NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE BACKGROUND OF NETWORKING EFFORTS
There are various factors demanding the introduction of distance, open and flexible learning (DOFL) at universities and colleges in Hungary: the saturation of full-time education (both from personnel and technical point of view), the transformation of the traditional correspondence education, the needs of retraining and continuing education, the information revolution, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness considerations, as well as the need of adult learners for more independence, freedom and openness.
In order to comply efficiently with the new roles and functions of higher education, continuing education, and R&D, the introduction of new technologies and methodologies has become a necessity in the Central and Eastern European countries. The development of regional distance education centres (RDECs) and sub-centres (RDESCs) and their possible integration or cooperation with the regional information centres and networks (RICs and RlNs) being also developed is now an area of strategic importance.
From the point of view of the organisation and management of distance, open and flexible learning, the following efforts were of major importance:
- in July 1992 the National Council of Distance Education decided on the establishment of Regional Distance Education Centres (RDECs),
- in September 1992 the Pannonia TEMPUS Joint European Project (JEP) started on the basis of the activities of six RDECs, with the following objectives:
- providing training of distance education experts,
- establishment of adequate technical infra-structure,
- adaptation of up-to-date Western European DOFL materials.
The Pannonia Project is coordinated by Gödöllö University of Agricultural Sciences (GATE). The North-Transdanubian RDEC functions at Széchenyi István College in Györ, and covers the three counties of the region (Komárom-Esztergom, Györ-Sopron-Moson, and Vas). A regional distance education network has been established including the RDEC and its sub-centres (one of which is established at Berzsenyi College in Szombathely) to facilitate cooperation, coordination and resource sharing.
Profiles of RDEC (Györ) and RDESC (Szombathely)
Profiles and technical infrastructure
The major profile of RDEC in Györ is as follows:
- Functions as an agency, financing its own activities (getting financial support from the government only occasionally, to carry out specific projects),
- establishes the frames of DOFL activities in the region, ensuring adequate personal and technical infrastructure,
- acts as coordinator of the Regional Distance Education Network in North-Western Hungary,
- organises one-year preparatory courses in various subjects (including Mathematics, Physics, etc.) for young people not admitted to college at the entrance examination, plans, implements, and manages the introduction into DOFL model courses,
- carries out regional DOFL market research, training needs analysis, market observation, and forecasting for foundation of strategic decisions,
- collects and disseminates information for managers and planners of DOFL programmes and
- helps in efficient cooperation of producers, suppliers, developers, and users of DOFL services and materials.
Széchenyi College has an Ethernet type local area network, as a basis extended with ISDN network through an IBM RISC System/6000 530 terminal, network control protocol (TCP/IP, IPX), and a well-equipped computer classroom with ARCNET network.
The profile of Berzsenyi College (home to the biggest RDESC in the region) is determined by the fact that it is the largest teacher training college in Hungary (with 4,000 students), also excelling in the areas of library and information science, cultural management, sociology and politology, as well as communication science education.
The Local Area Network (LAN), the Regional Information Centre (RIC), the EECALL (Eastern European Computer Assisted Language Learning Centre), the College Library with its integrated library system (ALEPH), the Regional Television Centre and Studio, and the flourishing Foreign Language Department, all offer very favourable background for the RDESC.
Based on a successful network development project, (3 UNIX hosts, allowing much faster links to external network resources through X.,25 and TCP/IP X.400 connections) a wide range of services is being introduced (internal newsboard, e-mail, Internet, database services, ALEPH system operation and supervision, special advice, and user education. The number of PCs at present connected to network is 180.
After the successful projects of EECALL, and the British Council English Teachers' Resource Centre, providing information and resources to support and assist with the development of the effective learning of English throughout the region, the Department of Librarianship and Information Studies also offers experiences in open learning. Based on a successful TEMPUS JEP, a computer laboratory has been designed to accommodate seminars, laboratory sessions and small demonstrations, and also to serve as an open learning centre, with appropriate supervision and learning support for the 280 LIS students. This will allow much better participation in Dialog's CIP and other international programmes.
Human resources
At RDEC (Györ) there are twelve staff involved intensively in DOFL efforts. The DOFL team at Berzsenyi College includes six staff of various backgrounds (Mathematics Department, RIC, Continuing Education Group, Department of English Language and Literature as well as DLIS). The RDESC works in close cooperation with the two DOFL experts in the County Labour Office, and at Apáczai Csere János College.
All staff members have acquired the necessary organisational, managerial, methodological and technical expertise in the frames of Pannonia TEMPUS JEP. EC experiences were also studied through practical stages (Moson, Pálvölgyi, 1994). The programmes are executed, and DOFL materials produced, mainly on a part-time basis.
