Impact of COVID-19 on the Distance Learning Approach (Possibilities/Prospects) in Higher Education Institutions in Russia

The article considers the issue of changing the distance learning approaches in higher education institutions in Russia as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The widespread introduction of electronic technology is one of the indicators of the high quality educational process organization in cases of crisis. The unexpected shift to distance learning due to the pandemic has become a catalyst for the beginning of the process of mass creation of online learning courses. The authors conducted a survey involving students of four higher education institutions of Volgograd. Its purpose was assessment of the effective use of distance learning technologies during the pandemic. The advantages of the use of online courses during the pandemic were considered in this study: the students gained important skills (the ability to work independently, use different sources to obtain information, implement projects with the use of digital technology, etc.), the higher education institutions became more competitive since they can provide unique educational courses to a greater number of Russian and foreign students. The combined learning experience became another positive legacy of the pandemic. A number of problems related to the use of distance learning technologies were identified in the course of the study: the insufficiently developed informational infrastructure of higher education institutions, reduced psychological readiness of professors and students to use digital services and platforms in the educational process, for multichannel interaction, etc.