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VCSE Guidebook/Strategies for developing and running e-courses for the VCSE/Lessons Learnt: Difference between revisions
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VCSE Guidebook/Strategies for developing and running e-courses for the VCSE/Lessons Learnt (view source)
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==3.5. Lessons Learnt== | |||
The approach of the Virtual Campus for a Sustainable Europe to build upon existing and tested courses offered the possibility to have a set of established courses right from the beginning. The challenge was to adapt them for their new target group and thus to consider students’ inter-disciplinary and inter-cultural background. The different backgrounds of the partners, which allow for a great range of different courses, might be seen as the biggest advantage of such an approach. The differences in terms of content, didactical approach and methodology give students the opportunity to choose for adequate courses regarding their individual curricula. Being offered a “test it yourself” approach and a general overview of all courses in the web, students are guided with their decision. | The approach of the Virtual Campus for a Sustainable Europe to build upon existing and tested courses offered the possibility to have a set of established courses right from the beginning. The challenge was to adapt them for their new target group and thus to consider students’ inter-disciplinary and inter-cultural background. The different backgrounds of the partners, which allow for a great range of different courses, might be seen as the biggest advantage of such an approach. The differences in terms of content, didactical approach and methodology give students the opportunity to choose for adequate courses regarding their individual curricula. Being offered a “test it yourself” approach and a general overview of all courses in the web, students are guided with their decision. | ||
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Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the different courses also helps to draw conclusions that might be helpful for new courses within the VCSE or in other virtual campuses as well. Among others, these conclusions point at: | Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the different courses also helps to draw conclusions that might be helpful for new courses within the VCSE or in other virtual campuses as well. Among others, these conclusions point at: | ||
* The importance of offering a structure with clear tasks, roles and deadlines as well as clear student requirements to participate in the course, | |||
* the special meaning of clear assignment description to guide the students and | |||
* the general necessity of guiding students during the learning process to overcome the anonymity experienced in a virtual learning environment. Here, short video introductions as used in the course of the University of Graz and the live Skype conference calls in the EVS course proved to be useful instruments. | |||
Regarding the attraction of potential students, the number of students finally participating in the courses was not overwhelmingly high, apart from courses, which were already more institutionalized, such as the EVS course at the Graz and Prague Universities. This provides us with food for thought for future VCSE courses, at both an institutional and a course level. | Regarding the attraction of potential students, the number of students finally participating in the courses was not overwhelmingly high, apart from courses, which were already more institutionalized, such as the EVS course at the Graz and Prague Universities. This provides us with food for thought for future VCSE courses, at both an institutional and a course level. | ||