Human Brain

Human brain is like
Bermuda Triangle.
As it is mystery,
Still it is a solution.

Sabrid Jahan Mahin is a student of grade ten in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.

WAYS OF PROMOTING UZBEKISTAN’S FOREIGN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN WORLD MARKETS

Maftuna Imamova A’zamjon qizi

UWED, IEM faculty, 1st year student

maftunaimomova07@gmail.com

+998977546445

        Abstract: This article is based on elucidating the measures aimed at the further development of Uzbekistan’s foreign economic activity and its leading positions in world markets. Today, carrying out innovative foreign economic activity is one of the main criteria for every country. Nowadays, it is no exaggeration to say that the place of Uzbekistan in the world markets is incomparable. In order to further develop it, it is necessary to pay attention to certain factors.

         Key words: Foreign economic activity, world market, foreign trade policy, free trade, protectionism, export, import, diversification, international trade.

       Foreign economic activity consists in being able to conduct economic relations in world markets and thereby develop the economy of one’s country. The basis of foreign economic activity is the right foreign trade policy.

      Foreign trade policy is a form of macroeconomic policy, which is a set of measures to regulate the volume of foreign trade of the state through trade restrictions. Foreign trade policy can be divided into free trade and protectionism according to the state’s level of intervention in foreign trade. The free trade relationship, as its name implies, reflects trade that develops freely, that is, on the basis of supply and demand, with minimal government intervention.

      Protectionism is a state policy aimed at protecting the domestic market from foreign competitors through the use of tariffs and notary measures. There are more than 50 types of foreign trade restriction methods. Some of them are aimed at filling the state treasury, some are aimed at limiting imports in general, and still others are aimed at limiting or encouraging exports. In practice, tariff and notary methods of foreign trade regulation are used. Tariff methods include the introduction of import and export duties, notarial methods include giving subsidies to exporters and producers, quotas, licensing and other types.[1]

     Protectionism – restrictive measures in foreign trade, have a short-term effect. In the long run, only a free trade economy will allow efficient use of resources.     Free trade can be beneficial from the point of view of the global economy, but from the point of view of the interests of individual countries, free trade is not always beneficial.

     In order for Uzbekistan to occupy one of the top positions in the world markets, it must produce the quality of the goods and services it produces in accordance with world standards, saturate the domestic market with all goods as much as possible, and only then export them, import goods and it can try to create services in itself and thereby increase exports compared to imports, and as a result, it is possible to increase the balance of the trade balance. Through this, it is possible to establish strong economic relations with many countries of the world.

      International trade in world markets is very important for every country, especially for Uzbekistan. Because it is the basis of the global economy, and having international trade partners in the world market helps the country’s economy to develop further. The importance of international trade is very important for every country because the development of this country is closely related to its status in the international arena. If we analyze this situation in the example of Uzbekistan in Table 1 below, the volume of foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan in 2021 increased by 7 times compared to 2000. The volume of exports increased 5 times over 21 years, while the volume of imports increased 8.6 times during this period. The increase in the volume of imports was not due to the decrease in the volume of exports, but due to the increase in the entry of equipment, equipment, and technology to expand production. This situation can be considered a positive situation for economic development.

     It can be seen that the geography of foreign trade has diversified over the years, the share of the CIS countries and the countries of the European Union and South-East Asia in the composition of exports and imports has also increased. Foreign trade with the CIS countries increased by almost 7 times, while with other countries it increased by 6.7 times.

