Scientific and Didactic Parameters of Teaching Serbian Linguistics Online to Post-Graduate Students in Ukraine
Authors: Veronika Yarmak 
Published: December 2024

The formulation of the problem.

In the context the transforming concept of education in times of globalization and digitalization in Ukraine, as well as in response to the challenges of the dramatic realities, the research tasks of the employees of the Potebnia Institute of Linguistics at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine have been enriched with new content. In particular, the Institute has successfully transformed from a traditional research institution into a research and educational establishment where post-graduate students are offered a variety of lecture courses in a range of specialties. New forms of teaching various disciplines to the graduate students online have also become a priority, where courses in linguistic Serbian studies occupy a prominent place, focusing on the Serbian language and, accordingly, theories, scientific schools, research papers and linguistic explorations by Serbian, Ukrainian scientists and researchers from other countries in the field of the Serbian language. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the significant interest displayed by the post-graduate students of the Potebnia Institute of Linguistics to the Serbian linguistics, as well as a wide range of issues studied by the modern Serbian linguistics. The well-known and time-tested overall theoretical requirements developed by Serbian scientists at the time remain a reliable scientific basis for teaching disciplines related to Serbian linguistic studies. The lectures offered at date ensure the following scientific and didactic parameters: reliance on traditional scientific principles; objectivity; expediency; obviousness; conscious activity; systematization and graduality; profound knowledge, skills, and abilities characteristic of offline classes. An essential feature of up-to-date online teaching for graduate students is the combination of solid theoretical requirements and interactive teaching methods with wide technical capabilities of modern multimedia.

The aim of the article.

This investigation aims to study the modern concept, content, specifics, advantages, and disadvantages of online teaching of the Serbian Linguistic courses for post-graduate students of the Potebnia Institute of Linguistics under harsh conditions of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war.

Research methods.

The following methods were applied to research the synthesis of scientific material and analyse the online course on Serbian Linguistics: the method of linguistic observation; descriptive and empirical methods; functional method; comparative-historical method; the method of comparative analysis of lexical and grammatical material of Serbian and other Slavic languages at the synchronous level; typological method; the method of statistical calculations, etc.

The main results of the study.

The research results on the online process of teaching postgraduate students of the Potebnia Institute of Linguistics majoring in Serbian Linguistic Studies demonstrated that the modern concept of teaching linguistic disciplines related to Serbian Studies to postgraduate students is based on the principles of modern scientific and didactic parameters of online teaching, primarily on the presentation of new knowledge, that is, on special courses that are not taught at Ukrainian universities and which, accordingly, do not duplicate them, but significantly expand and deepen the scope of young academics’ knowledge, filling potential gaps. To increase both the level and the quality of teaching, the educational, methodological, and informational support of the post-graduate course has been significantly deepened and expanded over the past few years. The syllabi of various academic disciplines (compulsory and optional) are offered to postgraduate students. The analysis of the online educational process experience proved that the selected approach is appropriate and the audience’s interest of in the courses “Slavic Lexicography, Phraseography, and Paremiography”; “Modern Ukrainian Slavic Studies: Problems, Prospects”; “Introduction to Translation Studies”; “Prominent Representatives of Linguistic Slavic Studies of the XXXXI centuries” has been constantly increasing. The institute’s online research project “Potebnian Collegium” also appears to be successful, resulting in the decision that lectures on Serbian Linguistics should become an integral part of it.

Conclusions and perspectives.

The results of online lectures for graduate students are quite satisfactory and testify to their high efficiency. The overall ratio of advantages and disadvantages of the online educational process for postgraduate students of the Potebnia Institute of Linguistics at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine unequivocally forms in favor of its advantages. The course includes disciplines without which any high-quality training of modern qualified Slavists of a broad profile is impossible. Online teaching is technically convenient and favorable, since it unlocks the possibility of assimilating large amounts of information at once; uses interactive methods and the latest multimedia capabilities; enables a flexible schedule; saves the students’ time and other resources, etc. However, as of late, due to the traditionally known shortcomings of online teaching in the conditions of the full-scale Russian Federation invasion into Ukraine, serious difficulties have arisen, which have inadvertently affected the quality of such classes. We can mention several factors: air alarms, the need to interrupt lectures and descend to the underground shelter, serious damage to the critical infrastructure of Ukraine, and, accordingly, problems with the technical support for the online classes, the need to find alternative methods of energy support for classes in the difficult conditions of a full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. Despite the circumstances mentioned, the specified pipelines should be qualified as a proper temporary measure. In general, the online course of Serbian linguistics teaching for postgraduate students of the Institute of Linguistics looks promising, since it unlocks multiple opportunities to continue and dynamize centuries-old cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Serbia.