e-learning in latvia: current status and problems prof. boriss misnevs transport and...

E-learning in Latvia: current status and problems

Prof. Boriss Misnevs

Transport and Telecommunication Institute

Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007

2

‘”Why computers still are very rarely used in teaching?’’

• 44% not enough time

• 36% lack of specialized premises

• 44% lack of knowledge

• 34% lack of knowledge how to organize teaching in this way

• 44% no motivation and stimulation (including financial)


3

Proportions of Enterprises with Internet Access

• In Finland - 99%

• In Denmark and Austria both - 98%

• In Poland - 89%

• In Lithuania - 88%

• In Cyprus - 86%

• in Latvia - 80%


4

Information society benchmarksYEAR

Users Population % Pop.

2000

150,000 2,318,400 6.5 %

2003

310,000 2,290,100 13.5 %

2005

810,000 2,293,246 35.3 %

2006

1,030,000 2,279,366 45.2 %


5

Typical Development Directions of Application of Electronic

Technologies In Education

• Interactive multimedia rich study materials in the CD-ROM format;

• Virtual learning environments and Learning Management Systems;

• Online learning;

• Blended learning.


6

Open Distance Learning (ODL) and e-learning

• At the beginning of 1994 Board of Distance Education was officially created at the Latvian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

• In December 18, 2001 Cabinet of Ministers (Government) discussed this issue and delegated to Ministry of Education and Science the responsibility to elaborate this project as a Concept of Virtual University.


7

Riga and Latvia regions

• Still HE institutions are active in implementing modern technologies in education and in particular regional institutions are quite successful in this respect.


8

E-learning Tools

• The University of Latvia is using WebCT in its E-University project (is moving to Moodle)

• TTI, RSEBA are using Moodle environment,

• RTU is using BlackBoard product (is moving to Moodle)

• Vidzemes Augstskola (VA) - e-learning system Dokeos


9

National programmes & initiatives

• “ICT for educational quality” (Latvian government program for 2007-2013 “Informācijas un komunikācijas tehnoloģijas izglītības kvalitātei IKTIK”).

• Education Development Concept Paper 2002-2005


10

The goals of the Education Development Concept

• Ensure education accessibility for the population of Latvia in the context of lifelong learning

• Increase cost-effectiveness of education in all stages and types of education


11

Lifelong learning policy

• The creation of a lifelong learning system in Latvia started in 1993

• The Education Development Concept Paper 2002-2005 defines lifelong learning as a priority of the education policy.

• A national programme the Development and Implementation of a Lifelong Learning Strategy (until 2010) has been developed and approved within the framework of European Social Fund.


12

The national programme includes seven projects:

• the development of a lifelong learning strategy and action plan (a national level project);

• regional lifelong learning support system development and capacity strengthening projects (6 similar regional projects covering the whole territory of Latvia).


13

Long-term objectives of LLL:

• the introduction of a balanced and modern education system and employment policy meeting the labour market requirements (especially during the time period of 2000 to 2010 – by 10%)

provide lifelong learning in line with the population’s interests, abilities and regional economic development plans;

ensure capacity of the education sector for the implementation of a lifelong learning strategy in long term;


14

Short-term objectives of LLL:• develop unified conceptual approaches and a strategy

regarding lifelong learning;• define education objectives for the development of

human resources in the planning regions concerning economic development goals;

• reduce disparities regarding access to education services among regions of the country and local governments;

• strengthen capacity of the education sector and its influence on the promotion of the population's economic activity;

• enhance cooperation in the planning regions among sectors, fields and institutions in order to plan and coordinate the development of lifelong learning in a harmonized manner.


15

Informatization of school network

• The Ministry of Education and Science has been carrying out the school network informatization process since 1997.

• On average, there is one computer per 16 educatees in education institutions.

• Computer science is a compulsory subject at all education institutions.


16

Social-cultural reflection

• Lots of children with Russsian speaking parents don’t use Latvian as their first language when they are communicating with their family members at home.

• Some schools are working with 70-80% of children with parents with Russian cultural background.

• The diversity of cultures is reflected within the e-Learning materials (Russian and Latvian).


17

Main suppliers of e-learning education in Latvia

• Universities and other higher education institutions

• Public Employment Service

• Municipalities

• Vocational Education Centre

• Private companies.


18

Some National and EU projects in which Latvia is participating:

• KALEIDOSCOPE - Contact person in Latvia - Atis Kapenieks http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/pub/partners.html

• eMapps.COM - Contact person in Latvia: Ms Solvita Udre, [email protected]

• UNIFIED ELEARNING ENVIROMENT FOR THE SCHOOL STREP - Contact person in Latvia: Prof. Jurijs Lavendels, [email protected] ; [email protected]

http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/pub/partners.html

http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/pub/partners.html

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


19

National policies for fostering e-Learning

• There is no policy for fostering the supply and take-up of e-Learning in Latvia. Institutions which develop e-Learning are doing this on their own initiative or were stimulated from outside


20

Current supply of e-Learning courses

• On-line e-Learning courses mainly are offered by higher education institutions.

• Offline e-Learning has become more commonplace since books and magazines have sometimes become supplemented by CD-ROMs.


21

E-Learning take-up by enterprises/employers

• Today, staff training by enterprises (employers) is common practice

• Usually the ICT equipment (CD-ROMs, etc) is used in the same place where the training takes place

• There are many private companies involved in this business.


22

Overall supply-demand match with regard to e-Learning in the country

• It is difficult to answer the question because nobody has investigated proportions between demand and supply of e-Learning courses.


23

Problems regarding e-Learning

• The first one is the service awareness by public.

• The second one is affordability of the service


24

Final conclusion • The penetration of (broadband) internet connections

at households are the weakest within Europe. • The instructional method is mostly more traditional.

New aspects and forms of e-Learning like game based learning and social software now are only finding its ways to schools, institutions and companies of Latvia

• The best examples are multimedia e-learning courses of the Riga Technical University Distance Education Centre, e-learning program of ‘’Turiba’’ and ‘’E-university’’ of the University of Latvia.


25

Boriss Misnevs Dr.Sc.Eng., Assoc. professor

Study programs Vice-rector

Transport and Telecommunication Institute1 Lomonosova st., Riga, LV-1019, Latvia

Phone: +371-67100675Fax: +371-67100660E-mail: [email protected]: www.tsi.lv

e-learning in latvia: current status and problems prof. boriss misnevs transport and...

Documents

workshop vilnius

education institutions

types of education slide

lifelong learning system

lifelong learning strategy

education objectives

education policy

lifelong learning policy