ENU – a European Networked University

1. ENU – a European Networked University Model for networked co-operation between higher educational institutions delivering net based education Presented by Thorleif Hjeltnes and Arne B. Mikalsen NetLearning, May 2004

2. Partnership between 11 partners in 7 countries Funding Grant from European Commission (~50%) Partners' own resources (50%) - and enthusiasm, 100% ! Contract and commitment to ideas in proposal Project homepage for info: http://www.hsh.no/menu/ The mENU project

3. Partner locations Partners P0 Stord / Haugesund Univ. College, NO P1 TISIP Research Foundation , NO P2 Agder Univ. College, NO P3 Norw. Technical & Nat.science Univ., NO P4 T. E. I. Thessalonica, GR P5 Nat. Technical University of Athens, GR P6 Universita’ di Roma, IT P7 University of Greenwich, GB P8 University of Turku ( Repr. FVU), FI P9 Kalmar Univ. College, SE P10 Universidad Poly-tecnica de Valencia, ES

4. Bologna Declaration, 1999: Adopt a system of easily readable and comparable degrees (DS) Adopt a system with two main cycles, Bachelor (3y) & Master (2y) Establish a system of credits (such as ECTS) Promote mobility by overcoming obstacles Promote European co-operation in quality assurance Promote European dimension in higher education Prague Communique, 2001: Lifelong learning Involvement of students Enhancing the attractiveness and competitiveness of EHEA to other parts of the world Berlin Communique, 2003: Build Europe of knowledge on EHEA & ERA Stocktaking to measure progress European Area of higher education by 2010

5. Promote European dimension in higher education In the Prague Summit, 2001, the ministers called the higher education sector to: Increase the development of modules and curricula at all level with “European” content, orientation or organisation. This concerns particularly modules, courses and degree curricula offered in partnership by institutions from different countries and leading to recognized joint degrees. Joint study programmes

6. Create a network of institutions Establish joint study programmes across institutional and national borders A demonstrator - a master degree programme Quality assurance system Develop a model for management and services of a virtual university Objectives of MENU

7. Strategic plan for an ENU Organisational plan Study plan Quality Assurance System (QAS) E-learning environment Business plan Model for ENU Central products

8. The main idea of ENU ENU

9. Mission ENU should be regarded as a well-defined autonomous and virtual network among existing traditional Universities that agree to collaborate in the formation of graduate degree programmes and lifelong learning programmes via sharing, exchanging or adapting on-line courses. Goals enrich the portfolio fulfil a demand in the market guarantee the high quality through a strict control following a total quality assurance system Model for ENU

10. Adaptions: • Translation • Course approval • Additional teaching resources • Assessment Course exchange in ENU Local adaptions Coursecontent ENU Coursecontent Coursecontent Coursecontent

11. Example Course: LAN Management Nowegian module ”LAN Management” Nowegian module ”LAN Management” Swedish course:”Drift av lokala nätverk” Norway Sweden

12. I want to go into e-learning. Can you please videotape my lecture? What’s the problem? ? Pedagogical ?? And what will be the pedagogical approach, sir?

13. Main pedagogical approaches • Instructional (Traditional) • Lectures and lessons • Constructivist • Construction of knowledge • Sociocultural • Collaborative learning (CSCL)

14. Challenges for students • Self discipline and responsibility for own learning • Lack of social activities supporting and giving corrections in the learning process • Students feel lonely, uncertain and alienated • Learning strategies for new situation • Change in learning environment • Shift from oral to written communication • Communication through media • Management of new media and learning resources • Acceptance and understanding new learning approaches • Lack of local support - a shoulder to cry on

15. Two main functions: Manage students, courses, access, results, collaborative tools etc (Learning Management System; LMS) ENU will not require one specific LMS for all institutions Arrange content of courses and publish on www (Content Management System; CMS) E-learning standards i.e. LOM, SCORM, simplified approaches A committee developes a common interpretation of the standard; an ”ENU application profile” E-learning environment

16. Quality Assurance System • ENU QAS (e-ODL QAS) • Synthesis of the models and experiences of the members • Flexible enough to accomodate these QASs that will arise in the future • ECTS with some extensions will be the basis for the ENU QAS • ECTS-NL

17. The ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is excellent for creating transparent study programmes Main elements in ECTS Information (on study programmes and study achievements) Mutual agreement (between institution and students) Use of ECTS credits (to indicate workload) ECTS lack two important issues for Networked Learning Describing joint programmes Courses offered are based on e-learning technologies ECTS-NL Main credit system in ENU Removes one barrier towards quality assurance; incompatibilty of course design between partner institutions ECTS-NL

18. ECTS-NL • To assure a flexible collaboration, we apply a top-down approach in course size • Two semesters each year with 30 ECTS credits in each • Each semester has a fixed number of (N) of course module units with the same number of credits (30/N) allocated

19. Organisational stumble blocks Lack of mutual quality acceptance; QAS Incompatible systems for credits, grades, assessment Intention to reduce the need for teachers, save money and profit on selling courses Technical skills and understanding Lack of ICT literacy, no will to apply new technology Pedagogical innovations Lack of understanding new trends and options Too much focus on teaching, less on learning Few visions of new forms of learning environment Obstacles and challenges for the provider

20. Board Board Working Group ENU Secretariat Different connected groups Administrative group Academic group Research team E-learning standards group Pedagogical methods committee Business and marketing group Organisational entities

21. Market and customers (In Europe and developing C): Higher and other educational institutions Corporations and companies Governmental and public establishments Product lines: Low cost – low price – high volume courses for individuals High cost – high price – low volume courses for corporate Running ENU: Development money (EU and others) Membership fee Part of earnings form running courses ENU members must cover their costs. Business plan

22. The eLearning initiative Top barrier Top-down Bottom-up ENU Lower barrier Innovative practitioners Top-down and bottom-up approaches

23. Thank you for listening