Traditional and Mass Open Online Course “Business Communication”: Perspectives for Higher Education

Abstract

Digitalization transforms business by multiplying the channels of external and internal communication of companies, influencing business communication. Against this background, the study of differences in business communication training in the digital environment and in the audience is relevant. The article presents the results of a comparative study of the course “Business Communication”, implemented in the system of professional higher education and in online learning. At the first stage of the research, a register of the content characteristics of the course was compiled, such as: topics; business communication skills declared for the formation, and the planned results of the training in the traditional and online format. At the second stage, a comparative analysis was carried out according to the parameters identified at the first stage. As a result of the analysis of the content characteristics of the course revealed changes that occurred under the influence of digitalization in the topic of the online course, as well as the specificity of the skills and results of business communication training in the classroom and in the online course. The research allows the teachers of the course “Business Communication” to notice prospects in the development of the discipline.