SPORTS STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH THEIR FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES DURING THE OUTBREAK OF COVID-19

Satisfaction is one of the major factors for increasing a person's motivation to get engaged in an activity. This survey aimed at revealing the differences in the degree of sports students' satisfaction with their foreign language studies based on blended learning (a classroom-based education combined with the distance studies platform www.virtual.nsa.bg) and the online learning during the pandemic COVID-19. The research was done among 89 bachelor's degree sports students at the National Sports Academy "Vassil Levski", Sofia in the period 2018 - 2020. The analysis is based on the data received from the Questionnaire for assessment of the satisfaction with foreign language studies and the pedagogical observation carried out during the lockdown. The results revealed that there were statistically significant differences regarding students' satisfaction with their teamwork (Z=-2,108, p=.035) and the overall satisfaction they got from their foreign language studies (Z=1.897, p=.48) in favor of the blended form of education. There were no statistically reliable differences along the rest of the indicators. In conclusion, we may say that comparing the online studies and the blended education, we cannot find great differences concerning the students' degree of activity, and results from their final exams. The only difference observed regards the students' attendance of the classes which was in favor of the online education.