Psychology of Distance Education

Background and aim of study:

Systemic progress of the computer technology at the beginning of the 21 st century, open access to any information in the social networks initiated and strengthened public doubts as for the effectiveness of the traditional forms of educational activities (lectures, seminars, workshops, etc.) among the main subjects of higher education in Ukraine (teachers and students). The interpretation of innovative educational technologies exclusively in the context of technical informatization has become a common phenomenon. Attractive ambitious illustrating the educational materials (computer presentations) pretending to be “know how” often turn out to be well-known scientific ideas. Posting subject information on the discipline in the virtual space of higher education institutions (digital educational complexes) was intensified. As a result, a clear priority of distance education has been formed in higher education institutions. Neglecting its achievements really narrows the possibilities of effective cognition and self-cognition. However, the current coronavirus pandemic has clearly demonstrated the social aspects of distance education which have always remained relevant although not accentuated in the usual educational environment.

Research methods:

Basic research methods (calendar period: 12.03– 30.05.2020): 1) theoretical (system and structure analysis, historical and logical analysis); 2) empirical (observation, conversation, questionnaire, analysis of activity products, content analysis).

Results:

1. Distance learning in the modern force majeure epidemiological life conditions has become a constructive obstacle for spreading educational and professional chaos: 1) it is a large-scale information resource for research and teaching staff through which high quality information base of the subject is made public in time; 2) it is an effective means of helping students who cannot independently and timely navigate the issues and objectives of the subject; 3) an effective means to support a person’s existing (actual) development level rather than effective potential development level. 2. At the same time, subjects of the educational process (teachers and students) point out its ten rating shortcomings, for example: 1) their cooperation is aimed not so much at achieving the positive result but at obtaining the mutual approval assessment; 2) the escalation of indirect communication leads to strong functional tension (physical, intellectual, moral); 3) monotonous rhythm of work inevitably causes mutual professional or educational-professional fatigue; 4) reduction of biological and mental indicators of functional recovery negatively affect labor productivity; 5) mutual errors of perception, thinking, memory accumulate due to the restriction of active visual, verbal, sensory and motor interaction; 6) operative inverse cognitive relationships become unproductive; 7) inability to intensively analyze the received information due to information load; 8) harmfulness to physical and mental health by minimizing physical motor activity; 9) growing negative risks in the care of their own appearance; 10) digital educational complexes without direct professional interaction (personality-oriented communication and joint educational and scientific activities) form stereotypical cognitive guidelines in mastering information.

Conclusion:

1. Distance education in the conditions of viral pandemic has actualized the importance of the main half-forgotten “innovative technology” which is related not to the technical but to the subjective (human) factor (a researcher as a teacher, scientist, mentor). 2. At least three cognitive guidelines strengthened in the public consciousness: 1) impossibility of making absolute any methodology of the educational process; 2) the inviolable dominant basics of the conservative forms of educational work due to which the education system remains stable (lectures, seminars, practical classes in the mode of “live communication”); 3) the harmonious combination of conservative forms of educational work and various technical innovations as auxiliary educational tools. 3. The “online” system has proven itself in business, crisis management, optimization of the workplace at home (while in the educational process its dominance is unacceptable as it was noted).

DOI and UDC:

UDC: 159.953.5-048.34: 37.01843 DOI: 10.26697/ijes.2020.2.29

Information about the authors:

Polishchuk Valeriy Mykolayovych – Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Honored Education Worker of Ukraine, Professor of the Department of General Age and Pedagogical Psychology, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. Research interests: age development psychology, pedagogical psychology, social psychology, management psychology, theoretical and methodological problems of psychology, engineering psychology, history of psychology; http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1283-1640.