Abstract:

Nowadays, the world has faced unexpected circumstances such as Covid-19. According to the recent research of Global Web Index, the percentage of new social media users has grown more than 10% during the pandemic. That means that the popularity of online services is growing rapidly. People change the way they live, which consequently forces high educational institutions to become more flexible and to adapt to the needs of modern society of constant Internet and new technologies users to avoid educational collapse.

The survey is conducted among students and teachers at the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) of Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

The objective of this research is to analyze the advantages of the cross-messaging platform ‘Telegram’ usage in preparation for Cambridge examinations (B1 Preliminary, B2 First and C1 Advanced). This tool has a convenient search engine and unique functionality to create and install authors’ add-ons of a suitable type. Besides, the study aims at discovering the opportunities and challenges of implementing Telegram as a tool for professors and students that the higher educational institution can face.

The article is based on such research methods as SWOT analysis, synthesis method, and induction analysis of scientific literature.

Telegram SWOT analysis has demonstrated such strengths of the tool as accessibility, high security, reliability, availability on any gadgets and the possibility to use such unique features as bots and cloud storage. These factors have let create a Telegram channel (“65th minute”), where IFL students do exercises daily. The exercises come in messages; the content and structure of these messages are considered and analyzed by the board of IFL teachers.

Every week is devoted to mastering one of the skills needed for Cambridge examinations (Reading, Use of English, Listening and Writing). There are from 4 to 5 exercises published every day with tips for handling the task, that let the students spend only 5 minutes per day completing the activities on the platform.

This research is focused on the idea of adaptive learning. According to this idea, the listeners' strengths and weaknesses are assessed and their experience and needs are considered.

As a result, the attempt to implement Telegram as a tool for adaptive learning helps to individualise educational strategies for all the students participating in the experiment.

Keywords:

Educational platform, educational digitalization, online teaching tools, Telegram messenger, Cambridge examinations preparation, adaptive learning.