47Innovative Technologies in Teaching Foreign Languages and Learner Assessment in Online Education
Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute of Tashkent region
ONLINE TEACHING DURING COVID-19 LOCKDOWN
Marhabo Mukhtorjonovna Avazmatova
Uzbekistan National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek PhD Student at the English Linguistics department E-mail address: avazmatova.marhabo@gmail .com
ABSTRACT
The present study considers online education in the period of pandemic time. The terms: e-learning, m-learning, distance education, and online teaching are discussed and clarified the differences. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of online education during the Covid-19 lockdown are discussed thoroughly.
Keywords: Online education, distance education, advantages, disadvantages
Introduction. Coronavirus disease in 2020 influenced the education system all over the world. The process of teaching had to be changed from face-to-face instruction to fully online. Because of the impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown, online education became the fastest-growing sector of higher education in Uzbekistan and it is implemented in public and private institutions. During the Covid-19 lockdown as in other countries, in Uzbekistan education system faced many obstacles in delivering lessons. In many research works online education is used interchangeably with the terms: remote teaching, e-learning, distance learning, virtual learning, cyberlearning, mobile learning. Not knowing clear differences between these terms cause many misunderstandings in implementing these type of learning in the education system.
Literature review. In this section definitions of the abovementioned terms are discussed thoroughly and clarified differences between them. Kentera stated that E-learning is delivering education digitally. E-learning is defined by Rosenberg (2001) as the use of internet technology to provide a wide range of information. Kusumo, et al. (2012) argues that educational programs at the university level strive to incorporate e-learning systems to improve the efficiency of instruction.
Mobile learning is teaching with mobile phones or other small digital gadgets in the teaching process (Abik et al., 2012; Suanpang, 2012).
According to Chi "Distance education is a method of teaching where the students
and the instructors are separated by time or space or both." In many resources, it is
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Innovative Technologies in Teaching Foreign Languages and Learner Assessment in Online Education Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute of Tashkent region
indicated that distance education occurs when more than half of the contact hours teachers and students are separated by place in the teaching process. Distance education "brought new life and possibilities...No longer is learning away from a traditional classroom the exception, but rather it is becoming a learner-centered standard many educational models strive to replicate" (Bitter & Legacy, 2006, p.131). Morrison, Ross, and Kemp (2007) postulated that distance education has "additional strengths beyond the traditional classroom lecture and self-paced instruction for both training and education environments...Students can „attend a class' without going to campus. Very large audiences situated miles apart can potentially be served" (Morrison et al., 2007, p. 21).
Rosalina et.al. (2020) argued "Online learning, entirely dependent on access Internet Network and Online courses (80-100% delivered online) use online technology to deliver most or all course content." (p.76). Online teaching can be conducted synchronously or asynchronously. In Synchronous online teaching, students and teachers interact with each other at the same time, they may discuss new topics or students can ask questions simultaneously. With video-conferencing or by Zoom platform teachers may conduct synchronous online teaching processes. Despite having the following advantages: a) coming together as a group; b) being able to reteach concepts; c) engage in an interactive activity; d) address questions or concerns that are bubbling up, synchronous online teaching has some disadvantages in use. Things such as lack of verbal communication strategies, poor sound and images can be main obstacles in conducting lessons synchronously, even when the teacher succeeds to persuade all pupils to arrive at virtual classrooms at the same time (Coverdale-Jones, 2000; Hampel & Stickler, 2005; Wang, 2004).
Asynchronous online teaching is teaching with pre-recorded videos and lectures or written texts. Many online teachers prefer pre-recorded tutorials to teach a new topic as it has many positive influences on the teaching process. Pre-recorded tutorials can be a more effective, more equitable way to deliver instruction. Students can watch them on their own time, at their own pace, and can replay them over again if necessary.
