Anna V. Rubtsova

Despite the long period of development of modular and computerized learning ideas, the concept of microlearning is largely a product of modern times, which meets the requirements of social interaction, the lifestyle of a modern person and the specifics of individual’s cognitive processes. The concept of microlearning is being actively developed by businesses due to specific conditions of organizing training activities in companies. However, researchers note an increasing number of attempts to adapt microlearning by educational organizations (the higher educational institutions in particular) after the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The relevance of the research is indicated by the high probability of transforming microformats adaptation by universities into a systematic approach to teaching in the future. At the same time, researchers point out the necessity of developing a new didactic model, transforming of educators’ methodological thinking, changing the role of a teacher, and shift teaching style to moderating students’ activities. Therefore, the aim of this research is to outline various ways of implementing the concept of microlearning. The study carried out a comparative analysis of different types of microlearning (bite-sized learning, nano-learning, subscription learning, capsule learning, learning-on-the-go). The information about these types of microlearning was obtained from the business community and experts in the field of microlearning, as well as scientific publications of Russian and foreign researchers in the field of foreign language education based on microlearning and modern educational technologies. The results of the analysis are presented in the table of key characteristics of the mentioned types. The list of description criteria includes: structures, key benefits for students, content design features, content accessibility, feedback, and studying period. Also, we come to the conclusion that "microlearning" becomes an umbrella term for a group of approaches to content design, interaction with students, and learning process organization. Additionally, the polysemy of "content accessibility" (in Rus) in the context of microlearning is noted. It refers to a) content accessibility by means of electronic devices; b) a clear explanation of the subject as briefly as possible. The next step of the research was to analyse the types of microlearning according to the previously indicated criteria in terms of foreign language education at a university. It reveals that bite-sized and mobile learning meet the conditions of university education to a high degree. The study could contribute to finding methodological solutions how to adapt microlearning for teaching foreign languages in higher educational institutions.

The relevance of the problem under study is determined on the one hand by the tendency to increase the share of international students in the academic environment, and on the other hand, by the fact that the modern organization of a foreign language generates an interesting phenomenon – linguistic creative nominative realia. These new linguistic realities arise due to the intersection of different senses or stylization of speech in order to name social and cultural phenomena. The results of such linguistic experiments are unique words or expressions, which are subsequently integrated into the general lexicon of people. These linguistic creative nominative speech realities give people the opportunity to describe and denote the surrounding world more precisely and effectively, emphasizing its features and adding value to people's communication. They make modern society recognizable and simplify interaction with the environment. This phenomenon is the result of endless creativity and evolution of a foreign language, which makes it an indispensable part of linguistic culture. The aim of the study is to present the didactic aspect of the implementation of cross-sense technology in practical classes in the discipline "Foreign Language" as a basis for the design of educational linguistic tasks and thinking tasks. The essence of the “quest cross-sense” concept is revealed. Students improve their knowledge and skills in the field of foreign language, acquire practical experience and develop their communicative skills to effectively express their thoughts and ideas both in writing and speaking, which will be important in their professional activity and interaction with native speakers. By the method of theoretical analysis the algorithm of “quest cross-sense” technology in practical foreign language classes is defined. The authors describe the features of the quest cross-sense technology and its role in conducting practical classes in a foreign language. They reveal the tasks that the quest cross-sense technology is designed to solve. Special attention is paid to the presentation of key information about the didactic potential of linguistic creative nominative realities in practical foreign language classes. In the course of the research, a complex of educational linguistic tasks and speech thinking tasks ranked according to the Bloom-Anderson taxonomy was developed. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the “quest cross-sense” technology is proposed and implemented in practical classes as a basis for the design of linguistic tasks and speech thinking tasks in a foreign language in the context of university education.

