Experience of using the Zoom platform for organization foreign language distance learning at university

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Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics

Department of Pedagogy, Foreign Philology and Translation

Experience of using the Zoom platform for organization foreign language distance learning at university

У статті розглядаються сучасні засоби інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій, які використовуються в процесі мовної підготовки студентів вищих навчальних закладів.

У чому полягає специфіка дистанційного навчання іноземної мови у ВНЗ? Основною її особливістю є опосередкований характер телекомунікаційного спілкування викладача і студента і пов'язана з цим обмеженість можливостей їх міжособистісної взаємодії, з іншого боку, саме така форма навчання дозволяє максимально активізувати самостійну роботу студентів, що особливо важливо в контексті університетської освіти, оскільки майбутній фахівець має вміти самостійно організовувати свою пізнавальну діяльність.

Система розглядається крізь призму моделі сприйняття технології, яка дозволяє проаналізувати, як студенти сприймають і використовують технології у своєму навчанні.

Основною метою статті є дослідження ефективності використання платформи Zoom для підвищення успішності студентів, які дистанційно вивчають іноземні мови у ВНЗ. Хочемо поділитися нашим аналізом досвіду використання віртуальної платформи Zoom в процесі організації дистанційного навчання з точки зору студентів. У статті представлені результати опитування студентів, які ілюструють сприйняття студентами корисності та зручності використання цього програмного забезпечення.

У статті особливу увагу приділено оцінці основних характеристик та дидактичних можливостей віртуальної платформи Zoom для організації дистанційного навчання іноземних мов у ВНЗ.

У статті зроблено висновки щодо переваг та недоліків програмного забезпечення, описано етапи роботи та запропоновано методичні рекомендації, а також перераховано основні труднощі, з якими викладачі та студенти Харківського національного економічного університету імені Семена Кузнеця зіткнулися під час вивчення іноземної мови.

Ключові слова: навчання іноземних мов, онлайн-освіта, зворотній зв'язок студентів, дистанційне навчання, віртуальна платформа Zoom, електронні навчальні курси.

Introduction

Modern challenges facing the educational system make teachers and students switch to a distance learning format in the remote access mode using information and communication technologies and modern educational platforms.

Problems of choosing effective digital learning resources and services, as well as the tools needed to organize online meetings with students in distance format is currently one of the most relevant in the educational domain [1].

The need of modern society for specialists who are fluent in use a foreign language at the level of everyday communication and in professional activity, necessitates the search for new constructive ideas for solving the problem of optimizing the teaching of foreign languages.

Distance learning is a form of organization of the educational process, which is based on the use of the latest information and communication technologies and provides effective interactive and informational interaction between all participants of the educational process, regardless of location their stay.

The problem of using the development of the latest information technologies in the educational process of higher education educational institutions were engaged in such domestic and foreign blacksmiths, teachers and methodologists, like A. Andreev, who devoted his educational works on distance educational technologies [1], R. Gurevich, who studied online learning using Internet resources [2], R. Clark and R. Mayer, who described methodical support remotely the training [3] and others.

In recent years, in connection with the rapid growth of the role of information technologies in the educational process, many studies have been conducted, which specifically relate to the use of information and communication technologies in teaching a foreign language: O. Oliynyk [7], I. Postolenko [8], S.Romanyuk [9].

Statement of the goals and methods. The main aim of this article is to study the effectiveness of using the Zoom platform to prepare useful lessons to improve the success of students studying foundation of foreign languages by distance mode at a university.

Results

Despite a number of didactic advantages of the program, such as synchronous interactions in various formats through web conferencing, chat, interactive whiteboard and breakout rooms, the program has a number of difficulties, which must be taken into account when organizing distance learning and conducting online classes.

Free the version of the program has a number of significant restrictions on time, settings and the number of participants. Online interaction depends on the quality of the Internet connection and the willingness of the participants of the online lesson to use all program settings and tools.

It should also be noted a number of difficulties that are related to external factors such as: technical difficulties and difficulties of connection and video broadcasting; necessity registering participants and granting access to each conference through a password or personal ID teachers; lack of experience with the program; emotional difficulties associated with the constraint of students speak to the camera, ask questions in a chat or go online from your workplace due to different social economic living conditions.

Distance learning is a flexible system of education, allowing to acquire knowledge where and when it is convenient for students. In general, the electronic textbook for teaching foreign languages allows you to:

1. to individualize the process of learning and control;

2. increase the activity of students;

3. to intensify the process of learning and control;

4. increase the motivation of students;

5. create the necessary conditions for independent work;

6. to develop self-esteem among the students;

7. to develop a cognitive interest in learning a foreign language;

8. create a comfortable learning environment [2].

There are several functions that a computer performs in distance learning. Let us briefly discuss the most important of them:

1. communicative (carried out by imitating in the electronic textbook the activities of the teacher as a partner in verbal communication in a foreign language, implemented in the form of a student's interactive interaction with a computer);

2. organizational-stimulating (realized since the computer acts as technical support for the organization of the educational process in the implementation of distance learning, imitation of the organizational-stimulating function of the teacher is possible);

3. informative (it is the ability to store and process large volumes of information presented in the form of information support informational personnel);

4. training (there is a unique opportunity to develop strong skills in teaching foreign languages);

5. managing (amplified by instant feedback);

6. controlling and correcting (carried out in the form of 1) acceptance and recognition of students' answers, 2) analysis and determination of the correctness of the answers received, 3) saving the results obtained, 4) setting the result for performing a specific test).

In fact, performing numerous functions, a computer can play the role of students:

1) the teacher;

2) an expert;

3) activity partner;

4) a tool of activity;

5) the trainee.

