Theoretical part (4-5 стр.)

Firstly, we are making a literature review: we are explaining urgency of the topic; defining the object of our research; talking about the usage of ICTs as a whole, and by students, in particular; and stating the working assumptions. Secondly, we are creating a survey for students. Then, we are collecting, and, finally, analyzing received data.

1) Краткое описание 1-2 основных понятий (сравнение использования их различными авторами), задание языкового контекста.

The abbreviation ICTs in our research, refers to Information and Communication Technologies (for example telephone, wireless signals and Internet access), computers, all kinds of hardware and software, storage- and audio-visual systems.

Thus, the first group believes that adoption of ICT in higher education can have an influence on the students’ way of teaching and learning “as now the processes are learner driven and not by teachers.”² In this case, ICT promotes securing of education for disadvantaged groups and new international educational markets. It also favours the democratization of education (for instance in developing countries) by bridging the digital divide. From their point of view, it integrates students in lifelong learning that contributes to the industry; furthermore, it could “improve the quality of learning and thus contribute to the economy.”³

The second group of scientists, by turn, refers to the recent researches (of Collis and Wende, Zemsky and Massy) that suggest “the impact of ICT has fallen short of the rhetoric that it would produce radical change in learning and teaching”⁴. For example, Garrison and Anderson insist that at the moment the transformational advantage of ICT is not taken entirely.

2) Теоретические схемы и подходы, использующиеся при анализе данного явления.

We are going to check both of the theories listed above to find out any kind of evidence that proves right or wrong any of the two points of view. As far as we are going to concentrate specifically on the students from Russia and the USA we will work within the paradigm of

3) Полученные ранее эмпирические результаты.

Information and communication technology is becoming one of the most significant parts of peoples’ daily lives. Today all of us live in a rapidly changing world, and ICT helps us stay in touch with the world all the time. : When individuals are not informed in time, they may become out of touch with current events and the social groups they interact with. Sometimes, this disconnect may make them feel marginal.

To be more concrete we should pay attention to the statistics of five ICT components established by International Telecommunication Union (ITU): fixed telephony, mobile telephony, internet, fixed broadband and mobile broadband.⁵

In the frame of ICT usage issue, it is interesting to look whether there is a gender diversification in it or not. And it’s seen from the Chart 7 and Chart 8 than men obviously dominate in the usage of ICT. But also interesting and a noticeable point is that both men and women from non-European economies practice the usage of ICT significantly less than men and women who live in countries with so-called European Economies.

Now we are moving from the general description of ICT and its contribution to the modern peoples’ lives and development to the specific use of ICT in the academic world (particularly in the higher education institutions)