Foreign Language Teaching in Higher Education Institutions

Optimization in the Education Informatization Sustainable

Development Context

Elena E. Novgorodova

, Liliya A. Malakhova

and Tatyana V. Bukina

Kazan State Institute of Culture, Orenburgskij tract str. 3, Kazan, Russian Federation

Kazan Federal University, Kremlyovskaya str. 18, Kazan, Russian Federation

Keywords: Information And Telecommunications Resources, The University Information Space, Digitalization of

Education, Teaching a Foreign Language.

Abstract: The study goal is to determine the features and scientific and theoretical aspects of the university unified

informational and educational environment coordination in the preparation and teaching of students in a

foreign language while exerting pedagogical influence on the individual, taking into account the modeling of

foreign language competence. The article analyzes the university informational and learning environment

role, that is based on the mechanisms of students internal activity with the information and methodological

dominant of educational activity, which allows them to master a foreign language in a natural language

environment based on information technologies. This is possible on the basis of appropriate language

information and educational integration of teaching methods and techniques associated with interactive

learning platforms and the university information resources. The article also identifies a new information

content type that affects the foreign language teaching optimization. The scientific novelty of the research lies

in the modeling of the university information and educational environment in the new education paradigm

justification, in the center of which there is individual information literacy. As a result, it is proved that the

theory and methodology of teaching a foreign language depends on the communication organization

effectiveness and information environments that increase the students socio-cultural competence and

language literacy.

1 INTRODUCTION

The relevance of the research topic is determined by

the educational process general patterns identification

in the system of objective criteria aimed at the

students writing and speech skills development in the

process of mastering a foreign language. A

characteristic feature of the introduction of new

pedagogical technologies implemented in the

information environment successful integration

conditions is their ability to optimize the learning

process through online editing and verification of

students written works. Certainly, the information

space allows you to provide timely communication

between a teacher and students, which contributes to

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8753-4547

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5634-8263

the reflection development, the possibility of

commenting and making amendments to the work. It

should be noted that the use of distance learning based

on information and telecommunications resources in

teaching a foreign language increases the

effectiveness of monitoring the students knowledge

and skills in the context of language culture

development, linguistic and cultural and lexical skills,

improving foreign language communicative

competence, self-learning abilities in an electronic

two-level format. Therefore, in our opinion, divergent

control should correspond to the main indicators of

the individual trajectory of students self-learning in

terms of increasing the degree of their cognitive

activity in mastering foreign language speech culture.

Novgorodova, E., Malakhova, L. and Bukina, T.

Foreign Language Teaching in Higher Education Institutions Optimization in the Education Informatization Sustainable Development Context.

DOI: 10.5220/0010593905590564

In Proceedings of the International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference on Sustainable Development of Regional Infrastructure (ISSDRI 2021), pages 559-564

ISBN: 978-989-758-519-7

559

To achieve this research goal, it is necessary to

solve the following tasks. First, to determine the

necessary methods and techniques for optimizing

language education in the context of teaching

informatization and digitalization. Second, to identify

areas for optimizing the process of teaching a foreign

language based on the information and educational

environment of the university in the search for the

most effective development of educational

information interaction between teachers and

students. Third, to justify the theoretical and

pragmatic aspects functions of information

technologies usage in teaching a foreign language at

a university, taking into account the methodology and

distance learning models, computer-mediated

educational communication.

To understand the reasonability ideas of using an

information system for teaching a foreign language at

a university, the article uses the following research

methods: the axiomatic method, which was used to

consider the statements of our theory through axioms,

and the structural analysis method.

The theoretical basis of the study was the

publications of Russian authors R.Z. Amiralieva, I.Y.

Mishota, I.V. Kharlamenco (Amiralieva, 2013;

Mishota, 2013; Kharlamenco, 2020), which consider

models of the information technologies use for the

students language culture development in the context

of trends under the conditions of the higher education

system modernization.

The practical significance of the study lies in the

fact that the directions of optimizing foreign language

teaching in higher education in the education

informatization context can be used in pedagogical

activities to improve the educational process of

foreign language training in higher education. It can

also contribute to the language education

methodology development.

