Implementation of MOOC platforms into teaching English to IT specialists

Abstract

The paper deals with the issue of application possibilities of MOOC platforms in IT specialist training. It is emphasized that this problemis urgent due to the coronavirus pandemic which caused reconsideration of educationa lapproaches, means and tools. In the study the analysis of the most demanded massive open on line course platforms in term sof IT specialist training is presented. Challenges of MOOCs for teaching and learning foreign languages are highlighted. Profession related, soft skill mastering and English learning courses have been scrutinized in terms of their contentanduser-friendliness by teachers and students of two universities. Design, layout, topics, communities, documentation, and application availability have been evaluated and ranked. Three online English courses of similar purpose on Coursera, Future Learn and Prometheus have been compared and ranked with the aim to advise the most efficient one to senior undergraduatees striving to be employed in Ukraine and a broad in the multicultural IT environment.