Title: E-learning for Regional Development: Cases in Latvia
1E-learning for Regional Development Cases in
Latvia
Atis Kapenieks Riga Technical University,
Latvia
Baltic ITT 2006, Riga, Latvia, April 5-7, 2006
2Outline of the presentation
- e-learning - effective human resources
development approach - Case in Livani (Latvia) 1999-2004 programme
- E-course delivery approach
- Knowledge Repository in Internet
- EKD modelling for strategy development and
capturing the new knowledge - Evaluation of programme results
- Conclusions
3E-learning for Regional Development
- In this paper we are reporting on the results of
4 year-long cooperative effort on the part of
Riga Technical University Distance Education
Study Centre and the Livani region
4E-learning for Regional Development
- The Livani region was among the most economically
developed in Latvia from 1980 to 1990 but during
the period of transfer to a free market economy
and a knowledge society, 90 of the old industry
collapsed, causing unemployment to rise up to 25.
5E-learning for Regional Development
- The leadership of the Livani region responded to
this bleak situation with a positive vision - There are new opportunities available by
transferring to a knowledge society.
6E-learning for Regional Development
- The Livani leadership drew upon the new
e-learning solutions that had emerged at the
time and that had been captured and designed at
Riga Technical University - The Distance Education Study Centre at Riga
Technical University had a team that had
participated in many international e-learning
development projects and had the expertise.
7The leading team in Livani together with its
partners at Riga Technical University conceived
of the following plan
- Believe in the new opportunities
- Promote their acceptance in the local society
- Advance the philosophy of development
- Advance the technology and methods of
e-learning - Create opportunities and skills to design project
applications for funding - Use funding opportunities from national
development programmes.
8Year 1999
- A trial business-planning course for 15
participants. - It demonstrated the new technologies and achieved
some tangible results - 12 of the participants designed a business plan
and passed the course - Four participants implemented their business plan
in a real-life business during the next two
years.
9Year 2001
- An e-learning centre was created in Livani
- 150 participants trained in new courses
- IT for beginners
- Advanced IT
- Continued training in Business Planningfor Open
Markets - Installed a video-conferencing facility.
10Year 2002
- Training of 400 participants in new e-courses
and previously developed ones - Technical Communication
- E-business
- Innovation Management.
- We also developed a Knowledge Repository in
Internet.
11Year 2003
- Training of 300 participants in e-courses.
- On a on-going bases updating the content of the
Knowledge Repository. - Most importantly, we are developing a long term
strategy of community development in a knowledge
society.
12E-course delivery approach
- The courses currently being offered include
- 3 to 4 face-to-face seminars (about 6-8 hours)
- 20 to 40 hours of estimated individual work
on-line - Final asessment work
- study aids include
- an interactive multimedia CD-ROM
- printed workbook.
13Innovation Management Course
- A challenging new e-game Marketplace was
organised for the course Innovation Management.
14Knowledge Repository
- The design and development of a Knowledge
Repository available on Internet was realized. - It put into effect the knowledge we had captured
from our participation in the European 5th
Framework programme project Hyperknowledge.
15Our most visible successes were
- e-courses with interactive multimedia CD-ROMs
- The e-game in the Innovation Management e-course
16With growing potential are activities
- Further development and updating of the Knowledge
Repository - Strategy development applying Enterprise
Knowledge Development meta modelling (partners
Siemens Austria, Verbundplan Austria, KTH Sweden)
17Knowledge Repository
18Knowledge Repository
19Knowledge Repository
PP presentetion or
Translation
20EKD approach (Enterprise Knowledge Development)
By Janis Stirna, KTH
21(No Transcript)
22IST Call 4. 2.4.10 Technology-enhanced Learning.
The objectives
IST4BALT 2005, Riga, April 6-7
- To explore interactions between the learning of
the individual and that of the organisation in
order to improve how current or emerging ICT can
mutually enhance the learning processes for the
individual and for the organisation - To contribute to new understandings of the
learning processes by exploring links between
human learning, cognition and technologies.
23Fragment of Goals model for raising quality of
continuing education
24Most essential support activities
- Development and maintenance of the e-study
centre - Installation, demonstration and availability of
videoconference technology
25Results after the first small-scale project
- Fifteen participants enrolled in the course
Business Planning for Open Markets - Twelve participants completed the course
producing a self-designed business plan - Four of the business plans were actually
implemented making the small businesses - The participants told us that they had had to
visit a bank only three times as compared to
eight times as was necessary for
non-participants - Moreover, the non-participants often ended up
paying a consultancy fee to design a business
plan and their projects were viewed as a higher
credit risks.
26The objective of the next evaluation study was
- To assess the quality of training courses
- To assess the quality of study materials
- To assess the work of the consultants
- To assess the training method (distance
learning) in general - To assess the overall results of training to
assess the quality of training courses.
27The evaluation methods employed
- Semi-structured qualitative interviews with
training course participants - Observations of trainers, trainees andof the
physical facilities provided for training.
