Online learning issues in Russian universities

Abstract

There is considerable uncertainty as to the way we lead our lives. We face global changes concerning every single aspect of our lives: economy, digital technologies, cultures, languages, and even our health and today not mentioning all the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic and economic slowdown. Institutions are responding to the current circumstances with a shift to online learning. While most universities have urgently switched to online learning and benefit from using educational and videoconferencing platforms, the issues caused by online education under these circumstances are still to be studied and carefully analysed. This article problematizes the influence of online learning and reveals a range of pitfalls arising in the process of online education as well as a detailed analysis of these issues. It was found out that the online learning process is affected by a wider range of reasons than we expected. The interrogative method was used as the main measurement tool. The evaluation studies were carried out at the university on its use of an online education system as a forced response to the current worldwide pandemic. Among revealed issues, we established the following: students’ ability to learn self-directly, assessment tools used by teachers to evaluate the knowledge, timely teacher’s feedback, teachers’ core competencies and personal qualities, technical, health issues, and some others. The global events caused a situation when universities had to reconsider the way they deliver education to people. The goal is to make it more expedient, accessible, and personalized. The information in the paper can contribute to the quality improvement of online education and learning success.