El rendimiento académico de las personas adultas en cursos de educación secundaria virtuales y a distancia en Costa Rica

The recording of lectures has become common as a way to produce video-based instructional material. Even though the material is often produced using more than one video source - the instructor and the slide, for instance - the result is usually a single video stream.
 We built a system prototype that allows the recording of several video streams associated with a lecture, including the instructor, projected slides, and information presented by the instructor via a computer (software or other videos, for instance). The several video streams, orchestrated using contextual and control information, are used to produce an interactive multi video object.
 The interactive nature of our novel multi video object offers students several alternatives for watching the lecture. When the multi video is used by students of traditional and distance learning courses, is opportune to investigate if there are differences in how students watch and interact with the multi video.
 We captured a problem solving lecture in the theme of Database Design our system. The resulting interactive multivideo object was offered to two groups of students as extra learning material, in preparation for exams. One of the groups attended a traditional, classroom-based course, and the other group attended a distance learning course. In this paper we first give a brief overview of our system, and then we present observations of how both groups of students interacted with the multi video multimedia learning object. We could observe, for instance, that students from the traditional course used the alternative views allowed by multi video more than students from the distance learning course, while students from the distance learning course spent more time watching and interacted more with the interactive multi video.

The European Commission established and has sponsored the EuroTraining project to serve the European knowledge market by providing a coherent and single entry point to an extensive training market. Through relevant training courses and through its management of a valued quality system and easy-to-use Web information service, the EuroTraining project has been successfully stimulating exploitation of state-of-the-art microsystems and microelectronics technologies and creating new opportunities for industry. EuroTraining is also aiming to create a comprehensive listing of distance learning courses and to develop essential missing ones, by encouraging course providers and centres of excellence to use the directory to promote their own distance learning training material (Illyefalvi-Vitez, 2003; Illyefalvi-Vitez and Gordon, 2004). The distance learning element of the directory was set up in response to the needs of those who require flexibility in the way they learn. Distance learning increases opportunities for all. In the paper we outline the results of an evaluating survey and gap analysis of distance learning (DL) courses, which were available in the EuroTraining course directory after a year that the section was set up. The information on the DL courses was collected, categorized and studied. The evaluators used a scoring system for each training course, covering: course title, language, venue, description, cost, contents and timetable, level/target audience, on-line contact with tutor, type of support, further information, course provider, access to the course provider Web site, access to the course, and course notes. In addition to the evaluation of the DL courses, three best practices initiated by the EuroTraining Project are also presented: 1) a distance learning course model, which illustrates how multimedia tools, knowledge base management and quiz-like self-test are combined in a high-level DL module of thick film technology, 2) a review of the five train-the-trainers courses provided during the EuroTraining project, and where Internet based electronic textbooks were successfully used, and 3) an introduction to EuroTraining course action, which includes more than 70 microsystem modules of master courses of ca 30 university professors, who are sharing their Internet based teaching tools with each others by this action.

The aim of this study is to design and implement the educational learning environment for international students’ studying in Ukrainian universities in the form of distance learning courses based on Moodle system. Objectives of the study is to analyze the existing approaches to constructing distance learning courses of training requirements in preparatory phase for foreigners in order to form a remote environment, experimental use of distance learning courses for foreigners in form of blended and distance learning during their preparation for entering universities in Ukraine. The object of research is the process of functioning of blended and distance learning for foreigners who plan to study in Ukrainian universities in Ukraine, Russian, Ukraine and English languages. The subject of research is the use of blended and distance learning for foreigners in organizational, scientific and educational activities of the Department of Natural Sciences of the Faculty of International Education of NTU "KhPI". In the work the analysis and systematization of research on the use of cloud-based ICT in education, research and organizational activities of the university, experimental implementation of the designed cloud-based environment for the subdivision of university using open source software. To assess the effectiveness of the use cloud-based learning environment created a separate department university planned to hold teaching experiment. In this work the analysis and systematization of use the blended and distance learning for foreign citizens in educational process was made, and the experimental introduction of advertising-course "Welcome to study!" developed on the basis of Moodle system in the distance learning courses NTU "KhPI" was fulfilled. To assess the efficiency of distance learning courses for international citizens’ preparatory phase of training according to the basic natural sciences, the pedagogical experiment will be done. Results of the study is planned to summarize the development of recommendations for the design of distance learning courses for foreigners with special courses for distance or blended learning in universities Ukraine.

