The COVID-19 pandemic forced the university education system in Albania to operate in distance through information and communication technologies. The purpose of this study is to explore students’ perceptions about accessibility, learner intentions, social and lecturer issues in online learning. In order to achieve the aim of the study, the quantitative method is used. The data are collected online through the completion of a survey which contains closed questions. The sample included in this study are students of bachelor and master degree (N = 236) who belong to the teaching programs from the University of Tirana and “Aleksander Moisiu” University of Durrës. The study points out some challenges faced by students during online learning which are related to online accessibility, lack of motivation of students and the barrier of their involvement in online group work activities. It was also noted that the online environment presents challenges for lecturers, which require a better mastery of digital competence by the academic staff. The findings of this study are designed to help policymakers, education executives and academic staff to have a clearer view and make the necessary interventions to overcome these challenges faced by students during online learning.

The paper presents the framework for the assessment of digital educational resources for students who are engaged in autonomous personalized learning. Through a questionnaire and personal observations, we identified the necessity to equip students with skills and knowledge on resources quality assessment in terms of digital competence advancement. We adapted the framework that includes four components: pedagogical, technological, didactic and academic and expanded their content. Having analyzed the students’ narratives on their resources application experience, questionnaires answers and results of the personal assessment process, we observed the positive dynamic in mastering the skills of resources quality assessment after the implementation of the framework into the learning process. We suggest the algorithm of the framework implementation.

Digital Technologies in the Preparation of Future Teachers: Modern Challenges of Distance Education

The article highlights the theoretical and practical aspects of the organization of distance education in Ukraine, which has become especially active in the current conditions of the coronavirus pandemic and the imposed martial law due to large-scale Russian invasion. The research methods that allowed to conduct high-quality scientific research on the research issue in the field of higher education in Ukraine are highlighted. The article analyzes the social challenges, which relate primarily to the preparation of future teachers for the use of digital technologies in teaching. The need for professional training of future teachers is obvious, as graduates in further professional activities must be able to organize and implement the educational process in educational institutions using the potential of information and communication technologies, which is one of the most important professional competencies of modern professionals. The results of an empirical study of the outlined problem, which involved teachers from different regions of Ukraine (some of the respondents were students studying at the university and gaining the profession of teacher) are presented. The survey method revealed the understanding of teachers of educational institutions of different types of existing problems and challenges regarding the use of digital resources and tools in distance learning of students. The sample included different age categories of respondents: Boomer Generation, Generation X and Millennium (Generation Y). It was found that some respondents have difficulties in using didactic knowledge in distance learning (36.4%), creating moral and psychological comfort (36.4%), organizing and stimulating activity (25.5%) and effective online communication (21, 8%). Some digital technologies and tools for distance learning of future teachers and organizational forms of using information and communication technologies (ICT) are outlined.