28Course fees
- Each participant had to pay a tuition fee, about
20 EUR - The majority of the participants paid the fee
themselves - For some participants their employers paid the
fee.
29Employees attitude towards training
- All the employed respondents indicated that their
employers responded positively to the training - Those respondents who were unemployed believed
that the training (and certificate) might be
helpful for getting a job or even starting their
own business.
30Certification
- All the respondents hoped to receive a
certificate after completing the courses. - All the respondents have mentioned that the
certificate might be useful when searching for
new job.
31Trainers and consultants
- All the respondents were satisfied with the
trainers and consultants - They have mentioned that the trainers and
consultants are real experts in their field, good
teachers and responsive to their needs. - None of the respondents were critical of trainers
and consultants.
32General assessment of training courses
- Respondents were asked to evaluatethe course in
general, marking grades 1 through 5 (where 1
was the lowest score and 5 excellent) - afterwards they were requested to assess
different aspects of the training courses.
33Assessment in general and various aspects of
each course
IT for Beginners IT Advanced Technical Communication Business Planning for Open Markets
Quality in general 5 4.5 4.5 4.5
Work of consultants 5 5 5 5
Explanation 5 5 5 5
Possibility to meet consultant 5 5 5 4
Course materials/books 5 4.5 4.5 4
Internet 5 5 5 5
Supplies 5 5 5 5
Method of distance learning 4.5 4.5 4 4
Value 5 5 5 4.5
34Innovation Management Course
I received the unbelievable knowledge! I have to
rethink my business now!
35Interwiews with participants
-
- Participant of Innovatinon Management course
- It was my best experience during last two
years! - Often participants joined the seminars even
without previous registration.
36Main conclusions on course delivery
- In general, all the respondents were
- Satisfied with the opportunity to have a good
training - Happy to have good training materials, so they
are able to complete their work when they had
problems with computers - Willing to continue training on a more advanced
level - Would like to receive a certificate and would
like a public ceremony to commemorate the
occasion.
From the above, we can conclude that the training
was also an excellent means to remedy the social
and economic marginalization of the participants,
a significant factor in an economically depressed
town such as Livani.
37Evaluation of regional development programme
- The key success factors of programme were (1)
- Small scale start-up project with tangible and
visible results - Use of advanced multimedia learning materials and
internet study support technologies which were
not available 10 to 20 years ago in traditional
classes - Availability of courses for development of basic
computer skills for a number of participants who
needed it (IT for beginners) - Appropriate share of face-to-face seminars (6-8
hours in a 25 to 40 hours long course) - Permanent availability of tutors by telephone
and e-mail.
38Evaluation of regional development programme
- The key success factors of programme were (2)
- Permanent availability of computers with Internet
accessin a local e-study centre where
necessary - Opportunity to move to a more advanced group,
when necessary - Rich, well designed, user friendly interactive
multimedia CD-ROM study materials which the
participants retainafter the course - Final assessment work with real applicability in
the business world or job-related activities of
the participants - Large scale funding in 2nd and 3rd phase of
project increased the number of participants with
a synergetic effect the projects included up to
15 of economically active people of region.
39GDP in districts with e-Projects (Preilu rajons)
and neighbor districts after 4 years of
e-Learning projects
E-learning success in local community
40Conclusions
- The package of 4 projects presented here is the
long-term approach to rapid development and
successful transfer to a knowledge society - These just-in-time knowledge-training courses
present an opportunity to transfer to a knowledge
society without damaging the infrastructure and
traditional values. - This is possible because of the number of
similarities between pre-industrial and
post-industrial ways of working.
41Further activities
- Participation in EU 6th Framework Network of
Excellence in e-Learning Kaleidoscope - Training programmes with 6-8 courses with
adwanced multimedia study materials - Courses in engineering
- Knowledge Repository for adwanced e-learning
development - Large scale dissimination of e-courses / CD-ROMs
42Network of Excellence in e-Learning
Kaleidoscope
- Kaleidoscope aims to ensure European leadership
in the area of multidisciplinary research and
technology development in e-Learning
which is the engine of the Knowledge
Economy1. - 1 Ruttenbur, B., et al, eLearning The Engine
of the Knowledge Economy, eLearning Industry
Report, Morgan Keegan, 2000,
43Training programmes with 6-8 courses with
adwanced multimedia study materials (New skills
for 21st century)
- New skills should be trained by innovative
approaches - IT opportunities could possibly change the
learning paradigm
44Courses in engineering
- Electrical Engineerings and Electronics under
preparation in Leonardo programme project
45Knowledge Repository for adwanced e-learning
development
- Knowledge patterns with different media
- Easy to use
- Permanent updating
- Knowledge manager supports updating
- Knowledge sharing culture
46Large scale dissimaination of e-courses /CD-ROMs
1247 schools have received the innovative
learning materials in 2002
47www.Riga.lv
48(No Transcript)
49Demonstration of course materials
- ECDL 2nd Level
- SQL Fundamentals