DIGITAL DISTANCE LEARNING TOOLS IN ACADEMICS’ ESP TRAINING

This poster presentation describes an ongoing research project investigating the use of digital tools by university students in Qatar. The study also explores the effectiveness of having students inform each other of the usefulness of self-selected digital tools for English language learning. Rationale Mitra and colleagues (Dolan et al., 2013; Mitra, Leat, Dolan, &amp; Crawley, 2010) suggest that self-organized groups of learners sharing a common technological tool (traditionally a computer) offers a self-empowered and socially supported avenue of effective learning outside the classroom. Interest in digital tools facilitating self-directed learning has only increased with the development of the power and complexity of the World Wide Web (Blake, 2013; Saxena, 2013). Important reported benefits include greater learner motivation (Saxena, 2013) and the development of learning communities outside the traditional educational setting (Lord &amp; Lomicka, 2011). For language learners, the Web 2.0 has often been used to provide added opportunities to practice or use language outside of the classroom (Blake, 2013; Borau, Ullrich, Feng, &amp; Shen, 2009). Examples include the numerous grammar explanations and exercises, and the use of microblogs for language learning (Antenos-Conforti, 2009; Castrillo De Larreta-Azelain, 2013; Lord &amp; Lomicka, 2011; Wang &amp; Vásquez, 2012). Digital English language product revenues in the Middle East will exceed $215 million by 2018 (Global Educational Supplies and Solutions, 2014). However, little is known about how language learners in the region exploit these resources for self-directed independent language learning, and what resources they find helpful. An initial database search identified only one study addressing this issue. In this study, an online survey at Qatar University identified 18 educational uses to which students put their smartphones, including: accessing the university's online learning management system, discussing classes with classmates, and practicing online quizzes (Fayed, Yacoub, &amp; Hussein, 2013). In addition to exploring the ways in which students use digital tools and the perceived effectiveness of these tools for English language learning, our study investigated the efficacy of having students, rather than instructors, find, vet, and recommend digital tools for classmates. If successful, such an approach could alleviate English instructor concerns about being able to judge the appropriateness of digital tools for their students’ unique linguistic needs, learning preferences, and cultural sensitivities. This research is expected to contribute to the development of best practices in education in culturally diverse learning environments such as the transnational university campuses in Qatar. Research Questions and Objectives The research questions guiding this study are: What are the online practices of tertiary education students in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program in the Qatar? How are EAP students’ independent learning practices influenced by participating in a course that requires them to use digital tools to develop their English skills? The objectives of this research are: 1. to establish baseline attitudes and behaviours regarding digital tool use for language learning amongst English Language Learners (ELLs) in an EAP program in Qatar 2. to examine the effectiveness of the pedagogical approach of requiring participants to seek out, trial, and report to peers on their use of digital tools for language learning. This will be done by testing for a significant: i. within group effect ii. between group effect (treatment versus control groups) 3. to identify more details regarding participants’ motivations, experiences, and views related to digital tool use for language learning, along with their insights regarding the pedagogical approach used in the treatment. 4. to disseminate findings, methodology and recommendations to other institutions in Qatar, the Middle East, and abroad. Methodology This study employed a quasi-experimental, mixed methods approach, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. The use of a control group and multiple measurement instances allowed testing for significant effects of the pedagogical treatment between groups (treatment versus control differences) and across time (pre- versus post-treatment results versus one-semester post-treatment). Students in the treatment group, as part of their coursework, were asked to set an individual language goal for the upcoming two weeks. Based on this goal, they were required to seek out and trial a digital tool. At the end of each two-week period, each student posted a report on their experiences with the tool to the course's online discussion page. Reports focused on the benefits and limitations of their selected tool and how it contributed to their goal. Students also read and replied to each other's posts. These two-week cycles were completed 5 times. Students in the control group completed their course, in the same EAP program as the treatment