Organization of students’ independent learning by means of using mass open online courses

Abstract

The development of scientific and methodological foundations of the use of information and
communication technology in teaching students of engineering and pedagogical field of study as a
means of achieving the objectives set in the program documents for the development of the
educational system is an urgent problem of the theory and methodology of higher vocational
education.
The purpose of the article is theoretical substantiation and practical development of an
educational website and methods of using mass open online courses in technical disciplines for
future engineers-educators’ independent learning.
Methods used for carrying out the research include theoretical, such as analysis of
psychological and pedagogical, scientific and methodological literature on the subject matter of the
research, comparison and generalization of the data relevant to the researched problems, and
empirical ones such as conversations with teachers about the researched problem; selection of
pedagogical software according to the appropriateness of using it to improve the management of
students’ instructive and cognitive activities; analysis of educational and methodological
documentation; study and generalization of work experience.
While conducting the present research, the organization of future engineers-educators’
independent learning was considered regarding the use of mass open online courses in technical
disciplines. The researchers developed a model for organizing students’ independent learning for
acquiring technical disciplines using mass open online courses and presented structural
components of students’ independent study.