Project Method and ICT Opportunities of Distance Learning

The paper analyses opportunities of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and efficiency of teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in distance education. The authors suggest that pedagogic organisation of ESP distance learning courses involves three stages – familiarisation, managing one-on-one student interaction, and facilitating group interaction. The authors demonstrate that efficient mediation of the distance learning experience by the teacher implies practising the individual approach, facilitating self-development, self-study, and motivation, and deploying the most effective means to facilitate online interaction and knowledge consolidation. Inter alia, this is achieved by implementing project method to motivate creative thinking and individual work. Efficiency of ESP distance courses was explored based on the LMSsupported distance course intended for people seeking to develop their business English skills. Course efficiency was assessed at two levels – the level of students' reaction to the course and the level of actual knowledge gained upon course completion – with online students revealing a 18,1% higher performance rate.