PurposeThis paper aims to summarise the methods and main findings of a study of the environmental impacts of providing higher education (HE) courses by campus‐based and distance/open‐learning methods.Design/methodology/approachThe approach takes the form of an environmental audit, with data from surveys of 20 UK courses – 13 campus‐based, seven print‐based and online distance learning courses – covering travel, paper and print consumption, computing, accommodation, and campus site impacts. Results were converted into energy and CO2emissions per student per 100 hours of degree study.FindingsDistance learning HE courses involve 87 per cent less energy and 85 per cent lower CO2emissions than the full‐time campus‐based courses. Part‐time campus HE courses reduce energy and CO2emissions by 65 and 61 per cent, respectively, compared with full‐time campus courses. The lower impacts of part‐time and distance compared with full‐time campus courses is mainly due to a reduction in student travel and elimination of much energy consumption of students' housing, plus economies in campus site utilisation. E‐learning appears to offer only relatively small energy and emissions reductions (20 and 12 per cent, respectively) compared with mainly print‐based distance learning courses, mainly because online learning requires more energy for computing and paper for printing.Research limitations/implicationsAssumptions were made in order to calculate the energy and emissions arising from the different HE systems. For example, it was decided to include all the energy consumed in term‐time accommodation for full‐time campus students while part‐time campus and distance learning students live at home, only requiring additional heating and lighting for study. Future studies could include more distance and blended learning courses offered by institutions other than the UK Open University and impacts other than CO2emissions.Practical implicationsExisting HE sustainability programmes should be broadened beyond considering campus site impacts and “greening the curriculum”. Indeed, were HE expansion to take environmental impacts seriously, then part‐time and distance education should be prioritised over increasing full‐time provision. This appears compatible with the Leitch Review of Skills on continuing education and training for the UK workforce.Originality/valueThe paper represents the only existing quantitative study of this issue.

The makers’ markets are more effective and promising in the information society than the mediators’ markets are. The e-learning market is one of these future-oriented types of the most promising markets for Ukraine. So it is very important to start a process of commercialisation of the Ukrainian distance learning courses by the Ukrainian developers. The Ukrainian distance learning market is only on an introduction stage of its life-cycle. This stage needs to find out more effective ways of getting high profits. But there is no clear understanding how the Ukrainian developers of the distance learning courses have to commercialize their works. The article analyses the dynamics of the world-wide markets of e-learning to highlight effective marketing instruments to enter in the Ukrainian market of e-learning and more effective geographic markets for the Ukrainian distance learning courses to spread. In the article the three-step model of distance learning courses commercialisation was developed on the basis of the marketing research results of e-learning markets in the developed countries as effective analogy for Ukraine and other emerging countries in the future. The first step of distance learning courses commercialisation means sharing free access to the distance learning courses for the target audiences of potential customers. The second step of the three-step model of distance learning courses commercialisation means public-private partnership and different types of investments. The third step of the three-step model of distance learning courses commercialisation is characterized by forming the market relations between the distance learning courses developers and their customers. The article emphasizes that traditional commercialisation of distance learning courses is possible only on the third step in emerging countries.

In the distance learning module of preschool education, the improved K-means clustering is used to process the distance learning course of preschool education. In this paper, the characteristics of pre-school distance education courses are mined, and the scoring characteristics of different pre-school distance education courses are calculated. Based on the similarity matrix of distance learning courses in preschool education, this paper predicts the user's evaluation of distance learning courses in preschool education. By introducing the user's preference for the pre-school distance learning courses, the collaborative filtering of pre-school distance learning courses is completed. According to the connection between user's interest and distance learning courses, the shortest path between keywords and user's interest in distance learning courses of pre-school education is used. According to the user's preference, the recommendation list of distance learning courses in preschool education is predicted. By recommending the most similar distance education courses to the users, the recommendation of distance education courses for preschool education is realized. Experimental results show that the proposed RMSE of this method can reach 0.95, and the recommended accuracy is greater than 80%, and even the highest accuracy is 99%