students, without the independent digital tool use component described above. At the beginning of the semester, the end of the semester, and the end of the following semester, students in the treatment and control groups completed quantitative questionnaires intended to assess various aspects of their attitudes and experience with using digital tools for language learning purposes. The questionnaires provided direction for focus group interviews conducted with treatment group students at the end of the semester, and one semester post-treatment. The focus group interviews provided more depth and clarity about students’ experiences and perspectives regarding digital tool use for language learning, and about the utility of having students find and share their experiences with digital tools. Results The preliminary results and analysis described in this poster presentation includes a comparison of the quantitative data of control and treatment groups at pre- and post-treatment. Qualitative data of the first focused group interviews is also presented. Conclusion While 96.7% of Qatar's population are internet users (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016.), little is known regarding its use as an educational tool. A better understanding of how language learners in this context use digital tools, and how digital tools could appropriately be used to improve language skills, would be of great importance to students and educators in the region. References Antenos-Conforti, E. (2009). Microblogging on Twitter: social networking in intermediate Italian classes. In L. Lomicka &amp; G. Lord (Eds.). The next generation: Social networking and online collaboration in foreign language learning, Calico Monograph Series, No. 9. (pp. 59–90). San Marcos, TX: CALICO Publications. Blake, R. J. (2013). Brave new digital classroom: Technology and foreign language learning. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. Borau, K., Ullrich, C., Feng, J., &amp; Shen, R. (2009). Microblogging for language learning: Using twitter to train communicative and cultural competence. In M. Spaniol, Q. Li, Klamma, R., &amp; Lau, R. W. H. (Eds.), Advances in web based learning–ICWL 2009 (pp. 78-87). Berlin, Germany: Springer. Castrillo De Larreta-Azelain, M. D. (2013). Learners’ attitude toward collaborative writing in e-language learning classes: A twitter project for German as a foreign language. Revista Española De Lingüística Aplicada, 26, 127-138. Central Intelligence Agency. (2016). The world factbook: Middle East: Qatar. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/qa.html Dolan, P., Leat, D., Mazzoli Smith, L., Mitra, S., Todd, L., &amp; Wall, K. (2013). Self-organised learning environments (SOLEs) in an English school: An example of transformative pedagogy? Online Education Research Journal, 3(11). Retrieved from http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/15077/1/SOLEs_-_Transformative_Pedagogy.pdf Fayed, I., Yacoub, A., &amp; Hussein, A. (2013). Exploring the impact of using tablet devices in enhancing students listening and speaking skills in tertiary education. QScience Proceedings: Vol. 2013, 12th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning (mLearn 2013). Retrieved from http://www.qscience.com/doi/pdf/10.5339/qproc.2013.mlearn.1 Global Educational Supplies and Solutions. (2014, December). Digital language learning market to double in the Middle East by 2018. Retrieved from http://www.gessdubai.com/news-center/press-releases/digital-language-learning-market-double-middle-east-2018 Lord, G., &amp; Lomicka, L. (2011). Calling on educators: Paving the way for the future of technology and CALL. In N. Arnold &amp; L. Ducate (Eds.), Present and future promises of CALL: From theory and research to new directions in language teaching (2nd ed., pp. 441-469). San Marcos, TX: The Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium. Mitra, S., Leat, D., Dolan, P., &amp; Crawley, E. (2010). The self organised learning environment (SOLE) school support pack. ALT Open Access Repository. Retrieved from <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The article aims to introduce some digital activities for ESP (English for Specific Purposes) courses and show the effect of their introduction on the quality of study process in an ESP course and on its results. With the help of ESP course quality evaluation model (Rudzinska, 2011) ESP course quality is evaluated along the following criteria: study course clarity, adequacy, cooperation, individual work, variety, and deep approach. Quantitative and qualitative research methods are used to investigate the improvement of study process quality due to the introduction of digital tools. The base of the research are the students of a Latvian higher education institution (HEI) (Institution A) and a Romanian HEI (Institution B), who from 2008/2009 to 2011/2012 studied ESP (Business English and Sports English) with the help of such digital tools as &lt;a href="http://www.bighugelabs.com/"&gt;Bighugelabs&lt;/a&gt;, Piclits, Glogster, Textivate, Freemind and Wikipedia article creation. In Institution