Internet Based Distance Education at the HAS

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Internet Based Distance Education at the HAS
Bratislava, February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Overview

• Short description of HAS
• Distance education project
• key ideas
• activities
• background
• Things to do

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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The Hungarian Academy of Sciences - HAS

• independent public body based on the
• principle of self-government
• constituted by
• the members of the Academy (ordinary ,
  corresponding as well as external and honorary
  members)
• and
• active representatives of science (Ph.D or D.Sc)

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Rights and duty of the Academy are

• to support the development of sciences
• to evaluate scientific research results
• to represent Hungarian science in
• Hungarian public life and at international
• scientific fora

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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To perform its task the Academy

• establishes and maintains research institutes
• (40 institutes and gt100 res. groups at
  Universities)
• sets up scientific sections and committees
• to coordinate the activity of researchers
• The Academy gives its opinion on issues relating
  to sciences and other important questions and
  problems concerning the Hungarian society and
  economy without any request or permissions of
  organs, fields or governing groups concerned.

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Within the scope of its activity HAS

• maintains contacts with scientific organs and
• societies of the country
• organizes scientific congresses and sessions
• announces competitions and awards prizes
• takes part in scientific qualification process
• awards the scientific title
• Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• participates in higher education and PhD
  training

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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The Academys sources of funds are

• the central governmental budget
• receipts from the Academys activity
• foundations, donations and support for the
• promotion of the Academys activity
• The President of the Academy annually informs the
  Government on the Academys activity and
  regularly gives account to Parliament

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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The Hungarian Academy of Science has started a
project supporting the modern form of distance
education using the advanced information
technologies.

It runs under the control of the Secretary-General
Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Key ideas (1)

• to spread knowledge about Internet-based
• education
• to develop Internet courses based on
• existing courses in Hungarian
• to bring into the teaching material the
• expertise of the Hungarian research
• community (enlarging of the university
  studies)

Bratislava, February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Key ideas (2)

• to develop flexible education media based
• on research units targeting the
• postgraduate, post-doctoral level studies
• to offer an opportunity to reach the very much
• centralized Hungarian science and culture

Bratislava, February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Main activities of the project

• establishing a forum for learning content
• management (program committee)
• building an ILS server containing distance
• courses, discussion and collaboration
• developing Internet-based learning materials
• organizing training and workshops for future
• authors, tutors and managers in this field
• participating in strategic development

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Why undertakes this work the Academy ?

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Background

• Human resources
• Technical resources
• Initiatives of research institutes
• Current situation of distance education
• in Hungary

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Background Human resource (1)

• 40 research institutes, 2140 researchers,
• 769 researchers are involved in education
  (1999)

Field of sciences number of researchers involved in education
Natural Sciences and Mathematics 1092 301
Life-Sciences 435 146
Social Sciences 613 322
Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Background Internet connection (2)

• According to the last survey from November of
  2000
• The number of computer (103) connected to
• Internet (registered by RIPE)
• The Internet is used by 6,4 of the Hungarian
• population

Europe Hungary to EU
12730 1154 9
Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Background Internet connection (3)

• The Internet connection is provided by
• HUNGARNET computer network of Hungarian
• institutions of higher education, research and
• development, libraries and other public
  collections.
• public ISPs
• analog/digital phone
• Cable TV
• Satellite

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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HBONE Hungarian Backbone
Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Background Initiatives (5)

• The Open University of the Institute for
• Philosophical Research
• Main characteristics are
• high level on-line courses on the Web
• free with registration by e-mail
• on-line consultation (e-mail)
• on-demand oral examination

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Background Initiatives (6)

• The main topics of the Open University for
  Philosophy are
• History of the Philosophy
• Philosophy of the Science
• Social Philosophy
• Religious Philosophy
• Communication Philosophy
• http//www.phil-inst.hu/

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Background Initiatives (7)

• Distance Learning solution at KFKI RMKI ()
• for teaching and training young researchers
• on the WWW based teaching platform developed
• in the University of Hagen - Germany
• on the Gentle-WBT set up at KFKI RMKI
• http//www.rmki.kfki.hu/lho/elearning.htm
• () KFKI Research Institute for Particle
  and Nuclear Physics)

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Background Initiatives (8)
Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
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Background Current situation in Hungary (9)

• National Council for Distance Education (1991)
• promotes the implementation and development
• of distance education in Hungary
• High school distance education
• mostly traditional method, parallel to
  regular education
• Others on the market
• manager,marketing,informatics,language
  courses
• no PhD courses

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu
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Things to do

• information and discussions - Web page,
  workshops
• quality assurance, accreditation
• organization, ensure the financial basis
• national/international partnership
• course development - choice of authoring tool
• Subject of discussion
• course delivery national language of the
  platform
• Could be a common project?

Bratislava February, 7th-9th 2001
giese_at_rmki.kfki.hu