STUDENTS ACTIVED PARTICIPATION MOTIVATED BY ONLINE LEARNERS AND SEMINARS

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the consequences of the compulsory online education at university studies level during COVID-19 period. Current trends and goals in the education system such as focusing on practical sides of learning and creativity seem to be prone to improvement due to the possibilities of the new online medium, through the use of online platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Webex, and Zoom. The paper analyses features of these online platforms which prompt use of visual material such as PowerPoint presentations during the lectures, ease of access to using video and audio material, comparatively to the face to face lecture halls where access to foreign languages laboratories and translation software was not always available, as well as encouraging possibilities of interaction during seminars and lectures by using buttons indicating go faster, go slower, yes, no as feedback from students to teachers present on Zoom platform. The methodology of the paper will combine teaching as a foreign language using face-to-face methods as well as using teaching and learning software and online materials, together with psychological theories of motivation in learning. The findings will be applied to teaching English as a foreign language seminars and to Culture and Civilization courses and seminars to students in Engineering at the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest where the author of the paper currently teaches as a lecturer. Activities of teaching with video and listening comprehension are encouraged due to the use of platforms and are readily available.