Distance Education Technologies and Systems mr.sci. Samra Mujačić University Centre for Distance Education Development University of Tuzla It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to present you one of the newest application of ICTs: distance education. Today I will talk about DET&S and present you the UCDED of the Uni Tz.

Distance education components Content delivering Text and graphic Audio and video Mentoring and communication web learning environments Interactivity Animations and educational applications The main DL components are content delivering, mentoring and communication, and in the recent years, interactivity. Content form can vary from simply text and graphic to more demanded audio and video. Mentoring and communication can be easy managed through web learning environments. In the recent years, interactivity become more and more popular since it offers active student engagement in the process of distance education.

DL (e-learning) Technology Our material is information Our tool is ICT Information and communication technology electronic data and devices, too often related only to digital computers and computer-based electronic devices, but includes also traditional telecommunication and technology for media production and transmission Our product is knowledge ICTs play the significant role in the field of DE (e-learning). From the lecturer aspect of view the following can be said: … E-learning corresponds to use of ICT in education. e-learning = use of ICT in education

IT in distance education: advantages and disadvantages widely available reusable multimedia decrease pressure on lecturer better individual student engagement globality Disadvantages demanded development and delivering process equipment negative social aspects estrangement socializations inhumanity ... healthy? During the presentation, I will only concern IT in distance education. Applying IT in DE brings some advantages and disadvantages:

DL technologies - categorization According to time and place According to knowledge representation According to evolucional phase of educational content DL technologies can be categorized according to:

Distance education models Independent learning model Distributed class Technology supported learning model As with all types of education, the various DE models are built around the central components of the instructional process. The various DE models differ not only in the types of technologies that are used, but also in the locus of control over the pace and place of instruction. The three DE models presented here do not represent all the possible approaches to DE. Rather, they represent two ends and the middle of a continuum of institution-control to student-control.

Basic technologies Text, graphic images, electronic presentations Animation Videoconferencing Digital audio and video Web learning environment

Text, graphic images and electronic presentations

Examples DOC and PPT files Microsoft PDF and PS files Adobe platform dependent Windows, MacOS variable contents redundancy unprotected file widely available authoring tools (Word, PowerPoint) original document PDF and PS files Adobe platform independent simply the viewers non variable contents compact protected against file copying less available authoring tools (Acrobat, LaTeX...) Different text-based document are presented on this slide.

What about HTML? HTML is mainly presentation format! Disadvantages: Basic standard offers only limited capabilities Non compatibility Problems with browsers (in the past) Dealing with style, not with content! HTML is a standard hypertext language for the Web and has several different versions.

Recently used alternative solution: XML XML – Extended Markup Language Significant advantages: Content is separated from style Self documented text Disadvantage: It is not well supported with authoring tools

Graphic images (2D pictures) Vector-based graphic Objects mathematicaly defined resolution independent Appropriate for technical schemes and projects pictures with lot of text high quality output files (print) Pixel-based graphic Objects group of pixels resolution dependent Appropriate for photos screen view lossy compression There are two main types of graphic images presentation:

Electronic presentations Sequence of static or animated pages text elements graphical elements Usually autonomous and independent element of educational matter Transformation into another presentation form pdf, html (text/image)... PowerPoint, Corel Presentations, StarImpress...

Animations

Animation types Simple animated pictures animated GIF pictures Interactive animation with no computing model user can influence animation process Interactive animation with computing model complex animations Space-based classification 2D – 3D Technology-based classification executed programs - exe Different web technologies - Java, Flash

Videoconferencing

Videoconferencing One-to-one    One-to-many  Many-to-many  Phone connection – ISDN - cost Internet connection – IP - quality TECHNOLOGY One-to-one    One-to-many  Many-to-many  Videoconferencing stands for interactive visual communication between people in different locations. EDUCATION

Videoconferencing systems Desktop systems Software-based systems (WebCam) Hardware-based systems Mobile systems Compact systems (integrated units) VC rooms

Digital video Applications

Video supported distance education Examples Video on demand delivering content Videoconferencing communication A standard model of using video in education is video on demand. By this we assume a video content that user can access any time he (or she) wants. The second topic, that many people see first, when video in education is mentioned, is videoconferencing. Videoconferencing can also be used to deliver content - usually this means on-line transmission of live lectures - although it is much more widely used as a communication tool.

Video on demand Video supported web lecture Real-time video supported laboratory experiment Let me know speak of our two demonstration examples, where each one of them can serve as a raw model (or a prototype) for a certain application and a certain profile of user. UCDED was established early this year and one of our first goals was the development of such prototype projects. The two listed here are: - video supported multimedia education, which is the easiest and most straightforward way to bring a standard lecture to the Internet, - Real-Time laboratory experiment (also called Teletraining) supported by video observation,