Malyarchuk O. Distance Education in the Humanities Higher Education of the United States of America

The dissertation research is devoted to the formation and development of distance education in the system of humanitarian higher education in the USA. On the basis of the review of major national and international documents as well as scientific literature the main backgrounds of the development of the system of distance education in the postindustrial societies and its characteristic features are defined; the analysis of different stages of education beginning with the mid – XIXth century is considered; the development of distance education as theoretical-scientific and practical-educational phenomenon is analyzed; basic distance education technologies are defined; the main forms of the organization of distance education in the USA such as the centres of distance education, contract-based educational establishments, consortias and virtual universities are introduced. On the basis of scientific analysis the main problems and disadvantages of these forms are specified: the standardization of the accreditation process in distance education, the identification of different types of diplomas provided by a variety of distance educational establishments, the problem of interactive teaching methods. The development of the system of humanitarian higher education of the USA is viewed through the system of higher education. The following periods of the development of the system of humanitarian higher education of the USA are differentiated: the early period of the development of the American universities (1636-1876); the technological period (1876-1956); the informological period (1956-up to now). The models of distance education in the USA system of humanitarian higher education are considered. The characteristics of the humanitarian distance education in the USA and the analysis of the basic models of the humanitarian distance education in the USA are revealed; the methodological-organizational and technological backgrounds of the humanitarian distance education in the USA are analyzed; the characteristics of the accreditation process of the distance education courses in the humanitarian higher distance education institutions are presented; the roles and the main professional functions of the tutor in the humanitarian distance education in the USA are revealed. The modern conditions of the development of the system of distance education in the humanitarian higher education of Ukraine are analyzed; the recommendations as to the development of distance education in the area of the humanitarian higher distance education of Ukraine are put forward. The dissertation presents the definitions of such categories as “Liberal Arts” and “Humanities”. The research proves that these categories aren’t strictly defined in the pedagogical literature in the USA or often defined as similar. The algorithm of taking a distance education course in the higher humanitarian education in the USA is worked out in order to implement a positive experience of distance education practices into the Ukrainian humanitarian higher education context.