KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

“Finals will be held remotely this year. Before organizing the final exams, we shall hold various discussions, hearings, trainings for specialists and pre-defenses,” says Mher Melik-Bakhshyan, ASPU Vice-Rector for Education Process Planning and Organization.

Overall, 1300 students are going to take final exams in 50 specialties in the current academic year. Present at the defense of theses will be not only the members of the examination commission, but also representatives of the technical staff. The vice-rector says the quality of the Internet connection is the most worrying issue. Students from remote areas sometimes find it difficult to join the platform or online meetings. Besides, the members of the commission will be required to have certain technical skills as they might face technical or Internet problems.

Currently, we are discussing with all the faculties and chairs the possible ways to solve these problems and I am sure that we shall have their solutions before the start of the examinations,” said Mr. Melik-Bakhshyan. He believes that the problems and difficulties will be alleviated once the members of the commission master the required tools. The methodological and technical guidelines developed by the University will be helpful too. They can be tested during pre-defenses to identify strengths and weaknesses and then to provide solutions to problems that arise.

Speaking about the e-learning process applied by ASPU for more than four years, the vice-rector said, “For a long time now, the University has been combining traditional methods of teaching with e-learning. I do not think that distance learning has in any way affected the academic progress of our students or the objective assessment of lecturers.”

Regarding the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning, the vice-rector stressed the importance of planning, proper use of materials, and pedagogical approach of distance communication. Distance learning has increased students’ interest in the process. Also, the scope of students’ independent activities and skills has increased. Mr. Melik-Bakhshyan says the process greatly differs from what students do in classrooms; precise planning of base provisions and uninterrupted use of equipment are essential here. In many cases, some students are unable to join the online course for technical or other reasons but they don’t stay behind the process as relevant electronic materials on the subject and, in some cases, recorded online classes, are pre-posted on the Google Classroom platform.

“I think that neither the world nor education can be the same after the epidemic. We should be optimistic, reorganize and admit that distance learning has already entered our lives,” said the vice-rector.