A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Continuing professional development (CPD) at a distance: Teachers' reflections on enhancing distance education (DE) provision

The article reveals the features of the modern educational information environment for the success of linguistic personality formation.
 The authors of the article prove the importance of integrating the educational and information environment into the pedagogical process, where all component processes are exposed to personality formation, influence the professional formation of the future specialist and play a significant role in the formation of linguistic personality. The purpose of the article is the theoretical substantiation and empirical study of the level of the educational and information environment influence on language personality formation success in higher education institutions. The research tasks are focused on the scientific substantiation of the concepts of "educational and information environment" and "linguistic personality"; identification of factors in the formation of linguistic identity success; analysis and interpretation of research results regarding the influence of the educational and information environment on the linguistic personality formation. The results of the study prove that the educational and information environment is a combination of the latest information technologies and modern pedagogical developments, which should lead to the maximum effect of a sufficient educational process. Various roles of the educational and information environment in the educational process are considered. Where the specified environment can be both a means of supporting the educational process and a means of implementing blended learning. In our study, the educational and informational environment is considered in the paradigm of the distance learning organization. The classification of the levels of the information and educational space and the requirements for distance learning is revealed. The research proposes and justifies the choice of Internet technologies to create a new level of education and information environment. Research also proved the establishment of contact between all participants of the educational process; sample settings are necessary when the students' load of educational material is determined. In the course of questionnaires and surveys of participants in the educational and pedagogical process of technical universities, the peculiarities of the organization of professional training of future specialists in the conditions of distance learning, their influence on the success of language personality formation, and motivation to study were established. Conclusions. Summarizing the results of the study on the influence of the educational and information environment on linguistic personality formation, the authors substantiate the need for learning a foreign language. On the basis of productive educational activities, the development of a foreign language is a component of forming a linguistic personality. It is noted that the use of Internet resources creates conditions for the implementation of an individual and differentiated approach to foreign language learning as well as forms the ability to work, analyse and evaluate information. The article reveals the advantages of implementing an educational and information environment during distance learning of foreign languages and emphasizes that despite all the problems of introducing the specified form of education into the educational process, the educational and information environment helped both teachers and students to discover new opportunities, to get a new positive experience of working with Internet platforms and digital tools, and also contributed to the success of linguistic personality formation

\nНа основі аналізу законодавчих актів та нормативно-правових документів з’ясовано, що актуальність упровадження дистанційної освіти посилюється соціальними, політичними, культурними викликами суспільства, що зумовлює потребу в оновленні нормативно-правового супроводу дистанційного навчання, окресленні нових можливостей щодо його впровадження й фінансування.\n
\n\nСхарактеризовано діяльність науковців та практиків щодо поступового впровадження дистанційного навчання у закладах професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти та забезпечення функціонування організаційної структури дистанційної професійної освіти у співвідношенні з явищами, об’єктами, процесами, які є визначальними у системі професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти.\n
\n\nОбґрунтовано прогностичну модель дистанційного професійного навчання, котра містить такі блоки: цільовий – мета, концептуальні підходи та принципи, зовнішні та внутрішні чинники; суб’єктний, що передбачає партнерську взаємодію суб’єктів навчання (педагогів, тьюторів, адміністраторів СДН, учнів/слухачів) в електронному середовищі; змістово-функціональний, що містить компонентну структуру готовності педагогів до впровадження дистанційного навчання кваліфікованих робітників та функції, які має реалізовувати педагог у дистанційному професійному навчанні; організаційно-методичний – представлений організаційно-педагогічними умовами та методичним супроводом їх реалізації; результативний блок – механізми оцінювання динаміки рівнів розвитку готовності педагогів до впровадження дистанційного професійного навчання та ефективність застосування дистанційного навчання в закладах професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти.\n
\n\nУзагальнено, що запровадження прогностичної моделі дистанційного професійного навчання в закладах професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти з чіткою орієнтацією на специфіку професійної підготовки майбутніх кваліфікованих робітників відносно обраної професії забезпечить досягнення соціального ефекту, а саме: урізноманітнення форм професійної освіти і навчання; задоволення індивідуальних освітньо-професійних потреб особистості; підвищення якості професійної підготовки учнів/слухачів; зменшення фінансових витрат у системі професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти.\n