Foreign trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan[2]
Indicators	2000	2005	2010	2015	2020	2021
million US dollars: Foreign trade turnover	6 212,1	9 500,1	22 199,2	24 924,2	36 256,1	42 170,5
export	3 264,7	5 408,8	13 023,4	12 507,6	15 102,3	16 662,8
import	2 947,4	4 091,3	9 175,8	12 416,6	21 153,8	25 507,7
trade balance	317,3	1 037,0	3 847,6	91,0	-6 051,5	-8 844,9
including: with the CIS countries	2 297,8	3 403,4	9 369,2	9 548,9	11 826,4	15 920,4
export	1 172,2	1 722,6	5 647,7	5 230,3	4 106,4	5 433,8
import	1 125,6	1 680,8	3 721,5	4 318,6	7 720,0	10 486,6
trade balance	46,6	41,8	1 926,2	911,7	-3 613,6	-5 052,8
With other countries	3 914,3	6 096,7	12 830,0	15 375,3	24 429,6	26 250,1
export	2 092,5	3 686,2	7 375,7	7 277,3	10 995,8	11 229,0
import	1 821,8	2 410,5	4 545,3	8 098,0	13 433,8	15 021,1
trade balance	270,7	1 275,7	1 921,4	-820,7	-2 437,9	-3 792,1
Compared to last year, in %: Foreign trade turnover	97,9	109,6	104,7	90,5	86,8	116,3
export	100,9	111,5	110,6	92,3	86,5	110,3
import	94,8	107,2	97,2	88,8	87,1	120,6
including: with the CIS countries	128,2	113,3	117,0	79,0	81,8	134,6
export	119,3	112,7	144,0	77,2	65,9	132,3
import	139,0	114,0	91,0	81,2	93,8	135,8
With other countries	86,0	107,6	97,2	99,6	89,5	107,5
export	92,9	110,9	94,0	107,4	98,0	102,1
import	79,2	102,9	102,0	93,5	83,6	111,8

      In order for Uzbekistan to enter the world markets and occupy high places, it is desirable to have an effective strategy that illuminates excellent foreign economic activity. For this, a perfect strategy can be presented by analyzing several factors. We would like to pay special attention to the following important factors.

    1. Providing effective offers for the global market

      Any successful plan for foreign economic activity must begin with the production of high-quality, unique products. For this, countries must first of all perfectly determine their internal capabilities, advantages and advantages, as well as the world market situation. In most cases, copying existing goods and services in the market can deter new entrants from entering the market. Because experienced manufacturing countries that have already established themselves in the market have a higher advantage. If the goods that are necessary and relevant for the current period are delivered to the world market, and there is a special development strategy for this, several advantages can be achieved as a result.

    2. Excellent analysis of foreign market opportunities

       Creating a separate strategy for global markets requires extensive market research. In this regard, a country that wants to enter the world markets, that is, Uzbekistan, should thoroughly study and analyze the situation in the international market, improve its capabilities, study the strength of its competitors in the world with equal status and, most importantly, bring it to this market. Having studied the demand and supply for the product he wants to enter, he should develop a unique business proposal that is worthwhile for the world market.

    3. Use of modern logistics services

       Supply chain issues such as management and logistics are of great importance in entering global markets. When exporting goods directly or selling goods to foreign buyers, whether the delivery address is familiar or new, the main task required of the seller is to ensure that the goods are delivered safely and reliably at the lowest possible transport costs. consists of delivery without If it is possible to win the trust of the buyer, this will be one of the main steps taken to enter the world markets.

    4. Compliance with generally recognized norms of international law

       There are 3 main types of legal considerations when entering the global market. That is:

– the main internal laws of the country;

– the laws of the partner country;

– laws regulating international market relations.

One of the most important requirements is to always follow the above 3 main laws and conduct foreign economic activities in the world market based on these rules. Of course, it is also important to involve a strong legal team. Even a country that wants to conduct foreign economic activity will not be harmed by the help of such a strong legal team, because they are aware of the latest and most important news that is happening in this country.

   5. Establish strong relationships with strategic partners

      Finding strategic local partners from the country of foreign economic activity can be a solution to the problems encountered in most cases. Having reliable connections and a network of partners to avoid problems such as opening new offices in a partner country, expanding business, and eliminating logistics and trade gaps can facilitate such difficult processes. Qualified local partners can provide reasonable assistance in dealing with the disadvantages of working in a new location.

