Use of Information Technologies in the Development of Foreign Language Scientific Communication Competence of Students of a Non-Linguistic Higher Education Institution

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to substantiate and test practical-oriented interactive information and pedagogical technology, which involves the active role of students in the formation and development of foreign-language communicative competence necessary for the use of a foreign language in scientific research activities. The relevance of this problem is due to the process of globalization of the economy, the transition of the national economy to an innovative path of development and the demand in this regard for specialists with both a system of professional knowledge and the ability to communicate in a foreign language and on this basis successfully solve research tasks.Materials and methods. To achieve the goal, methods of comparative analysis of existing approaches to solving the problem were used, the general scientific system approach was also used to investigate the process of interaction between subjects and objects of educational activity at a university and the possibility of increasing the effectiveness of the educational process based on the use of digital tools, as well as the Moodle distance learning system. The developed technology was tested at the Minsk branch of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in working with the first year students within the framework of academic disciplines “Business Informatics: 38.03.05”, profile of the program –“Digital Business Transformation”; “Management: 38.03.02”, profile of the program – “Marketing” and “Economics: 38.03.01”, profile of the program – “Business Statistics and Analytics”.Results. Within the framework of the study, a practical-oriented interactive information and pedagogical technology was developed and tested, based on the use by students of digital tools and the Moodle distance learning system in the formation and development of foreign-language communicative competence necessary for conducting research activities. The proposed information and pedagogical technology allows involving students in research activities already in the first year of their studies at the university. A study of students’ opinions indicates that they are satisfied with the process and outcome of study. The effectiveness of technology is also evidenced by the results of students’ participation of Plekhanov University (Minsk branch) in foreign-language international scientific forums and competitions.Conclusion. The proposed technology, based on the use of digital tools by students, harmoniously combines the best that is in the “live” and “virtual” interaction of subjects of the educational process, activates the role of students in the formation and development of foreign-language communicative competence necessary for the use of a foreign language in scientific research activities and allows this activity to be carried out already at the first stages of study at the university. Within the framework of the considered technology, the potential of the content of education in a foreign language is used and the personality-oriented pedagogical technology Dalton is used, as well as the “flipped class” method that has grown from this technology, which are options of blended learning and involve a combination of elements of traditional and e-learning.