Mrs. Danguole Rutkauskiene, Head of Kaunas Regional Distance Education Centre, Lithuania Mr. Gytis Cibulskis, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania
There are only the first steps of Distance Education (DE) in Lithuania. There are many problems and obstacles which hamper the implementation of it: the perception of the such teaching forms is not quite deep in the society's consciousness; there are significant initial investments; it is not easy to evaluate the profit. Keeping in mind the traditional teaching process in Lithuania, Open and Distance Learning should be designed on the basis of the present infrastructure of universities and colleges while using the computer network possessed, accumulated academic potential and evaluating the real need for DE courses.
At this moment the curricula and teacher training system are being reorganized according to Eastern European educational reform. There is a transfer to the flexible learning forms. Distance Education could be an example. A number of DE centres have been established in Lithuania and other Phare countries. These centres establish and develop relations with universities and other higher educational institutions. Such institutions have a sufficient technical base and are ready to conduct part of the studies in DE.
A few years ago the economic and political situation changed in Lithuania and many teachers left schools. Different subjects (physics, informatics, etc.) are taught by teachers who have vocational not pedagogical intelligence.
Vilnius and Siauliai pedagogical universities have been preparing teachers for a long time, however, they cannot satisfy the growing demand for teachers. Vilnius University and Kaunas University of Technology tried to solve this problem two years ago and established pedagogical studies. These studies are for those who have already completed higher education institutions and want to acquire pedagogical qualification. A basis of these studies is a set of pedagogical and psychological studies designed according to the regulations of pedagogical training. This programme can be studied along with the main study programme, or during an additional year of study. It is possible to acquire teacher's qualification in informatics, mathematics and physics in this way at Kaunas University of Technology. However, many young people are not planning to become teachers while studying according to the Bachelor programme because of a small salary. For many reasons working teachers can not or do not want to quit their work and go to university sites to study at pedagogical study centres. That is why pedagogical Distance Education courses are required very much. They will allow teachers to acquire new skills without detaching from their main work.
Kaunas Distance Education Centre is analyzing any possibilities to use DE in the preparation of teachers. At this time the Centre is implementing two projects concerning DE development in Lithuania. The purpose of the republican project "The development of Distance Education in Lithuania" is to expand the collaboration among higher schools and to create a Distance Education system. Another project - "Methodical research in Distance Education (real time regime)" - aims at a methodical research of DE course preparation in real time regime.
Kaunas Distance Education Centre also arranged a set of five lectures-seminars "Sociological research: methodology, statistics and software". These lectures were devoted to students who had been awarded a master's or doctor's degree in educational science. Most of them are working at schools. These learning seminars were the first ones in Lithuania which used videoconferences - one of the newest DE learning forms which allow to see and hear each other at a distance.
Videoconferences proved that Distance Learning can maximize a such traditional learning form as lectures which are enriched with qualitative visual material. An impressive learning effect was reached while combining lectures based on videoconferences and face-to-face practice. An experience in using this new learning form is in particular important since the majority of the seminar attendants are representing educational science. They will share this experience at universities.
On the videoconferences based lectures require a specific preparation. This causes a great time and energy consumption. However, once prepared material can be used many times. The accumulated experience provides a possibility to integrate videoconferences into the learning process as deep as possible.
During the last few years there was realized the importance and essence of the Distance Learning in Lithuania. On that ground there has been started the initial work of the application of the newest information technologies in the Distance Learning. The use of modern information and communication technologies as well as service variety in teaching and learning processes gives new opportunities to create the balanced and harmonized information society and develop individual skills of its citizens.