SOME PSYCHO-PEDAGOGICAL ASPECTS OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH ICT: THE EXPERIENCE OF FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES

This article analyses the experience of employing information and communication technologies (ICT) in higher education establishments, on the example of courses for Master's degree students. The participant observations were conducted in four different types of courses: a) face-to-face (f2f) with a formal use of ICT; b) f2f with a creative use of ICT; c) online learning; and d) blended learning. It underlines the importance of creating varied and continuous engagement of students in the learning process in which computer technologies can enhance learners' agency, reflection, and collaboration as well as develop their sociocultural competence. It compares a range of teaching methods that employ educational web-resources to promote intellectual and personal development of students. It claims that appropriate teaching methods can teach students to find decisions, be creative, and learn how to communicate or complete other activities by means of ICT. It is highlighted that computer technologies can foster re-organization of schooling in educationally meaningful ways. The paper concludes with the design considerations for a university course that presuppose the adaptation of purposes and the content of the course to the needs of students.