Results and Analysis. In this section, the advantages and disadvantages of online
teaching are discussed and attempted to recommend solving problems in the online
teaching process. Nowadays many universities prefer purely online classes for their
several positive sides. Online teaching offers more flexibility in time and location - this
is considered the main advantage of online classes. Many students have to work to cover
their education fees, for them being able to attend lessons before work early in the
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Innovative Technologies in Teaching Foreign Languages and Learner Assessment in Online Education Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute of Tashkent region
morning or after coming back home at midnight seems privilege and one of the reasons to choose online classes. The next positive side is online teachers have the opportunity to share more information compared to the traditional teacher. In video tutorials, they may explain difficult concepts, while easier ones can be given as text or ready-made materials. Teachers and students have a chance to use online resources, whenever they have free time they may read or listen to extra material on the topic.
The next but most important one is the development of digital literacy skills. In the XXI century lessons should be conducted with interactive methods and digital tools. Online education persuades teachers and students to learn new digital educational tools and use them to their advantage.
Nevertheless, in pandemic times, teachers and students faced many obstacles during the online teaching process. Sudden changing offline traditional lessons to online cause conducting lessons with lack of digital literacy. Without preparation or without taking IT courses teachers had to conduct online lessons in the period of Covid-19 lockdown. To solve the lack of digital literacy problem Kabata & Wiebe; Stickler & Hauck; Winke, Goertker, & Amuzie recommended a "techno-training" course for teachers and students to teach how to use technology in education. Shank & Sitze argued that "Technology has become an essential way to handle the education, training, and retraining needs of an expanding knowledge society" (2004, p.2). Rodinadze & Zarbazoia (2012) also claimed that ICT improved the online teaching process.
Another negative side of online education is the lack of immediate feedback, that students have to wait some time to know their work is true or needs to develop. During waiting time students may forget their works or overwhelm with other must-do tasks for another subject. For this reason, immediate feedback is needed to reach better results in academic achievements.
Many online courses depend on full learners that they should feel the responsibility to learn and do the tasks on time. During the online teaching process, teachers need more parents' help that they should observe their children doing tasks and taking online courses on time. Adult students or students, who take responsibility for their learning are recommended to take online classes otherwise, with little teacher intervention students easily ignore their classes. As seen in the following figure advantages of online education are overweighted the disadvantages.
Innovative Technologies in Teaching Foreign Languages and Learner Assessment in Online Education
Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute of Tashkent region
Advantages and disadvantages of online education
disadvantages advantages
Considering negative sides of the online teaching and being able to ready to find solution for those situations, online teaching can be organized in an excellent way. With a strategic plan online education can be best option to teach future digitally-skilled generation.
Discussion/Recommendation. It should be noted that Online education is a new form of education in Uzbekistan and other parts of the world. Online education is considered a long-term approach by many Universities. Online teaching can be the best when using all opportunities of the technology and it demands to be a lifelong learner as technology is changing every day and to use last-minute online approaches and techniques. It shows the importance of online teaching, for it is the bridge of promoting students' knowledge breadth and depth. In a technologically developed era, using only in-person instruction is fruitless for electronic-loved students. Adopting technology in the education system and online learning is valuable in the academic world, therefore; it can be further studied and made new concepts.
REFERENCES
1. Abik, M., Ajhoun, R., & Ensias, L. (2012). Impact of technological advancement on pedagogy. Turkish Journal of Distance Education, 13(1), 224-237. Retrieved from http ://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr
2. Bitter, G. & Legacy, L. (2006). Using technology in the classroom (brief ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Innovative Technologies in Teaching Foreign Languages and Learner Assessment in Online Education Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute of Tashkent region
3. Chi A. The journey to teaching online: a case study of faculty preparation and experiences in online teaching. PhD dissertation. USA. 2013.
4. Kentera V. Facilitator Satisfaction with Cultivating Synchronous and Asynchronous English Proficiency Levels: A Qualitative Study. Ds dissertation. Arizona. 2016.
5. Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kemp, J. E. (2007). Designing effective instruction (5th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley and Sons
6. Shank, P. & Sitze, A. (2004). Making sense of online learning. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
7. Suanpang, P. (2012). The integration of m-learning and social network for supporting knowledge sharing. Creative Education, 3, 39-43. doi: 10.4236/ce.2012.38b009
