Effect of online discussion as a form of organization of learning on students' communication skills

The introduction of distance learning may diminish opportunities for the development of communicative competence and skills of applied psychology students as their important professional quality. The study examines online discussion as a form of organization of learning and a means to improve the communication skills of applied psychology students in distance learning. A method of organization and conduct of online discussions is presented. The paper defines the types of discussions, their structure and conditions of success, and the order of constructing the statements of participants in the discussion. As part of the experimental section of the study, methodological tools for assessing the level of students' communication skills are selected and the initial level of students' skills is established. The authors develop a model for organizing online discussions with the Parlay app and conduct an experimental study on the use of the discussion method in distance learning. The authors conclude that the application of online discussions in distance learning will improve the communication skills of applied psychology students.