The relevance of the problem under study is determined by the fact that in the light of current trends over the past decades in the training of engineering personnel, the pretentious gaps between the need to meet the modern requirements of employers and society and the need for professional self-realization of engineers, which is determined by their ability to work in difficult conditions with insufficient resources, as well as by creative ideas, the ability to make non-standard and effective decisions, using the means of both native and foreign languages. The aim of the study is to present the didactic aspect of the implementation of creatively-oriented teaching model of oral professional communication to engineering students in practical foreign Language classes. Using the method of theoretical analysis, the blocks of the model of creatively-oriented teaching of oral professional communication to engineering students in practical foreign language classes were determined. Particular attention is paid to the presentation of key information about the most universal and effective methods, creativity techniques and artificial intelligence tools through the prism of teaching oral professional communication to engineering students in practical classes in the discipline “Foreign Language”. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that a model of creatively oriented teaching of oral professional communication to engineering students in practical foreign language classes has been proposed and implemented using technology for developing the creative potential of engineering students by means of artificial intelligence tools in the context of university education. A set of pedagogical conditions is considered that can contribute to the development of the creative potential of engineering students trained with artificial intelligence tools (a focus is on mastering a range of special techniques ranked by level of complexity, techniques for developing critical, radiant, creative thinking for solving professional problems; student’s ability to gain a resourceful condition; ability to transform a problem into tasks; ability to convey information to the querent, etc.). A model of creatively-oriented teaching of oral professional communication to engineering students during practical classes in the discipline “Foreign Language” is presented.

Gamification is one of the innovative approaches, which is the use of game elements in the educational process in order to increase motivation and learning effectiveness. It is important to note that in addition to mastering a foreign language, modern teaching methods also focus on the development of creative thinking and flexible skills that can improve students’ ability to adapt to a variety of language situations. This article is devoted to the analysis of the concept of gamification in education and the influence of gamification as a means of developing soft skills and creative thinking when teaching a foreign language. As part of the work, the methodology and approaches to conducting the research were determined. The relevance of the study lies in the need to use gamification in modern education, which sets itself the task of preparing students to solve complex, non-standard problems and requires the development of soft skills and creative thinking. The purpose of our study was to analyze tasks on the potential to develop soft skills in students. During the results analysis phase, a comprehensive analysis of the participants' progress was carried out, including both quantitative and qualitative aspects of their language skills. It was found out that the use of gamification has a positive effect on the development of soft skills and the ability to think creatively. Participants in the experimental group who studied using gamification demonstrated a higher level of creativity and flexibility of thinking compared to traditional teaching methods. Gamification has been considered as a foreign language teaching approach to improve the quality and level of foreign language proficiency and student motivation. The results of the study demonstrate the potential of gamification as an effective tool for stimulating student interest and activity in the educational process. The analysis also highlights the importance of soft skills and creative thinking for learning a foreign language, making gamification a valuable tool for their development. The article has theoretical and practical significance; it has been found that gamification in teaching a foreign language expands the theoretical framework of the psychological aspects of learning. Gamification contributes to the development of creative thinking and flexible skills through the use of game tasks and solving non-standard problems, which allows you to develop professional skills and create effective communications. The introduction of gamification into the educational process is an effective educational element for educational institutions and teachers. Thus, the use of gamification not only enriches the educational experience, but also provides a fruitful impact on the formation of key competences necessary for successful learning of a foreign language.

The issue of teaching foreign language business communication to IT students is a quite challenging task due to a lack of organizational and methodological resources allocated to minor disciplines within curricula, as well as current educational trends: digitalization and the evolution of student-centered approaches. The purpose of the study is to test the effectiveness of the visual novel as a tool for teaching business communication in the context of the previously noted current trends. The research method is experimental learning based on gamification. Visual novels can be a useful tool for developing communication skills. Compared to conventional interactive classes, visual novels have a number of advantages in terms of educational process organization. They do not have such restrictions as the complex and time-consuming preparation of lessons, limited classroom time, the need for a certain number of participants, etc. Responding to modern education trends and social demand they not only productively implement the ideas of alternative teaching methods, but also create environment that evokes an emotional response in a certain target group, stimulates learning motivation, and makes it possible to demonstrate the importance and continuity of business communication in a time perspective. Since IT training in most cases does not include business communication course, it can be included as a part of other discipline and/or a module, and it was decided to conduct the training within a basic EFL course. At the current stage of the experiment, there is generally positive dynamics. The prospect for further development of such educational resources can extend to specialties for which business communication is not one of the core activities, as well as transferring into a public format.