The use of the Web in the education and training of information professionals in SADC panacea or...

The use of the Web in the education and training of information

professionals in SADC – panacea or problem?

Johannes J BritzTheo JD Bothma Retha (MMM) SnymanMaritha E Snyman{britzh / tbothma / msnyman / mesnyman } @postino.up.ac.za

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SADC

Angola Botswana Democratic Republic

of Congo (DRC) Lesotho Malawi Mauritius Mozambique

Namibia Seychelles South Africa Swaziland Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe

Southern African Development Community

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Overview Introduction Case study at the University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee Case study at the University of

Pretoria Recommendations for the SADC

environment Conclusion

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Some assumptions Web-based education the panacea for

educational problems in developing countries

Massification and individualization simultaneously (new economics of information)

Facilitation of knowledge Elimination of distance

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The reality check Developed world, e.g.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee vs Developing world, e.g.

University of Pretoria

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Criteria Price Technology Support Enrolment Demographics Students Faculty Communication and context

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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

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General background MLIS offered fully on the Web Rated as one of the top 10 schools

regarding DE in the USA Strongest growing point for school

(could only accept 50% of applications for 2003)

Have students all over the world (Germany, Hong Kong, Brazil)

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Price More expensive than onsite Flat rate – “in-state rate off campus”

applies Contribute to income of School

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Technology (hardware and software)

Affordable Own server – Helix Universal Server – able

to stream Real Player files Webct 3.8, Windows XP, Real player 1 Internet Connection (56k at least ),

broadband high speed (cable or DSL). Acrobat reader Video Camera – Sony PD150 (for institution) Camtasia software – use for creating

demonstrations of software applications

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WebCT Lecture outlines online Prescribed reading material (journals)

online Learning management system Bulletin board E-mail Chat Video and audio streaming

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Support 2 IT experts to assist the lecturer and

the students Lectures and students do not have to

know all the IT details Available every day (Monday to

Friday) In the same building on the same

floor

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Enrolment Very strict Enrol online via University System Waiting list No massification 25 – 30 students per class More than 30 (not more than 40)

faculty get assistance (TA) No combination of online and onsite

in one class

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Demographics Preference to students who are not

living in Milwaukee county Must be in the MLIS program

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Faculty members Friendly requested to teach via Web (not

compulsory but difficult to say no!) Must make a paradigm shift in teaching Workshops and other training opportunities

available Understand IT and application to teaching Issued with necessary IT equipment to

work from home Restricted in expression Creative in presentation / get experts

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Facilitate knowledge Counted as a separate class

Normal load of three classes per semester – can be one onsite and two online

Duration online: 8 weeks Onsite is 14 weeks

Possible to use a recorded video lecture for a next class Have to update

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Students Advantage: time, location Understand and use IT Paradigm shift in being educated Examinations difficult (no exam –

research papers and discussion groups) Assist one another (IT problems,

general questions etc.) Group projects difficult

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Learning management system Faculty can trace a student’s

participation and engagement in class Privacy (reply function on WebCT) Difficult to verify if they did all the

reading and watched the video

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Some experiences of students I like the lectures and the fact that I can

start and stop them whenever I want. If I get too tired to pay attention or want to replay something, I can. This is not the case in a face-to-face course. I have not had trouble with audio and video. I have a fast Internet connection, however. I enjoy the chats, and even if the professor cannot see us, it is helpful to make connection with a person by seeing him/her.

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I have been very lucky and have only had wonderful teachers, which I feel fortunate about. I think that if the teachers weren’t on the course all the time and responding to students as they do, it would be a horrible experience.

Overall, this has been a very positive experience for me. I would do it again.

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The teachers have been very responsive. I even had a teacher call me in Brazil to touch base with me before I started my research project. As was mentioned on the bulletin board in your class, some teachers give a lot of feedback on papers, others do not. It is nice to get at least a sentence or two, especially if you didn’t get an A, so that you can make adjustments.

