Abstract:

The new challenges in education related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to online learning require a change of approach to teaching foreign languages. Being able to communicate in Russian is a prerequisite for international students entering RUDN University and representing more than 150 countries. The article examines the problems of teaching Russian as a foreign language caused by the rapid modern shift in methodology.

TUIS is a Moodle-based LMS (Learning Management System) implemented by RUDN University as an informational and educational environment. In the face of the current situation, reliance on digital resources to realize the students’ professional potential has increased. The authors of the research present a model of the capabilities offered by the TUIS LMS which integrates educational goals, learning outcome planning, methodological basis and linguistic foundation.
The authors argue that the notion of informatization includes evolutionary development of methodology. The digital format provides the potential efficiency of learning manifested in the ability to consolidate a significant volume of acquired knowledge and skills in the shortest time possible.

The TUIS LMS is incorporated into the University ecosystem which includes methods and rules of interaction, creative assignment recording, proctoring tools, statistics, user management and control, etc. The authors propose a comprehensive model of education and methodology that includes text corpora, creation of lexis and grammar databases, development of guidelines for their use in the educational process, description and analysis of the learning outcomes.

The research results prove that nowadays such systems as RUDN University TUIS have become the essential parts of the learning process since they offer a necessary set of tools for teaching foreign languages and activating professional language skills. The findings also demonstrate their positive influence on the effectiveness of the educational process and the quality of the acquired knowledge provided by implementing flexible learning models.

Keywords:

LMS, Russian as a foreign language, TUIS, COVID-19, online learning, remote teaching.