E-learning for Regional Development: Cases in Latvia

1. E-learning for Regional Development: Cases in Latvia Atis Kapenieks Riga Technical University, Latvia Baltic IT&T 2006, Riga, Latvia, April 5-7, 2006

2. Outline of the presentation • e-learning - effective human resources development approach • Case in Livani (Latvia) 1999-2004 programme • E-course delivery approach • Knowledge Repository in Internet • EKD modelling for strategy development and capturing the new knowledge • Evaluation of programme results • Conclusions

3. E-learning for Regional Development • In this paper we are reporting on the results of 4 year-long cooperative effort on the part of Riga Technical University Distance Education Study Centre and the Livani region

4. E-learning for Regional Development • The Livani region was among the most economically developed in Latvia from 1980 to 1990 but during the period of transfer to a free market economy and a knowledge society, 90% of the old industry collapsed, causing unemployment to rise up to 25%.

5. E-learning for Regional Development • The leadership of the Livani region responded to this bleak situation with a positive vision: “There are new opportunities availableby transferring to a knowledge society”.

6. E-learning for Regional Development • The Livani leadership drew upon the new e-learning solutions that had emerged at the time and that had been captured and designed at Riga Technical University: • The Distance Education Study Centre at Riga Technical University had a team that had participated in many international e-learning development projects and had the expertise.

7. The leading team in Livani together with its partners at Riga Technical University conceived of the following plan: • Believe in the new opportunities; • Promote their acceptance in the local society; • Advance the philosophy of development; • Advance the technology and methods of e-learning; • Create opportunities and skills to design project applications for funding; • Use funding opportunities from national development programmes.

8. Year 1999 • A trial business-planning course for 15 participants. • It demonstrated the new technologies and achieved some tangible results: • 12 of the participants designed a business plan and passed the course; • Four participants implemented their business plan in a real-life business during the next two years.

9. Year 2001 • An e-learning centre was created in Livani; • 150 participants trained in new courses: • IT for beginners; • Advanced IT; • Continued training in Business Planningfor Open Markets; • Installed a video-conferencingfacility.

10. Year 2002 • Training of 400 participants in new e-courses and previously developed ones: • Technical Communication; • E-business; • Innovation Management. • We alsodeveloped a Knowledge Repositoryin Internet.

11. Year 2003 • Training of 300 participants in e-courses. • On a on-going bases updating the content of the Knowledge Repository. • Most importantly, we are developing a long term strategy of community development in a knowledge society.

12. E-course delivery approach • The courses currentlybeing offered include: • 3 to 4 face-to-face seminars (about 6-8 hours); • 20 to 40 hours of estimatedindividual work on-line; • Final asessment work • study aids include • an interactive multimedia CD-ROM • printed workbook.

13. InnovationManagement Course • A challenging new e-game Marketplace was organised for the course Innovation Management.

14. Knowledge Repository • The design and development of a Knowledge Repository available on Internet was realized. • It put into effect the knowledge we had captured from our participation in the European 5th Framework programme project Hyperknowledge.

15. Our most visible successes were • e-courses with interactive multimedia CD-ROMs • The e-game in the InnovationManagement e-course

16. With growing potential are activities • Further development and updating of the Knowledge Repository • Strategy development applying Enterprise Knowledge Development meta modelling(partners: Siemens Austria, VerbundplanAustria, KTH Sweden)

17. Knowledge Repository

18. Knowledge Repository

19. Knowledge Repository PP presentetion or Translation

20. EKD approach(Enterprise Knowledge Development) uses, defines,is refersto responsible for Goals Model affects, motivates, motivates, requires requires definedby Actors and Concepts Business Rules Business Rules defines, uses, Resources Model Model Model isrespon- refersto Model siblefor triggers supports performs, Business isresponsiblefor uses, Process Model produces motivates, requires refersto defines Technical Components and Requirements Model By Janis Stirna, KTH

22. IST Call 4. 2.4.10 Technology-enhanced Learning. The objectives IST4BALT 2005, Riga, April6-7 • To explore interactions between the learning of the individual and that of the organisation in order to improve how current or emerging ICT can mutually enhance the learning processes for the individual and for the organisation; • To contribute to new understandings of the learning processes by exploring links between human learning, cognition and technologies.

23. Fragment of Goals model for raising quality of continuing education

24. Most essential support activities • Development and maintenance of the e-study centre • Installation, demonstration and availability of videoconference technology

25. Results after the first small-scale project • Fifteen participants enrolled in the course “Business Planning for Open Markets”; • Twelve participants completed the course producing a self-designed business plan; • Four of the business plans were actually implemented making the small businesses; • The participants told us that they had had to visit a bank only three times as compared to eight times as was necessary for non-participants; • Moreover, the non-participants often ended up paying a consultancy fee to design a business plan and their projects were viewed as a higher credit risks.

