THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR IMPROVING STUDENTS' COGNITIVE COMPETENCE IN DISTANCE LEARNING

The thesis examines the improvement of students’ cognitive competence in distance learning as a pedagogical problem. The concept of cognitive competence is clarified in relation to the digital learning environment, and the activity-based, competence-based, constructivist, connectivist and metacognitive approaches are analysed with respect to their potential for developing this competence. An integrative theoretical and methodological framework is proposed, together with a system of pedagogical principles that can serve as a basis for designing a methodology for improving students’ cognitive competence in distance higher education.