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As far as the "discussions" go, I felt about as satisfied as I do in a face to face class, because it was fun to spend a little more time articulating exactly what I wanted to say in response to a question or idea. It was also fun getting and reading responses from others. By the same token, it was kind of like a slow motion discussion, so there wasn't the same conversational flow you get in a face to face class. Real time chats can help add to the conversation, but real time chats aren't quite the same as a face to face class either […]

Message no. […] Sent by […] on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 9:49pm

[…] I've been very disappointed with the "mechanics" of this, my first online class

[…] I'm just not very computer savvy, and I think one must be to take a course like this. I've been one step behind

[…] I've also found this online format far more time consuming than a regular "brick and mortar" class

[…] I can honestly say that this will be my one and only online class.

[…] Unless I have absolutely no other choice available, I won't take another web course again.

[…] I did like your online lectures.

[…] You are an excellent lecturer, one of the best I've had at UW-M

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Communication, context and interaction

Use video to record lecture Ask students and experts to join in the

recording Have a live chat every week

(interactive: students type questions and faculty replies on the camera with live stream)

Live chat is archived for those who can’t make it

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Critical success factors of Milwaukee

Infostructure Affordable Student and faculty paradigm shift Support Student numbers

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University of Pretoria

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General background Offers full undergraduate and postgraduate

programmes in Information Science Library Science Publishing Multimedia Information & Knowledge Management

Web-supported teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels Not distance education

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Price Standard price Does not include computer or access

to computer unless the module has a component that requires computer use

Computers are expensive – luxury item

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Technology (hardware and software)

WebCT Limited lab access for students Campus servers - central Digital video and still cameras and

software Other software such as Acrobat Reader Limited experimenting with audio

recording

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WebCT Lecture outlines online + class notes Prescribed reading material (journals)

online Learning management system

Division into small groups Bulletin board E-mail Experimenting with audio - limited

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Support One administrative assistant within

the Department + students Telematic Learning and Education

Innovation Technical support Design support Assessment support

Fairly high technical know-how expected

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Enrolment Per module

1st year: around 500 3rd year: around 200 Honours: around 25 Coursework Masters: around 15

Standard enrolment criteria At postgraduate level

Computer and Internet access required

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Faculty members Web-support is required Early adopters vs laggards Mind shift Technology training Education innovation part of

performance management Various programmes for training

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Students Enthusiastic Lack of access to computers and printing Technological problems Expect more

Interaction Quick response Content

Very sharp and direct in criticisms Very positive about audio experiment

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Communication, context and interaction

Bulletin board Threaded and archived

E-mail Interaction not yet optimal

Mostly deals with administrative matters Little academic interaction

Forced collaborative projects via small groups

Don’t participate if not assessed

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Critical success factors of Pretoria

Enthusiasm of (some / most) faculty Paradigm shift through education

innovation Linked to performance management

It IS extra work that requires extra input

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Main problems Lack of infrastructure

Student access to computers Bandwidth / slow Internet Printing facilities

Limited support Technical know-how of faculty AND

students Costs

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Important issues in Web classes

Communication is permanent Be careful about what you say or type Intellectual property ‘Face recognition’ (onsite) becomes

‘name recognition’ (online) Language/hermeneutics Humour - difficult 24/7 – always follows you!

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Successful application of web-based education in SADC?

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The Milwaukee idea would not work in SADC

Infostructure Cost Computer and information literacy of

students and faculty Support Massification

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Africa – ideas that may work Phased growth path Cooperation between LIS schools

Face-to-face teaching Web-supported teaching

Limited use of technology Telecentres

Online teaching Collaboration at post-graduate level

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Collaborative teaching International and local experts, e.g.

Memphis and UP Study material (lectures, prescribed

material, etc.) available on the Web for free Payment structure

Fee is based on local enrolment fees E.g. the agreement between UP and

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

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Web-supported teaching Teaching the traditional way Use Web to support teaching Access to all study material via the

Web Study guides Prescribed material

Enhance interactive communication between students

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Decentralization and massification

Centralize the study material on the Web Decentralize accessibility – via for example

telecenters Decentralize support – per telecenter Decentralize teaching assistance – one or

two adjunct instructors at centre Centralize the expert

Faculty member who created the content Can be reached via adjunct instructors Involve authors / industry experts

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Conclusion Web-based teaching can work

If managed well Purpose of use clear

NOT suitable for massification Can eliminate distance, but to the

detriment of faculty, students and education

NOT a panacea for teaching in the developing world

Thank you!

Questions, comments?