Opportunities of Electronic Learning Platforms for the Russian System of Higher Education

Abstract

The habitual training routine of today’s students, who are the representatives of digital generation, is closely related to electronic educational programmes and courses, textbooks, assignments, and projects. The information support of the educational process is the prerequisite of obtaining the respective professional competencies, as well as of a successful professional career and its progression. The rapid development of online technologies has served as a catalyst for the emergence and spread of information educational technologies, particularly, of online education. The use of modern educational information and communication technologies gives the teacher many opportunities to simultaneously communicate the learning material to different groups of learners. The learners in such groups may have different levels of initial training, different perception speed, and sometimes even different attitudes towards the university education. These technologies dramatically reduce the number of slow learners, motivating them to educational activities and making the learning process more effective. Thus, the learning process rises to the proper level, and the university rankings rise accordingly. Although the World Wide Web as we know it is a relatively recent phenomenon, it is evident that the electronic distance learning has existed for a long time, and the level of its technological development was not always as high as it is now. The authors suggest that the standard structure and content of a media platform should be considered for a better understanding of the nature of modern digital learning technologies and the opportunities they offer.