B student satisfaction level with the use of digital tools was surveyed through a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire and oral interviews. In Institution A the students freely reflected on their learning experience with the help of the mentioned digital tools. The results in both HEIs show high student satisfaction with the introduction of digital tools: in Institution B slightly satisfied were 15%, moderately satisfied: 10%, very satisfied: 58%, and extremely satisfied: 15% of respondents. Qualitative analysis showed that ESP course quality due to the introduction of digital tools improved in relation to quality criteria, summarized in the mentioned quality evaluation model (clarity, adequacy, cooperation, individual work, variety, and deep approach), as well as in relation to other quality criteria: accessibility, availability, novelty, variety, creativity, an opportunity to be proud about the results of the work done; the weaknesses were due to lack of accessibility (Internet connection in my village is too slow), lack of creativity (I’m not very creative) and complicated techniques of digital tool application.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

The swift introduction of the digital learning tools into the school and higher education have changed the way the students receive information, collaborate, solve problems and build knowledge. The paper will look at the role of digital learning tools in modifying the creativity and critical thinking skills in students. The research uses constructivist research on learning theory, social learning viewpoints, and 21st -century skills models to discuss how platforms like learning management systems, collaborative applications, simulation tools, multimedia authoring software, gamified space, and the application of artificial intelligence influence the development of higher-order thinking. The paper claims that the use of digital tools does not necessarily enhance the level of thinking; it is a question of instructional design, teacher mediation, authenticity of tasks and student interaction. As it is stated in the literature, in case of employing digital tools in inquiry, problem solving, collaboration, reflection, and content creation, originality, flexibility, evaluation, reasoning, and decision making could be encouraged. Nonetheless, it can be detrimental when passively or over directed because it can inhibit deep thought and result in shallow learning. The paper defines five research objectives and comes up with three hypotheses that relate the use of digital learning tools with creativity and critical thinking improvements. An examination of pre-existing literature indicates that digital environments provide an environment where ideas are generated, expressed through a wide array of modalities, interaction with peers, and a variety of opinions, all of which contribute towards creative and critical thinking. Meanwhile, the problem of digital distraction, disparate access, under-prepared teacher training, and dependency on algorithms is worth paying attention to. The conclusion of the paper is that digital learning tools are best applied in pedagogies that focus on inquiry, metacognitive, collaborative, and student agency. The adoption of technology, however, should not be emphasized in educational institutions but purposeful integration.

BackgroundAccording to the German Physiotherapy Education and Qualification Regulations, teaching of anatomical structures is one of the fundamental subjects of physiotherapy education. Besides exhibits and models, anatomy atlases are usually used as teaching and learning tools. These are available in both analog form such as printed books or in digital form as a mobile application. Furthermore, the use of digital teaching and learning tools is steadily increasing within the education of health professionals.AimTo assess the efficacy of a digital educational tool in contrast to an analog anatomical atlas in acquiring knowledge about anatomical structures.Material and methodThe data collection took place in the context of an anatomy tutorial for students of the bachelor’s degree program in physiotherapy. In a cross-over design, the students completed two learning assignments, each, with different learning materials provided, either with an anatomy app on a tablet or with an anatomy atlas as a book. The tests to assess the newly acquired knowledge immediately after the task, consisted of questions about the anatomical structures of the knee as well as the shoulder. In addition, the students’ satisfaction with the learning materials provided was surveyed using a questionnaire. The survey assessed their satisfaction, their assessment of learning success, and their affinity to digital learning materials. This was done using a 5-point Likert scale and a free-text field. The data was analyzed descriptively, and group differences were calculated using a t-tests.ResultsThirty students participated. The group comparison showed a significantly better outcome for the group that prepared with the analog anatomy atlas for the questions on the knee than the