eLearning Education Case Studies Prof. George S. Mouzakitis The 5th International Scientific Conference eLSE eLearning and Software for Education BUCHAREST April 09-10, 2009

eLearning Education Education has to be shifted to new forms of instructional delivery and content in order to respond to the updated requirements of economic trends and goals resulted from the advent of globalization worldwide

University Courses Delivery Bachelor degree at a USA university: Information technology [IT] – 2 persons Human Resource Management [HRM] – 4 persons Business Administration [Bad] – 2 persons Master degree at a UK University: Special Education [SpEd] – 1 student Marketing [MRK] – 2 students Human Resource Management [HRM] - 3 students The case studies refer to

The master degree Admission requirements English language competency Good honors degree or equivalent Possibility to access the Internet Specific requirements Provision of the system to the learner Materials for home study: booklets of interactive text with readings and activities linked with day-to-day practice, web-based materials for learning Experience of working with children with difficulties relevant to the specific course content Access to at least one child with the same difficulties, whilst studying

The master degree Support Meetings Regional tutors or foreign tutors for discussion of activities and assignments Meetings One at the beginning of the course: introduction to the web-support materials Second meeting towards the end of the academic year: support the successful completion of the course, workshops and lectures Scheduled contacts with the local tutor at least every ten days

The master degree - assessment M.A degree – on a four point scale SpEd: 3,92 MRK: 3,15 HRM:3,23 A comparative study of the performance of the same students at their B.A. studies (taken face-to-face) showed an average increase of 3 points on a 10 point scale, or 1,2 points on the 4 point scale

The bachelor degree Admission requirements English language School leaving certificate grade ranging from 17,5 pn a 20 point scale 2 reference letters Internet access Interview Aptitude test Provision of the system to the learner Materials for home study Support Regional tutors for discussion and activities

The bachelor degree Programme Content Information Technology – 30 courses equally distributed during the six semesters and 150 credit hours Human Resource Management – 40 courses equally distributed during the eight semesters and 188 credit hours Business Administration – 40 courses equally distributed during the eight semesters and 126 credit hours Contacts with supervising tutors are frequent At the end of each course a 3000 word paper is assigned

The bachelor degree B.A degree – on a four point scale; IT: 3,05 HRM: 3,14 BAd: 3,02 The comparison between the traditional course delivery to students of equal number randomly selected and users of the e-learning system showed an average deficit of 4 points on a 10 point scale, or 1,6 points on the four point scale for students of the traditional type.

The bachelor degree Problems One of the learners had plagiarized and she was forces to repeat the course Another learner had hired somebody to write the paper in lieu. The student was dismissed. To minimize such attitudes, a multinational forum of educationalists constituting a virtual think tank would seem to be a first step forward in developing and integrated understanding and approach to how to optimize the value of e-Learning.

Training courses for enterprises employees Business administrators did not easily accept interruption of the production process for training reasons. After 7-8 hours of work the staff seemed to be tired and attendance was not proper. The week-end attendance most often was taken by the participants as a social activity rather than a training programme. In afternoons, attendance did not meet the anticipated participation. Weekdays at work places for 1-5 hours per day during work time/ for 2 hours per day after work time At week-ends for 5 hours per day Weekdays at work places in the afternoons for 3 hours per day

e-learning course delivery mode It was taken for granted that almost all employees could have access to internet. A needs analysis was administered to the four companies that constitute this part of the case studies. On the basis of the results of this analysis, it was taken in consideration the following training courses equation A=B-C where (A) represents the content of the training programme, (B) the required qualifications and (C) the existing ones. Each member of the staff was assigned a code number and was advised to use it each time he/she had to visit the course web site. The content of each course was accessible in the internet, but, it was also, delivered in printed form to each member of the staff.

e-learning course delivery mode It was decided that the frequency of learners’ visit to the site should be controlled. To this effect some words, phrases or sentences in the context which were wrong were randomly included in the texts. The learners were asked to find these irrelevant items and write them down in the answers sheets together with their responses to the exercises. In that way, it was certain that, at least, they had read the relative material.. The lines of enterprises were :Medical Laboratories (ML) Electronic Supplies (ES) Sanitary Fixtures (SF) and Newspaper Distribution Agency (NDA) with varying educational level. The assessment of the learners at the end of the courses matched squarely with those anticipated. ML staff averaged 18,5 points on the 20 point scale. The ES averaged 17.2, the SF averaged 16.9 and the NDA 17.9

Orientation meetings The purpose of these meetings was to identify whether prospective users of the system were: (a) able to work by having access to internet, (b) ready to work under pressure, (c) motivated to attend that type of instruction, and (d) competent in written communication skills. Additionally, prospective learners were provided with recommendations as concerns the minimum computer requirements, such as the internet connection, the e-mail capabilities, the software and others, to ensure that the results of the instructional processes would be successful and would meet the needs of the market.

Educational Organization e-DEKA The system of e-learning deserves a prompt attention in order to attain the anticipated results, but at the same time measures should be taken to diminish if not to wipe out plagiarisms and fraudulent behaviours on the part of learners. George Mouzakitis  geom@hol.gr