Title: Elearning Implementations as Tools for Developing Higher Education Programs Case Study for BabesBoly
1E-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
2Implementing 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
3Topics
- 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
4Features 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
5Features 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
6Features 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
7Systematic 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
8Systematic 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
9Systematic 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
10Case 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
11Case 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
12Case 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
13Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface curricula
14Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface schedule
15Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface educational content
16Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface topic discussion lists
17Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
System Interface e-mail integration for
educational purposes
18Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
Administrating My site Inbox inclusion
19Case Study on Babes-Bolyai University
Administrating My site My colleagues and
Memberships
20Case 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
21Conclusions
- 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
22Conclusions
- 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