Demchenko Yu.V.^*
 

Abstracts

Paper discusses practical results and experience in development of new instructional methodology of teaching modern Networking Information Technologies in rapidly changing conditions of emerging new technologies in Ukraine. Main Principles of developing Instructional Methodology of Teaching in Networked Information Environment are formulated.

1. Pilot educational program on Networking Information Technologies and Services
2. Main Principles of Teaching in Networked Information Environment
3. Current results
4. Summary
Reference

Successful implementation of GII elements in Ukraine and its future sustainability requires a special concern about Professional Education in Networking Information Technologies and concurrent Training and User Support activity, which will contribute to the solving problem of preparing workforce/specialists for socially important area of academic, industry and business activity in the country.

Pilot project on development of Educational Program and Instructional Methodology for Teaching Computer Networking and Internet Information Technologies has been started at Computer Aided Design Department in Kiev Polytechnic Institute.

Two groups of 50 engineer students of the firth year have started education in September 1995 and 1996. 17 students of the first group have successfully defended their Master theses in June 1997. All students were involved into development of complete educational course technical and information base.

The pilot educational program includes main specialized courses on Computer Networks and Networking Information Technologies and Services that could be developed on existing information and technical base:

• Computer Networks Basics. LAN and WAN Technologies (2 credits)
• Internetworking and Network Management (2 credits)
• Internet/intranet Information Technologies and Services (2 credits)
• Advanced Networking Information Technologies (Security, Java, VRML, Internet Publishing etc.) (2 credits)
• Internet Business Applications and Information Technologies Business Process Re-Engineering (2 credits)
• Information Society and Advanced Communication Technologies: Social and Cultural Impact (facultative)

All courses are supplied by instructional and computer presentation materials that are distributed among students in paper and/or electronic form. Some materials are available on educational WWW server (http://cad.ntu-kpi.kiev.ua/). It allowed to create initial base of instructional and educational materials as well as to adopt and test Russian/Ukrainian terminology on real lecturing and educational project development.

Some practical experience will be acquired by students during educational projects designing that include development of real networks projects for concrete academic and educational institutions including development of necessary information services for operational needs of the organization and/or users' group. Also practical installation of services and pilot information resource development is performed on special educational laboratory base.

Two main components of complex educational projects are network infrastructure design and information server structure and content development. Projects are recommended to be developed by groups of three or four students and include all necessary components of real networking project design of campus or company's network including organisation of optimal cooperative work of the project group

• Real conditions investigation
• Defining users' groups in organisation and their information resource needs
• Network structure design
• Choice of Hardware, Software and Communications and Internet Services Providers for project realisation on comparative basis among companies and providers available in the region
• Corporate/organizational Internet/intranet information server design
• Development of devoted to the project WWW server information structure and it's experimental installation on educational server.

2. Main Principles of Teaching in Networked Information Environment

1. The new paradigm of education in modern Networked Information Environment should be incorporated into instructional methodology development

1. Cooperative Learning Model + students initiative.

Using Internet/Intranet technologies Teachers and Learners can mutually benefit from implementation and mastering new technologies. Key role in exploring this principle belong to educational projects and rely on Cooperative model of course management that effectively use students initiative in mastering new technologies
2. Contributional Learning model.

In conditions of wide use of computers and multimedia technologies among students and rapid technology changes, teachers sometimes can not have strong benefits in practical technological experience. In this circumstances they should play the role of mentors and/or managers of educational process or curricula. Teacher can propose some idea of contributional learning when students or students groups work on the projects that will have real implementation in building Campus computer network, development of information resources or other Society's meaning.
3. Integration of traditional and distance learning.

New networking environment provided by Internet/Intranet eliminate differences between traditional and distance learning, however, stressing on interactive on-line (IRC, conferencing) and off-line (e-mail, mailing lists) communication between teachers and students.
4. Concept of "active position".

Complete implementation and full benefits from using Internet and New Information Technologies in Education can be reached only by using this principle that is very close to the idea of contributional learning. It is not enough to give students and teachers Internet access only. To use effectively Internet, faculties should start development of their own Internet resources and creation of its own Internet presentation.

3. Current results

1. Creation of initial base of learning materials on Russian language on pilot courses
2. Developing training materials for practical studying of Internet technologies
3. Involvement of students in creation of educational base and learning projects examples as well pilot testing of instructional methodology
4. Creation and operation of educational server and development of students account management system
5. Formulation and implementation of the main principles of Education in Networked Information Environment in real conditions of emerging technologies

4. Summary

Such pioneer work will create base for wide implementation of Networking IT in University's environment and mobilise community's intellectual forces for self-supporting development of the new technologies. Some areas of fruitful international cooperation should be found in development of distance education on the base of existing results and technologies for better utilisation of developed educational courses and instructional methodologies on different subjects interesting for Universities.

Described experience is very simple for implementation but demands experienced and devoted teacher corps capable to work as "playing coach".

Reference

1. Demchenko Yu.V. Cooperative and Contributive Learning - the real choice to push professional education in Networking Information Technologies in Ukraine and CIS. - JENC8 Proceedings. -- Edinburgh, Scotland. -- May 12-15, 1997. -- Pp. 822-1 - 822-7.
2. Demchenko Yu.V. New Paradigm of Education in Global Information Environment: Learning from the Internet - Contributing to the Internet. - INET'97 Proceedings. - "The Internet: Global Frontiers. The Annual Meeting of the Internet Society. - 24-27 June 1997, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.