Innovative methods of teaching the short story genre in the context of digitalization of education: A cross-sectional study of students in Kazakhstan

Abstract

The article is aimed at the development and implementation of innovative methods of teaching a short story as a literary genre with the use of digital instruments. The research suggests using a cross-sectional study based on descriptive methodology and comparative analysis. The study was set up at the Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University and included 68 participants (38 in the experimental group and 30 – in the control group). The results found that digital tools are widely used to teach a short story as a literary genre. The effective methods to teach a short story as a literary genre are the following: debate and interactive discussion through online platforms, writing exercises, role-playing and simulation, problem-based tasks, thematic mind mapping, comparative study, collaborative projects, video lectures, and peer learning. Besides, it was proved that a short story is an efficient educational tool and contributes to the improvement of the professional skills of future philologists. They refer to analytical skills, critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, emotional intelligence, cross-cultural competence, communicative skills, creative writing, and textual analysis. The experiment resulted in the development of recommendations for teaching the short story as a literary genre at the institutional, pedagogical, technological, linguistic, and psychological tiers. In conclusion, innovative methods based on digital tools enhance the process of teaching a short story as a literary genre and contribute to the training of philological students.