Peeter Normak, Tallinn University of Educational Sciences, Estonia
Summary
The article gives an overview about the organisational structure of distance education at the Tallinn University of Educational Sciences (TUES), the implementation of innovative methods and about the main problems and activities planned for further development of distance education at the University.
General
Under "distance education" (DE) a study form which takes place mainly as an individual study using learning materials or as an intermediated study using different media is considered. Elements of DE can also be used in teaching regular full-time students at the university in order to promote an individual and independent study. The idea of virtual university where students can take courses from different universities can be effectively realised only by massive use of DE.
The necessity for starting new and widening ongoing DE courses is obvious: along with the rapid changes in Estonian society a huge amount of people need new qualifications. Additionally, there are large groups of people who cannot attend regular university courses but to whom equal educational possibilities should be guaranteed.
Although DE has not been financed by the Ministry of Education last years the TUES is going to widen significantly the scope of courses delivered in distance mode. As the TUES is a big and heavily underfinanced institution DE courses should be carried out extremely cost effective. Therefore, for starting a DE course, besides meeting the educational needs there is another not less important pre-requisite: an adequate estimation of the costs and realistic plans for covering them. All activities for the development of DE will depend on target groups. For the TUES, the main target groups for DE courses will be:
Recent activities in implementing innovative methods in distance education
As DE activities were until recently not sufficiently co-ordinated at the University, the corresponding innovative activities were relatively unsystematic. As main achievements one can mention the following:
1. Center of Educational Technology (CET) was founded at the Faculty of Educational Sciences in 1996 which , among other tasks should :
2. Telemedia Laboratory with ISDN facilities for teleconferencing was established in the Centre of Vocational Education in 1996.
3. A computer lab of the Department of the Information Studies was founded in 1997 for delivering DE courses for librarians and information professionals. The lab provides also facilities for audio- and teleconferencing.
4. Courses about innovative methods in DE for university teachers were included in the programmes.
5. TUES participates in the PHARE Multi-Country Project for Distance Education. In the framework of this project a number of teachers have, among other activities taken part in different international workshops, seminars and conferences .
The present state
DE plays a relatively big role at the TUES comparing with other universities in Estonia. All teaching activities can roughly be devided into eight classes and presented as the following table:
| Academic
study
State financed Privately financed | Continuing
education
Open University Special courses | |
| Regular education | ||
| Distance education |
The study will take place entirely at the faculties or at the university centres. On the university level, DE will be co-ordinated by vice rector for research and development and by the vice rector for academic matters; the contact person for other organisations and institutions is the Open University project leader. General organisational problems of DE in academic study are regulated by the Academic Department and in continuing education by the Open University project leader.
DE courses currently running at the University (speciality, number of students, expected year of graduation) are following:
| State financed, 111 students | Privately financed, 165 students |
| 1. Estonian Language as a Foreign Language
and Estonian Culture, 26, 1998 | 1. Teacher of Vocational Education, 33, 1998 |
| 2. Elementary School Teacher, 51, 1998 | 2. Handi- and Housecraft, 27, 1998 |
| 3. Social Work, 34, 1998 | 3. Social Pedagogics, 56, 1998 |
| 4. Social Work, 49, 1999 |
Additionally, the following study groups were formed in 1997 (all privately financed):
The DE activities in the university are guided by the Distance Education Development Plan which was accepted by the Government of the University in April, 1997 and which will be discussed at the University Council later in 1997.
Main problems in distance education
Although the possibilities for implementing DE methods in faculties are quite different, one can formulate the following common problems:
1. The majority of university teachers involved in delivering DE courses do not have enough knowledge and skills of DE methods. A part of the teachers is not willing to attend any refreshing course devoted to DE metodologies.
2. There are not enough resources for operating DE courses effectively :
2.1. lack of computer resources (servers, remote access to the university mail system, etc);
2.2. the Center of Educational Technology is very poorly equipped with the m necessary hard- and software;
2.3. insufficient amount of computers in academic departments;
2.4. lack of learning materials.
3. Non-adequate understanding of educational needs of individuals and of the society as a whole.
Additionally to the abovementioned problems there are some subjective factors as well. For example, some teachers do not understand the role of DE in realizing the lifelong learning principle. In compiling the learning materials the teachers are often in a closed circle: because of the high teaching load they do not have enough time for composing learning materials and, on the other hand, the lack on learning materials does not allow to reduce the teaching load.
Goals and activities
The main goal of the DE activities in the TUES is to meet as fully as possible the educational needs in certain specialities of individuals as well as of the whole society.
For achieving the main goal in Distance Education Development Plan of the University the following activities (referred partly) are formulated :
1. Adaptation of departmental infrastructure necessary for realization of Distance Education Development Plan:
1.1.to nominate DE co-ordinators at the Faculties and a University Distance Education Council;
1.2. to equip the University Computer Center with necessary hard- and software (LAN server, listserver, dial-up facilities, etc);
1.3. to equip DE co-ordinators' workplaces at the Faculties;
1.4. to develop the Center of Educational Technology to the DE information and development center at the University.
2. Clarification of educational needs in DE:
2.1. in co-operation with ministeries, local governements, professonal unions and other interested institutions to clarify the current educational needs in DE;
2.2. to analyse the motivation and readiness of potential target groups to take the DE courses
2.2. to analyse the dynamics of educational needs emerging from the national development plans.
3. Training of university teachers in DE methods:
3.1. to create a virtual DE consultancy center;
3.2. to motivate university teachers to take part in international meetings and in the work of international DE organisations;
3.3. to organise courses in DE methods for university teachers.
4. Elaboration of new and improving running DE courses.
5. Composition of learning materials for DE courses.
6. Integration of DE methods into the academic study.
7. Creation of an institutional DE environment:
7.1. to open and manage DE mailing lists and WWW pages;
7.2. to create and manage DE information system;
7.3. to co-operate with other universities in forming and maintaining of regional centers for continuing education.
The activities under pp. 1 and 7 will be co-ordinated by the vice rector for research and development and under 2 - 6 by the vice rector for academic matters.