This work is devoted to interactive methods of using distance learning courses when studying German by students of technical universities of the agro-industrial faculties. Currently, training is closely connected with modern Internet technologies and social networks. The creation of distance learning courses is one of the forms of distance and online learning. In our article, we described an experiment conducted with first-year full-time students of the Don State Technical University of the agro-industrial faculty studying German in the professional field. The goal of our research was to identify and describe the most influential forms and methods on the motivation of students when teaching German. In the presented work, we used the empirical method and the method of pedagogical research. We carried out an experiment and analyzed the obtained data. The material for our analysis was a distance learning course created on the platform of the Don State Technical University. We have created an online distance learning course “German in professional activity” on the platform Skif, in which first-year full-time students of the specialty “15.03.02 Technological machines and equipment” were signed up. It was established that Internet sources influence the interest and motivation of students in learning German.KeywordsDistance learningGermanOnline courseDistance courseVocabularyLexical materialGrammar teachingGrammatical materialTesting

Virtual educational spaces are becoming more widespread in the world as one of the most advanced educational and psychological technologies of individual and group learning on the Internet, based on the principles of activity, initiative and subjectivity of all their participants. Learning in cyberspace, intellectual and personal growth in it are moving to a qualitatively new level that meets the requirements of information society. The development of adult subjectivity in virtual educational space has undeniable social and scientific relevance. The purpose of study is to reveal psychological foundations of adult subjectivity development in virtual educational space. The subject of research is a project of adult subjectivity development in virtual educational space. Research method is a theoretical and methodological analysis of modern sources on research topic. The hypothesis that effective development of adult subjectivity on the Internet is determined by the use of virtual educational spaces and specially designed distance learning and psychological courses has been confirmed. The basic technology for the subjectivity development during distance learning (in particular, group learning) and psychological work on the Internet is a virtual educational space. It’s a specially designed, developed and maintained to achieve certain educational goals information center of the Internet, provides various forms and types of distance learning and operates on the principles of activity, initiative and subjectivity of learners and those who teach. The project of a distance learning course for the adult subjectivity development should include the following main components such as the purpose and objectives of training, distance learning program, psychological-pedagogical scenario, respondent model, facilitator model, conditions for the learning technological platform and more. The study of the adult subjectivity development principles in the virtual educational space, in particular the design of distance learning and psychological courses aimed at achieving this goal, has all the necessary grounds for its continuation and further deepening.

The general objectives of this study are: to analyze significant indicators for assessment of the effectiveness of Distance Learning (DL) courses; to check the extent to which such effectiveness is related to the quality of interactive processes; to examine characteristic elements of individuals’ conversations while they interact in study groups within virtual environments, with a view to contributing toward the effectiveness of DL courses; the development of a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of distance learning courses. Results confirm the importance of the context, the teacher, and learning-group variables for the effectiveness of distance courses. They also illustrate the relevance of certain speech features of students and teachers in virtual learning environments that generate conversational dynamics and contribute toward meeting the goals of DL courses.

In this pilot study, the authors analyzed student‐faculty course evaluations at their university using gap analysis as derived from the SERVQUAL (service quality) model. Utilizing matched sections of an undergraduate management course, data were collected from students at the beginning of a semester in a traditional course setting and in a distance learning course. At the end of the semester, data were again collected from these same students. The purpose was to assess the differences between student expectations going into these courses at the beginning of the term and their final perceptions of these courses at the conclusion of the semester. The authors found that “gaps” do exist on various dimensions between expectations and perceptions in both distance learning and traditional course delivery. An ongoing longitudinal study, using the pilot study methodology, will provide conclusive findings.

Several distance learning courses adaptation aspects are analyzed in the paper. Adaptation characteristics of virtual learning environments and distance learning courses are considered very significant quality factors in scientific literature. These factors warrant the better adaptability of distance learning courses to the different learners’ needs, and therefore, the better learning quality. While creating distance learning courses according to “Computer training systems” teaching program for VGTU IV course students, there was an additional course adaptation requirement for the students. The aim of this paper is to analyze the students’ works from courses’ adaptation point of view. The paper is also aimed to analyze which course sequencing rules are the mostly clear and often used by the students.