comparison group that used the anatomy app (t(28) = 2.6; p = 0.007). For the questions concerning the shoulder, there was no significant difference between the digital and analog groups (t(28) = 1.14; p = 0.26). The questionnaire revealed that satisfaction with the analog anatomy atlas was significantly higher than with the anatomy app. A total of 93.34% rated their experience with the analog learning tool at least “somewhat satisfied”. In contrast, 72.67% of students partially or fully agreed that they “enjoyed learning with digital learning tools”.DiscussionLearning anatomical structures with the Human Anatomy Atlas 2023 + app did not show a clear advantage when compared to an anatomy book in these two cohorts of physiotherapy students. The results of the questionnaire also showed greater satisfaction with the analog anatomy atlas than with the anatomy app, whereas most students stated that they frequently use digital learning tools, including some for anatomical structures. Satisfaction with the learning tool seems to play a central role in their effectiveness. In addition, sufficient time must be provided for users to familiarize themselves with the user interface of digital applications to use them effectively.RegistrationDiese klinische Studie wurde nicht in einem Studienregister registriert.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore teachers’ use of digital learning tools for teaching in higher education. Moreover, it investigates how the use of digital tools affects educational practices and how teachers experience the culture of sharing among colleagues and within the organisation.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative methodology was chosen, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers at a higher education institution in Norway. The study uses the TPACK-framework, which illustrates the relationship between technology, professional content knowledge and pedagogical approaches as its theoretical foundation.FindingsThe findings conclude that teachers are concerned with the convergence of how technology and digital learning tools can support educational processes by engaging and involving the students. The findings further indicate that they are committed to using digital tools to motivate, engage and facilitate student-based education, which in turn leads to more reflection on teachers’ own teaching practices. Based on the theory of Professional Learning Communities, the respondents agree that sharing is a basic prerequisite for a learning organisation. They experience, however, that sharing between colleagues is easier in formal forums than at informal settings.Originality/valueThe rapid development of technology suggests that many sectors including the education sector must adapt to the new changes in their teaching practices. Nevertheless, many teachers merely use the basic form of digital learning tools to distribute the teaching materials, as such tools are less utilised to support students’ learning process (Fossland, 2015). The research indicates that digital learning tools have positive effect on teaching practices and that they can function as tools to improve the teachers’ own teaching practices. Positive teaching practices should also be shared in a learning organisation to improve teaching practices on an organisational level. Hence, sharing at a professional level can impact learning and the organisational culture in academic institutions.

Technological advancements are significantly transforming the landscape of Indonesian education, shifting from traditional methods to digital learning media. This study examines the adoption of Flipbook, a digital tool, in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, aiming to enhance the learning experience for students enrolled in English language study programs. Utilizing Flipbook as an instructional medium, lecturers anticipate offering a novel approach to integrating technology in education. Data were gathered through questionnaires administered to seventy-six students focusing on ESP materials. The questionnaire, comprising thirty-one items with both positive and negative statements, evaluated four key aspects: the completeness of the learning content delivered through Flipbook, student engagement in learning activities, the effectiveness of lecturers in managing the digital learning environment, and the adequacy of facilities and infrastructure supporting the use of Flipbook. The findings demonstrated varying levels of effectiveness: The lecturer's ability to manage Learning was notably effective, with a high mean score of 44.97, indicating that Flipbook facilitates dynamic classroom management. Learning Activities also showed positive outcomes, with a mean score of 36.43, suggesting satisfactory engagement and interactivity. However, Learning Completeness and Facilities and Infrastructure highlighted areas needing improvement, with mean scores of 31.57 and 27.24, respectively. These lower scores reveal significant gaps in content delivery completeness and the supporting infrastructure, which are critical for effectively using digital learning tools.

