Distance learning: Advantages and disadvantages from university students’ perspective
In March 2020, Russia’s education system saw great changes. The pandemic associated with the new coronavirus infection COVID-19 forced students and teachers to switch to a distance learning format. This transition caused different reactions in students. The article examines the main advantages and disadvantages of distance learning from students’ perspective. The data was obtained through questioning and analysis of students’ answers. The research involved second-year and third-year students of humanities (N = 120). The answers given by the students made it possible to identify the most significant advantages and disadvantages of distance learning. First of all, according to the majority of students, distance learning is not perfect and has a number of disadvantages. Remote teaching, makes it necessary to follow certain rules protect both physical and mental health of all the stakeholders involved in training. Another disadvantage is difficulty in training students on the programmes that require the development of practical; skills. Besides, teaching and learning may be impeded by the lack of quality technical. The students highlighted the following advantages: a rapid increase in the level of digital competence, culture and literacy among students; an increase in students’ independence, self-control, and responsibility; new wide opportunities for personal development; getting a degree in a demanded profession regardless of the place of residence, physical capabilities, employment, abilities and existing skills; lack of territorial and temporal restrictions in the education space; regular remote training; mastering the educational material at an individual pace.