GR-219(CS).

It must be acknowledged that the goal of the Project was to create the Center of Distance Education (CDE) in Baku and training of specialists in DE for full-scale distance teaching in the country since 2007. Based on DE technologies, a specialized team would be able to create new conditions for Azerbaijan’s educational community.

Added to this can be AzRENA issues, in particular, the lack of the Center of Distance Education (CDE) that has not been created over three year of Project operation. Apparently, AzRENA is meant to get interested in the project of the Ministry of Education (МE) of Azerbaijan, European community and other educational structures of the West that could encourage us to introduce the DE in our country (however, the most important thing are certain expenditures aimed at creating the first CDE project). Note that goals of the distance education are wonderful with due regard for our new lecturing staff and in terms of valid interest of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communication (today the Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies (MTCHT)). 

It should be noted that the necessity of virtual education in Azerbaijan became topical due to the coronavirus pandemic (no great loss but some small profit). To all appearance, today’s pandemic revealed the necessity of developed Internet-service, distance education and digital economy management in the country.

http://www.turan.az/ext/news/2020/3/free/Want%20to%20Say/ru/122694.htm

The probability remains that even political processes, all types of education and elections (to municipalities and Milli Majlis) will also run through internet to thus open up new ways to the transparent democracy in Azerbaijan. However, our country’s transition to the digital economy due the coronavirus pandemic worldwide is hampered by the lack or underdevelopment of on-line services in the system of education (perhaps, in country’s trade and management as well).

With that consideration, Internet as means of communication is likely to change the modern world and surroundings fundamentally. So that the world will be different; true, much will be dependent upon sequence and length of the struggle against the coronavirus worldwide.

Hence, tomorrow our world will be ruled by three components: Telecommunication, Mass Media and their derivatives – Social network as equally accessible for mankind interdependency! The question is how far are the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies of Azerbaijan with their sectoral resources from real problems solution.