The aim of this study was to find ways to modernize Sami language teaching and teaching in the Sami language with digital technology. We realize the importance of digital technology in enhancing the sociocultural position of minority and Indigenous languages. However, the lack of teaching and learning material in the Sami language is still challenging. Free digital teaching and learning tools could help produce and provide learners with multimodal learning material and new ways of learning. Moreover, competencies in the use of digital technology are an internationally accepted key element of teacher education. The Focus on the North–Digital Learning for Pre- and In-Service Teacher Education Project, funded by Norgesuniversitet in cooperation with the Sami allaskuvla - Sami University of Applied Sciences (SUAS) in Norway and the University of Lapland in Finland, aimed to address challenges affecting education in the Arctic educational context by creating a 15-credit (ECTS) course program with three courses on digital tools in education. SUAS practice schools are in Norway, Finland, and Sweden, so distance learning and teaching didactics were designed as the core of this project. Student teachers and in-service teachers at all education levels participated in the courses. The findings indicated that teachers’ and student teachers’ experiences of personalized collaborative learning in using digital teaching tools to support Sami language teaching were remarkable in practice, as teachers gained access to tools for coping in a demanding educational context. Digitalization provides new ways to improve learning in a threatened language context.

The Covid-19 pandemic which began in early 2020 has brought a big change in the Malaysian education system and around the globe. In Malaysia, all the students from pre-school until the postgraduate level had to learn to manage with the Emergency Remote Lessons (ERL). Also, many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) around the world had to survive with the rapid shift to ERL with lesser time for preparation. In Malaysia, it was a requirement for students to equip themselves with digital technological devices such as tablets, lap tops, I-pads, mobile phones, computers and other suitable gadgets with appropriate internet to continue their studies. Nevertheless, as Malaysia moved to the endemic phase from the beginning of April 2022, online learning is still something that can be considered relevant in higher education institutions (HEIs). As technology has become ubiquitous, the teaching methodology has also undergone a radical change. The use of digital tools has enhanced learners’ engagement and true interactivity within the classrooms. Hence, the aim of this research is to find out students’ perceptions on the effectiveness of implementing “digital tool” for the reading and writing skills during the endemic phase in a private university using the convenience sampling, quantitative research method. This study demonstrates that students highlighted positive consequences when digital tool and digital learning devices with sufficient internet connection are implemented for the reading and writing skills in the classroom. The benefits of using digital tool in the reading and writing skills are discussed in the study. It can be suggested that in the near future, activities using technological devices such as mobile phones and digital learning tools could be used to boost and motivate students’ capability to incorporate technology in their learning.

PurposeThe purpose of this empirical study is to explore the efficacy of digital tools in enhancing learning outcomes within Indian higher education, specifically in the context of supporting Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This research seeks to identify how digital tools can facilitate improved learning experiences and outcomes, thus contributing to the broader educational objectives outlined in SDG4. The research seeks insights from a range of higher education stakeholders, including students, faculties, employers, entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals.Study design/methodology/approachThis is a study via questionnaire containing closed ended questions to gather comprehensive data from students and educators across 5 higher education institutions of Delhi/NCR. A sample of 400 educators &amp; learners members participated in the study, providing insights into their experiences with digital learning tools. The data collected were analyzed using statistical methods to identify trends and correlations regarding the use of digital tools in the learning process.FindingsThe findings indicate that the integration of digital tools significantly enhances student engagement, motivation, and overall learning outcomes. Students reported increased accessibility to educational resources, institutional support, improved collaboration among peers, and a more personalized learning experience. Additionally, educators noted that digital tools facilitate more effective teaching strategies and foster an inclusive learning environment. However, challenges such as technological disparities and the need for adequate training were also identified, highlighting the importance of addressing these barriers to maximize the potential of digital tools in higher education.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of digital tools in supporting SDG4 within higher education. It offers valuable insights into the benefits and challenges associated with digital learning environments, making it a significant resource for educators, policymakers, and institutions aiming to enhance educational practices through technology. The findings underscore the necessity for ongoing investment in digital infrastructure and training, ensuring that all learners and educators can benefit from the transformative potential of digital learning tools. This research not only reinforces the importance of digital education in achieving SDG4 but also serves as a call to action for stakeholders to prioritize equitable access to digital resources in higher education for inclusive growth.