War is a daily challenge in all areas of our lives. The forced transition to online, and later to a full remote format, prompted quick decisions. However, correctly assessing the university’s capacities allowed us to make both transitions smoothly. The level of teaching and administration remained consistently high, and the use of the latest technologies and means of communication made it possible to apply new techniques in the educational process and stay in touch to solve any questions of students and teachers.
Until recently, classes at UACU were held in one of two formats
From the current semester, the third format of course organization was also returned
The combination of all three formats within one group became a new element for us to work on. Three courses of the first year of study were organized according to the mixed format of course organization.
Full-time students chose a more convenient course option – offline or online. Depending on the selected scheme, students attend classes in the classroom or connect to a Zoom conference to participate. The instructor organizes the work for both options identically: explaining the material, practical parts, cases, performance of tasks, etc. Tasks scheduled for classes are performed simultaneously by students on the course page on the Moodle learning platform; discussion tasks are also discussed simultaneously by all students of the online and offline formats.
Part-time students take courses remotely. That is, students have a certain extended period of time to complete the tasks – from the day the course begins until the Midterm (for topics scheduled before the Midterm) and from the first day of the next month until the Final (for classes scheduled between the Midterm and the Final). Another difference for the distance format of organizing courses is the absence of scheduled classes. Instead, instructors hold weekly consultations at a set time. Their duration is not strictly defined.
The combination of offline/online and distance formats led to certain technical preparations and course delivery changes. Since all course materials and tasks are on the Moodle platform, and students have different task deadlines, it was important to organize the virtual space for the work of students and instructors competently and as conveniently as possible.
The best option was to use the built-in Moodle option, which allows for the internal division of course students into groups. Students were divided into three groups according to the format: offline, online, and distance. After that, each assessment element was adjusted to meet different deadlines for different groups of students. Thus, students can access the works only at the time specified by the instructor and the format. Such a setting rejects the need for instructors to constantly check deadlines because access to the work is closed after the set deadline.
The offline and online division was also made within each course. It is needed in the organization of Midterms and Finals for each group of students. Students of the offline group pass the specified works on the day and time determined by the dean’s office in the classroom. Meanwhile, students of online and distance groups take them online on the same day and time via Zoom. Following the university’s instructions for taking Midterms/Finals online is important. Students are familiarized with the requirements through corporate mail in advance. A few days before work, instructors again provide students with details of the organization of Midterms and Finals. In addition to the instructor, a representative of the dean’s office is also present during them.
The mixed format is an innovation that shows a good result. Feedback from instructors and students is the main source of development and improvement.
