Information and communication technologies transform modern education into a more available learning matrix. One of the unexplored aspects of open education is the constant communicative interaction within the student group by using social media. The aim of the study was to determine principal functions of student-led communication in the educational process, the method for assessing its strong points and the disadvantages disrupting traditional learning. For the primary study of the phenomenon, we used methods that made it possible to propose approaches to further analysis. Netnography is the main research method defining the essence and characteristics of the student-led peer-communication. In our research, we applied data visualization, analytical and quantitative methods and developed a set of quantitative indicators that can be used to assess various aspects of student communication in chats. The elaborated visual model can serve as a simple tool for diagnosing group communication processes. We revealed that online group chats perform a support function in learning. They provide constant informational resource on educational and organizational issues and create emotional comfort. Identified features serve to define shortcomings (e.g., lack of students’ readiness to freely exchange answers to assignments) and significant factors (e.g., underutilized opportunities for self-organization) that exist in the modern system of higher education.

The Covid19 pandemic has posed new challenges for leaders in both large and small businesses because of the new health measures that has forced people to work remotely to prevent the spread of the virus. This has led to organizations having to be managed virtually which brings with it its own set of challenges, especially for those who are unfamiliar with technology and used to face to face interaction. This is especially so for small businesses trying to remain afloat through resource constraints and a global economy in distress. Organizational leaders would need to have strategies in place to ensure that the productivity levels of employees remain as status quo or improve if that was possible. This research paper focuses on understanding the now very significant concept of virtual leadership in particular for small businesses by sieving through a focused literature review that covers this area of interest, including those that have suggested operating models that the leaders could utilize to invigorate their small businesses in order to subvert the projection by Bloomberg that $2.7 trillion would be the ultimate payout in terms of economic losses as a result of this pandemic.

Purpose of the study: The situation of a mass transition of Universities to online education in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed us to see the challenges of distance e-learning in practice. In this unique situation, the same students studying the same course changed only the form of education, which allows us to see the consequences of such a transition. The purpose of the study is the analysis of changes in students' educational activities in the transition to online learning. Methodology: The article provides a quantitative statistical analysis of changes in the behaviour of first-year students of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (N=3122) in the framework of studying the mass open online course “Philosophy” on the platform open.edu when switching to fully e-learning in March 2020. The authors have applied data mining MOOCs from students’ learning portfolios. Main Findings: Existing technological solutions and educational technologies made it possible to quickly adapt the education system to the distance format. However, the transition to fully e-learning has led to a sharp increase (by 16-17%) in the number of students who do not participate in intermediate tests and not doing homework in the e-course and later did not return to normal learning. Applications of this study: Since modern higher education is increasingly using e-learning, it is necessary to anticipate the consequences of the implementation of e-learning. The study helps to see general trends in this area. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study provides an analysis of students’ learning when switching to online education based on data taken directly from students’ learning portfolios, which allows us to see a completely objective picture of changes in students' behaviour.

Employee empowerment and engagement are critical for any given organization as these positively influence workers to produce better results and attain both personal and company gaols. This specific study focuses on LPG Cyprus Company, where the subject of the employee empowerment and engagement is analysed through a qualitative research design using interviews with the management and the employees about how they are treated and what they think about their company with regards to the subject matter. The findings revealed that while there was a cordial relationship among the management and employees, there was a need for the management to strengthen their strategies to empower the employees and engage them more fruitfully in the working processes.

In recent years, more emphasize is placed on the issue educating disabled individuals in “least restricting environment” and both the governments regulating education policies and experts in the field favor this. “Least restricting environment” can usually be realized in regular education classes rather than self-contained classes. Mainstreaming disabled students in regular education classrooms, if necessary conditions are met, provides both long and short term benefits. It is observed that disabled students who are given education in “least restricting environment” created for them show similar development with their peers, make progress in all development areas, especially in social and personality development and by being included in the community disabled students, they become individuals taking more realistic and concrete steps towards self realization, with positive sense of self, higher self esteem. The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes of the special education teachers and teachers mainstreaming education teachers working in Cyprus and the USA regarding mainstreaming education. The qualitative research technique is used in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data in this study. The reason of the use of qualitative research technique is to collect detailed and profound data, learn the experiences and point of views of the participants directly and understand and explain the present situations. The method of this study is a qualitative research model intended to determine the attitudes of the special education teachers and the teachers giving mainstreaming education in Cyprus and the USA towards mainstreaming education. Data were collected from the interviews with the special education teachers and teachers giving mainstreaming education in Cyprus and the USA during which semi-structured interview form was used. Before the interview form developed in the light of the suggestions by experts was used for the purpose of data-collection, it was tested on 5 teachers and the interview form was finalized in accordance with their responses and replies. The scope of the research consists of the guidance counselors and psychological counselors working in Cyprus in 2009. This study was carried out with the special education teachers and the teachers giving mainstreaming education in Cyprus and the USA with a view to determine their attitudes towards mainstreaming education with regard to their way of life, knowledge and equipment. Data in the study were acquired by means of interview with teachers. The coverage of the study is the special education teachers and teachers giving mainstreaming education working in Cyprus and the USA in 2009. Among purposive sample methods, criterion sample was selected and random samples were drawn from the teachers who meet the criterion. The basic point of this sampling method is to work with the persons selected randomly who meet certain pre-set criteria. In other words, the sample of the study consists of 60 teachers (24 Special Education Teachers and 20 mainstreaming education teachers working in Cyprus 16 Special Education Teachers working in the USA) drawn randomly from the special education teachers and mainstreaming teachers working in Cyprus and the USA. This study explored the relationship between (a) the Special Education Teachers in Cyprus, 1 (b) Mainstreaming Teachers in Cyprus and 1 (c) Special Education Teachers working in the USA by means of The Scale of the Attitudes of the Teachers Towards Mainstreaming Education (By Dr. Bekirogullari 2009). The study reveals that the mainstreaming education is significantly below the USA level and it is only realized thanks to the meticulous efforts of the certain teachers giving mainstreaming education. A child, who engages in a well planned mainstreaming education, by observing the behaviours of the normal children and modeling himself on them, develops acceptable behaviours. Through individualized education programs they receive education suitable for their capacity and learning speed. Thanks to the supported education, their liabilities may soon improve and it facilitates gaining success and self-confidence for them (Vural;2004). The teachers contradict among themselves as while some participant special education teachers argue they should only be together during the courses supporting play skills the others said they believe these children would attain the same level by observing normal children and exhibiting their behaviours. It was determined that neither before nor during the mainstreaming education given in Cyprus, the teachers, school staff and administrators and parents of these children are not subjected to any education program. As normal individuals, the individuals with special needs also have the right to educational equality opportunity. These individuals can maintain their lives only if they become a part of the society. There two ways to realize the education for the individuals with special needs, the first of these is the education and the other is combined education. Self-contained education is realized by the special education staff and programs prepared according to the disability status of the children. However, combined education is the education given to the normal individuals and individuals with the special needs at the same time by regular education teachers. (Batu et. al.; 2005). While male mainstreaming teachers and special education teachers from the USA expressed their opinions on educational equality opportunity, none of other special educationalists and female mainstreaming teachers remarked on this subject. We realized that here in Cyprus there are not guidance teachers or special education professionals to help regular education teachers in the classrooms. The fact that there is not special education law in Cyprus, that necessary infrastructure works for mainstreaming and in-service training programs...