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the use of digital tools in the professional training of skilled workers who, within the framework of the implementation of the «Industry 4.0» concept, will carry out the digital transformation of production processes across various sectors of the country’s economy. It has been proven that, in the context of the war and overcoming the consequences of the pandemic in Ukraine, the practice of supplementing and/or replacing traditional learning tools with digital ones is becoming common in the vocational education system, which improves information support for various aspects of the educational process. An analysis of the works of domestic scientists devoted to various aspects of digital education, including the introduction of digital learning tools into the educational process and the creation of a modern information and educational environment based on them, was conducted. More than forty of the most advanced digital tools for the types of activities of participants in the educational process, used by vocational schools in the training of future employees, have been systematized. A classification of digital learning tools by form of learning (traditional, online, and blended) has been proposed. The groups of digital learning tools are characterized according to this classification: traditional learning – mainly printed materials, practical complexes (simulators, trainers), audio and video materials are used; online learning – the educational process is based on learning management systems (LMS), platforms for online communication and webinars, online courses, interactive applications (VR/AR, simulators, various models of artificial intelligence; blended learning – uses multimedia and interactive learning tools, etc. The classification of software-based digital learning tools by field of professional activity allows for the systematization and grouping of available instruments. This facilitates their selection and application during the educational process in accordance with specific learning goals and objectives.

Digital teaching interventions allow for tailor-made university teaching. This is especially relevant for teacher education, where applicable professional teaching knowledge needs to be promoted for later professional success. Digital teaching tools have been shown to be a promising supplement for this purpose. Even though the corresponding demands in teacher education have been increasing in recent years, the need to develop digital learning tools usable in instruction is still urgent. The TWIND project develops digital learning tools for teacher education and evaluates them in a quasi-experimental design. The present work investigates the usability and application of these newly developed tools. Sixty-three trainee teachers worked independently over four weeks with one of two digital learning tools, focusing on either ‘Multilingualism in Classrooms’ or ‘Professional Communication in Classrooms.’ This study includes a pre-post-test of pedagogical knowledge facets as well as student and instructor ratings on the digital tools. The digital learning tools led to a positive change in the respective target facets of pedagogical knowledge. The student and instructor feedback reflected positively on the usability and usefulness of the new digital tools. Based on these findings, the limitations of the study as well as implications for further research and teacher education practice have been outlined.

Digital teaching, learning and research have been exploited by realizing the distinctive advantages and opportunities it provides to create knowledge that enables universities to deliver the educational program and for the students to receive their preferred qualifications. Opportunities to exploit technology help to transform teaching-learning experience and research programs in terms of reach effectiveness, collaboration and capability of yielding improved performance. At the same time, the use of technology also comprehends constraints that are necessary to address. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of digital technology and learning tools in higher education (HE). Moreover, it investigates opportunities and constraints in transforming the classroom learning experience to digital mode affecting HE and its practices. Adopting a qualitative research design, this study employs semi-structured discussions with teachers and students from various parts of the world sharing their professional knowledge and technological experience that will provide a clear framework to illustrate the relationship among various stakeholders. The finding concludes that the use of digital tools for and learning, teaching and research and technology poses several opportunities and challenges that are concerned with the convergence of the needs of academics and learners that support educational developments by engaging in research at higher educational levels. The findings further specify how digital tools can be committed to motivate, engage and support different stakeholders, such as industry, research agencies, government, NGOs and the general community, etc., in formal and informal settings. This study values to enhance the HE sector to adopt the digital transformation in teaching, learning and research across borders reducing the cost to both students and the universities. Additionally, it will support them to adopt new changes in their teaching and learning practices by eliminating or minimizing the issues caused by the unexpected and rapid occurrences of crises such as the spread of Covid-19 prevalent presently. The research also specifies that the adoption of digital technology has positive and negative effects on teaching and learning practices in comparison with the traditional approaches adopted in HE institutions. Hence, this study will have a high impact on various spheres of HE that can act as a catalyst to change the culture and approaches in academic institutions.

