Distance learning of specialists in information and library activities in Russia and Kazakhstan

¹ Moscow State Institute of Culture, Department of Pedagogy, Psychology and Philosophy, Moscow, Russia
² West Kazakhstan Innovation and Technology University, Uralsk, Kazakhstan
³ Krasnodar State Institute of Culture, Krasnodar, Russia
⁴ Makhambet Utemisov West Kazakhstan University, Uralsk, Kazakhstan

¹ Corresponding author: mmukanova@mail.ru

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of opportunities of distance education organization for future librarians in the universities of Kazakhstan under the conditions of the Corona VIrus Disease-19 pandemic. These opportunities of distance and media education were actualized in the context of the coronavirus pandemic due to self-isolation of students. The process of modern library staff professional education has always been ahead of many humanities in the aspect of implementation of new information and communication technologies in the educational process with its focus on values of digital and virtual educational environment. In modern conditions, during the transition from an industrial society to a post-industrious information society of knowledge and innovations, the issues of extensive introduction of digital technologies have become more central in order to overcome the gap between the current need for information, the study of national and foreign experience, the tasks of new socio-cultural practices and the existing level of professional education of librarians. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to reveal the features of the formation of a culture of online distance learning, to identify positive experiences that pose a universal response to the crisis of pedagogical and psychological education, civil, personal and ethnic identities (ideals, beliefs, worldview) in the formation of professional competencies of librarians. The authors used the following scientific research methods: study of electronic content, observation, questionnaires, test polls, the Computer Assisted Web Interview method, conversations, focus groups, content analysis and others. In this study, the authors structured and characterized the main directions of the development of pedagogical culture of distance education, identified a positive experience, which poses a universal response to the crisis of librarian education. We analyzed the totality of objective, methodological, organizational and evaluative components of the system of distance education. The main attention is paid to the issues of organizing the educational process of distance education for librarians in the Republic of Kazakhstan and in Russia, student surveys, which showed that with a large selection of foreign and national platforms, they give preference to national educational programs developed by leading Kazakhstani researchers and teachers. An educational and pedagogical analysis of the leading platforms has been carried out. In the conclusion, the positive aspects of distance education are revealed and recommendations are given to organize and to improve the educational process and the development of the distance education system more effectively under the conditions of the pandemic and self-isolation.