Theoretical and methodical bases of management concepts, information and digital technologies implementation into the educational environment in the conditions of distance teaching and learning are analyzed.The purpose of the paper is to develop a comprehensive pedagogical model of distance teaching and learning organization in the conditions of implementation of network technology of students’ educational and creative activity management.The research methodology was determined by a set of methodological approaches (systemic, activity, competence, personality-developing) and was based on a pedagogical experiment which included ascertaining, forming and control stages.The results are as follows: it is well-proven that the only Internet platform for creation of educational SMART-environment in the higher education institution should be basic for organization of distance teaching and learning. It allows automation of teaching and learning processes, which is provided for a network contact of students and teachers in the interactive mode. Pedagogical model of distance teaching and learning organization in the conditions of network technology of student’s educational and creative activity management is offered. It consists of the pedagogical system components, diagnostic SMART-complex and methods of pedagogical influence. Technological stages and content of distance teaching and learning organization are justified in educational SMART-environment. Methods, forms and facilities of realization of the studied phenomenon are substantiated in the system of didactics educational complexes. It has been defined that the basic link of distance teaching and learning organization is a telecommunication environment, which includes: informatively-digital, educational-methodical and didactics contents. Experimental work performances have proved the substantial increase of high-quality indexes of the agrarian sphere students’ professional training (success, motivation, creative activity, productivity) in the conditions of implementation of network technology of students’ educational and creative activity management.The conclusion is that the realization of this pedagogical model in the system of distance teaching and learning allows to intensify considerably students’ creative activity, to promote a level of their internal motivation, to deepen the level of independence and individualization of studies, that in a result is determined by the high level of future specialists’ professionally-creative competence development.

The professional realization of foreign language (FL) teacher-trainees is fundamentally related to the level of competitiveness of their professional training. This competitiveness is largely conditioned by the development of specific competencies, most notably the pedagogical activity competence. Consequently, effective training is supposed to prioritize creating conditions that allow students to practice and achieve professional realization as FL instructors. The shift to mandatory distance learning caused by the prolonged pandemic necessitated the adjustments to all educational activities. This, in turn, highlighted the need for specialized training that prepares students to teach effectively within blended and distance learning contexts. Indeed, distance learning has become one of the most prominent trends in modern education, with the COVID-19 pandemic precipitating a significant transition from classical in-person instruction to these new modalities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prospects of higher education and analyze the core principles of professional training for FL teacher-trainees within distance and blended learning frameworks. The major research methods employed to achieve the above purpose embrace monitoring, systemic and situational logical analysis, and theoretical research. The study was conducted through a comprehensive literature review on the topic, utilizing relevant keywords and synonyms. Furthermore, the analysis and summarization of higher education prospects prioritized the importance of FL teacher-trainees’ professional development, specifically accounting for the unique characteristics of distance and blended learning environments. The conducted research revealed that the main goal of professional training for higher education teachers should focus on conscious mastery of information technology (IT) tools, activation of pedagogical self-organization, and development of the ability to self-improve it skills. It is further emphasized that individual distance learning constitutes a comprehensive pedagogical concept. This approach encompasses the goals, structure, content, and process of learning, is based on an evaluative approach, and ultimately contributes to shaping “design thinking”. Such thinking integrates individual preferences, knowledge, and opportunities for applying information and communication technologies. The study concluded with clear definitions for the learning modalities: blended learning is finalized as the effective combination of traditional face-to-face instruction with online components, implemented using modern internet tools; distance education provides students with the flexibility to study from home according to a convenient schedule and in optimal comfort. In the distance education system, knowledge assessment is also carried out remotely. Students can complete research projects, take electronic final tests, and participate in exams with instructors via video conferencing. Finally, the use of interactive methods in FL classes is crucial, as it ensures an intensive creative process of interaction between the teacher and students, stimulating cognitive activity both during and after the lesson.