2 METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

FOR OPTIMIZING LANGUAGE

EDUCATION IN THE

CONTEXT OF HIGHER

EDUCATION

INFORMATIZATION AND

DIGITALIZATION

Individualization and differentiation of knowledge

control and evaluation of students results in learning

a foreign language is actively used today through the

use of test simulators, listening to audio and video

recordings, training grammatical and lexical

structures in the educational information computer

visualization conditions, which is associated with the

modernization of the information content of

education at the university. The educational trajectory

allows to use information and methodological

complexes, network electronic technologies, distance

learning technologies are providing that the training

is individualized, the methods and foreign language

material optimization speed, that affect the

information perception features, are improved and

optimized.

So, S.V. Ivanova, A.V. Malova, while analyzing

the methods and techniques of optimizing language

education, came to the conclusion that the problem of

finding new methods and techniques is related to the

teaching foreign languages motivation. According to

the authors, "smart education" meets the challenges

of an unstable environment, which is characterized by

the use of electronic, educational Internet content,

based on the use of online resources, web resources

that allow you to include the materials of the network

in the content of classes with students. The use of

audio texts and videos with different levels of

complexity is determined by working in pairs, the

ability to ask and answer questions about the content,

the dialogic speech development and the

communication skills formation (Ivanova and

Malova, 2019).

G.V. Alipatov, G.V. Cherkasov notes that the

training model allows you to develop the connection

between knowledge and skills, based on interactive

exercises in the process of learning a foreign

language. Students, performing work on the

simulator, carefully approach the presentation

material analysis, while working with text, image and

sound. It allows them to optimize the knowledge

assimilation and increase foreign language literacy

(Alipatov and Cherkasov, 2019).

Working with a text of a linguistic and cultural

nature allows to change the qualitative language and

speech material stylistically when using a model for

measuring the linguistic similarity of the original and

translation. Semantic and structural analysis of

foreign language texts in the education

informatization context gets a new aspect, i.e. the

translation of literary texts is carried out in a system

of creative exercises, diverse in form and content,

often in a game form. Using creative tasks, the

university teacher forms a speech creative or semi-

creative character of training based on improving the

written and oral speech skills.

The use of the Internet allows you to create a

genuine language environment that promotes

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560

effective familiarization of students with new

language material. In addition to the work on the

formation of reading and listening skills, it is possible

to use sites to expand the vocabulary, get acquainted

with new grammatical rules, and read e-books. A

wide range of online lessons, articles, topics, tests,

video lessons, English via skype, conversational

practices and simulators, complex multi-level

exercises, completion spreadsheets with

phraseological units, working with visual images,

visual and sound series, drawing up creative projects

in a foreign language and performing tasks using an

electronic template, working with multimedia

country-specific material, preparing messages,

working with electronic dictionaries and glossaries,

working with translations using electronic schemes

form different levels of language proficiency

(Bukina, 2020) exists. The website Learn English

Today (http://learn-english-today.com/) has an

affordable and simple service that provides

grammatical rules, a huge number of exercises,

videos, multivariate exercises containing a rich

associative video sequence, which contributes to

improving the quality of foreign language acquisition.

With the information technologies introduction,

video conferences introduction, students are

immersed in a natural language environment, which

provides an opportunity to vary the ways of

presenting information. A variety of methods, the use

of information and search activities skills and

abilities, joint creativity with a teacher allows them to

use learning tools based on virtual reality. Electronic

libraries with remote access, electronic lectures,

virtual lectures conducted in real time, educational

books in electronic form are effective. It joins

educational and methodological interactive

complexes into a single educational information

space. Didactic audio and video educational

materials, complex multimedia-operational

environments create an entry into the integrated

information systems of teaching a foreign language in

the presence of multi-purpose tasks. Also, online

resources allow you to study theoretical material,

improve knowledge control, and improve the

translation from a foreign language efficiency.

Smartphones, tablets, Web tools, cloud services

Google, Office 365 are determined by the educational

work of the information and university educational

environment in terms of optimizing the didactic

possibilities of teaching a foreign language. The

forms of organization of educational activities from

these positions are determined by the use of digital

technologies, digital tools that affect reading, oral

speech, oral storytelling, students attention

concentration and memory while studying foreign

language lexical units. The laptop allows students to

record a larger volume of educational materials,

developing the technological aspects of learning

foreign languages in the context of the personal

language practice development.

