GENESIS AND MODERN CONTENT OF BLENDED LEARNING CONCEPT IN FOREIGN PEDAGOGICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE

Genesis and modern content of the concept «blended learning» in the foreign pedagogical theory are grounded in the article based on modern approaches. The components (traditional full-time education, distance learning (independent and collaborative) and e-learning (synchronous and asynchronous) education) are distinguished. The levels (activity, course, educational programme, university) of practical realization of the blended learning in educational practice are defined. It was determined, that the concept evolved from understanding blended learning as combination of traditional education elements, distance and e-learning with facilities of information and communication technologies to its awareness as synergetic concept of enriching educational experience of educational process subjects. It is realized by means of integration of different strategies and levels of direct and computer-mediated pedagogical cooperation. Conceptual principles of blended learning are distinguished based on generalization and systematization of foreign researchers’ scientific works. First, it can be realized only within the frames of the formal educational programme. Second, it is done under teacher’s control in conditions when one part of educational cooperation takes place in the training room in the process of direct communication (face-to-face); the other part is realized in the mediated virtual environment. It can be individual or group work in the training room, or independent distant work with educational materials, for example, at home; in its turn, it creates possibility for the students of determining time, place, way and/or their pace of learning. Third, such educational cooperation results in forming student’s individual cognitive experience where components of traditional and interactive online-education supplement each other, and are characterized by differentiated, integrative, open, accessible, flexible and adaptive models of physical and virtual interaction