This study was conducted to determine how to motivate technical college students to learn English for specific purposes (ESP) courses through corpus building and enhance their language proficiency during the coursework for their majors. This study explores corpus building skills, how to simplify ESP courses by corpus building for English as second language learners, and ESP course evaluations. Although ESP programs have been implemented in technical colleges in Taiwan for several years, many students and educational practitioners feel frustrated regarding the academic achievement of learners’ ESP courses. Corpus building is crucial for implementing an ESP program and its subsequent success. Designing appropriate teaching materials enables learners to overcome their fears when taking ESP courses. Numerous linguistic professionals have mentioned that ESP courses are aimed at advanced learners. However, the vocabulary size of most technical college students is below 2000 words in Taiwan. Teaching an ESP course at a technical university is challenging work for ESP teachers. Constructing an ESP corpus and selecting appropriate ESP vocabulary to meet learner needs is essential. Building a localized corpus and designing appropriate ESP materials based on student language proficiency is the future trend for ESP courses. In this study, we discuss basic rules for developing linguistics corpora, how to build localized corpora, and the most commonly used tutorials for corpus building.

The use of technology has grown significantly at the universities in recent years. Blackboards have been replaced with PowerPoint presentations, online courses, and videos. Nowadays all universities incorporate technologies into their curriculum in some form. They have digitilised their whole education system by recognising the function of digital classes. More and more aspects of today's world become digital because of the advancement of the internet, mobile phones, mobile apps, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets, Digital education is replacing conventional education in classrooms at many universities and colleges. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how teachers may build their curriculum and support materials, employing the most creative side to personalise learning, using modern technologies. Although, many people favour traditional teaching methods, the possibilities are endless when technology is integrated into the classroom. The education has become much more accessible, with a wide choice of learning techniques. Teachers should think about why students want to use the technology in the classroom rather than need it. It will surely assist educators in tracking a student progress and developing innovative lesson strategies. Students who learn using technology can build skills that will help them to succeed in the future. Methodology of the study is based on general research methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, observation and abstraction, which are used to systematise achievements in the theory and practice of modelling systems of different nature in the humanities and, in

The article features the results of a survey on the challenges and needs of the Ukrainian teachers in the implementation of distance education in the conditions of quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was carried out by the Comparative Studies Department for Information and Education Innovations of the Institute of Information Technologies and Learning Tools of the NAES of Ukraine in 2020. The study is based on the 607 responses of educators from all-over Ukraine to the online questionnaire conducted between March 27 and April 4, 2020. The content of the questionnaire covered the following topics: educational qualification of teachers, number of screen hours, problems with the access to necessary information, access to the Internet, digital tools that teachers use for distance learning, teachers’ needs in the professional development regarding the use of ICT. The obtained answers allowed providing recommendations for public education authorities, decision makers, institutions of secondary, higher and postgraduate education on the improvement of teachers’ digital competence, organization of online communication and Internet access on the workplace to digital tools for distance education. The recommendations are based on the responses of the international educational community and organizations (OECD, PISA, UNESCO, and Council of Europe) to COVID-19, in comparison with the Ukrainian realities reflected in the online survey. The novelty of the study presented in the article lies in the fact that it gives a response to the needs that Ukrainian teachers identified in the first weeks of the quarantine. It can be used to achieve long-term practical results in providing support for schools, teachers, school administrators and students in the organization of distance learning as well as in overcoming barriers to teachers' access to information on the use of digital distance learning tools.