E-learning in Latvia: current status and problems
Prof. Boriss Misnevs
Transport and Telecommunication Institute
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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‘”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)
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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%
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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 %
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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.
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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.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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
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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.
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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).
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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;
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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.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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).
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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Main suppliers of e-learning education in Latvia
• Universities and other higher education institutions
• Public Employment Service
• Municipalities
• Vocational Education Centre
• Private companies.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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]
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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
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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.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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.
Workshop - Vilnius October 10, 2007
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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.
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Problems regarding e-Learning
• The first one is the service awareness by public.
• The second one is affordability of the service
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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.
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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