3 DIRECTIONS FOR

OPTIMIZING THE PROCESS

OF TEACHING A FOREIGN

LANGUAGE BASED ON THE

UNIVERSITY INFORMATION

AND EDUCATIONAL

ENVIRONMENT

The main directions of optimizing the teaching a

foreign language process on the university

information and educational environment basis

include the differentiation of various education levels.

Computer tools contribute to the various language

forms of communication formation in the

management of students speech interaction in the

individual functional system of speech activity.

Hence, we can conclude that the pedagogical, didactic

and functional potential of the university

informational and educational environment allows us

to create platforms that ensure the educational

material systematization, the content modularity

organization, and the university operation modes

openness in the conditions of the information culture

of future specialists improvement.

So, A. V. Ballastov, E. Y. Sokolova identified that

the multidimensional nature of the educational

process in the university is due to its electronic

information and educational environment, which is

based on the interactivity principle. According to the

authors, the students personality socialization, their

individual-personal and professional development is

determined by their readiness for innovative and

experimental research activities. Therefore, when

teaching a foreign language, it is necessary that a

foreign language communication environment is

created at the university with the help of multimedia

tools that allow to realize the perception of foreign

language speech with the possibility of modeling real

communication situations with other nations

representatives (Ballastov and Sokolova, 2017).

In our opinion, the main directions in optimizing

the process of teaching a foreign language based on

the information and the university educational

environment are:

Foreign Language Teaching in Higher Education Institutions Optimization in the Education Informatization Sustainable Development

Context

561

1. The ability to constantly be in the language

environment with the help of Internet technologies,

increasing the ability to work with electronic

dictionaries and other electronic resources.

2. The didactic and methodological potential of a

foreign language systematization in the conditions of

working with authentic materials, ensuring the

effective and mobile interaction between students and

a teacher while increasing their independence.

3. The opportunity to gain additional knowledge

and deeper mastery of the language on the basis of

interactive simulators that allow to create an authentic

virtual language environment.

I. V. Kharlamenko argues that the methodology of

teaching a foreign language in higher education

institutions should be based on a competence

approach associated with the latest technologies rapid

development and the global information environment

formation. According to the researcher, the modern

system of higher education in Russia is represented

by various digital technologies that allow to identify

the features of teaching a foreign language, the

opportunities for students to choose their own

vocabulary on the basis of multi-component tasks

containing the thematic organization of language

learning by blocks, wiki glossaries, web projects that

allow them to access authentic sources during the

material preparation (Kharlamenko, 2020).

Foreign language training of university students

on the basis of communicative, linguistic, socio-

cultural knowledge, skills and abilities is aimed at

mastering the scientific culture of thinking on the

basis of optimizing the organizational and effective

factors of the foreign language education

methodological system. At the present stage of

society development, the education

professionalization is a complete dynamic modeled

system that should provide motivation for students to

learn a foreign language.

According to E.P. Zvyagintseva, N.I. Sokolova,

the goal definition of improving the foreign language

training for students should correspond to the creation

of an optimal educational environment in the

university that implements the techniques of students

personal growth, as well as the methodological

system improvement that corresponds to the local and

international levels of students foreign language

competence formation (Zvyagintseva, 2014).

So, the use of language teaching active and

interactive methods based on the information and

educational environment of the university is based on

the use of the latest technical means and technologies

that are focused on the students complex foreign

language training. The expressed interest in the

university information and educational environment

organization during teaching a foreign language is

confirmed by the fact that the technological-

procedural and socio-subjective aspects of its

functioning are associated with the reflexive function.

Students and teachers very often implement general

cultural and professional competencies that allow

them to realize and evaluate the results of their

activities in the university pedagogical process. It is

impossible without reflection.

Various representatives of scientific research on

the organization of foreign language learning at the

university emphasize that the need for a conscious

choice and the students educational trajectory

adjustment is determined by the cultural and

program-methodological complexes of information

collections of foreign language teachers. In particular,

the focus is on the set of information and educational

resources that allow to manage the process of

preparing students and the teachers' author's creative

tasks development adapted to the university

specialization.

