Best Practice Collection. Lithuania Vida Motekaityte Kaunas University of Technology B-Learn – Assisting teachers of traditional universities in designing blended learning

2 Blended learning in Lithuania Live training via the web and also face-to-face meetings are becoming more and more important part of any distance learning program. Blended learning is replacing “e-learning“

3 Mathematical Programming Requirements specification

4 Mathematical Programming Takes place in Vytautas Magnus University, Department of Applied Informatics, Kaunas Programme for undergraduate studies (fourth year of studies). The students of departments of Informatics, Economics, Engineering and Applied Mathematics are meant as the primary users of the course.

5 The course was prepared under strong influence of methodology of Project Based Learning (PBL). Website for taking and putting information for studies: The dictionary of the main concepts 52D02/?WasRead=1 52D02/?WasRead=1 Links to wider manuals: Mathematical Programming

6 Mathematical Programming (Pedagogical approach) Traditional lectures and seminars + distant collaboration with the students. Usage of technologies to communicate and to exchange information, assignments and assessments. Problem based. Discussion based.

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8 Mathematical Programming (Use of technology) The instructions of practical work are included into WWW home page of the project. Also advanced theoretical material and references to software. Electronic dictionary with the links for wider information. Discussions forums for contacting with the professor

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10 Requirements specification

11 Requirements specification Takes place in Kaunas University of Technology, Department of Software Engineering, Kaunas Programme for Master students and it is one of 4 research modules

12 Requirements specification The main attention is paid to requirements analysis and specification. This course is purposed for expanding and deepening knowledge acquired in Bachelor’s studies. During project development students familiarize with the standards, prepare proposal, plan and requirement specification of the project.

13 Requirements specification Traditional lectures and seminars plus distant collaboration with the students, also usage of technologies to communicate and to exchange information, assignments and assessments. E-learning is widely used in studies. Studies management information is public and available on the Internet. Problem based

14 Requirements specification (Outcomes and evaluation results ) The aim of evaluation is two-fold: to recognise those strategies and techniques which proved effective during the course of the project so that their use may be reinforced or expanded; to identify areas in the process and product that need to be improved in the next project.

15 Requirements specification (Outcomes and evaluation results ) The benefit of evaluating a software project is greater understanding of the software project organization, software development organization and people that are involved. This understanding is essential for the ability to perform software process improvements.

16 Requirements specification (Outcomes and evaluation results ) After finishing four modules : The average grade for the project quality stated by Master project tutors is 9.72; Master students evaluated their projects on the average 8.33; The average grade for the Master project tutors’ consultations stated by students is 8.28; The average grade for Master project design process arrangement stated by students is 7.71;

17 Requirements specification (Outcomes and evaluation results ) After finishing four modules : 43% of students referred the number of Master project deliverables as too large, 57% - as sufficient and no student referred this number as too small. The average grade for the Master students’ work in the enterprises stated by practice tutors is very high – 9.93; Only 76% of students consider the practice as useful for their skills development; The practice place corresponded to the Master project topic for 62% of students.

18 Requirements specification (Use of technology) Website ( ). Project themes, document templates, examples, standards, requirements for deliverables, schedules, requirements for skills, dates for assignments’ deadlines, etc. Information system created by each student individually at the begging of the course, , seminars are used for the communication with the professor. Hot Master studies’ problems are discussed in the forum

19 Thank YOU for your attention!

20 Questions?