     6. Reduction of taxes and granting of tax benefits

        Changing the amount of taxes can in some cases benefit both consumers and producers. For example, a change in export or import duties allows consumers to buy goods at lower prices, allows producers to export or import more of these goods, and producers can use the profits to renew their capital. All these actions increase efficiency, which helps to develop the economy.

    7. Existing infrastructure to promote economic growth

        The role of infrastructure facilities that help the movement of goods and services and deliver them to the consumer in the most convenient way is incomparable, they are the basis of the market economy. It means having an effective infrastructure and providing half income. Spending on infrastructure will pay for itself twice and ensure economic development. Infrastructural facilities should be created and put into operation not only by the state but also by private sector initiatives in the market economy.

     8. Insuring risks and having immunity against them

        Diversification of the market and sales methods, goods, and services in the world market is the best opportunity to insure risks and have immunity against them. In most cases, prioritizing orientation to the domestic market reduces resistance to competition in the world market and weakens innovative activity. Focusing more on global markets in their external economic activities than domestic markets can provide long-term effective economic growth. Updating product types and assortments, creating new markets, and bringing sales methods to the level of customer orientation also serve as the basis for obtaining high income.

         In conclusion, it can be said that the success and economic growth of Uzbekistan in the world market outweigh the difficulties of doing business in the international arena. There are ways to promote the foreign economic activity of Uzbekistan in the world markets, apart from the above-mentioned points, but if all of them are combined and carried out effectively as a single strategic model, Uzbekistan will also take high positions in the world markets and achieve success.

List of used literature:

1. Principles of Economics, 6thEdition.N. Gregory Mankiw. ISBN 13: 978-0-538-45305-9.  USA, textbook. 2012. Cengage Learning. 890 p.
2. World economy and international economic relations. Textbook, ed. A.S. Bulatova. Moscow.: KNORUS, – 2017, 916 pages.
3. Information of the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. T.: 2022. www.stat.uz

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[1] Principles of Economics, 6-Edition.N. Gregory Mankiw. ISBN 13: 978-0-538-45305-9.  USA. 2012. Cengage Learning. Page 686.

[2] Source: Information of the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. T.: 2022

EFFICIENT EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AND TECHNOLOGIZATION OF EDUCATION

Karakalpak State University Kubeysinova Nilufar Makhmutovna

Abstract: In the article, the brief essence of pedagogical technology, innovation, innovative technologies, interactive methods in technological education is revealed. Ways to achieve the effectiveness of the educational process through technologization of education are highlighted.

The development and implementation of educational technologies as a scientific problem envisages conducting special scientific and pedagogical research. It should be noted that educational technology as a research object of pedagogy is not only a method of teaching specific subjects, but also requires a new approach to teaching social sciences. In this regard, it is worth noting that technology is is a process that leads to a quality change in the subject as a result of the effect shown by the subject on the object. Technology always provides for the execution of purposeful actions directed at the object in a certain sequence, using the necessary means and conditions.

Pedagogical technology (PT) is a social phenomenon that, as a result of the teacher’s systematic influence on students with the help of teaching tools, intensively forms predetermined social qualities in them, necessary for society. Since pedagogical technology is a social necessity, it first appeared in the USA in the 70s of the 20th century, and later it was widely used in the educational process in other developed countries. After gaining independence, scientists of Uzbekistan began to establish economic, social, political and scientific-educational relations with foreign countries.As a result, advanced and effective technologies began to enter our country. Along with this, the concept of progressive pedagogical technology in the world has also entered. V.P. Bespalko, one of the first among the CIS countries, described the need to introduce pedagogical technology into the educational process: “PT is a project of the process of forming a student’s personality, which can guarantee pedagogical success without depending on the teacher’s skills.” V. M. Monakhov, one of the Russian scientists, gives a brief definition that “PT is a system of orderly actions that lead to pre-planned results and must be performed”, and draws attention to its main features. According to his definition, “PT-technologies the educational process, increases its reproducibility and the stability of the pedagogical process, and frees it from the subjective characteristics of the executor of this process.” According to M. V. Klarin, PT is the design of the educational process based on predetermined target indicators with a technological approach to the educational process.According to Uzbek pedagogic scientists Nurali Saidakhmedov and Abdurakhmon Ochilov, PT is the process of intensive formation of predetermined personality qualities in them as a result of the teacher’s use of teaching tools to influence certain conditions on students. Pedagog scientist B.L. Farberman defines pedagogical technology as follows: PT is a new approach to the educational process, and social engineering in pedagogy is an expression of consciousness. It is a social phenomenon related to making the pedagogical process a standard based on technical capabilities and human technical thinking and creating its optimal project. In order to compare these definitions with the definitions given far abroad, we will quote the definition given by the Japanese pedagogue scientist T. Sakomoto: PT is the introduction of a systematic and complex way of thinking into pedagogy, in other words, a certain pedagogical process according to the definition of UNESCO, one of the authoritative agencies of the United Nations Organization, “PT is the design and implementation of the entire educational process, building technical and human resources in an interdependent manner in imparting and acquiring knowledge is to use the method of systematic approach”.If we analyze the mentioned definitions from a scientific and philosophical point of view, although the definitions given by foreign scientists and the definitions given by scientists of the CIS countries are close to each other, there are also significant differences. In particular, in the definitions of Sakomoto and UNESCO, special emphasis is placed on the principle of a collective approach. While the systematic approach is mentioned in the definitions given by the scientists of the CIS to PT, it can be seen that it was completely forgotten when the project of the educational process was being drawn up, and the laws and regulations of the principle of the systematic approach were not followed.

 Indeed, for a person who knows well the principle of a systematic approach to objective existence, as Sakomoto says, the concept that “PT is bringing the educational process to a certain system” is enough. Through this concept, it is possible to understand all other features of PT, that is, it is goal-oriented, it consists of several interrelated parts, and others. Because all these properties, according to the theory of systems, are integral qualities of things and phenomena called systems.The new concept of acquiring knowledge in the current educational system requires the use of various methods of modern pedagogical technology. The educational process is a system. Its constituent elements are the educational goal, the expected result, the teacher, the student, the content of education, the method of education, the form of education, educational tools, control and assessment. When designing the educational process, the above elements should be selected correctly. The introduction of pedagogical technologies in the educational process leads to the activity of the teacher as an organizer or consultant. This requires the qualities of independence, creativity and willpower from the student and the teacher.

Innovation (English innovation) means innovation. Innovative technologies are the introduction of innovations and changes to the pedagogical process, the activities of teachers and students, and reasonable interactive methods are used in its implementation. Interactive – (“Inter” is mutual, “act” – to act) is to act mutually. This

the uniqueness of the methods is the joint activity of the teacher and the student. The process of pedagogical cooperation occurs:

1. The student will not be indifferent during the lesson, he will go to independent thinking, creativity and research.

2. Continuity of the student’s interest in science during the educational process is ensured.3. The student approaches the problem independently.

        4. Continuity of the cooperative activity of the teacher and the student is ensured.

Pedagogical technology in the educational process is a coherent process in a clear sequence, it is a pedagogical process aimed at providing a goal-oriented, carefully planned and guaranteed result based on the needs of the student (teacher).

A teacher fulfills the social task of the society, prepares mature specialists. For this reason, the teacher must meet socio-political, pedagogical and personal requirements. Also, he believes in the name of independence, has comprehensively developed scientific thinking, has professional knowledge, is a deep expert in his field, master of pedagogical skills, has acquired pedagogical, psychological and methodological knowledge and skills, and has the ability to exert pedagogical influence. should have the ability to choose the most appropriate methods and tools. The process of pedagogical formation of a special subject teacher begins with the process of education at a higher educational institution. In the educational plans and programs of higher education institutions, the role of general technical sciences is important in teaching the secrets of this profession to the teachers of future labor education and providing scientific knowledge. General technical sciences serve to ensure technological readiness of labor education teachers. No matter how skilled a teacher of labor education may be, if he does not master technical and technological sciences well, he will not succeed in his work. Because the professional activity of a teacher of labor education is closely related to his technological training. That is why technical and technological sciences are of great practical importance in the system of training teachers of special subjects.

Conclusion: An effective solution to the problem of personnel training is, first of all, a professional who has deep knowledge of the fundamentals of psychology, pedagogy, economy, ecology, culture, law and other similar disciplines, who can meet today’s requirements, and who has comprehensive knowledge. It is related to teacher training.

References:

1. Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Education”.

        2. Ismilova Z.K. Pedagogy. Textbook. – T.: Molya-iktisod, 2008.

        3. Ishmukhamedov R. and others. Innovative technologies in education. – T.: “Talent” fund of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

4. Tolipov O’.Q., Usmanboyeva M. Practical foundations of pedagogical technology. – Tashkent, 2006.

+



       Where dust devils 
     walk  between 
   the tree stumps 

As I pass this century 
  once again  I smell 
    Dinner  beside my 
 Great-grandchild's
Children.

      Far beside
   the roadways
between us & them
Dust devils walk
    beside
       petrified
           stumps.

Was my lunch finished
     over pure cold
       Sips of
         liquid
           Joy?

"Lovely Sky, isn't it!"

A disturbed
     thought passes
        brushing the
          grain of
            Rock
from an old
          tree.

Just like you and me,
   An old habit of
        Life.

"Did you finish 
                your lunch
                 , Dear?"

                                                   ............


by  John Edward Culp 
     Saturday morning
     January 20, 2024
      ♡

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

                                           --------Psalm 9:1 NIV

My open-heart surgery on August 30th, 2023 changed me. It altered my entire view of the world and that change showed me the value of my relationship with Jesus Christ. The surgery was to repair four blocked arteries, and without it, certain death would only have been a matter of time. Before my surgery, life had become routine. Each day was a repeat of the day before, except for church on Sunday. My relationship with Jesus Christ existed throughout my life, but this experience meant a change for me. This time the void that always existed in my life changed. I always had a feeling of comfort in the Sanctuary at an early age. Listening to what God had to say to me. 

My salvation started in 1957 at my birth in Baltimore Maryland. Growing up in the darkness of the streets of DC where the only light was the votive candles burning in the Sanctuary.  This silence brought an awareness of peace and comfort. There was a sense of a presence that was quiet and comforting to me. This comfort surrounded me during the surgery. There were no bright lights that I can recall or noise from the heart lung machine or people hustling around me. The operation took six hours and one hour in which my heart was stopped as the heart lung machine pumped blood thru my body. I learned weeks later that once your heart stops beating you are considered legally dead. During the operation there was a sense of space around me. Upon, waking up in a state of disconnection to my surroundings except for that breathing tube in my throat. which was the sensation in my body. Once the tube was removed, I vomited out water and was unable to speak. My memory after the operation was this feeling of space but not time. 

Days passed and with each passing day gradually my senses returned, however there was great discomfort from the surgery. There was still this feeling of space around me. Each day there was a disconnect between me and my surroundings. During this time my emotions were on hold. Thoughts about life without having footprints from the past before the surgery. Thinking is that what one experience when they are born in this physical world? Only thoughts about God were my connection to my surroundings. I still alive and why did God choose me to continue in this world? This feeling of an empty space lasted even as the anesthesia subsided. The physical discomfort lasted for months. God had allowed me to start a new understanding of what life really meant. Only thoughts like I mentioned in childhood of God filled that void in me. 

My waking hours I meditate of God's presence in my life. No fear about life or death are of no concern to me. Wanting to return to the Sanctuary at Asbury United Methodist Church. Sitting in the Sanctuary to fill that void like in childhood. My prayers are simple prayers of gratitude. Jesus Christ have filled that void. Christ Jesus was within me all this time in my childhood. On August 30th 2023 my prayers came to fruition to live for Christ Jesus. 

My spring

You gave me a sign, my spring,
Bright green pasture fills the heart.
Everywhere the flower shines,
Scattered on the ground with smallpox.

Almonds bloomed one and all,
You gave me a sign, my spring.
A swallow flies over the sky,
You brought the freshness of spring.

Everywhere covered with beauty,
Enjoyment for young and old.
The children rejoice at this moment,
They still work hard.

Hear the laughter of the youth,
Everyone dances in a circle.
Drawing a rope and horse racing ,
They start the spring game.

The earth is bright today, with peace,
From entertainment and joy.
A burning sensation in every heart
Bring me, always my spring…

Nosirova Gavhar was born on August 16, 2000 in the city of Shahrisabz, Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan. Today, she is a third-year student of the Faculty of Philology of the Samarkand State University of Uzbekistan. Being a lover of literature, she is engaged in writing stories and poems. Her creative works have been published in Uzbek and English. 

In addition, she is a member of «All India Council for Development of Technical Skills», «Juntos por las letras» of Argentina, «2DSA Global Community». Winner of the «Korabl znaniy» and «Talenty Rossii» contests, holder of the international C1 level in the Russian language, Global Education ambassador of Wisdom University and global coordinator of the Iqra Foundation in Uzbekistan. «Magic pen holders» talented young group of Uzbekistan, «Kayva Kishor», «Friendship of people», «Raven Cage», «The Daily Global Nation», Argentina;s «Multi Art-6», Kenya&;s «Serenity: A compilation of art and literature by women» contains creative works in the magazine and anthology of poets and writers.

METHODS OF INTRODUCING INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION
Teaching English to Medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Baxtiyorova Nozima Atabek qizi

 Student of group 2212, the 3rd English faculty, UzSWLU

Abstract. Governments restricted face-to-face classes during the  COVID-19 pandemic. However, education must be an ongoing process, and the epidemic caused numerous issues in the educational system. Learning foreign languages, particularly English, has become increasingly important in recent years. As a result, the Department of Foreign Languages at Tehran University of Medical Sciences reacted to the new circumstances and devised effective techniques for teaching English to their students online.

Keywords: English language teaching, COVID-19 pandemic, virtual learning, learning management system.

    Relevance of the study English has grown in popularity in the modern era of communication, where expressing one’s views can lead to global integration. Because of the requirement for detail, this field has increased. The primary language utilized to communicate medical essentials is English (Faraj, 2015). According to Milosavljevi (2008), medical professionals and researchers must learn. English to teach in English, to be instructed in English, and to publish their findings in English. Some assessments indicate that the quality of English used in medical contexts, such as classroom instruction, research articles, and courses, has been steadily improving (Hwang & Lin, 2010). Because most scientific, academic, and technical information is communicated in English, English is vital in medicine (Creswell, 2013). As a result, finding means to boost English language training for students of medical and healthcare professions is critical (Milosavljevi, 2008). As previously said, English is the language of choice in global healthcare; consequently, a strong command of the English language is essential to access critical scientific and medical information (Heming & Nandagopal, 2012). Aside from conducting research and gaining knowledge, additional factors demonstrate the importance of the English language in medical education.

    In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a global pandemic. As of August 7, 2021, a total of 200,840,180 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4,265,903 deaths have been reported globally. Reportedly it originally started in December 2019 in China, yet the first officially documented cases of the disease in Iran were announced on February 19, 2020. In order to control the spread rate of the infection in Iran, the Government decided to close all universities as part of a plan to encourage people to stay at home. As a result, TUMS had to cancel all the face-to-face classes, and as the exact date for the resolution of this calamity could not be determined, education had to continue virtually.

