National distance learning portal “Nikola Tesla” Project e-islands

Zvonimir Stanić, CEO About CARNet

• CARNet (Croatian Academic and Research Network) was created in 1991. as a project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of • CARNet is: • service provider for academic, research and school society in Croatia, • 10 Gbit/s connection to Geant2 network, • provider for e-content service • manages central DNS service. • institution with the purpose of facilitating progress of individuals, as well as that of the society as a whole, through the use of new information technologies • Vision: “Croatia in the society of knowledge”. The Government of the Republic of Croatia aims to develop information society

• providing equal access to information and communication technologies to all population groups • increasing of information literacy of the entire population • to achieve these goals CARNet and the Ministry of Science, and Sport have developed and implemented a whole set of services and technologies: • network infrastructure (, online computer classrooms, smartboards, videoconference classrooms) • e-content (LMS, e-library, E-learning academy, on-line encyclopedia) • educational and promotional activities, users support Target users: all students and teachers in universities as well as all pupils and teachers in primary and secondary schools (about 760.000) National distance learning portal “Nikola Tesla”

• Fully operational Learning Management System • Purpose: to foster information literacy and the quality of teaching and learning in universities and schools • access to educational content at any time, from any place, only precondition is a computer connected to the Internet • Digital educational materials for secondary schools • Courses about Web design and multimedia, E-courses on programming for schools • ECDL courses Digital educational materials for secondary schools: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and English • lessons for all curriculum topics for secondary schools • high quality educational materials with rich multimedia presentation and interactive elements, including simulations of experiments • teachers and pupils visualize problem and its solution through audio and video materials • Education Support Department in CARNet produce, collect and encourage use and implementation of digital materials in teaching. • It is esential to carefully create implementation and to build it into teaching process taking care of appropriate forms and methods of work, and also taking care of possibilities and interests of every pupil Project “Tesla in school” http://www.carnet.hr/teslauskoli

• December 2008 - July 2009 • Users – secondary school teachers of mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry – 48 teachers from 18 secondary schools (approx. 3500 pupils) • Objects of the project: • creating teaching methods that ensure proper usage of ICT in class • encouraging the implementation of class materials from Portal • Encouraging implementation of other tools for informatization of education system CARNet gives advisory help and coordinates project Project results

• Performance of a number of teaching hours with the use of materials from the Portal Nikola Tesla • materials made by teachers (class preparation and video materials) are published on Portal for schools (www.skole.hr) • teacher and pupil surveys • recommendations for further work with the materials 76 % of pupils find this way of “ we did exercises on computer and it is work interesting or very more interesting than traditional way of interesting doing exercises”

59 % of pupils answered that “ I have an impression that almost all pupils participate in class with this way of work and this way of teaching motivated that interest for work in class increased. At the them, or motivated them a lot same time, it is very simple and clear what is really important in class contents”

75 % of pupils estimated that “ I liked most that we were all active, they participated more than there was a working environment, we all usual in class understood stuff better”

74 % of pupils see the purpose of “ I liked it because with video and digital class contents in teaching audio contents we can prove and they find the connection with theory, so I see the implementation the examples from everyday life and it’s very interesting” What do teachers say?

about digital class contents…

• “experiments that can't be made in classroom are realized with great demonstration (simulations and animations) ” • “possibility of endless repetition” • “pupils are more active, more motivated and more comfortable, relaxed and working ambience is achieved” • “the implementation of content in everyday life is clear” • “class contents are more simple and explained in pictures” e-Islands

• Partners in project: • e-Croatia (Central State Administrative Office for e-Croatia) • Ministry of science, education and sports • CARNet •Odašiljači i veze (OiV) • Project started in 2006, financing was provided by . • Greatest challenge: "How to enable pupils from low inhabited islands with low commercial activities, connection to the Internet and access to modern technologies?“ • 2008 Cisco Networkers Innovation Award,Category: Most Society Impacting Network of the Year e-Islands project

• Enabling "e-learning" & “remote teaching” on low inhabited and depopulating Croatian islands. • Connecting 21 primary islands schools via wireless/radio infrastructure and connecting it to CARNet backbone. • Installing newest available technology for e-learning (H.323 videoconference system, wireless infrastructure, smart boards) . e-Islands project enables:

• Stopping and reducing negative demographics trends on remote islands. • Increasing quality of educational system on the islands. • Connection to the Internet via CARNet network. • Providing access to the network services that are provided by Ministry of science education and sports. • Installing newest technology in classrooms, for distance learning (videoconference codecs, audio&video systems, smart boards...). How?

By organizing classes in the parent Using standard videoconference schools (mostly on the mainland) tools for video and content sharing: or on the bigger, more populated Videoconference terminals Islands) for the branch schools on the & islands Smartboards

parent school remote location Education Process - Three stages Education of teachers in the project E-islands

CARNet has organized three cycles of education for teachers so far: – 1st cycle: symposium of all the teachers-participants at one location with a theme Usage of VC system in schools – 2nd cycle: symposiums at parent schools (main locations) with a theme Technical side of the VC system usage and digital educational materials (Portal for distance learning: Nikola Tesla http://lms.carnet.hr) – 3rd cycle: VC symposiums at main and remote locations with a theme Delivering of lessons with VC equipment CARNet experience (1/2)

• Lack of technical knowledge of the teachers using VC equipment (and IT in general – ECDL?) – Constant education by CARNet & AZOO – CARNet helpdesk – Pupils are more familiar and IT friendly with installed technology then the teachers • Schools are afraid that they “can break” equipment – Not likely :-) – 5 year warranty • Teachers have to put extra hours in preparation of materials for VC teaching then in “normal” conditions CARNet experience (2/2)

• Children and teachers have no need for constant everyday ferry traveling • Class can now go on during bad weather • Pupils want to stay longer in school (new high tech.) • Pupils like new methods of teaching (LMS) • High speed Internet connection Future of e-islands project

• Connecting more islands to CARNet network • Broadband Internet for local community • Wireless Hot-spots • Telemedicine • Establishing Internet kiosks to extend tourist services • Panoramic web cameras... Q&A