PurposeThis paper seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of a two-week-long faculty development programme (FDP), organized by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), for teachers of the open and distance learning (ODL) system, with the aim of upgrading their knowledge and skills for developing print self-learning materials (SLMs). The specific aim of this study is to ascertain whether the objectives of the FDP have been achieved, to examine the effectiveness of the training programme and to suggest measures for improvement in future FDPs regarding the design and development of print SLMs.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted using a descriptive survey research method, through semi-structured questionnaires and adopted purposive sampling. The first survey was conducted immediately after the completion of the programme, in order to collect feedback from the trainees, while the second survey was conducted after six months of the FDP, using the follow-up approach, so that more reliable and authentic results could be obtained.FindingsThe outcomes of the study revealed that the training had been effective in imparting appropriate knowledge and skills to the trainees, with respect to designing print SLMs. However, certain gaps were also identified and have been reported in this paper. Key suggestions have been made to address the shortcomings and improve forthcoming FDPs.Research limitations/implicationsThe present research focused on a specific training programme regarding the design and development of SLMs. Therefore, only the teachers and academics who participated in this specialized training activity were considered for the collection of feedback.Practical implicationsThe recommendations of this work may be useful for the trainers, FDP coordinators, training institutions and ODL policymakers for planning and designing effective staff development activities for teachers and academics working in ODL institutions. These would be especially useful in the design of FDPs, aimed at orienting teachers who are involved in curriculum planning, design and development of learning resources.Originality/valueThis study is an original research based on the empirical primary data obtained by the researchers. As the largest open university in the world, IGNOU has been playing a key role in staff development for and in ODL in developing countries. This evaluative study of a specialized FDP in the area of SLM design and development is a significant work that may be valuable for planning the staff development strategies and building a training evaluation mechanism.

The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating The paths are not to be found but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination ... --John Schaar Creating the future in continuing professional education (CPE) sounds like a daunting, intimidating, and, at the same time, challenging and exciting task. But if we take Schaar's words to heart, then how do we go about creating the future, first in our minds and then through our actions? I believe that we can begin this process by first analyzing trends in the current practice of CPE. Next, I believe that it is essential to ask in-depth questions about these trends and focus on thinking critically about what these trends mean. Finally, I think it is important to begin asking ourselves how we are creating the future of CPE through our own actions. Current Trends in CPE In John Nasbitt's book, Megatrends, he analyzes current trends in society for the purpose of predicating where our culture was headed. Nasbitt observed that we were moving from an industrial society to an information society; from a national economy to a global economy; from short-term perspectives to long-term perspectives; from centralization to decentralization; from help through institutions to self-help; from hierarchies to networking; and from technology being forced into use to technology being pulled into use by appealing to people. Today, many of these societal trends have been realized and have either impacted or are impacting the provision of CPE. Related to Nasbitt's (1982) trends, numerous CPE authors have identified and analyzed trends as well, starting with Houle (1980) who called for CPE to be an integral part of professionals' lifelong learning. Houle felt that CPE was as important, if not more so, than pre-professional education. Knox (1990) identified themes that would be important to CPE providers in the future, including topics related to participants, society, benefits, collaboration, and leadership. Cervero (2000, 2001) called for the development of integrated systems of CPE and indicated that there were distinct CPE trends, including an increase in CPE offered at the workplace; an increase in distance education and technology as a delivery mechanism for CPE; a change in the collaboration among CPE providers; the corporatization of CPE; and the use of CPE to regulate practice. Queeny (2000) expanded these ideas by asserting that CPE in the future should address the need for teamwork, inter-professional collaboration, distance education, and competence along with accountability. It appears that these CPE authors are in alignment with Nasbitt in that they are emphasizing the importance of an information society, long-term perspectives, decentralization, networking, partnerships, and technology for the future of CPE. Critical Questions on the Future of CPE Asking in-depth questions and thinking critically about some of these trends is the next step in helping identify the future of CPE. The first trend that appears to be of great importance is the connection between CPE and the workplace. At the present time, more and more professionals are becoming employees of corporations, rather than independent practitioners. As a result, professional education is often provided within the workplace and tied to workplace needs rather than professional needs. To date, there has been little cooperation and/or networking among CPE providers and workplace learning educators or human resource development (HRD) professionals. The question here is: why is that? What prevents cooperation and networking across the disciplines of CPE and HRD? It appears that many commonalities between CPE and HRD can be found as both focus on learning in the workplace, yet, different philosophies, vocabularies, research bases, and theoretical bases have to this point created barriers to a closer examination of the connections between the two fields. …

