Students’ Readiness to Distance Learning: Results of Research in the Institutions of Higher Education

Abstract

Assessing the readiness of students for distance learning is one of the main factors in the planning and implementation of distance learning. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the readiness of students to implement distance learning tools while learning English. The authors consider the students’ readiness to implement distance learning as a complex of cognitive, motivational, technological, and reflexive components. The paper analyzes various forms of diagnosing readiness levels, including surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and observations used in the study. The research demonstrated that distance learning presented some challenges to students on the one hand, and offered them new opportunities on the other hand. A list of factors that impeded English distance learning and benefits of distance learning were identified by students in this survey. The most notable is the growth of the high-level category of technological component. 83% of respondents indicated that they mastered new distance learning tools they had not previously used or used partially. On the plus side within the cognitive component we can admit gaining of new experience by students. Changes in the motivational and reflexive components were less noticeable.