Practical experiences in e-Learning and e-Teaching

in Czech republic

Jitka Hazuková,

Tereza, Czech republic

e-LSEE Conference October 2003Tartu, Estonia

LIST OF CONTENTS

What does it mean e-Learning at Czech schools? Situation at Czech schools What to use? Conclusion Practical experiences of teachers Last words

WHAT DOES IT MEAN E-LEARNING AT CZECH SCHOOLS?

As e-Learning can be indicated an using of special electronical program for learning:

– directly at school during the lesson

– at school during student's free time

– at home as a preparation for school lessons

What does it mean e-Learning at Czech schools?

SITUATION AT CZECH SCHOOLS

The situation at Internet using at Czech schools is bad. There are nearly no conditions for e-Learning and e-Teaching during the school lessons unlike the PC lessons.

There are few main problems, that complicate the using of e-Learning and e-Teaching:

– Money– Teachers without PC practice– Teachers without time or interest of e-Teaching– No free computers– Technical problems

Situation at Czech schools

Nearly never problem

There is only one thing that is nearly never problem:

students' interest. Students would like to work with computer in all of the lessons...

Situation at Czech schools:Nearly never problem

PROBLEMS

No enough money to equip computer lab. by sufficient amount of good and quick computers.

There is usually only 1 computer lab. at school and it isn't enough for using computers during different lessons for more then 1 class.

The Internet connection is expensive. In small towns or in a villages is common, that computer with Internet connection is only one and used only by teachers.

Special e-Learning programs made by SW firms are very expensive. These are nearly only good and useful e-Learning programs in Czech.

Money

Problems: Money

Teachers without PC practice

There is smaller amount of teachers using PC and Internet so often that they are ready for e-Teaching without long preparation.

Teachers of different subjects then PC teaching usually don't have sufficient knowledge about e-Learning and e-Teaching programs.

If they know about its existence, they don't know where to find and buy it or where to find the information about it. If they see the program, it takes long time to find out how to work with the program... etc...

Problems: Teachers without PC practice

Teachers without time or interest of e-Teaching

e-Teaching isn't well know and spread at Czech schools, so there isn't counted with time for this type of lesson preparation for teachers.

e-Teaching and e-Learning isn't part of Czech curricula. It means that it isn't compulsory. So big amount of the teachers doesn't want to do that.

Problems: Teachers without time or interest of e-Teaching

No free computers

There are no free computers for using during other lessons except IT lessons.

The computer labs at schools are made for teaching IT. Nobody count with computers for teaching any other subjects. If the teacher wants to use computers during their eg. biology, ecology, physics etc. lessons, he/she has to change classes with other teachers very complicatedly. And it isn't possible too often.

Problems: No free computers

Technical problems

Teachers have also sometimes technical problems during the e-Learning activities.

Because they usually don't know how to solve these technical problems, their and student's enthusiasm goes slowly down...

But it isn't the main problem of e-Learning and e-Teaching at schools.

Problems: Technical problems

If there is a perfect director, perfect teacher, enough computers and money for e-Teaching and e-Learning materials there is only one problem:

Problems

WHAT TO USE?

For e-Teaching and e-Learning could be used:

What to use

– Internet with it’s information

– e-Learning programs (SW)

– Other e-Learning materials

– e-Learning and e-Teaching materials developed by teachers themselves

Internet with it’s information

During the lessons students find special information on Internet according to teacher’s demands.

What to use : Internet with iťs information

It is widely spread, because it is:– not so expensive– quick– without necessary long preparation.

e-Learning programs (SW)

The e-Learning programs have to be in Czech. Czech students and pupils aren't able to learn in foreign language (except a few special schools - mainly high schools).

There is a few SW firms developing special e-Learning programs.

There are different programs:

– Foreign translations modified for Czech environment

– Programs based on Czech school textbooks– Programs for language learning

What to use : e-Learning programs (SW)

Foreign translations modified for Czech environment

It isn't good for school preparation, because there are differences between Czech and foreign curricula.

It is good for enlargement of learned information.

What to use : e-Learning programs (SW) : Foreign translations ...

