E-learning: trends and stepping stones

Acceleration of exchange of educational information its constant updating requires incorporating innovative educational products based on informational communications in educational system. Students who are mostly digital natives use information communication technologies more frequent and willingly compared to teaching staff. Consequently it calls for urgent measures to be taken to satisfy contemporary students’ emerging needs. Integration of information communication technologies, enhancing students’ motivation, adding to personalized learning, into higher education is challenging but beneficial. It is particularly acute in the field of foreign language learning which requires language competence formation along with knowledge of grammar patterns, vocabulary specificity and reproductive skills in listening, reading, speaking and writing. The given article reflects the current trends of e-learning of foreign languages, providing insights of teaching and learning practice, providing theoretical literature review and empirical data gained by qualitative and quantitive research methods, by students’ opinion polls in NRU HSE Nizhniy Novgorod branch in particular. Both advantages and shortcomings are analyzed and the comparison of the traditional classroom education and innovative one is carried out. Recent trends in e-learning of foreign languages, use of various tools such as wiki sites, educational platforms, Massive Online Open Courses, Gamification, flipped classrooms and other inspiring techniques are considered.