This study compared the student course evaluations of standard education and distance learning courses in the school of social work of one southern university. The sample included 14 distance learning (DL) and 122 standard education courses. A 20-item quantitative student course evaluation and a 7-item qualitative questionnaire were used to compare differences between social work courses taught in a standard classroom setting with those taught using distance learning technology. Comparisons of identical courses taught in both formats found that students rated distance learning higher than the standard classroom for a course having predominantly lecture content. Conversely, ratings for clinical practice courses were just the opposite with lower ratings for distance learning than the standard classroom. Results of a qualitative survey (n = 39) of students conducted at the end of a course taught by distance learning found that 73% of the students felt that distance learning technology interfered with class participation. However, 73% of the students felt the instructor handled technological problems in a professional and patient manner. Although 54% of the students reported that they would take another course by distance learning, more research is needed to determine what social work courses can be most effectively taught by distance and classroom formats.

The increase the flow of information on the Internet requires scientist constantly filter, classify and analyze selected information. The success of this work depends on the capabilities of the personal environment (Cloud Technology) and personal area networking (network connection) scientist. This means that the researcher must be able to study in connective distance courses and create them have the skills to handle large flows of information (be content curator). The aim – to determine the conditions of effective researcher with large flows of information using cloud technology. Research objectives – to develop methods for streaming media and network formation of effective personal professional network. Object of study – distance learning courses. Purpose of the study – distance learning process. Methods used connective and constructivist approaches to distance learning course in open distance learning courses. In a study conducted 4 connective open distance learning courses that showed problems in the use of cloud technology. To solve these problems developed and conducted open distance learning course “Content curator” and prepared more than 200 researchers and librarians to handle large flows of information. Using skills content curator in connective distance courses increases research on modern society.

The purpose of the research is an exposure of the productive distance learning course's components carried out in Internet on the basis of modern information-communicative technologies' application. The tasks of the research are discovery of psychological-pedagogical value of virtual educational space, analysis of basic aspects of the distance learning courses's realization in this space, research of development's and application's role of the distance learning's model of participant, re-erecting of criterion parameters' tracking's technology of changes' objective registration of participants' learning activity, and others like that. The object of research is training learning system developed on the basis of Moodle electronic platform. The subject of research is components of the productive distance learning course in Internet. The basic methods of research are an analysis of theoretical sources, forming experiment carried out in the format of the distance training course, processing of data by the methods of mathematical statistics, analysis and generalization of results. 14 base components of the productive distance learning courses found out and described in the process of research. It is rotined the proper components allow to develop and inculcate productive learning online courses in learning, psychological, educational practice. Distance learning courses have enormous psychological-pedagogical potential and there are one of facilities to convert learning and education into an active, conscious, personality, creative process.

Oral cancer represents a public health issue because of its high mortality rate, resulting mainly from diagnostic delays. Insufficient training in oral diagnosis is usually perceived by dentists. Distance learning could be used as an auxiliary tool to bridge that gap. This study evaluated the impact of a distance learning course on oral mucosal lesion diagnosis offered to public healthcare dentists. Participants of an online course answered a pretest/posttest comprising clinical images of 30 clinical cases. Participants were questioned about the diagnosis and informed their decision on the cases (referring the cases to a specialist or managing them themselves), as a parameter of perceived self-efficacy. A total of 442 dentists enrolled in the course. Their pass rate was 97%. Classification of the nature of the lesions, diagnostic hypotheses, sensitivity, and specificity improved by 13.4%, 10.0%, 13.4%, and 6.6%, respectively (p<0.01, Wilcoxon test). Regarding management, there was a 16.6% reduction in the intention to refer cases, while confidence in the diagnosis of benign lesions increased by 40%. A distance learning course may be useful in continuing education actions for primary care dentists, improving their diagnostic abilities and encouraging them in the management of oral lesions. Moreover, this strategy could contribute to disseminating knowledge to remote regions, particularly among primary health care professionals.