Distance lectures in university studies: peculiarities of regular and distance study process

ENThe process of distance learning and its evaluation during the COVID19 pandemic is a particularly relevant object of scientific research. Analysing the accumulated experience, we can not only evaluate the situation of distance learning in Lithuanian higher institutions during the pandemic, but also by analysing the challenges posed by distance learning and opening new opportunities, to look for the directions for improving distance learning. In January-February 2021, a qualitative study was conducted, in which 158 students from three Lithuanian universities participated. Most of the respondents were students of social and humanitarian study programmes. Qualitative data obtained on the basis of open-ended questions were analysed using the method of quantitative content analysis, i.e., semantic subcategories and categories according to two main variables were distinguished: similarities between regular and distance lectures, and the positive and negative aspects of distance lectures. It was found that certain similarities were characteristic of regular and distance lectures, and the positive aspects significantly outweighed the negative ones. Keywords: content analysis, online learning, online lectures, qualitative research, university students. [From the publication]