The term distance education is used to describe educational initiatives designed to compensate for and diminish distance in geography or distance in time. The introduction of technology to distance education has fundamentally changed the delivery, scope, expectations, and potential of distance education practices. Technology and electronic communications are becoming exponentially more embedded in every facet of daily life, including business, the professions, and education, a normalization which continues to facilitate and enhance distance education delivery. Ubiquitous advertisements for online courses and degree programs are a testament to an expanded audience and increasing enrollments. Components of e-learning first adopted by distance education have since been adopted by the traditional education community. So pervasive are the application of new information and communication technologies to education delivery that the terms distance education, e-learning, and blended learning have become conflated. It is important that the clear distinctions between them are understood. Distance education represents an environment where the student and the instructor are separated; blended learning is any combination of electronic media or tools that supplement but do not replace face-to-face learning; e-learning is the application of technology to an instructional module or lesson. The relationship between these approaches is dynamic and may further blur, but distinctions will always remain. Distance education programs are offered at all levels, including primary, secondary, higher, and professional education. The earliest antecedents of distance education at all levels are found worldwide in programs described most commonly as correspondence study, a print-dependent approach prolific in geographic areas where distance was a formidable obstacle to education. As each new technology over the last century became more commonly available, it was adopted by educational practitioners eager to improve communication and remove barriers between students and teachers.

The article discusses the characteristics of a digital educational environment in the context of professional distance training of elementary school teachers. It highlights the reasons for the relevance of digital transformation in education and outlines the architectural changes in professional distance teacher training in line with the development of digital technologies. The article analyses relevant research and structures the positions of legal regulation in these categories. It provides a definitional analysis of the concepts of «educational environment», «digital educational environment», and «professional distance training for elementary school teachers». The article identifies the systemic features of the educational environment and draws parallels to the conditions of a digital educational environment. It presents the nature of interaction between the learner and the educational environment. The article distinguishes the characteristics of an environmental approach as a methodological basis for shaping the «digital educational environment». It defines the educational resource of digital technologies, including telecommunications, Web technologies, cloud technologies, big data technologies, social networks, massive open online courses, artificial intelligence technologies, digital footprint technology, blockchain (distributed ledger technologies), chatbots, and immersive learning technologies (virtual and augmented reality), as well as robotic systems. It presents the structure of the digital educational environment in the context of professional distance training for elementary school teachers, including information-content, organizational-activity, spatial-subject, social-communicative, psychological-didactic, cognitive-motivational; creating a space on digital resources or platforms for locating educational information; establishing communication channels using digital tools; and educational-methodical support (distance/electronic courses, digital libraries, digital online translators) created with the help of digital resources. Keywords: digital educational environment, professional training of elementary school teachers, distance learning, pedagogical system, digital transformation.

<P>The academic culture of higher educational institutions is characterized by specific pedagogical philosophies, assumptions about rewards and incentives, and values about how teaching is delivered. In many academic settings, however, the field of distance education has been viewed as holding marginal status. Consequently, the goal of this qualitative study was to explore faculty members’ experiences in a distance education, online university while simultaneously navigating within a traditional environment of higher education. A total of 28 faculty members participated in a threaded, asynchronous discussion board that resembled a focus group. Participants discussed perceptions about online teaching, working in an institution without a traditional tenure system, and the role of research in distance education. Findings indicated that online teaching is still regarded as less credible; however, participants also noted how this perception is gradually changing. Several benchmarks of legitimacy were identified for online universities to adopt in order to be viewed as credible. The issue of tenure still remains highly debated, although some faculty felt that tenure will be less crucial in the future. Finally, recommendations regarding attitudinal shifts within academic circles are described with particular attention to professional practice, program development, and policy decision-making in academia.</P> <P><B>Key words:</B> distance education, online education, online faculty experiences, academia, tenure</P>