Example:

– Firm: LANGMaster http://www.langmaster.cz/

– Terasoft http://www.terasoft.cz/index.htm

Examples: Firms:

– Štefl software www.steflsoftware.cz

Programs based on Czech school textbooks

What to use : e-Learning programs (SW) : Programs based on Czech school textbooks

Program:

– Škola za školou http://www.zaskolou.cz/

Programs for language learning

These programs are used the most often

– the largest offer in this sphere.

But the use isn't as large as it could be.

– Only smaller part of people knows about this possibility.

What to use : e-Learning programs (SW) : Programs for language learning

e-Learning programs (SW)

These programs are nicely and good made and the learning is really funny and effective.

The student/pupil is really led from one task to another one.

Programs are expensive. There isn't such a large competition between these Czech firms.

What to use : e-Learning programs (SW)

Schools usually don't have enough money for buying these products.

According to my small research there are some schools using or going to use these e-Learning programs. Some of them are satisfied with its quality and some of them less.

Students/pupils use these programs more often at home as a school preparation, because for parents it isn't any problem to buy it.

My own opinion: These products are useful more for home school preparation.

What to use : e-Learning programs (SW)

Other e-Learning materials

There is larger amount of different e-Learning materials paid or for free on the Internet:

– e-Learning programs, educational Internet portals

– educational projects

– tests

What to use : Other e-Learning materials

e-Learning programs, educational Internet portals

There are 3 or 4 free Internet portals for schools with lots of materials and small programs made for using during different lessons at school.

These programs are usually oriented only on one problem (small part of subject).

Each of these programs is different - quality, quantity, price (or for free), look etc. - because it is made by different people and there is no system in developing it.

What to use : Other e-Learning materials : e-Learning programs,...

Examples:– Internet portal: Česká

škola http://www.

ceskaskola.cz/ - Materials are for free but only for registered people.

– Internet portal: Moje škola http://www.

mojeskola.cz/ - Main part of programs is for free.

What to use : Other e-Learning materials : e-Learning programs,...

educational projects

the GLOBE programme and this type of projects working with computer and Internet.

They are not in Czech, so they are not often used.

What to use : Other e-Learning materials : educational projects

tests

There are lots of www pages with interactive tests according to particular subject

What to use : Other e-Learning materials : tests

Examples:

– School: ZŠ Bohuslava Rejnka, Lípa http://www.zslipa.hbnet.cz/o_testy_biologie.htm - Test are made by teachers of this school

– Firm: Scio http://www.scio.cz/ - Firm developing tests and preparing materials for entrance examination

e-Learning and e-Teaching materials developed by teachers themselves

Because teachers aren't satisfied with the offer of e-Learning materials, some of them develop their own materials - programs, interactive tests etc.

It isn't widely spread.

What to use : e-Learning and e-Teaching materials developed by teachers themselves

CONCLUSION

School situation:

– Teachers don't know about these possibilities

– Not all the teachers are ready to change their teaching system

– It isn't part of curriculum. If the teacher wants to do something more then is written in the curriculum, he/she has to be very active, flexible, and work in his/hers free time.

– Schools don't have money for e-Learning and e-Teaching

– Technical equipment isn't still good enough for wide spread of e-Learning at schools.

Conclusion

e-Learning materials situation:

– There isn't large offer of professional e-Learning materials in Czech republic.

– The professional e-Learning materials are too expensive for schools.

– Teachers can use many small e-Learning programs (only for some parts of subjects) for free.

Conclusion

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES OF TEACHERS

(Data come from questionnaire filled by teachers)

Teachers don't have large experiences with e-Learning and e-Teaching (reasons where already written)

There are used programs for language learning. Schools buy sets of programs (or single

programs) from firms or use free programs from Internet (after registration).

Practical experiences of teachers

Practical experiences of teachers

Tests and materials for entrance examination are used - they are testing student's knowledge and it can be confronted with results from other students, classes or schools.

Teachers are satisfied with some products, with some of them less. It is very different. There aren't mainly favorite products.

Students are more interestested in bigger projects, where they can something create or more complicatedly make up, then in programs where they just repeat their knowledge.

LAST WORDS

After all there are in Czech republic open-minded teachers, who really want to make education always better and want to do as much as possible for students and pupils.

There are also school directors, who try to find money for better education, try to help to their teachers in their effort or to lead not so open-minded teachers.

So after all I hope there will be large possibilities and conditions for e-Learning and e-Teaching very soon!

Last words