Major activities at present
In the academic year 1993-94 the major emphasis has been on the following activities:
- Survey of technical infrastructure of DOFL in the network,
- development of personnel and technical infrastructure of RDEC and that of RDESCs,
- training of 15 DOFL experts in the region (out of the 125 in Hungary) through a 200-hour course, based on self-study of the Hungarian adptation of PALIO DOFL modules, consultations, group sessions, as well as a two-week practical training stage abroad,
- translation and adaptation of the BI PALIO module 'Selection and application of open learning materials - user's guide and screen scripts of a hypermedia on DOFL (A Hyper Guide to Interactive Multimedia)' (Pálvölgyi, Pápay, Tolnai, 1994),
- participation in design and implementation of the programme preparing for undergraduate studies, based on the agreement (June 1993) of the cooperating partners (i.e. Széchenyi College, Berzsenyi College, four other colleges, as well as GATE), focusing on assisting young people with GCE in entering institutions of higher education, as well as in their successful studies there. The preparatory courses (in Mathematics, Physics, Foreign Languages, and History) are organised according to agreed principles and requirements. and are based on the mutual acceptance of the results of jointly compiled examination tests. A number of materials have been designed and produced to support these courses. The work is based mainly on individual study of the students, supported by group sessions, individual and telephone consultations, and by evaluation of tests and offering feedback,
- both the centre and sub-centres support DOFL efforts of the individual departments at the related college and universities, and offer methodological, organisational assistance, and information for their realisation (e.g. DLIS, Department of English Language and Literature, Department of Cultural Management, Department of Primary Education Teacher Training at Berzsenyi College).
In academic year 1994-95 RDESCs are focusing on the elaboration and pilot testing of a DOFL curriculum for undergraduate and postgraduate students, by adapting the PALIO modules. Another major issue will be the dissemination of know-how acquired and created through the Pannonia project.
R&D EFFORTS
As it can be seen from the above, despite the relatively low availability of capital and limitations of resources, both the regional centre, and the sub-centres have arrived at reliable results in network development information services, and databases, as well as in R&D to promote DOFL, including:
- creation of basic infrastructure for regional programmes
- regional distance education networks,
- market research,
- methodological preparation,
- design and implementation of DOFL courses.
Joint projects (regional and international)
The two centres maintain close contacts with a number of Hungarian and international DOFL organizations, and have initiated an international R&D programme in 1994 as a Copernicus-effort, focusing on the development of Information Relay Centres and their application in distance and open learning. The research involves among others the following partners: Széchenyi College, schools in Western Hungarian Regional University Association, Veszprém University, the Comenius University, Bratislava, the Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen) the Info Technology Supply Ltd. (England) and SATURN (Amsterdam).
Research methods to be used include needs assessment, trends analysis, SWOT-analysis, systems analysis, comparative study, and adaptation and evaluation research, as well as cost-analysis.
The R&D efforts are carried out in multidisciplinary teams, focusing on three issues:
- network management (infrastructure, services and interface),
- DOFL management, marketing and information,
- specific DOFL programmes and areas (information technology, business information, S&T subjects, foreign languages).
The research includes literature survey, including manual and electronic sources. Progress in the DELTA project is followed and considered in development actions, as well as EDEN efforts.
Major research goals
- to create optimum conditions for accessing local, national and international DOFL resources and services through RlCs and RlNs, and the European R&D networks, implementing efficient means of learner support (software interface, users' guides, help-desk, etc.),
- to develop innovative and user-friendly DOFL products and services in areas required in the region, including applications of NIT, e-class, e-forum, CD-ROM and CD-I.
- to explore the flexible integration and optimum coordination of new and traditional methods, according to actual needs,
- to survey and adapt quality standards and know-how used at EC-partners, and promote international cooperation.
In the following section insight is given into actual development of the R&D project.
Regional SWOT-analysis
A SWOT-analysis has been conducted recently to assist organizations in the region to improve the distance education network, while the colleges, universities, schools and institutions have been requested to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) in relation to the proposed DOFL development actions. Factors such as legal regulations, financial support, availability of staff, curriculum development, cooperation efforts, and other modernisation activities in education, were considered (as strengths or weaknesses), as well as influences arising from the external social, political, demographic, economic, cultural, technological etc. environment. Based on the preliminary results, it seems that some of the promising fields for distance education are: continuing education, retraining (including retraining of unemployed), distance education of Hungarians abroad, and, from the contents point of view, information science, economy, ecology, environment protection, catering, tourism, for
eign language teaching, history and pedagogy.
Alternatives
The following alternatives concerning the implementation of distance education programmes are considered:
- translation and adaptation of distance education programmes of developed countries into Hungarian,
- application of these programmes in the original languages,
- elaborating distance education programmes in Hungarian language as joint actions,
- functioning of a Hungarian Open University,
- close cooperation of regional distance education centres, and sub-centres to offer joint programmes
- any combination of these alternatives, according to the special needs and requirements of individual programmes and courses.
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