The use of educational platforms in distance learning

Abstract. The article discusses the importance of using digital educational platforms in the learning process, a description of used methodological techniques. The author analyses the content and structure of digital educational resources created within the framework of the e-learning system. The use of new and modern information tools leads to the emergence of new concepts in pedagogy. New computer technologies provide the teacher with wide opportunities in the preparation, organization, conduct of the lesson and control of the educational activities of students. The author also presented some requirements rules, content of packages, and methods of their application.

Keywords: digital educational resource, e-learning system, content of packages, information technology.

The main goal of implementing the e-learning system in the field of education is to ensure equal access for all participants to the best learning resources. To be a success, it is necessary to create conditions for the introduction of automation of the educational process achieving the goal in order to improve the quality of training, the effectiveness of knowledge management, and information integration with the external environment.[1]

The objectives of the teachers are to involve students into the learning process and turn it into effective and desirable. Awareness of new contemporary technologies in distance learning allows to properly control the conduct of any lessons. Distance learning, as a matter of fact, revealed lack of progress in conducting lessons without visual resources. The use of new information tools leads to the emergence of fresh concepts in pedagogy. New computer technologies supplied the teacher with better opportunities in the structuring and conducting the lessons on their own and control of the educational activities of students. The use of electronic platforms in educational disciplines gives a wide range in building lessons more original, informative and interesting. As for the students, this means a change of priorities in the setting of educational goals: one of the results of training and educating in school should be the readiness of pupils to master modern computer technologies and the ability to update the information obtained with their help for further self-education.

The students really enjoyed listening to various audio and video materials connected with the school curricular and receiving individual tasks aimed to improve their weak points in any appropriate form and time.

During our pedagogical practice at the school-lyceum 72 in Nur-Sultan city I recommended my learners to use the BilimLand e-learning platform as an educational resource for distance learning. The lessons on the particular platform will not only expand and consolidate the acquired knowledge, but also significantly increase the creative and intellectual potential of learners.

Before implementing the BilimLand platform I got acquainted with its vast electronic resources and decided to use it during my practice. In traditional teaching the task of a facilitator is to explain the theme, show the pictures, demonstrate new words, correct pronunciation of the students and control the learning process within an academic hour. Previously to introduce to the schoolchildren the topic "Around the world in eighty days" I had sought the given topic on the platform and immediately succeeded in my investigation: the learners saw pictures related to the topic, listened to new words and their pronunciation and read the extracts and chapters from the texts.

It was interesting to watch the reaction of the schoolchildren when they realized the effectiveness of their activities on the BilimLand platform that gave them the opportunity to work more productively.

Such options as producing certain sounds during an incorrect answer stimulated the students to be more attentive and better prepared because the number of incorrect attempts was taken into account and displayed on the report page.The final stage of any topic was a test on the studied material.

Here are some characteristics of BilimLand platform. Firstly, it is the first Kazakhstan platform for innovative teachers, and secondly, Bilimland has 4 advantages as Itest (preparation for the UNT, VAUD ); Twig-bilim (Twig World is one of the leading UK education companies.Now, due to the joint efforts of Bilimland and Twig World, one of the world's best resources is available to students and teachers of Kazakhstan in Kazakh, English and Russian languages); IMektep (a website for primary school students that has animated videos and various games in the form of a task to consolidate the lesson).

The program is designed to work from the first to the eleventh grades. It is easy to understand the taught material because it becomes fascinating and immediately captivating process. In addition, all programs within the platform develop ability of learners to independently search for information, learn new and advanced material and consolidate knowledge. Bilim Land is considered as a ready-made tutor.[6]

To make the lesson emotionally interesting, amazing, teachers should not limit and narrow the opportunities by just showing a presentation. Bilimland platform informs teachers with the best learning practices, extracurricular activities, didactic games, simulators, tests and other digital methodological resources. There are many other educational portals for the inquisitive teachers.

Here is an example of using Bilim Land in the classroom.

1. Computer simulators help to create conditions for practicing different skills on the studied topic.

2. Learning grammar with different tasks is getting easier for all schoolchildren; strong and weaker ones. They have opportunity to learn and remember by correcting answers in the notes.

3. The work with new words may be done in these ways: 

• Finding the objects in the drawing and combining them.
• Listening to new words and checking their correct written form.

Thus, we come to realization that the given platform helps to transform the teaching of traditional academic subjects into more effective and sufficient process, rationalizes the learners’ labor, optimizes the process of comprehending and memorizing educational material, and also increases interest in learning to a consistently higher level.

To conclude all the benefits of the digital educational process it is important to mention that they do not replace the teachers , but provide them with additional materials , allow them to supplement the content of the lesson with new multimedia capabilities of information and communication technologies, draw learners' attention to the most important educational topics, and help them to visualize offered materials. In addition, in order to teach in the context of e-learning, first of all, the teachers must constantly be in search and self-improvement with innovative technologies and study in detail the materials presented and consider the side of creative transmission as well as master modern advanced technologies.