The nursing profession is challenged to meet evolving health care needs of populations, while maintaining the standards and integrity of the profession. Limited resources in health care and nursing education compelled the nursing profession to embrace distance education as a way of upgrading the qualifications of large numbers of nurses in a timely manner without disrupting service delivery. All distance education programmes in nursing are post-basic programmes and are presented at certificate, diploma and degree level. Accessibility to higher education for further studies and affordability are primary purposes of distance education programmes for nurses. An increased participation of local and international private higher education institutions in distance education, a diverse body of learners and the impact of technology on teaching, learning and assessment further contributed to a shift in delivery within contact and distance education institutions.The dynamic changes in society demand that qualified people return to higher education to keep abreast with innovation and change. Distance education provides opportunities to combine family and work responsibilities while engaging in continuous professional development. Despite the advantages, distance education in higher education is confronted with challenges that relate to student support, lack of computer literacy and inaccessibility of electronic media and the Internet in some areas. Scientific writing and reading skills, a reading ‘culture’ and study skills are often lacking in the students. Remedial teaching in this regard could be a problem, especially where students do not have easy access to communication media.Education is a major key to leadership development and the development of the nursing profession. The modern knowledge-driven society requires that people upgrade their knowledge and skills in order to remain competitive and competent in a fast-changing environment. Distance education is a suitable way of ensuring opportunities for all to engage in continuous professional development and lifelong learning

The nursing profession is challenged to meet evolving health care needs of populations, while maintaining the standards and integrity of the profession. Limited resources in health care and nursing education compelled the nursing profession to embrace distance education as a way of upgrading the qualifications of large numbers of nurses in a timely manner without disrupting service delivery. All distance education programmes in nursing are post-basic programmes and are presented at certificate, diploma and degree level. Accessibility to higher education for further studies and affordability are primary purposes of distance education programmes for nurses. An increased participation of local and international private higher education institutions in distance education, a diverse body of learners and the impact of technology on teaching, learning and assessment further contributed to a shift in delivery within contact and distance education institutions. The dynamic changes in society demand that qualified people return to higher education to keep abreast with innovation and change. Distance education provides opportunities to combine family and work responsibilities while engaging in continuous professional development. Despite the advantages, distance education in higher education is confronted with challenges that relate to student support, lack of computer literacy and inaccessibility to electronic media and the Internet in some areas. Scientific writing and reading skills, a reading ‘culture’ and study skills are often lacking in the students. Remedial teaching in this regard could be a problem, especially where students do not have easy access to communication media. Education is a major key to leadership development and the development of the nursing profession. The modern knowledge-driven society requires that people upgrade their knowledge and skills in order to remain competitive and competent in a fast-changing environment. Distance education is a suitable way of ensuring opportunities for all to engage in continuous professional development and lifelong learning.

