Distance learning: current state and prospects for development

The article touches upon the priority aspects in education, such as quality, accessibility and cost-effectiveness of learning processes. Existing methods and practices of learning processes call for the need to introduce the innovations in order to solve the urgent problems. One of these innovations was the introduction of modern Internet-based information and communication technologies in the learning process. Modern online technologies were the basic for the new type of learning - distant learning. The brief review of the development of distant learning in the historical aspect proved that this type of learning has become in demand worldwide. Distant learning has its advantages and shortcomings; it cannot replace full-time or part-time education but has become a separate type of learning – a form of self-study using on-line technologies and virtual space, where, in addition to the essential technical aspect, such social factors as student motivation and self-control are important. The status and development prospects of distance learning are analyzed on the basis of two indicators – the volume of the global IP market and the volume of the world distance learning market. Statistical data of both indicators based on reliable sources indicate a constant increase in their values, confirming that distance learning is developing at an increasing pace and therefore is very promising. The aim of developing distance learning in the future is to increase the level of education through the use of modern Internet-based information and communication technologies and a possible concurrent reduction of economic costs.