ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS AS MEANS FOR IMPLEMENTING ANTHROPOCENTRIC APPROACH TO TRANSITION BETWEEN FORMATS

Abstract

The paper continues the research on the problems both educators and students experience while transferring between modes of instruction: traditional offline, online, mixed and hybrid formats. The factors are external and internal. The external factors, namely, pandemic period lockdown and later the geopolitical conflict involving more than two parties make it impossible for many overseas students to participate in face-to-face classes. Psychological adaptation and university’s capacity to provide for a successful learning process in different formats are the internal factors. Research questions cover the following aspects: 1) students’ expectations of different formats and problems they faced; 2) problems the educators faced; 3) research done previously; 4) solutions suggested; 5) feasibility of the proposed solutions. The findings based on thorough literature review, two surveys, and an expert interview1 show that adaptive educational systems, despite being promising, are not likely to be implemented widely in the observable future. We argue that an anthropocentric approach to educational technologies and adaptive systems are not the solutions to the problems per se. These systems are a powerful instrument to provide for inclusive, comfortable and effective personalised education. The revised principles and key features of the new curricula for social sciences and humanities alongside implementation of adaptive systems can be the best solution in transition between modes of education.