Integrating telecollaboration into EFL classroom: theoretical and practical implications

To date, methods fostering intercultural collaboration among university students have become a central draw for EFL teachers, as it is required for a graduate to be ready for communication in the international context. Telecollaboration is one of the most effective one. The present paper gives common information about the method mentioned, carries out a brief literature overview. In addition, characteristics of a collaborative classroom are defined, TPU experience in telecollaboration is described

Using electronic courses in teaching master’s degree students

The paper discusses the structure, design peculiarities and usage methodology of an electronic course in learning management system Moodle. Blended learning combines the technologies of traditional classroom-based and web-based learning, which complement each other. The blended learning model implies replacing a part of traditional classes with different types of educational interaction in a virtual learning environment. The Department of Power Grids and Electrical Engineering of Tomsk Polytechnic University is developing electronic training complexes for master's degree disciplines, such as Operational Management in Power Engineering and Methods of Stability Calculation. The paper shows the applicability of electronic courses as a tool for developing professional competencies in students

The role of natural languages as lingua francas in the course of human history

The article considers the use of natural rather than constructed (or artificial) languages as means of international communication in overcoming interlingual and intercultural barriers. The authors seek answers to the question whether natural languages have proved their effectiveness as tools of international communication. Another important line of research is determining the factors that have played a decisive role in the choice of some natural languages as lingua francas in the history of international relations. Finally, the authors explore the factors that have contributed to the transformation of English from one of the most widespread natural languages into the language of global communication

The linguistic situation in Sub-Saharan Africa in the postcolonial period and the problems of linguistic decolonization

The present research into the linguistic situation in the most multilingual region of the world, the Sub-Saharan Africa, pursues the goal to clear up the peculiarities of interrelations between the indigenous and European languages in this region as well as to provide a theoretical substantiation of the linguistic policies directed at ousting the European languages of the former metropoles from the most important spheres of life in the countries that achieved independence in the course of the 20th century. The relevance of the research is determined, first of all, by the fact that there is a growing threat of a loss of linguistic and cultural heritage of the planet in the period of globalization. At the same time, the factors determining the loss of linguistic and cultural diversity of the world remain insufficiently researched. In accordance with the goal of the given work, the authors have sought answers to a number of questions connected with the functioning of multilingualism in the countries to the south of the Sahara. The most important of these questions are the following: 1) what are the main reasons for the failures of the policy of linguistic radicalism directed at ousting European languages from all main spheres of activities?; 2) how important is the role of European languages in the loss of linguistic and cultural diversity in the period of the acceleration of globalization processes?; 3) why is the concept of regarding languages as means of domination and suppression by the former colonial powers erroneous in the conditions of the countries of the Sub-Saharan Africa that becam

Sustaining linguistic and cultural balance in multilingual South Africa

The present research into the linguistic situation in the Republic of South Africa, which is characterized by the legislative support of multilingualism and equality between the official languages, is relevant because of the danger of a loss of linguistic and cultural diversity in the former colonies of the African continent, most of which, on achieving independence, granted the status of official language only to the language of the former metropolis. The goal of the given article is finding out the nature of interrelations between languages and cultures in multilingual South Africa, and determining the functions which South African languages perform in various spheres of the country’s activities. In accordance with the set goal, the authors sought answers to a number of questions connected with interrelations of languages in South Africa as well as the role of English as one of the official languages. The most important of these questions are the following: 1) which of the official or unofficial South African languages performs the role of the language of common communication (lingua franca)?; 2) is the language balance in South Africa stable, and does the English language present a danger to the linguistic and cultural diversity of the country?; 3) what are the reasons for the difficulties connected with realizing in South Africa the policies of the equality of the official languages

Teaching and learning English as the global language in the education systems of the globalized world

The article considers the problems caused by the educational paradigm shift as a result of the English language acquiring the status of the global language in the process of globalization. The authors argue that the transformation of English into the language of worldwide communication calls forth a revision of the traditional approach to teaching foreign languages. English as the global lingua franca could no longer be treated as a foreign language. This demands a reorganization of language education based on a transition to multilingual teaching and learning in which English language teaching is envisioned not as traditional teaching of one of the national variants of English, which leads to acquiring the corresponding dominant cultures, but as teaching English as the language of world communication used for overcoming interlingual and intercultural barriers in the globalizing world

The Motives for Corporate Identification of the Contemporary Russian University

AbstractThe paper addresses the problem of reexamining the identification of the contemporary Russian university in connection with its new corporate tendencies. We propose to see in corporatism and corporate culture of the university its value-oriented, spiritually-moral meaning that ensures ethical norms of human behavior in the network society. Seen from this perspective, corporate culture does not contradict the professional university culture, and appears to be necessary for training graduates and professionals who are capable of answering the challenges of the contemporary professional world

Self-determination of youth and traditional moral values: the role of Russian literature

The article aims to prove the assumption that along with the known approaches to encouraging cultural diversity in education (critical, pluralistic, acculturation), a new methodological approach should be defined – that of forming the culturally-oriented world-view on the basis of personal self-determination in the traditional moral values, as represented in the national culture. The authors present their own definition of traditional moral values and analyse the way they are reflected in the classical Russian literature. The authors present the results of a field study designed to determine whether this reflective tradition is followed or interrupted in the modern Russian prose in the end of ХХth – beginning of XXIst centuries

The role and the place of the Institute of Culture within a classical university structure

The modern culture, having refused the generality of culture norms and ideals and offering plurality of their samples, confronts social institutes with a problem of choosing the ones, which they are intended to serve. Uppermost, this concerns such a social and educational institute as a university. Where, to what norms and ideals does the modern university lead the student if by opening the world in front of them, it offers a reality of cultural pluralism? How to show the truth if it is seen in its heterogeneous state? What culture and truth does the professor choose to orientate himself/herself in his/her teaching path? May the Institute/ Department of Culture help answer all these questions as being the one that started the history of university? To answer these questions the comparative-historical method of research has been used: the contradiction has been displayed against the background of culture problem solving in the history of the university. The article justifies the need for the development of the philosophical-culturological concept of forming and keeping culture values performed by the institutionalized organizations of the university. The problem of replacing the concept of ‘the graduate model’ with that of ‘the profession model’ as a goal of innovative university education has been justified