Advantages and disadvantages of virtual and classical training experience gained from COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

During COVID-19 pandemic restriction, the Trakia University closed and transmitted education in virtual learning environment using Moodle online platform and G Suit offered free from Google. At the beginning, that situation created shock in academic staff and students. Many professors and assistants did not know would they be capable to cope with requirements of situation or not. However, the governance of university gave immediate support as links for training, orders, definitions how is adequate to continue learning process, how should keep track with students and administration and so on. Moreover, the support and instructions were given to academic who has not been familiar with online platform to learn how to create and spread lectures, exercises, training quizzes, and how to build stable virtual channel with the students. It was needed just one-week and distant online training settled successfully in Trakia University. Because of that pandemic event, the virtual learning environment in the university enlarged and enriched with new digital information and possibilities to conduct lectures and exams through the video connections of virtual classrooms. Both academic staff and students became more familiar to work in digital environment and gain new knowledge. Furthermore, students were strongly engaged to the new situation and were supportive. The students created virtual communities as closed groups in Facebook, Messenger, e-mails, and phone calls. The lecture attendance rose due to epidemic restrictions and the recommendation "stay home, safe life". The distant learning flourished, students showed high responsibility making different homework's and tasks, they were very precise coming on time at virtual meetings, and on the end, the exam results were better. Nevertheless, the real communication was missing them;the advantages were more free time and working from any place where WiFi has.