RTU MIREA IT volunteers will help to organize the distance learning process on the basis of VK (VKontakte–InContact) social media and social networking service

RTU MIREA and Mail.ru Group will help schools and universities to implement distance learning programs. For the purpose, an IT volunteering program will be launched: volunteers from the Altair Children's Technopark, the Admissions Committee and the RTU MIREA student career guidance team will inform the teaching staff of educational institutions how to switch to the remote format on the VK social networking platform.

Volunteers will introduce the teaching staff to the process and explain the guidelines on the transition to distance learning using the VK social networking platform. They will assist all the participants in the educational process to quickly cope with difficulties and resolve issues that might arise. Particular attention will be given to the teaching staff of the older generation. If you need help from volunteers in launching the distance learning process, file your request right here: use this reference.

“Due to the difficult epidemiological situation, schools, universities and institutions of further education have switched to online education. RTU MIREA has accumulated considerable expertise in organizing distance career guidance events for schoolchildren on the VK social networking platform, including the programs of the Altair children's technology park. That is why we decided to organize the work of IT volunteers who will help teachers and trainers to launch and establish the distance learning process on the VK platform,” commented Stanislav Kudzh, Rector of RTU MIREA.

“It is very important that both lecturers and students could master the technologies necessary for distance learning as quickly as possible. Mail.ru Group is actively helping in this work: we support universities with resources, draft guidelines and manuals, and launch hotlines based on our social networks. We are pleased that RTU MIREA IT volunteers have joined our efforts in this. With their help, lecturers and the teaching staff across the country will find it easier to master online tools for distance learning. We will support the volunteer program and hope that other universities will follow the RTU MIREA example,” said Sergey Mardanov, the Mail.ru Group Director for relations with Universities.

RTU MIREA has become one of the first universities to implement together with the Mail.ru Group vocational guidance programs for students on the basis of VK platform. RTU MIREA teaches more than 2000 schoolchildren who use distance programs of the Altair Children's Technopark and pre-university training programs. Schoolchildren master various specialized courses, prepare to participate in city competitions and contests, and also study thoroughly school subjects and prepare for the Uniform State Exam within the framework of the Institute pre-university training. Apart from that, the on-line VK social networking platform provides online lectures and master classes, as well as organizes Doors Open Days.

Sometime earlier, the Mail.ru Group introduced a set of measures that during the pandemic help schools and universities to switch quickly to distance learning. For remote learning, free features of the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki can be used, such as: communities, chats, live broadcasts, applications, etc. To answer questions coming from teachers and university staff, the Mail.ru Group has launched special hotlines in social media.