VCSE Guidebook/Strategies for developing and running e-courses for the VCSE/Involving Students in the VCSE: Difference between revisions

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* Promoting courses at other partner universities: the crucial point is to find appropriate communication channels
* Promoting courses at other partner universities: the crucial point is to find appropriate communication channels


Starting out from these challenges, various approaches were chosen by the partner universities to ’’attract potential students’’ for the e-learning courses. These approaches have to be seen from two perspectives: First, the course offered at the home university needs to be promoted to home students as well as to students at partner universities. Second, the partner universities’ courses need to be promoted at the home university. The 5 VCSE partner universities chose a variety of means to communicate the courses to potential students, such as:  
Starting out from these challenges, various approaches were chosen by the partner universities to '''attract potential students''' for the e-learning courses. These approaches have to be seen from two perspectives: First, the course offered at the home university needs to be promoted to home students as well as to students at partner universities. Second, the partner universities’ courses need to be promoted at the home university. The 5 VCSE partner universities chose a variety of means to communicate the courses to potential students, such as:  
* information on university website (CUEC, GRAZ, OUNL, UOM) and institute website (CUEC, GRAZ, UOM)  
* information on university website (CUEC, GRAZ, OUNL, UOM) and institute website (CUEC, GRAZ, UOM)  
* study information system: announcement and information, internal information and course systems (CUEC; GRAZ, LUE)
* study information system: announcement and information, internal information and course systems (CUEC; GRAZ, LUE)
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As far as students are concerned, they need to bring along certain prerequisites to consider participating, such as motivation, feeling of responsibility, open-mindedness towards other cultures and opinions, willingness to work together, ability to show understanding, and last but not least sufficient English language skills.  
As far as students are concerned, they need to bring along certain prerequisites to consider participating, such as motivation, feeling of responsibility, open-mindedness towards other cultures and opinions, willingness to work together, ability to show understanding, and last but not least sufficient English language skills.  


Once the students are participating, they also need to be encouraged to stay actively engaged in the e-courses. Here a number of challenges have to be considered, such as an adequate and easy-to-use virtual learning environment and organizational aspects. The degree of the intended active engagement of the students mainly depends on the aims and related methodological approaches as well as information and communication tools chosen for an e-course. All courses in the VCSE share some common experience with regards to being successful e-courses:  
Once the students are participating, they also need to be encouraged to stay '''actively engaged''' in the e-courses. Here a number of challenges have to be considered, such as an adequate and easy-to-use virtual learning environment and organizational aspects. The degree of the intended active engagement of the students mainly depends on the aims and related methodological approaches as well as information and communication tools chosen for an e-course. All courses in the VCSE share some common experience with regards to being successful e-courses:  
* Introduction to the learning environment: a good introduction to and familiarization with the new e-learning environment is crucial to successful participation, especially since face-to-face elements are missing  
* Introduction to the learning environment: a good introduction to and familiarization with the new e-learning environment is crucial to successful participation, especially since face-to-face elements are missing  
* Group formation: forming intercultural and interdisciplinary groups to enhance exchange allow transfer through group work  
* Group formation: forming intercultural and interdisciplinary groups to enhance exchange allow transfer through group work  
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