Elearning Implementations as Tools for Developing Higher Education Programs Case Study for BabesBoly

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E-learning Implementations as Tools for
Developing Higher Education Programs Case Study
for Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Romania

• Alina Andreica, PhD
• Head of IT Department, Babes-Bolyai University,
• Cluj-Napoca, Romania
• e-mail alina_at_staff.ubbcluj.ro

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Implementing Advanced E-learning Facilities

• E-learning efficient mechanisms in developing
  academic study programs
• strategies and mechanisms for implementing
  advanced e-learning facilities at a large scale
• IT implementation principles of the system -
  creating an adaptable framework for academic
  program development
• case study of Babes-Bolyai University
• upgrading its e-learning systems for a large
  number of students, in a wide geographical area,
  at a high quality

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Topics

• Features and Advantages of E-learning in
  Developing Higher Education Programs
• Systematic Principles for Implementing E-learning
  Systems
• Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
• Conclusion
• References

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Features and Advantages of E-learning in
Developing Higher Education Programs

• E-learning Facilities in chronology (since90s)
• creating efficient web pages
• electronic communication tools discussion
  lists, forums etc. on specific learning topics
• remote evaluation applications automating quiz
  and fill-in tests
• adaptation facilities - adjusting the educational
  content and path for each student in respect with
  his / her learning aims, preferences and
  characteristics
• ? Modeling educational paths

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Features and Advantages of E-learning in
Developing Higher Education Programs

• Integrating e-learning facilities ? distributed
  intelligent educational systems for efficient
  learning
• e-learning technologies
• Influenced learning capabilities and teaching
  methods
• supported the development of the student centered
  learning model
• students to become more responsible of their
  educational path
• teachers guide the students in the educational
  universe created by the e-learning system
  emphasizing cooperative and project learning

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Features and Advantages of E-learning in
Developing Higher Education Programs

• e-learning systems provide advanced mechanisms
  for developing academic programs especially for
  students who
• Look for a more flexible schedule and prefer the
  virtual class to a physical one
• Prefer to set their one pace in learning and be
  guided by tutors assisted by integrated
  e-learning tools
• Post graduate programs
• Continuous education and life long learning
  programs

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Systematic Principles for Implementing E-learning
Systems

• Efficient implementation of information systems
  should be strongly based on systematic system
  requirements And05
• e-learning systems should pursue similar rules
  and stages
• user role is crucial in the specification,
  verification, system installation and exploiting
  phases
• specific requirements
• fairly well defined for e-learning systems
• taken into account for each user category
  students, teachers, administrators, secretaries
• it is often useful that adaptive characteristics
  can be implemented and stage development is
  ensured in respect with user needs
• Accessible system maintenance
• technical aspects should be taken into account
  (Internet connection, speed)
• Important mostly for videoconference integration

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Systematic Principles for Implementing E-learning
Systems

• the following requirements should be added to
  classical e-learning ones
• increased flexibility adaptability to future
  requirements
• adaptive stage development, flexibility in
  upgrades
• adaptability in curricula organization based on
  studied courses
• increased user accessibility
• administrator accessibility, development
  potential
• de-centralized system administration facilities

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Systematic Principles for Implementing E-learning
Systems

• The integration of various electronic facilities
  in learning strongly impacts on the learning
  process and is very important for students all
  the actors involved
• Students
• Teachers
• Study managers / directors
• administrators
• Secretaries

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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University

• Babes-Bolyai University recently upgraded its
  e-learning system in order to pursue the
  requirements of
• de-centralized administration
• complete integration of different e-learning
  facilities
• Increased number of students enrolled in distance
  learning programs
• Geographical extension of the university
• Goal to implement a more complex e-learning
  system, aiming at sustaining the advanced
  distance learning programs launched by the
  university

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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University

• The system
• should be efficiently accessible from a wide
  geographical area, by around 5000 students, who
  should have available advanced e-learning
  facilities, integrated into a user-friendly
  e-learning system, in order to sustain their
  educational path in an efficient manner
• Specific IT requirements
• multi-language support, capable of sustaining the
  strong multicultural profile of the university
• natural customization in respect with our
  universitys organization culture

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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University

• we decided to implement Microsoft Learning
  Gateway based on dedicated Microsoft Internet
  servers Learning Gateway ensures
• the integration of various e-learning facilities
  in a very user-friendly manner
• system development in respect with different
  specifications
• adaptability in stage development according to
  the universitys needs
• Good management of public-private aspects of
  published information
• MS Communicator is currently under integration
  for
• On line textual audio-video communication
• MS Learning Gateway is to be complemented by
  dedicated videoconferencing facilities -on-going
  installation
• mostly used in order to broadcast lectures in the
  universitys regional branches, at a high
  technical quality

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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface curricula
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface schedule
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface educational content
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface topic discussion lists
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface e-mail integration for
educational purposes
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
Administrating My site Inbox inclusion
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
Administrating My site My colleagues and
Memberships
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Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University

• system assessment is still undergoing, since the
  system implementation is quite recent (early
  2007)
• implementation stages relied on
• de-centralized system administration by
  faculties administrators
• filling-in the system with the necessary
  learning information curricula, courses and
  feed-back material, schedules, contact
  information, additional shared information
• Presently, student and teacher categories are in
  the first stages of using the new e-learning
  system
• feed-backs are positive
• the flexibility specifications that were pursued
  in choosing the system have proved their accuracy
  both for user categories, and administrators
• system adaptability supported the desired
  add-ons
• we shall continue in monitoring developing the
  system

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Conclusions

• E-learning systems may be viewed as advanced
  tools which assist teachers in creating a
  cooperative, multidisciplinary and explorative
  learning environment
• e-learning facilities strongly contributed to the
  development of the student goal centered
  learning model
• System implementation should pursue the same
  principles and stages as for other dedicated
  software systems
• for a successful implementation, user involvement
  is of outmost importance within the stages of
• system requirements
• verification and
• implementation

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Conclusions

• E-learning advantages in developing higher
  education programs
• Flexible schedule, more autonomous learning pace
• Advantages for post graduate, continuous
  education and life long learning programs
• e-learning facilities are fairly standardized,
  but it is important to take into account future
  upgrades of the implemented system according to
  academic strategy
• We present the IT strategy principles that guided
  the recent upgrade of the e-learning system
  within Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca,
  Romania a framework for developing various
  e-learning programs
• The flexibility system requirements that were
  pursued are expected to prove their efficiency in
  the future developments of the system and in
  sustaining new higher education programs system
  facilities