26. The objective of the next evaluation study was: • To assess the quality of training courses; • To assess the quality of study materials; • To assess the work of the consultants; • To assess the training method (distance learning) in general; • To assess the overall results of training to assess the quality of training courses.

27. The evaluation methods employed • Semi-structured qualitative interviews with training course participants; • Observations of trainers, trainees andof the physical facilities provided for training.

28. Course fees • Each participant had to pay a tuition fee, about 20 EUR; • The majority of the participants paid the fee themselves; • For some participants their employers paid the fee.

29. Employees’ attitude towards training • All the employed respondents indicated that their employers responded positively to the training; • Those respondents who were unemployed believed that the training (and certificate) might be helpful for getting a job or even starting their own business.

30. Certification • All the respondents hoped to receive a certificate after completing the courses. • All the respondents have mentioned that the certificate might be useful when searching for new job.

31. Trainers and consultants • All the respondents were satisfied with the trainers and consultants • They have mentioned that the trainers and consultants are real experts in their field, good teachers and responsive to their needs. • None of the respondents were critical of trainers and consultants.

32. General assessment of training courses • Respondents were asked to evaluatethe course in general, marking grades 1 through 5 (where 1 was the lowest score and 5 excellent) • afterwards they were requested to assess different aspects of the training courses.

33. Assessment in general and various aspects of each course

34. InnovationManagement Course “I received the unbelievable knowledge! I have to rethink my business now!”

35. Interwiews with participants Participant of Innovatinon Management course: “It was my best experience during last two years!” • Often participants joined the seminars even without previous registration.

36. Main conclusions on course delivery In general, all the respondents were: • Satisfied with the opportunity to have a good training; • Happy to have good training materials, so they are able to complete their work when they had problems with computers; • Willing to continue training on a more advanced level; • Would like to receive a certificate and would like a public ceremony to commemorate the occasion. From the above, we can conclude that the training was also an excellent means to remedy the social andeconomic marginalization of the participants, a significant factor in an economically depressed town such as Livani.

37. Evaluation of regional development programme  The key success factors of programme were (1): • Small scale start-up project with tangible and visible results; • Use of advanced multimedia learning materials and internet study support technologies which were not available 10 to 20 years ago in traditional classes; • Availability of courses for development of basic computer skills for a number of participants who needed it (IT for beginners); • Appropriate share of face-to-face seminars (6-8 hours in a 25 to 40 hours long course); • Permanent availability of tutors by telephone and e-mail.

38. Evaluation of regional development programme  The key success factors of programme were (2): • Permanent availability of computers with Internet accessin a local “ e-study centre” where necessary; • Opportunity to move to a more advanced group, when necessary; • Rich, well designed, user friendly interactive multimedia CD-ROM study materials which the participants retainafter the course; • Final assessment work with real applicability in the business world or job-related activities of the participants; • Large scale funding in 2nd and 3rd phase of project increased the number of participants with a synergetic effect: the projects included up to 15% of economically active people of region.

39. GDP in districts with e-Projects (Preiļu rajons) and neighbor districts after 4 years of e-Learning projects E-learning success in local community

40. Conclusions • The package of 4 projects presented here is the long-term approach to rapid development and successful transfer to a knowledge society • These “just-in-time” knowledge-training courses present an opportunity to transfer to a knowledge society without damaging the infrastructure and traditional values. • This is possible because of the number of similarities between pre-industrial and post-industrial ways of working.

41. Further activities • Participation in EU 6th Framework Network of Excellence in e-Learning “Kaleidoscope” • Training programmes with 6-8 courses with adwanced multimedia study materials • Courses in engineering • Knowledge Repository for adwanced e-learning development • Large scale dissimination of e-courses / CD-ROMs

42. Network of Excellence in e-Learning “ Kaleidoscope” • Kaleidoscope aimsto ensure European leadership in the area of multidisciplinary research and technology development in e-Learning which is the ‘engine of the Knowledge Economy[1]’. • [1] Ruttenbur, B., et al, eLearning: The Engine of the Knowledge Economy, eLearning Industry Report, Morgan Keegan, 2000,

43. Training programmes with 6-8 courses with adwanced multimedia study materials (New skills for 21st century) • New skills should be trained by innovative approaches • IT opportunities could possibly changethe learning paradigm

44. Large scale dissimaination of e-courses /CD-ROMs; 1247 schools have received the innovative learning materials in 2002

45. www.Riga.lv

47. Demonstration of course materials • ECDL 2nd Level • SQL Fundamentals