The Role of Modern Information and Communication Technologies in Language Training of Technical University Students

Introduction

In this study the authors assumed the hypothesis that the formation of foreign language communicative competence of technical university students will be effective if:

• •

  The structure of foreign language communicative competence (FLCC) of technical university students is considered as an integrative characteristic of foreign language training of students, reflecting their ability of motivated use of foreign language in professional activities;

• •

  Modular technology of foreign language training of technical university students is based on the model built on general didactic, specific principles and reflecting the goals, objectives, technologies, content, results of foreign language training of students;

• •

  Modular construction of a complex of educational and methodological support contributes to the formation of integrative characteristics of foreign language training of technical university students;

• •

  Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are used as a means of information and methodological support and as a diagnostic tool for monitoring the process of foreign language training.

Background

In the research studies, devoted to the problem of FLCC development of technical university students, various issues were discussed: models of formation of FLCC (Fadeeva, 2010; Tkachenko, 2011) models for the design of modular technology of FLCC and problem-modular technology of business communication.

The methodological basis of this piece of research is made up of national and foreign theories, concepts that reflect modern pedagogical and psychological theories of professional education, scientific works of Russian and foreign authors on the teaching of foreign languages, the problems of foreign language training of students of higher educational institutions, which reveals ideas of philosophy, psychology of professional activity; fundamentals of psychological activity theory (psychological aspects of professional formation of the personality of (Shadrikov, 2004; Slastenin, 2000; Zimnyaya, n.d.) and methodological approaches to the organization of the educational process: system approach that allows to present the FLCC as a complex multi-functional and multi-tiered system, to determine the relationship and interdependence of its components; competence approach, the determination of essence of such concepts as competence and competency, and their comparison, classification, analysis (Shadrikov, 2004; Zimnyaya, n.d.); the content of competence in vocational education in the context of which structural elements of the FLCC are defined; personal activity, communicative activity (Verbitskiy, 2006) approaches for formation the readiness of graduates for motivated foreign language communicative activities; multicultural approach which contributes to the rapid socialization of students and provides further self-realization of the individual in the multicultural world; and, acmeological approach suggesting ways to activate and develop the potential of students.

The theoretical basis of this study are: the theoretical foundations of pedagogical design (Slastenin, 2000); theoretical basis of the structure and the content of professional education (Valeeva, Kupriyanov, & Valeeva, 2015); theoretical foundations of formation and development of foreign language competence and competency (Galskova, 2004; Zimnyaya, n.d.); methodological and psychological aspects of foreign language training of students (Galskova, 2004; Zimnyaya, n.d.); and, theoretical and methodological foundations of foreign language training of students in the conditions of modular training.