(2016) Science and education, 12, 42-48. Odessa.

Tetiana Pylaieva,
PhD (Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences), assistant professor,
Department of Pedagogy and Foreign Philology of Simon Kuznets,
Kharkiv National University of Economics,
Nauki Av., 9-A, Kharkiv, Ukraine
Viktoriia Yatsenko,
PhD (Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences), seniour lecturer,
Department of Theory and Methodology of Preschool Education,
municipal institution «Kharkiv Humanitarian Pedagogical Academy» of Kharkiv Regional Council,
7, Rustaveli lane, Kharkiv, Ukraine

PHENOMENON OF OPEN UNIVERSITY IN THE MODERN WORLD

The article is aimed at reviewing open universities formation history and describing the contents and organizational framework of open universities’ activities. The article presents the evolution of distance learning universities from correspondent schools to modern distance universities. It has been revealed that the Open University of Great Britain has become a model for other open universities in the world. The article underlines the dominant role of governments in the process of open universities formation. Open universities have an astonishing experience of using innovative technologies to make higher education available to all people around the world. Students enter open universities with a wide range of study goals and previous educational and general experience. The means of distance education and the ways of the learning materials delivery to students are considered. Study materials may include a series of specially written module texts; study guides; DVDs, CDs; textbooks and special collections of articles; resource files; online learning materials and services including Virtual Learning Environment, and online computer forums and library facilities. Students’ support system consists of tutoring, educational centres and summer schools. The article also deals with the specificity of the tutor system and the main functions of the tutor’s professional activity. Tutors mark assignments, provide detailed written feedback, and offer support to students by telephone, email, or computer conferencing. The previously developed methods and approaches to students teaching at the distance were systematically transformed into an integral technology of the education system of world open universities. The Open Universities are characterized by high quality standards of education, namely the coordination of employees’ (teachers, tutors, administration) activities with the aim of helping students; possibilities of individual learning route choosing; actualization of students’ own resources in overcoming the difficulties in the educational process.

open university, means of distance education, learning materials, students’ support, tutoring.

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