A Set of Online Services for Organizing Face-to-Face, Distance, and Blended Learning

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study on the use of ICT, specifically online services, in the professional activities of primary school teachers. The research was conducted from 2018 to 2024. Taking into account the preferences of primary school teachers, which were identified through a longitudinal study (2019-2022), an open set of online services for organizing face-to-face, distance (in synchronous and asynchronous modes), and blended learning was developed. The set includes: Group I – services for creating interactive educational content (A. Services for creating interactive exercises; B. Services for creating interactive videos; C. Services for creating virtual whiteboards; D. Interactive simulation services); Group II – services for organizing and conducting online lessons; Group III – services for creating a virtual classroom and managing electronic gradebook. Considering the content of the teacher’s professional activity and the implementation of labor function A (according to the professional standard for teachers), the developed set includes services that allow the teacher to either use ready-made or create their own ICT-based learning tools. Since this set is open and components of each group may change, the article provides a system of criteria for selecting online services. The set was implemented in the training of future primary school teachers during a pedagogical experiment conducted at the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushynsky, Izmail State University of Humanities, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy. The results of the pedagogical experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed set of online services, which prepares future primary school teachers to use ICT in teaching integrated courses to young learners. The novelty of the study lies in developing a flexible, criteria-based approach to selecting online services that can be adapted to changes in the digital educational environment. The findings have practical implications for teacher education institutions and professional development programmes, as they provide methodological guidance on integrating ICT into primary education and may serve as a basis for further research aimed at enhancing teachers’ digital competence.