So, E.Y. Kamysheva came to the conclusion that

innovative educational technologies in teaching a

foreign language imply the presence of a certain

innovative infrastructure, knowledge delivery and

management of the educational course, access to the

library of audiovisual and computer equipment.

According to the author, this allows us to identify the

functions of the university information and

educational environment, related to the individual

socialization and inculturation. Hence, the formation

of scientific and theoretical knowledge is determined

by the students professional values and value

orientations, their interests and motives for learning

language (Kamysheva, 2017).

4 THEORETICAL AND

PRAGMATIC ASPECTS

FUNCTIONS OF THE

INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGIES

APPLICATION IN TEACHING

A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AT A

UNIVERSITY

The following theoretical and pragmatic aspects

functions of the information technologies application

in teaching a foreign language at a university are

distinguished:

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562

 Socialization function;

 The function of adaptation to new socio-

cultural changes in society;

 Reflexive function;

 Information function related to the students

information literacy development.

For this purpose, the Kazan State Institute of

Culture implemented the Program "Integration of

Cultures", that was approbated in "the Center for

Cultures Integration", created at the Department of

Intercultural Communication and Linguistics in

Kazan State Institute of Culture. The Center aims to

create a socio-cultural and information-educational

environment aimed at students creative self-

development when learning a foreign language. The

main activities of the center are:

 Improving the students educational and

cultural levels;

 The creative abilities development;

 Improving the quality of foreign language

proficiency;

 Stimulating intellectual and linguistic activity;

 Expanding the cultural outlook and aesthetic

taste;

 The socio-cultural competencies development;

 Application of language knowledge, skills and

abilities in the context of communication with

representatives of other cultures

(Novgorodova, 2018).

The subject-social component of the university

information environment is associated with the

support of an expanded nomenclature of various types

of foreign language communication, which provides

preparation for communication with representatives

of various linguistic societies. Didactic and

methodological aspects of the electronic educational

environment use in two universities are based on the

improvement and intensification of the teaching

foreign languages process at the university, provided

that the training is environment-oriented and the

optimal organization of training takes into account

students' needs. The use of the new technological

training basis allows to implement a comprehensive

professional personnel training on the basis of

increasing the students foreign language

communicative competence levels, information

literacy and optimization of language culture during

video conferences and competitions that form

linguistic and linguistic-cultural preparation.

M.V. Artamonova, L.V. Pavlova note that the

multiplatform nature of the innovative educational

technologies integration is associated with step-by-

step control and assistance in learning a foreign

language. Today, according to the authors, a

"language portfolio", that creates the conditions for

reflecting on the current academic work is relevant.

The university information educational environment

use is also associated, in their opinion, with

productive research work, controlled language

material development and skills of educational and

cognitive activity of students online consolidation

(Artamonova and Pavlova, 2019).

5 CONCLUSIONS

So, we can conclude that the optimization of the

process of teaching foreign languages in higher

education in the context of education informatization

is associated with an increase in the quality of

students information literacy. It leaves an imprint on

the entire system of teaching a foreign language.

Reflection and independence in the context of digital

learning is formed on the basis of developing the

language culture of the individual integrative

methods use, understanding the semantic and lexical

meaning of the language, the country of the studied

language culture, as well as improving knowledge

based on the skills of using digital methodological

resources, online lectures, video presentations and

other content. Also, the university information

educational environment, as a means of intensifying

the computer tools usage, allows the aspects

differentiated development in students' language

competence development in the presence of

systematic development and understanding

forecasting of structured dialogues based on the

interaction between the training participants. This

develops critical thinking, the ability to use primary

sources, increases communication skills, and forms

the ability to communicate cross-culturally in a

foreign language. Our task is to develop the value

component of the information and educational

environment in two universities, their fruitful

cooperation aimed at the formation and development

of students language skills, reasoned discussion in a

foreign language, while using the correct terminology

and grammar. All this is implemented in the program

"Integration of Cultures", which was implemented at

the Department of Intercultural Communication and

Linguistics of the Kazan State Institute of Culture.

We see the prospects for further problem research

in a more detailed study of the multimedia use as a

means of improving students foreign language

literacy, taking into account an integrated approach in

identifying the values of the foreign cultural

environment.

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Context

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