The role of distance learning in the organization of independent cognitive activity of students

The analysis of the main pedagogical methods of modern education based on computer and telecommunication technologies shows that the content of pedagogical activity in the new educational system differs significantly from the traditional one. This requires specific knowledge, skills, and abilities from the teacher.

First, course development activities become much more complex as their technological basis is rapidly evolving. It requires the teacher to develop special skills, methods of pedagogical work. In addition, modern information technologies put forward additional requirements for the quality of the developed educational materials, mainly due to the openness of access to them for both a large number of trainees and teachers and experts, which in essence enhances control over the quality of these materials.

Secondly, the peculiarity of the modern pedagogical process is that, unlike traditional education, where the teacher is the central figure, the center of gravity, when using new information technologies, is gradually shifted to the student (learner), who is actively building his educational process, choosing a certain trajectory. in a developed educational environment.

In these conditions, the most important function of the teacher is to support the student in his activities: to promote his successful promotion, help in finding and mastering the necessary information, to facilitate the solution of emerging problems.

Thirdly, the provision of educational material in modern education requires more active and intense interactions between students than in a traditional classroom, where generalized feedback of the teacher with the whole class prevails, and the interaction of the teacher with an individual student is rather weak.

Thus, in connection with the use of modern computer and telecommunication technologies in the field of education, there are significant changes in teaching activities, the place and role of the teacher in the educational process, its main functions. The following changes can be noted as the primary functions:

• -    complication of course development activities;

• -    the need for special skills and techniques for developing training courses;

• -    strengthening the requirements for the quality of educational materials;

• -    increasing the role of the student in the educational process;

• -    strengthening the student support function;

Significant changes are taking place in teaching due to the use of new information technologies in the distance education system. If in traditional education the teacher devoted most of his time to lecturing, now the teacher must:

• 1.    To develop the content of the course on a new technological basis.

• 2.    To help the student navigate through the vast and varied educational information and find a suitable educational trajectory for him.

• 3.    Ensure active interaction of the trainee both with the teacher himself and with other trainees during the discussion of the course issues.

Each of these core teaching activities has specific challenges. Thus, the development of courses based on new technologies requires not only fluency in the subject and its content, but also special knowledge in the field of modern information technologies. Thus, in the course of the educational process, not only special pedagogical, but also technological skills, experience of working with modern technical means are needed.

A characteristic feature of education management based on new information technologies is the organization of the educational process based on the division of labor. Without it, it is impossible to achieve a significant increase in the number of students, and hence the manifestation of economies of scale, i.e. increasing the efficiency of the educational system due to economies of scale of its activities. 1

The economies of scale are one of the main sources of increasing the efficiency of the new educational system, the formation of which requires significant expenditures on the formation of its technological base. Not a teacher of the old educational system, equipped with new technical and technological means, but a teacher of a new specialization with its inherent nature of activity and place in the general system of division of labor can ensure the effective functioning of the distance learning system.

Thus, the organization of teaching activities based on the division of labor is an integral part of the management of the modern educational system, which is carried out on the basis of a systematic approach to the processes of its development.

As follows from the above analysis of the content of pedagogical activity in the distance learning system based on new information technologies, the main specializations of teachers in this system are as follows:

• -    course development specialist, i.e. course designer;

• -    facilitator - a specialist who helps students find and implement their educational trajectory in the developed educational material;

• -    a tutor is a specialist in the interactive delivery of training courses, interaction with students during the study of course materials;

• -    specialist in methods of monitoring learning outcomes, responsible for organizing and conducting tests, tests, exams.

• -    the possibility of teacher feedback with each student.

Accessibility and openness of education is another of the main advantages of DL. Distance learning provides us with the opportunity to study remotely from the place of study, without leaving our home or office. This allows a modern specialist to study almost all his life, without special business trips, vacations, combining with the main activity. Studying anytime, anywhere allows students not only to stay in their familiar environment and maintain their usual rhythm of life, but also to develop an individual training schedule. At the same time, focusing on training in the evening and on weekends.

Distance learning is recognized as one of the cheapest ways to get education, primarily by reducing the cost of moving, living in another city, reducing the cost of organizing the courses themselves (no need to pay for the classroom, fewer attendants, the cost of teachers can be reduced etc.). 2

Another advantage of distance learning is access to quality education. The freedom and flexibility of this way of acquiring education offers new opportunities for choosing a course of study. It is very easy to choose several courses from different universities, from different countries. You can study at the same time in different places by comparing courses with each other. There is an opportunity to study in the best educational institutions, using the most effective technologies, from the most qualified teachers. A person can study remotely incognito, due to various reasons (age, position, position, shyness, etc.). Distance learning provides an opportunity to get education for people with disabilities and people with various disabilities.

As practice shows, when using distance learning, an educational institution receives a larger number of foreign students, universities have the opportunity to increase the number of students by attracting distance students from other countries and cities.

DL is more individualized in nature. The student himself determines the pace of learning, can return several times to individual lessons, skip individual sections, etc. The listener studies the educational material during the entire study period, and not only during the session, which guarantees deeper residual knowledge. Such a training system forces the student to study independently and acquire selfeducation skills. As the experience of many universities shows, a distance student becomes more independent, mobile and responsible. Without these qualities, he cannot learn. If they did not exist initially, but the motivation for training is great, they develop and upon completion of the training specialists come out who are really in demand on the market. Distance learning makes the learning process creative and individual, opens up new opportunities for the student's creative selfexpression.

During the learning process, the student documents the learning process. He can have the course itself, e-mails with the teacher and he can refer to them later, as needed.

Using modern technologies and distance learning, we are given the opportunity to easily form virtual professional communities (for example, communities of teachers), communicate among teachers, discuss problems, solve common problems, exchange experience, information, etc.

One of the main disadvantages of distance learning is the lack of direct face-to-face communication between students and the teacher. When there is no person nearby who could emotionally color knowledge, this is a significant disadvantage for the learning process.

Distance learning imposes a number of its own requirements on the organization of the educational process, such as the need for a personal computer and Internet access, high requirements for setting the task for training, process administration, organization of student motivation. Distance learning requires tough self-discipline, and the result directly depends on the independence and consciousness of the student. As a rule, students feel a lack of practical training. There is no constant control over students.

"Экономика и социум" №12(79) 2020