Formulation of the problem in general. The article analyzes the peculiarities of integrating distance learning into the educational process of higher military educational institutions and military educational units of higher education institutions under martial law in Ukraine. In modern conditions, higher education necessitates the use of distance learning, which allows for the acquisition of knowledge without interrupting professional duties. The purpose of this article is to analyze the concepts of “distance education”, “distance learning”, “blended learnin”, to conduct a comparative analysis of synchronous and asynchronous formats in the context of blended learning, to consider popular distance learning platforms (systems), and to identify the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning. In writing the article, a multidimensional approach was used to collect, analyze and summarize information on the integration of distance learning into military education. The following research methods were used: comparative analysis; technological assessment; survey. The combination of these research methods allowed us to get a holistic view of the subject, challenges and opportunities offered by the introduction of distance learning in military education. Analysis of recent researches and publications. Despite the numerous scientific works devoted to this issue, the practical application of innovative forms and methods of teaching in the field of military education is somewhat limited. Further research and exploration is needed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, thus advancing military education in the digital age and at the same time responding to the unique challenges and requirements of this specialized field. Therefore, researching and identifying the features related to the integration of distance learning into the educational process of higher military educational institutions and military educational units of higher education institutions is an important scientific task. Presenting the main material. The article analyzes the concepts of “distance education”, “distance learning” and “blended learning”. It is found that distance education is a purposeful pedagogical exchange between participants of the educational process, which organically combines traditional and distance learning forms. This combination can take place within a physical classroom or go beyond it, using synchronous and asynchronous formats supported by a wide range of information and communication technologies. Elements of scientific novelty. A comparative analysis of synchronous and asynchronous formats in the context of blended learning is carried out, and the distinctive features of each of them are highlighted. Synchronous learning provides quick feedback between teachers and students, promotes joint group activities, develops communication skills, and triggers intrinsic motivation through interactive discourse. Conversely, the asynchronous format provides for schedule flexibility, which allows students to determine their own pace of learning, ensures the availability of educational resources at a convenient time, and develops self-organization skills. It has been found that distance learning is a purposeful pedagogical exchange between participants in the educational process that combines traditional and distance learning. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning are identified. Advantages: individual pace of learning; the ability to choose areas of development; the ability to revise the educational material; mitigation of mental and physical stress and development of autodidactic competencies. Disadvantages: limited direct social interaction; increased technological impact on everyday life and limited practical hours devoted to skill acquisition. Practical significance of the article. At the National Defense University of Ukraine, popular distance learning platforms and systems such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, and Google Meet have become indispensable tools for providing educational services. In addition, this study emphasizes the key role that modern digital technologies play in shaping the training of military professionals. These technologies are a fundamental prerequisite for success in education, constantly evolving and defining the contours of pedagogical paradigms, especially in the field of distance learning. Conclusion and the perspectives of future researches. Information and Communication Technologies are an aid to learning, but they cannot replace live communication. A promising area for further research is the study of technologies for organizing distance and blended learning in higher education institutions.

The paper describes information and digital technologies in the professional and pedagogical development of educators. It has been presented that the use of digital technologies or Internet resources in the teaching of various disciplines is regarded as one of the most pressing issues in education today. Accordingly, a modern computer education system should function as an open digital environment that provides teachers with the opportunity to independently develop distance and blended learning courses using a variety of tools, including cloud technologies. The article aims at substantiating the role and content of information technologies usage of educators’ professional and pedagogical development, analyzing their potential in the formation of digital literacy and professional competence of teachers, and outlining the possibilities of using innovative forms and digital educational environment to ensure continuous professional self-development of future teachers. Research methods: analysis and review of scientific sources, synthesis, comparative and theoretical analysis, systematization and generalization, interpretive-analytical method. It has been justified that formation of digital literacy of future teachers is of particular importance, which involves not only the possession of individual digital tools, but also the ability to appropriately integrate them into professional activities. Implementation of the digital tools should be interconnected and form a holistic system that is implemented within the framework of multifunctional software and a cloud-based educational environment. It could be concluded that effective use of the entire spectrum of digital and cloud capabilities involves a conscious choice of optimal tools in accordance with specific educational tasks, in particular for the design and implementation of an individual program of professional self-development of a future teacher.

Professional Development is a critical necessity in today’s educational environment. The present research was based on the idea that teachers are professionals and they need professional development consisting of various processes of ongoing growth. We examined university teachers’ attitude to professional development in a type of distance learning educational system in Iran and examined their attitudes with their counterparts teaching in on-campus educational systems. To this end, 70 Payame Noor EFL instructors and 70 non-Payame Noor EFL instructors from other public universities in Tehran, Iran were selected to conduct the research. A fivescale Likert questionnaire was designed and evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in order to determine to what extent PNU EFL instructors are involved in professional development and whether there is any significant difference between the level of professional development between them and nonPNU EFL instructors. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 using both parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. The outcomes of this study identified that although PNU EFL teachers believed in increasing their professional development level, this belief wasn’t very prevalent and a significant difference occurred between the extent of professional development between them and non-PNU EFL instructors. Therefore, PNU EFL teachers need to develop a greater awareness of teaching in distance learning university systems while maintaining a high level of motivation to teach English in order to keep up with the changes of English language teaching in the world.