Teachers of disciplines of the language course of Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics also faced these problems, which arose primarily due to the specifics of the subject "Foreign language", the main purpose of which is the formation of students' foreign language communicative competence, which implies the presence of skills in oral and written communication in a foreign language in situations of intercultural and professional communication [8]. Because most disciplines are presented in the EIEE of the university in electronic form, which allows you to develop such aspects of speech as listening, reading and writing, teachers needed a platform for organizing practical online classes in order to formation of speaking skills [8], [9].

Zoom was chosen to organize distance learning disciplines of the language cycle ("Foreign language (by professional direction)", " Business communication in a foreign language (ENGLISH)", " Advanced study of a foreign language by specialty (English)", " Foreign language of academic and professional communication"). distance learning foreign language zoom

This program allows you to organize a synchronous online communication between the teacher and students in a remote format. Experience in using the program six months (March-June and September-December 2022) in the practice of teaching English at the university allowed to develop a step-by-step algorithm for working on the platform online using various program tools for solving various educational problems.

This step-by-step work algorithm can be presented in Table 1.

Table 1

Algorithm for organizing phased work in Zoom

The results of the survey show that respondents rate the program as easy to use. (85.7%). While 6% disagree and express a negative attitude towards this criterion. It should be noted that the fact that the study has certain limitations in terms of sample size and 6% is the opinion of only three students.

Despite the vast majority who find the program easy to use, the study found difficulty in obtaining easy access to the program: 53% of respondents express their full or partial disagreement, answering the question of ease of access. This moment can be explained by the criterion of safety and privacy, which is created by using a password, login and personal conference ID.

Users need to register and wait for the connection. Such features of the system are necessary know in advance in order to spend as little time as possible organizing an online meeting with all participants and maintaining confidentiality. The vast majority of respondents believe that the program is useful for classes (73.5%) and effective for distance learning (69.4%).

These results allow us to conclude that despite certain difficulties in obtaining easy access to the system, students perceive the system as easy in use (about 86%). These data allow us to talk about the acceptance of this technology by students and the need to use despite certain barriers, the removal of which will reduce students' concerns.

Reducing the perceived risk associated with the difficulties of entering the system, will have a positive impact on the overall experience of using Zoom.

We make an attempt to analyze the features of the Zoom server for online foreign language classes. Using a computer The Zoom app has a number of advantages.

Let's dwell on them in more detail. First of all, the main advantage is the possibility of individual bilateral of the telecommunication communication of the student with the teacher and with other higher education institutions in the process of learning. So, the "teacher - audience" format remains unchanged and, in our opinion, is not inferior to the eye (contactful) learning.

The main advantage of the Zoom application is that it provides information and certain remote lessons can be recorded and played back at any time when it will be necessary to refer to the previously studied material. Another point is the wide range of possibilities of this program, in particular - working with Word, Doc, Pdf format documents, using the function White Board and use of audio and video materials in the learning process.

So, Zoom is a service for conducting video conferences and online meetings. The application has several significant features. First, a meeting can be organized by any user, who created the account.

The free version of the program allows can conduct a 40-minute video conference, but during the pandemic, the service removed this restriction. The paid version of the program unlimited time costs $15 per month.

The Zoom application is convenient for video conferencing, work, individual and group classes, in our case - for teaching another earthly language, which involves the use of various types of work at higher education institutions. Users can use the app on a stationary computer, as well as on mobile terminals (phones, tablets, etc.).

You can connect to a Zoom video conference with any user by link or conference ID. An event (lesson, seminar, exam, assessment, meeting, etc.) can be scheduled in advance, and also make a permanent link, that is, for standing meetings at a certain time.

The sequence of downloading the Zoom application is as follows. Firstly, the user needs to go to the download page of the program zoom.us/download and click the “Download” button in the “Zoom for conferences”. The program will automatically download [1].

After that, you need to register for the service: enter your email e-mail address to which the registration confirmation letter will arrive. Then you will need to enter your first and last name and create an open site password. After this procedure, you need to log in to Zoom using by entering your email and password.

Now the application is ready for use: you can create your own no-conference, and connect to others using the 9-digit ID code. If you have created your conference and invited participants, you can in several ways: by sending a link (URL) to the conference; by sending a 9-digit ID code; or by sending an invitation by mail.

The entire procedure for creating or connecting a conference in Zoom takes place in a matter of minutes and does not require the professional knowledge of the dedicated user of information technologies.

Zoom allows you to record any web conference in the form of videos so that it is convenient to view them later if necessary. A record is stored either on local storage or in the cloud. Local storage -is to save the video file to your computer. Cloud storage, is more reliable because the information is stored on remote servers.

Conclusions

In conclusion, we consider it important, based on the experience gained, to formulate a number of methodological recommendations, which can help teachers use the Zoom program when teaching a foreign language to university students more effectively. The use of Zoom requires the teacher to take into account the didactic capabilities of the program and external factors that can negatively influence the intention of students to use the system.

Creating favorable psychological and pedagogical conditions and taking into account methodological principles will undoubtedly promote more effective implementation of the program in the educational process. To these influential conditions, it is necessary to include the following: clear planning of the training session and selection of the necessary training content during relationships using certain program tools for the best presentation of the material; digital competence and necessary digital skills to work in the program; style of pedagogical communication and pedagogical technologies for involving students in online communication; ethics of online communication and protection of personal spaces and opinions of the interlocutor [5]. The use of technology requires a general “orchestration” (orchestration) training session conducted on the platform [6]. This characteristic is inherent in the organization of training, mediated by technology (technology enhanced learning), when planning and conducting classes in distance or online format is associated not only with the ability to present the material and competently build pedagogical communication, but also adjust and adjust technologies (educational regulation) in such a way that interactivity did not interfere, but contributed to effective synchronous or asynchronous communication [3]. These recommendations are typical not only for working in Zoom but also for building online learning and communication in general.

References

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