Didactic peculiarities of distance learning in advanced training of university educators

The research problem and the rationale for its relevance. The article studies the problem of effective use of distance learning in advanced training of university educators. The relevance of the research topic is conditioned by the need to comprehend quite a rich recent experience of using distance education technologies. The goal of the research is to identify distance education technologies that can be used for advanced training of university teachers, as well as to study the peculiarities of their application. Methodology (materials and methods). Literature review, analysis of objective control data (analysis of academic progress, analysis of the implementation of the teaching schedule), subjective assessments and wishes of teachers were analyzed to achieve the goal. In the course of research the following results were obtained. The chronology of distance education development has been analyzed and the relationship between the needs, the level of technical development of society and the distance learning tools used has been established. The essence of the main psychological and pedagogical problems accompanying the process of educators' distance learning is considered. The importance of taking into account the psychological characteristics of university educators when choosing tools and methods of their distance education (retraining, advanced training) is substantiated. The possibilities of using distance education tools for maximally comfortable training of teachers under simple enough conditions are proposed. The peculiarities of the toolkit application, the difference between the organization of educators' distance education and classical distance education are highlighted. Differences in the perception of information received in the course of distance learning by educators as specialists who have specialized education and formed professional skills, and students receiving education for the first time are formulated. The main problems arising for university educators in the course of distance learning are outlined and argued based on the results of literature review and interviews with research participants. These include: 1) technical difficulties, 2) low efficiency of feedback, 3) large amount of redundant information, 4) problems of self-management, 5) fixed time of webinars (video lectures, videoconferences, 6) non-transparent evaluation system. Training in the framework of e-course, in our opinion, is the easiest way to solve the mentioned problem. We developed a model of an e-learning course created using the virtual learning environment LMS Moodle (Learning Management System) (modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment) at the Advanced Training Department of Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University. The possibility of solving the identified problems with the help of the described course model is proved.