    In 2017, TUMS had already launched a Learning Management System (LMS), called NAVID, as an essential infrastructure for the establishment and development of e-learning. Now NAVID has different facilities for students and professors. Professors and students can see and monitor their current and previous courses, and as an important feature, it allows professors to receive different kinds of reports including all of their activities, students’ collective and individual activities in each course, students’ assignments, assessment of and feedback on the assignments, all the exams’ reports, and the students’ scores and performance in each exam. Professors upload the resources and materials for the students in the ‘Resources and Content Section’ where different types of resources and the prepared teaching materials can be uploaded in a variety of formats. In the ‘Homework Section’, professors can give the assignments and set a deadline for the submission of each assignment. Students can upload their assignments in different forms, namely audio, video, photo, or text, depending on the assignment and the instructions given by the professors. Here professors can give feedback to the students both individually and as a group.

    NAVID allows the professors to design and take various kinds of tests and examinations. Moreover, the ‘Conversation and Messages’ Section allows students and professors to raise questions and discuss ideas. The ‘Class Section’ provides professors and students with the opportunity to arrange for synchronous sessions.

    Since the beginning of the outbreak, in the Spring and Summer semesters of the academic year 2019-2020, and the Fall semester of the academic year 2020-2021, about 4,000 students participated in 183 classes which were administered through NAVID. In order to ensure the quality of education, four working groups were formed by the Department, and the part-time lecturers were asked to join the working groups based on the courses they taught. A full-time member of the faculty took on the responsibility of leading a working group. In these groups, part-time lecturers were asked to report in the written form (based on a certain format) at least two times during the semester to the head of each group. The lecturers could use these working groups to raise questions, discuss ideas with peers and also the head of the group, receive suggestions, and find solutions for the raised issues. The reports of the working groups were compiled by the head of the group and then submitted to the Chair of the Department of the Foreign Languages.

    As teaching has been affected during the pandemic, so has the students’ assessment. Since the academic year 2018-2019, the written summative examinations of English language courses offered by TUMS Department of Foreign Languages were held in TUMS Test Centre electronically, such that students attended the examination sessions in person and took the test online. In the first and second semesters of the academic year 2019-2020, however, the final examinations were held centrally and electronically, but virtually and remotely.

    Students and professors should take advantage of this opportunity to acquaint themselves with, and acquire the skills and competencies needed for, the new era. The pandemic seems to have opened new windows for teaching and learning. Bringing the future into the present and changing our views and attitudes towards virtual and distance education and moving in line with the technology dependent world in the right direction can prove to be a blessing in disguise.

References

1. Kao GYM. Enhancing the quality of peer review by reducing student “free riding”: Peer assessment with positive interdependence. British Journal of Educational Technology, (2013); 44(1): 112-124. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01278
2. Price M, Carroll J, O’Donovan B, Rust C. If I was going there I wouldn’t start from here: Acritical commentary on current assessment practice. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, (2011); 36(4): 479-492. doi:10.1080/02602930903512883
3. Shabani, E.A., Panahi, J. (2021). An Account of Teaching English to Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Academia Letters, Article 3587. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3587
4. Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) – Office of Vice-Chancellor for Education;2020. Available from https://www.tums.ac.ir/content/details/377?lang=fa
5. Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) – Statistics and Information Technology Center. TUMS Abstract of Yearbook. Tehran, Iran: TUMS; 2019. Available from https://sit.tums.ac.ir/uploads/2/2020/Aug/09/Abstract%20of%20yearbook98(6).pdf
6. Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE). The impact of coronavirus on higher education; 2021. Available from  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/keystone-academic-solutions/p/impact-coronavirus-higher-education
7. Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE). Times Higher Education’s Digital Teaching Survey results; 2020. Available from https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/times-higher-educations-digital-teaeching-survey-results
8. Uto M, Ueno M. Item response theory for peer assessment. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, (2016); 9(2): 157-170. doi:10.1109/TLT.2015.2476806
9. World Health Organization. WHO coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard; 2020. Available from https://covid19.who.int/