TESTING A MODEL OF DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONAL PROJECT IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN A BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The article deals with testing a model of developing students’ professional communication
competence within the framework of a scientific professional project in foreign language in
a blended learning environment. The necessity of this study is caused by the amendments made
to the Law of the Russian Federation “About education” regarding application of e-learning,
development of online courses. However, there is the lack of research on accompanying
the development of students’ competence of professional communication within the framework
of scientific professional project (SPP) in a blended learning environment. That is why the aim
of the paper is to test previously suggested model of developing students’ professional
communication competence within the framework of a scientific professional project in foreign
language in a blended learning environment. In order to test the model we conducted pedagogical
experiment with the following participants: 350 students of the South Ural State University,
2 lecturers, 5 Associate Professors and 2 Professors. The students were divided into four groups:
2 control (teaching in a traditional style) and 2 experimental (teaching according to the suggested
model). For assessing students’ communication competence we elaborated a special scale with
three levels: low, middle and advanced. The results of the experiment indicate that the level of
mastering the professional communication competence has increased in groups where the suggested
model was implemented. It definitely proves that the implemented model will contribute to
improving students’ world academic reputation and formulating their research findings.