Online course as a means of developing master's professional competencies: results of a pedagogical experiment

Abstract

The article proposes a solution to a scientific problem, which is to substantiate the feasibility of using online courses in the professional training of masters in the pedagogical university, to develop an online course and experimentally test its effectiveness as a means of developing the professional competencies of masters in the speciality 014~Secondary Education (Mathematics). The author used the following methods of scientific research: pedagogical experiment, observation (for systematic perception and analysis of learning activities, motivation and personal growth of students in the context of blended learning), testing (to determine the level of logical thinking and development of students’ professional competences), questionnaire (to monitor the ergonomics and efficiency of the online course and the Mathematics teacher’s e-portfolio), expert evaluation of the developed online course, and methods of mathematical statistics (for proper processing of experimental data and verification of the online course’ effectiveness). The results of the control stage of the study indicate a positive trend in the development of mathematical, information and educational, methodological, psychological and pedagogical, and professional and technological competencies of students in the experimental group. The final test of the online course was chosen as a tool for determining the level of mathematical competencies of the masters in the experimental group. The reliability of the assessment of the masters’ professional competencies was confirmed by testing the hypothesis of the normal distribution of test results according to the Shapiro-Wilk test. In addition, a close correlation between students' academic achievement level in an online course and the level of logical thinking development was substantiated using the Student’s t-test. Prospects for further research include the development of online courses on Mathematics teaching methods with an emphasis on methodical, professional, and technological competencies; a detailed study of the impact of the latest information technologies (artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, web programming, etc.) on the development of students’ information and educational professional competences in distance and blended learning.