E-learning in Latvia: current status and problems Prof. Boriss Misnevs Transport and Telecommunication Institute.

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)


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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%


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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.


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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.


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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


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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


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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).


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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.


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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.


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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).


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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.


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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]

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

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

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[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.


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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.


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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

E-learning in Latvia: current status and problems Prof. Boriss Misnevs Transport and Telecommunication Institute.

Documents

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types of education slide

lifelong learning system

lifelong learning strategy

education objectives

education policy

lifelong learning policy