Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 1 ENU – a European Networked University Model for networked co-operation between higher educational institutions delivering net based education Presented by Thorleif Hjeltnes and Arne B. Mikalsen NetLearning, May 2004

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 2 The mENU project  Partnership between 11 partners in 7 countries11 partners  Funding  Grant from European Commission (~50%)  Partners' own resources (50%) - and enthusiasm, 100% !  Contract and commitment to ideas in proposal  Project homepage for info:

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 3 Partner locations Partners P0 Stord / Haugesund Univ. College, NO P1 TISIP Research Foundation, NO P2 Agder Univ. College, NO P3 Norw. Technical & Nat.science Univ., NO P4 T. E. I. Thessalonica, GR P5 Nat. Technical University of Athens, GR P6 Universita’ di Roma, IT P7 University of Greenwich, GB P8 University of Turku ( Repr. FVU), FI P9 Kalmar Univ. College, SE P10 Universidad Poly-tecnica de Valencia, ES

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 4 European Area of higher education by 2010  Bologna Declaration, 1999:  Adopt a system of easily readable and comparable degrees (DS)  Adopt a system with two main cycles, Bachelor (3y) & Master (2y)  Establish a system of credits (such as ECTS)  Promote mobility by overcoming obstacles  Promote European co-operation in quality assurance  Promote European dimension in higher education  Prague Communique, 2001:  Lifelong learning  Involvement of students  Enhancing the attractiveness and competitiveness of EHEA to other parts of the world  Berlin Communique, 2003:  Build Europe of knowledge on EHEA & ERA  Stocktaking to measure progress

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 5 Joint study programmes  Promote European dimension in higher education In the Prague Summit, 2001, the ministers called the higher education sector to: Increase the development of modules and curricula at all level with “European” content, orientation or organisation. This concerns particularly modules, courses and degree curricula offered in partnership by institutions from different countries and leading to recognized joint degrees.

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 6 Objectives of MENU  Create a network of institutions  Establish joint study programmes across institutional and national borders  A demonstrator - a master degree programme  Quality assurance system  Develop a model for management and services of a virtual university

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 7 Central products  Strategic plan for an ENU  Organisational plan  Study plan  Quality Assurance System (QAS)  E-learning environment  Business plan  Model for ENU

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 8 The main idea of ENU ENU

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 9 Model for ENU  Mission  ENU should be regarded as a well-defined autonomous and virtual network among existing traditional Universities that agree to collaborate in the formation of graduate degree programmes and lifelong learning programmes via sharing, exchanging or adapting on-line courses.  Goals  enrich the portfolio  fulfil a demand in the market  guarantee the high quality through a strict control following a total quality assurance system

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 10 Course exchange in ENU Course content Local adaptions Adaptions: Translation Course approval Additional teaching resources Assessment ENU

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 11 Nowegian module ”LAN Management” Nowegian module ”LAN Management” Swedish course: ”Drift av lokala nätverk” Norway Sweden Example Course: LAN Management

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 12 What’s the problem? I want to go into e- learning. Can you please videotape my lecture? ? And what will be the pedagogical approach, sir? Pedagogical ??

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 13 Main pedagogical approaches  Instructional (Traditional) Lectures and lessons  Constructivist Construction of knowledge  Sociocultural Collaborative learning (CSCL)

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 14 Challenges for students  Self discipline and responsibility for own learning  Lack of social activities supporting and giving corrections in the learning process  Students feel lonely, uncertain and alienated  Learning strategies for new situation  Change in learning environment  Shift from oral to written communication  Communication through media  Management of new media and learning resources  Acceptance and understanding new learning approaches  Lack of local support - a shoulder to cry on

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 15 E-learning environment Two main functions: 1.Manage students, courses, access, results, collaborative tools etc (Learning Management System; LMS) ENU will not require one specific LMS for all institutions 2.Arrange content of courses and publish on www (Content Management System; CMS) E-learning standards –i.e. LOM, SCORM, simplified approaches –A committee developes a common interpretation of the standard; an ”ENU application profile”

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 16 Quality Assurance System ENU QAS (e-ODL QAS) –Synthesis of the models and experiences of the members –Flexible enough to accomodate these QASs that will arise in the future –ECTS with some extensions will be the basis for the ENU QAS ECTS-NL

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 17 ECTS-NL The ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is excellent for creating transparent study programmes Main elements in ECTS –Information (on study programmes and study achievements) –Mutual agreement (between institution and students) –Use of ECTS credits (to indicate workload) ECTS lack two important issues for Networked Learning –Describing joint programmes –Courses offered are based on e-learning technologies ECTS-NL –Main credit system in ENU –Removes one barrier towards quality assurance; incompatibilty of course design between partner institutions

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 18 ECTS-NL To assure a flexible collaboration, we apply a top-down approach in course size –Two semesters each year with 30 ECTS credits in each –Each semester has a fixed number of (N) of course module units with the same number of credits (30/N) allocated

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 19 Obstacles and challenges for the provider Organisational stumble blocks –Lack of mutual quality acceptance; QAS –Incompatible systems for credits, grades, assessment –Intention to reduce the need for teachers, save money and profit on selling courses Technical skills and understanding –Lack of ICT literacy, no will to apply new technology Pedagogical innovations –Lack of understanding new trends and options –Too much focus on teaching, less on learning –Few visions of new forms of learning environment

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 20 Organisational entities Board Board Working Group ENU Secretariat Different connected groups –Administrative group –Academic group –Research team –E-learning standards group –Pedagogical methods committee –Business and marketing group

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 21 Business plan  Market and customers (In Europe and developing C):  Higher and other educational institutions  Corporations and companies  Governmental and public establishments  Product lines:  Low cost – low price – high volume courses for individuals  High cost – high price – low volume courses for corporate  Running ENU:  Development money (EU and others)  Membership fee  Part of earnings form running courses  ENU members must cover their costs.

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 22 The eLearning initiative Innovative practitioners Top barrier Lower barrier ENU Bottom-up Top-down Top-down and bottom-up approaches

Hjeltnes & Mikalsen Sør-Trøndelag University College 23 Thank you for listening