1. Romanian National ITC Projects
Case studies
and
Extension opportunities
March 2004

2. Summary SECTION I The present situation: case study SECTION II
SEI: National computer-based education system
SECTION II
Lessons learned
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3. 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
IT support for projects regarding administration
ADLIC 2001, 2002, 2003
EvalMan 2002
Contests for vacant teacher positions etc.
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4. 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 schools
Probably unparalleled dimensions:
1510 ICT educational platforms
>2600 network administrators and teachers already trained
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5. 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
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6. 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
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7. 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:
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
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8. 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
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9. 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
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10. Summary
Lessons learned
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11. 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.
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12. 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.
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13. 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
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14. 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.
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