Development of STEM Education of Natural Disciplines in the Conditions of Distance Education

The article provides a practical overview of the use of STEM-learning technology, which aims to establish interdisciplinary links that contribute to the formation of students’ holistic, systematic worldview, modern personal attitudes to the issues. Such lessons or classes can be conducted by combining the subjects of several subjects or the formation of integrated courses or separate special courses for students during distance education. In the conditions of distance education, the use of dynamic web-services in the professional activity of a teacher acquires practical significance, with the help of which it becomes possible to work with students some curriculum materials with the involvement of STEM-technologies. Own experience and experience of teachers of the Zaporizhzha region in the implementation of the study of real natural processes that can be carried out in distance learning, was analyzed. In this way, teachers found out and used several interesting dynamic web-resources that are fully or partially publicly available and do not require additional financial costs (registration or subscription) when conducting lessons on the basis of STEM. Thus, the available teaching aids can be used in classroom (face-toface) work, when the teacher uses a projector to demonstrate to the whole class activities on the resource, or in individual or group work, using smartphones as teaching aids. The experience of practical use of sites was carried out in KZ “ZOIPPO” ZOR in teaching the discipline of information and communication technologies, where teachers read web pages and train to compose tasks for students to use them in their daily teaching practice. Due to such tasks, in the study of the world economy and the national economy, students develop an awareness of global interdependence and personal responsibility. Such activities immediately implement several cross-cutting levels of the curriculum: a holistic scientific view of the world, an adequate understanding of the peculiarities of the modern world; understanding of the unity and harmony between the natural environment, the development of material production and the level of growth of social standards of the population in conditions of sustainable development. Of course, involvement in distance learning format is not able to fully replace the face-to-face format. But to reinforce theoretical material, it can be a good alternative for understanding natural phenomena or processes in the study of physics, astronomy, geography, geology, biology and ecology, chemistry, etc.

The Efficiency of the Case Study Method in Professionally Oriented Foreign Language Teaching

The article is devoted to the issue of teaching English to students of higher medical institutions. The analysis of theoretical resources showed that the current level of intercultural communication requires a transformation in the system of vocational training, which encourages the search for new effective technologies that will promote the development of independent and active personality. One of the most effective ways to organize higher education is case technology, which promotes the development of skills to analyze and summarize different types of information, formulate a problem and suggest possible solutions according to established criteria. The article proposes a step-by-step process of implementing the case method and describes the goals of this method. It is noted that the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the case method is the result of active independent activities of students to resolve contradictions, resulting in creative mastery of professional knowledge, skills, abilities and development of mental abilities. Particular attention is paid to the effectiveness of the case method in language training of specialists in any field, as the language training of future professionals should be aimed at developing not only general communicative competencies, but above all, professionally oriented language competencies. Therefore, it is advisable to apply this method at a stage when students already have gained a sufficient amount of professional knowledge, which allows them to study the situation more competently. Different types of cases (practical, educational and research) are described depending on their purpose. The fact that a foreign language course often precedes the curriculum of special professional disciplines, brings to the specifics of its teaching advanced nature – a foreign language can and should be a means of acquiring new professional knowledge. Special attention is paid to the fact that the case method is based on the student’s independent activity, which is organized by the higher educational institution. Among the advantages of using the case method are the possibility of optimal combination of theory and practice, the development of skills in working with diverse sources of information and independent decision-making. In addition, the process of solving the problem raised in the case is a creative process of cognition, during which cognitive activity acquires a collective character. Among the risks of using this method, the necessity to carefully consider the presentation of the case and competent planning of student activities are pointed out. The authors of the article conclude that the use of the case method in foreign language teaching for medical students is effective for acquiring foreign language skills, mastering professional knowledge, development of logic, analysis skills and motivates students to learn foreign languages and to study in general.