Использование социальных сетей и систем дистанционного обучения в учебном процессе: мнение преподавателей и студентов

In this study, using survey data on "E-learning technologies in high school" (May 2014), in which were 363 participants: 90 teachers and 274 students from 25 universities of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The research includes survey, statistical data processing, content analysis and comparative analysis of the results. For data collection were used Google Forms, and for their processing specialized software «Statistica v6.1.Ru». On basis of the survey results there were constructed table of relative (%) and absolute (quantity) frequencies, contingency tables (cross tabulations). The survey results were compared in MS Excel. To conduct content analysis was used Wordstat v1.1. For the research there was developed a survey with 68 various questions: with singleand multiple choice, in an open form (essay). The survey was available on open access and transferred to respondents through social networks, LMS and e-mail. The survey was offered to students and teachers who had learning experience in LMS and / or SN. It should be pointed out that both reference groups (to students and teachers) show similar activity in the responses. In their free responses both teachers and students to a greater extent presented the advantages of a particular platform. Thus, teachers equally consider the use of LMS and the SN as a tool for learning. They attribute the advantage of this system in the educational process: the arrangement of materials, development of tests and tasks, the organization of students' independent work, preparation of the assessment system, work with the journal, activities monitoring, etc. However, they voice concerns relating for the time-consuming when using this platform, and do not accept the system of compulsory registration by the administrator. Social networks, according to teachers, may be selected as a learning tool mainly because the platform for students is usual and every-day. It is also important the general availability of network and the ease of use / convenience of interface. There were not obvious disadvantages of SN which were presented in the responses. It is obvious that none of the technologies does not meet all the requirements of the teacher in the e-learning process. Some functions (technical, supervisory, organizational) has been successfully implemented using LMS, others (communication, motivation, individualized instruction) the SN. Thus, from the teachers` point of view, the prospects for the development of e-learning technologies are related, probably, not with the choice of either SN or LMS` contradistinction, and their hybridization (appearance of a new technology that combines the functions of the SN and LMS) or symbiosis (coexistence of the two systems, with which both partners or one of them gets benefit from the other). Students, to a greater extent, prefer to use SN, considering the main advantage of the communicative potential of the platform, as well as its convenience and regularity. In this case disadvantage is a lot of distractions. Students also admit the advantage of LMS in the educational process, but attribute shortcomings of the platform in its lack of functionality, inconvenience and strangeness. Thus, the Russian students tend to attribute the prospects for the development of e-learning technologies more in social networks than in traditional LMS. For further development of the research we aim to check the data collected in Tomsk State University using survey and interviewing of students and teachers from other foreign universities. In our opinion comparison of students and teachers in their relation to the e-learning instruments in different universities and countries enable to examine the results by interaction of more respondents to the research, to define perspective directions of e-learning development taking into account opinions of its participants. Conclusions of this study will help us to understand and improve our use of LMS and SN tools in educational contexts. Our final goal is to adapt our teaching strategies to the educational needs of our students. Key words: social networking, e-learning, quality of education, social learning.