Romanian National ITC Projects Case studies and Extension opportunities March 2004

Summary SECTION I The present situation: case study SECTION II SEI: National computer-based education system SECTION II Lessons learned 11/27/2018

SEI project overview IT enabling under-graduate Romanian education: High schools are provided with IT solutions: Computers, connectivity equipment Basic operating software Educational software platforms – AEL LCMS Educational multimedia content Training, support SEI educational portal http://portal.edu.ro IT support for projects regarding administration ADLIC 2001, 2002, 2003 EvalMan 2002 Contests for vacant teacher positions etc. 11/27/2018

SEI project dimensions The SEI Program was launched in 2001 Approved by GPTI and by the government in 2001 (Grupul pentru Promovarea Tehnologiei Informaţiei, a governmental organism) Estimated value: 200 mil. USD Phase I approved and executed in 2001 (120 schools) Phase II executed in 2003(1200 schools) Phase III in execution to august 2004 - 300 schools Probably unparalleled dimensions: 1510 ICT educational platforms >2600 network administrators and 14 000 teachers already trained 11/27/2018

AEL - modern, general purpose, standards-based LCMS Adapted to Romanian education system Functions for all “actors” of education process (pupils, teachers, secretaries, school managers, parents, Ministry officials) Can function autonomously within any school Can communicate with peer schools and with Ministry servers 11/27/2018

AEL 4 – key components Content management – knowledge base SCORM compatible Any type of content is included and structured Support for dictionaries and glossaries Testing and evaluation (A)Synchronous learning System administration School administration: teachers, students, classes, schedule, resources, study records etc. Activity monitoring 11/27/2018

ADLIC 2001, 2002, 2003 National school network database consolidation Candidate’s details and options were collected in each school On-line support applications for the public Publishing of results Reports listed in each school, high-school, county Web: http://portal.edu.ro 450,000 individual users in 1 week, 220,000 individual users in 1 day 14 million reports displayed 850,000 queries “Best practice” label eGovernment conference, Bruxelles 2001 11/27/2018

Benefits and advantages Migration from “Learning by memorizing” towards “Learning by doing” Emphasis on problem-solving searching and using the information cooperation and team-work rather than on memorizing Stimulating creativity and competition 11/27/2018

Benefits and advantages Encouraging innovative teaching and learning Offering simulation software for didactic materials that cannot be afforded by all schools (e.g., lab instruments) Management support for school managers and MECT IT literacy for students and teachers 11/27/2018

Summary Lessons learned 11/27/2018

Lessons learned The use of ICT in education is by no means a fashion, but a MUST. There are many concepts far better understood when the student has the opportunity to search, discover and experiment by himself/herself, in parallel with the classical methods of study. The availability of a nation-wide computer based educational system guaranties that each and every high school graduate is fluent in using a computer, thus is better prepared for a successful and rewarding career. 11/27/2018

Lessons learned The main ingredients for the success of the system: Involving and training the teachers By no means does an ICT based training system remove the teacher from the process or diminishes his/her role. Although attention is now focused on student rather than teacher, the latter has the more delicate responsibility of properly guiding the student. Internet is not a means of education, but a source of information Availability of Internet connection is indispensable in the process of converting the student into a person prepared to face and succeed the challenges of the contemporary world. 11/27/2018

Lessons learned High schools are located mostly in big towns and cities. The villages, already one step behind the cities, are further pushed out of contact with modern developments if proper and resolute action is not taken. SEI must penetrate into the lower levels of the pre-university education, starting with less developed regions (rural areas, zones with high unemployment) The human potential of the rural areas is huge, but unknown and insufficiently used. The ICT infrastructure created primarily for schools can be efficiently used to the benefit of local comunities 11/27/2018

Lessons learned The positive experience capitalized with SEI has to be used and diversified. Particular reference is made to the size and strength of the training taskforce The emphasis on technology is far less important than the one on the system as a whole. Fortunately, technology behaves well if the system incorporating it is properly designed. 11/27/2018