Adaptive Model for E-Learning in Secondary School

Abstract

The application of ICT1 in the classroom training process allows us to compare two basic stages – a computer based training and e-learning (Stoyanov, 2005a; Stoyanovich, 2001). These two concepts are similar but there are some differences between them. The computer based training (CBT) is an attempt to automate education, replace an educator, and develop self-paced learning. It is place-, timeand content-predetermined learning. E-Learning has its origins in CBT. The main focus of e-learning is not only to educate without barriers of time and distance, but to adjust to the user’s goals and needs. It is a just-in-time, in the workplace, customized, on-demand method of learning. For the realization of this kind of training we need to develop appropriate learning resources and mobile services. E-Learning is the next stage of the learning process; it is a new educational paradigm. We consider the passage from CBT to e-Learning a step-by-step process from traditional education and use CBT to adaptive lifelong learning. A system for electronic and distance learning DeLC2 (Stoyanov, 2005b) is developed by Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski”(PU) with Institute of Information Technologies (IIT), BASBulgaria; Telecommunication Research Centre (TRC), University of Limerick, Ireland; Software Technology Research Laboratory (STRL), De Montfort University, Leicester, UK; Software Technology Group (SWT), Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany and the secondary school Hristo Smirnenski”, Brezovo, Bulgaria. In compliance with the main objectives of the project we establish a network of educational DeLC-portals that provide an adapted learning process to their customers and exchange learning resources and services. The information society requires the application of new methods and approaches to the independent as well as the classroom education of students. According to the characteristics of education in Bulgarian schools DeLC-models and approaches will be applied, which focus primarily on the adaptability and some aspects of their application (Glushkova, 2005). The approach that we follow is related to the study of adaptability as a key feature of any еLearning system. It can be seen from different viewpoints regarding the planned features, but we will concentrate our attention mainly on those aspects which stem from the pedagogical practice and experience. We will examine the adaptability in terms of: