EDUCATION VIA THE INTERNET : z

I United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Organization des Nations Unies pour l education, la sience et la culture OpraHkI3a~I?RO6~e~aHeHHbIXHasuiinO BOnpOCaMO6pa30BaH~~,HayKlla~~bTYPbI MEETING OF EXPERTS EDUCATION VIA THE INTERNET : z Materials UNESCO INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION

MEETING OF EXPERTS EDUCATION VIA THE INTERNET Materials Minsk 2000

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES, ORGANIZATION AND OUTCOMES OF THE MEETING........... 3 Annex 1: List of participants... 5 PREPARATION OF THE MEETING... 8 Annex 2: List of documents............................................................. 9 Annex 3: Agenda........................................................................... 9 Annex 4: Timetable... 9 PROGRAMME OF THE MEETING... 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Opening session... 12 Plenary sessions and discussions... 13 Closing session... 14 Annex 5: Answers to the questionnaire. Brief output..... 15 Annex 6: Recommendations... 16 2 ISBN 985-6299-48-9 0 UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE). Moscow, 2000

INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES, ORGANIZATION AND OUTCOMES OF THE MEETING Following 29 C/5 UNESCO in framework of Major Programme IV UNESCO Sector of Communication, Information and Informatics (CII) and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE) established close collaboration in the field of using the Internet in education. As a result of this co-operation the Institute in conjunction with University Knowledge Networks corporation (UNICOR, Russia) elaborated the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education. IITE invited Mr. Mike Aston, The Advisory Unit: Computers in Education (UK) as a consultant to this project. Then the survey was reviewed by expert Mrs. S. Charp, Editor-in-chief, T.H.E. (Technological Horizons in Education) Journal (USA) and expert Mrs. Z. Lustigova, International Federation for Information Processing Work Group 3.6 (IFIP WG 3.6), Charles University, Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, (Czech Republic) recommended by IFIP. Besides IITE and CII received reviews and opinions from high-level specialists from the ministries of education, IITE focal points, universities, research institutes and centres specialised in ICTs in education such as Prof. J. Piette, Universite de Sherbrooke (Canada), Prof. C. N. Gunawardena, University of New Mexico (USA), Hans Kronner (Germany) and others. On this basis, in pursuance of the decision of the Znd session of the IITE Governing Board and the IITE workplan, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education together with Education Sector, Sector of Communication, Information and Informatics organised the Meeting of Experts on Education via the Internet. The National Commission for UNESCO of Belarus invited IITE to hold the Meeting in Minsk (Belarus) from 1 to 2 March 2000 and suggested Belarus State University National Institute for Higher Education and the Computer Analytical Centre of the Ministry of Education of Belarus as base organisations for holding the Meeting. Experts for the Meeting were chosen from those who: l already sent their reviews and opinions on the survey; l participated in the Meeting of experts in Kiev (Ukraine) from 12 to 13 April 1999 as plenipotentiary representative of their countries; l representatives of the IITE national Focal Points. 3

Besides that IITE Director asked Council on Co-operation in Education of the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and International Federation for Information Processing to designate participants and observers in the Meeting. So participants from nine countries (Belarus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and USA), as well as from the Council on Co-operation in Education of the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the IFIP WG 3.6 took part in the Meeting in Minsk (see Annex 1: List of participants). All participants and observers were high-level specialists on using ICTs in education. Given the great interest called by this event, a considerable number of Belarus specialists in education and information technologies, as well as representatives of mass media attended the Meeting. At the end of its work the Meeting adopted the Recommendations on discussed issues addressed to the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education. The participants expressed their desire to participate in the IITE projects by taking part in their development, expertise, approbation and utilisation of results. 4

Annex 1: List of Darticioants I. EXPERTS Mr. Mike Aston (UK) The Advisory Unit: Computers in Education 126 Great North Road Hatfield, Herts. AL9 5JN United Kingdom. Tel: (44) 1707 658644 Fax:(44) 1707 856565 E-mail: mike@kcited.demon.co.uk Dr. Ermek Balafanov (Kazakhstan) Director, Republic Scientific-methodical Center of Informatization in Education, Head of the IITE s focal point in Kazakhstan 61-A Zhandocov Str., Almaty 480036, Republic of Kazakhstan. Tel/Fax: (3272) 21 38 78 E-mail: ermekb@almaty.samal.kz Dr. Silvia Charp (USA) Editor-in-Chief, T.H.E. (Technological Horizons in Education) journal, 39 Maple Avenue Upper Darby, PA 19082,USA. Tel: +l 610 789 7498 Fax: +l 610 789 7499 E-mail: charp@seas.upenn.edu Prof. Karel Kveton (Czech Republic) Director, UNESCO International Centre for Scientific Computing at the Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic. Tel: (4202) 2431 0369, (4202) 2435 3305 Fax:(4202) 311 7529 E-mail: kveton@vc.cvut.cz Dr. Nikolai Listopad (Belarus) Director, Computer Analytical Centre of the Ministry of Education of Belarus 59, Zakharova Str., Minsk, 220088, Republic of Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 236 15 94 Fax: (375 17) 210 00 99 E-mail: Listopad@unibel.by Prof. Zdena Lustigova (IFIP WG3.6, Czech Republic) Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. Ke Karlovu 3 Praha 2, Czech Republic. Tel: 420 2 21911209 Fax: 420 2 21911292 E-mail: Lustigo@plk.mff.cuni.cz Dr. Sergei Maksimov (Belarus) Head of Department, Educational Technologies Department, National Institute for Higher Education, Belarussian State University 15 Moscowskaya St., 220001 Minsk, Belarus Tel: (375 17) 222 79 22 Fax: (375 17) 222 79 22 E-mail: Maksimov@nihe.unibel.by Dr. Vladimir Verzhbitsky (Russia) Deputy Director, Centre of Informational and Analitical Provision of Distance Education System (CIAN), 65,Leninsky prospect, Moscow, 117917, Russia. Tel:. +7 (095) 137 57 00 Fax: +7 (095) 930 92 11 E-mail: vvv@database.unicor.ru Prof. Jan Plass (Germany) University of New Mexico, Organizational Learning&Instructional Technologies Program, College of Education, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1231, USA. Tel: l-505 2775143, Fax: l-505 2778360 E-mail: jan@unm.edu Dr. Tarek Shawki (Egypt) Regional Informatics Advisor, UNESCO Cairo Office, 8 Abdel Rahman Fahmy Street, Garden City, Cairo, Egypt. Tel: 202 7943036 Fax: 202 7945296 E-mail: uhtsh@unesco.org Prof. Nataliya Pankratova (Ukraine) Deputy Director, Institute for Applied System Analyseis of the Ministry of Education Ukraine Head of the IITE s focal point in Ukraine 37 av. Poledy, Kiev 03056, Ukraine Tel: 038 044 241 9647 Fax: 038 044 274 3987 E-mail: ndp@mmsa.ntu-kpi.kiev.ua Prof. Alexander Tikhonov (Russia) Director, The State Research Institute of Information Technologies and Telecommunications INFORMIKA, Head of the IITE s focal point in Russia. 3, Ordzhonikidze St., Moscow 117419, Russia. Tel: t-7 (095) 229 45 34 Fax +7 (095) 923 86 59 E-mail: adi@informika.ru 5

II. GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS Prof. Vasily Strazhev Chairman of the Council on Co-operation in the Field of Education of the Countries of the CIS Member-States, Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus, 9 Sovetskaya St., 220010 Minsk, Belarus Tel: (375 17) 227 47 36 Fax: (375 17) 220 84 83 Ms. Nina Mazai Chairperson, Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, 19, Lenin Street, 220030 Minsk, Belarus Tel: (375 17) 227 34 02 Fax: (375 17) 227 45 21 Prof. Victor Gaisyonok Chairman, State Committee for Science and Technologies, Council of Ministers of Republic of Belarus, 1, Akademicheskaya St. Minsk 220072, Belarus Tel: (375 17) 284 07 60 Fax: (375 17) 210 01 46 E-mail: science@leo.bas-net.by III. OBSERVERS Dr. Yury Bykadorau Vice-Rector, Belarusian State Pedagogical University 18 Sovetskay St., 220809 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 226 40 20 Fax: (375 17) 226 40 21 E-mail: yby@bspu.unibel.by Prof. Vladimir V. Golenkov Intelligent Informational Technologies Department Belarus State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics Head of Department 6 P.Brovki St., 220600 Minsk, Belarus Tel: (375 17) 231 09 79 Fax: (375 17) 231 09 79 E-mail: golen@gw.bsuir.unibel.by Dr. Azat Khannanov Head of Department, Centre of Informational and Analitical Provision of Distance Education System (CIAN), 65,Leninsky prospect, Moscow 117917,Russia. Tel: +7 (095) 137 57 00, Fax: 17 (095) 137 57 00 E-mail: azat@database.unicor.ru Dr. Ludmila Khukhlyndina Vice-Dean, Faculty of International Relations, Belarusian State University, 25 Akademicheskaya St., 220072 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 284 08 67 Fax: (375 17) 284 00 04 E-mail: hln@fir.bsu.unibel.by Prof. Anatoly Greenberg Head of Department, Department of Information and Math., Academy of Business Administration 17 Moscowskaya St., 220001 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 226 37 48 Fax: (375 17) 222 82 64 E-mail: savich@mcl.tmti.ac.by Dr. Victor Dravitsa Executive Director, Belarus Fund of Informatization, 1 Academicheskaya St., 220072 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 284 22 83 Fax: (375 17) 284 22 79 E-mail: dravitsa@bas-net.by Dr. Alexander Ivannikov First Deputy Director, The State Research Institute of Information Technologies and Telecommunications INFORMIKA, 3, Ordzhonikidze St., 117419 Moscow, Russia Tel: +7 (095) 232 20 90 Fax +7 (095) 232 36 54 E-mail: adi@informika.ru Dr. Viacheslav Krasnov Head of Department, Corporation University Knowleges Networks (UNICOR), 65, Leninsky prosp., 117917 Moscow,Russia Tel: +7 (095) 137 57 00; 127 91 47 Fax: +7 (095) 124 99 38 E-mail: krasnov@system.unicor.ac.ru 6

Dr. Nikolai Lis Head of Department, Main Department for Analysis and Legistation, Ministry of Education 9 Sovetskay St., 220010 Minsk, Belarus Tel: (375 17) 222 42 44 Fax: (375 17) 220 84 83 E-mail: lis@minedu.unibel.by Dr. Pave1 Mandrik Dean, Department of Applied Mathematics & Computer Science, Belarusian State University, 4 Skoriny Av., 220080 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 226 55 48 Fax: (375 17) 226 55 48 E-mail: mandrik@fpm.bsu.unibel.by Mr. Vladimir Naumov Information Technologies Center, Belarusian State University, 4 Skoriny Av., 220080 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 226 59 38 Fax: (375 17) 220 77 52 Ms. Galina Trojan Associate Professor, Department of Educational Technologies, National Institute for Higher Education, Belarusian State University, 15 Moscowskaya St., 220001 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 1 7) 228 13 16 Fax: (375 17) 222 79 22 E-mail: trojan@nihe.unibel.by Dr. Valery Popov President, Corporation University Knowleges Networks (UNICOR), 65, Leninsky prosp., 117917 Moscow, Russia Tel: +7 (095) 137 57 00; 127 91 47 Fax: +7 (095) 124 99 38 Email: vpopov@system.unicor.ac.ru Dr. Yury Varatnitskiy Director, Information Technologies Center, Belarusian State University, 4 Skoriny Av., 220080 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 226 55 57 Fax: (375 17) 220 77 52 E-mail: jv@cit.bsu.unibel.by Mr. Alexander Solodkov Country Coordinator, Internet Access & Training Program, 7 Masherova Av., Room 504 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 223 31 74 E-mail: sol@iatp.unibel.by Dr. Sergei Vetokhin Vice-Rector, National Institute for Higher Education Belarusian State University, 15 Moscowskaya St., 220001 Minsk, Belarus. Tel: (375 17) 224 45 54 Fax: (375 17) 222 83 15 E-mail: veto@nihe.unibel.by IV. UNESCO Prof. Vladimir Kinelev Director, IITE UNESCO, 8 Kedrova St.(Bldg.3), 117292 Moscow, Russia. Tel: +7 (095) 129 19 98 Fax: +7 (095) 129 12 25 E-mail: Kinelev@IITE.ru Dr. Yury Kuzmin Administrator, IITE UNESCO, 8 Kedrova St.(Bldg.3), 117292 Moscow, Russia. Tel: +7 (095) 129 42 74 Fax: +7 (095) 129 12 25 E-mail: Kuzmin@IITE.ru Prof. Valery Meskov Consultant, IITE UNESCO, 8 Kedrova St.(Bldg.3), 117292 Moscow, Russia. Tel: t-7 (095) 129 49 62 Fax: +7 (095) 129 12 25 E-mail: Mvs@IITE.ru Dr. Sergei Christochevsky Project Coordinator, IITE UNESCO, 8 Kedrova St.(Bldg.3), 117292 Moscow, Russia. Tel: +7 (095) 129 12 90 Fax: +7 (095) 129 12 25 E-mail: Christ@IITE.ru 7

PREPARATION OF THE MEETING The Meeting was prepared by IITE in co-operation with Belarus State University National Institute for Higher Education and the Computer Analytical Centre of the Ministry of Education of Belarus. IITE in close cooperation with CII established contacts with the Council on Co-operation in Education of the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the IFIP WG 3.6, some of the IITE focal points, experts, participants in the Meeting of experts in Kiev (Ukraine) from 12 to 13 April 1999 and invited them to nominate a experts at the meeting. After nomination the personal invitations signed by the Director of IITE were sent to the experts. Striving to ensure an active and fruitful run of the Meeting IITE prepared in good time necessary documents and materials (see Annex 2: List of documents). All documents were in English. Provisional agenda (see Annex 3) and provisional timetable (see Annex 4) were sent to the participants and observers personally in advance as a full text of the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education. A full set of documents and materials were handed to the participants and observers at Minsk on the eve of the Meeting. For this Meeting the Institute in co-operation with University Knowledge Networks corporation (UNICOR, Russia) elaborated and distributed the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education as a basis for discussion. This document outlined the programme and major themes to be examined at the Meeting in the light of the objectives set. In order to accumulate the experts opinions on worthiness/need for establishment of an IITE information system Education via the Internet and on main tasks, which could be solved with the help on this system a special questionnaire was elaborated and given to the participants at the Meeting for filling in. First question was about expediency of creation of an International information system covering the Internet usage in education. The rest questions concerned objects of this system, orientation for definite users groups, requirements of these groups of users in special information and possible sources of information. By the request of IITE the equipment for video and sound recording, communication (including Internet), as well as for different kinds of demonstration was installed at the Conference hall of the National Institute for Higher Education where the Meeting took place. 8

Annex 2: List of documents Working documents @ IITE/MOS/MEB/OO/DOC. 1 3 IITE/MOS/MEB/OO/DOC.2 2, IITE/MOS/ME2/OO/DOC.3 B IITE/MOS/MEZ/OO/DOC.4 Information documents 3 IITE/MOS/ME2/00/INF. 1 9 IITE/MOS/ME2/OO/INF.2 2 IITE/MOS/ME2/OO/INF.3 B IITE/MOS/ME2/OO/INF.4 Reference documents B 30 c/5 3 30 C/REP.6 2 IITE/MOS/WP2000/INF. 1 2 IITE/MOS/WP2000/INF. 2 Agenda Analytical Survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education Questionnaire Recommendations First Time-table List List Announcement of Participants of Documents 30th Session, UNESCO General Conference. Draft Programme and Budget 2000-2001 Report by the Governing Board on the activities of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (1998-1999) List of the Meetings Held by IITE List of the IITE Projects and Partners EDUCATION AND INFORMATICS. Proceedings of the Second International UNESCO Congress, l-5 July 1996, Moscow, Russia. IITE UNESCO. Volumes I-IV, in two books. Annex 3: Agenda 1. Opening of the expert meeting 2. Adoption of the agenda 3. Election of the Chairperson of the expert meeting 4. Election of the General Rapporteur 5. Reports by the invited speakers on the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education. Presentation and review of the analytical survey 6. Discussion on the analytical survey 7. Adoption of Recommendations of the expert meeting 8. Any other matters 9. Closure of the expert meeting Annex 4: Timetable Februaru 29, Tuesday Arrival of the participants; meeting at the airport and railway station; hotel accommodation March 1. Wednesday 09.30-10.00 Registration of the participants 9

10.00-11.20 11.20--l 1.40 11.40~-16.00 11.40-13.00 13.00-15.00 15.00-16.00 16.30-18.00 19.00-21.oo Opening of the expert meeting Welcome addresses by: l Mrs. N. Mazai, Chairperson, Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO l Mr. V. Strazhev, Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus l Mr. V. Nedilko, Vice-chairman, State Committee for Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus o Mr. T. Shawki, representative of the Sector of Communication, Information and Informatics, UNESCO l Mr. V. Kinelev, Director, UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education Adoption Introduction Election of the Agenda of the participants of the Chairperson Election of the General Rapporteur Reporter Coffee-break Reports by the invited speakers on the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education Presentation of the analytical survey: l Mr. V. Verzhbitsky, Deputy Director, Centre of Informational and Analytical Provision of Distance Education System (CIAN) (Russian Federation) l Mr. M. Aston, Advisory Unit: Computers in Education, IITE project consultant (United Kingdom) Lunch time Review of the analytical survey: l Mrs. S. Charp, Editor-in-chief, T.H.E. (Technical Horizons in Education) Journal, expert (USA) 0 Mrs. Z. Lustigova, IFIP WG 3.6, Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Physics Education, expert (Czech Republic) Reception in the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus Cultural programme March 2, Thursday 10.00-11.00 Discussion on the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education : l Mr. K. Kveton (Czech Republic) l Mr. N. Listopad (Belarus) l Mr. J, Plass (Germany) 11.20-11.40 Coffee-break 11.40-13.00 Continuation of the discussion: o Mr. T. Shawki (Egypt) l Mr. E. Balafanov (Kazakhstan) 13.00-l 4.00 Lunch time l Mr. A. Tikhonov (Russian Federation) l Mrs. N. Pankratova (Ukraine) 14.00-15.00 Meeting with Prof. A. Kozulin, Rector of the Belarus State University 15.00-16.20 Continuat,ion of the discussion 16.20-l 6.40 Coffee-break 16.40-17.30 Discussion and approval of the Recommendations 17.30-l 9.00 Free time Closure of the expert meeting 19.00-21.OO Reception in the Belarus State University 10

PROGRAMME OF THE MEETING In keeping with adopted agenda the Meeting conducted its work in plenary sessions and discussions. The first day plenary session included presentation of the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education made by keynote speakers and review of the analytical survey made by invited speakers. The second day were followed by discussions in which all experts took part. Next themes were discussed: 1. Experience of the most effective Internet usage in Education including: l Existing typologies of the Internet applications in education; l Usage of the Internet technologies in teaching and learning; l The Internet and the organisation aspects of education. 2. Merits and demerits of information systems on the Education via the Internet: l Functional features, offered information and approximate degree of satisfaction of user s needs; l The necessary Internet educational information resources for educators; l Ethic problems of using the Internet in Education. 3. The establishment of a series of modules relating to the use of the Internet in education within the framework of the intersectoral UNESCO project The status of teachers and teacher education in the information society and inclusion them in the IITE educational programme. In addition to plenary sessions and discussions the acquaintance with Belarus State University and the Ministry of Education of Belarus as well as cultural programme for the participants were organised. 11

EXECUTIVE OPENING SUMMARY SESSION The Meeting was opened on 1 March 2000 in the conference Hall of National Institute for Higher Education of Belarus by Mr. Vladimir Kinelev, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education. He welcomed the participants, expressed his gratitude to government and National Commissions for UNESCO of Belarus for a help in organising the Meeting. Mr. V. Kinelev introduced the participants. The Meeting began with a welcome address of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, State Committee for Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus and representative of the Sector of Communication, Information and Informatics, UNESCO. Mr. V. Strazhev, Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus and chairman of the Council on Co-operation in Education of the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States thanked IITE Director and conveyed greetings on behalf of the Government of Belarus. Mrs. N. Mazai Chairperson, Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO then took the floor, welcomed the participants and observers. She stressed her gratitude to the IITE Director for his choosing the Republic of Belarus as a place for this event. She underlined the necessity of continuing the cooperation between Belarus and IITE which was began when Belarus delegation voted for UNESCO decision to establish IITE and then on the 30th session of the General Assembly when they approved IITE report about its activity. Mrs. Mazai supported decision of the IITE Governing Board to use Belarus for developing some IITE projects. She said that expert meeting and workshop will be very useful for such countries as Belarus and wished the Meeting to be successful. Mr. V. Nedelko, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus said that the State Committee for 12

Science and Technologies immediately supported helding of the expert meeting and workshop in Minsk. On behalf of his colleagues Dr. Tarek Shawki transmitted greetings from the UNESCO General Director and Directors of the Education sector and Sector of Communication, Information and Informatics to all participants. He said that UNESCO always was aimed at Education and today due to progress in high technology and changes in social life there is a new impact on using ICTs in education. That was the reason of creation new Institute (IITE) in framework of UNESCO. He underlined that UNESCO is awaiting fruitful output from this expert meeting and similar IITE events. Then he told about activity of the UNESCO field office in Cairo and programme of co-operation between seventeen Arab states. Mr. Mike Aston, The Advisory Unit: Computers in Education, IITE consultant was elected by consent as a Chairperson of the Meeting. He welcomed participants. Mr. Karel Kveton, Head of the Department of Information Services, UNESCO International Centre for Scientific Computing, Czech Technical University in Prague (Czech Republic) was elected by consent as a General Rapporteur. Agenda and timetable of the Meeting were adopted. PLENARY SESSIONS AND DISCUSSIONS The first day of the Meeting was devoted to discussion of the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education and it s review made by invited speakers. Presentation of the survey was made by Mr. V. Verzhbitsky, Deputy Director, Centre of Informational and Analytical Provision of Distance Education System (CIAN) (Russian Federation) and by Mr. M. Aston, Advisory Unit: Computers in Education, IITE project consultant (United Kingdom). Two invited speakers Mrs. S. Charp, Editor-in-chief, T.H.E. (Technological Horizons in Education) Journal, expert (USA) and Mrs. Z. Lustigova, IFIP WG 3.6, Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Physics Education, expert (Czech Republic) made their review

of the analytical survey and presented their point of view on education via the Internet. Both of them recommended to publish the survey as UNESCO document. Those reports were continued by active discussion on forms of Internet usage in education. CLOSING SESSION By the end of the Meeting the Chairman and General Rapporteur collected, analysed and generalised presented conclusions, oral proposals of the participants, and written answers to the questionnaire (see Annex 5), and the Rapporteur, Prof. K. Kveton delivered Draft Recommendations. With several amendments they were adopted by consent (see Annex 6: Recommendations). The participants recommended that the IITE should finalise the preparation of the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education taking into account the comments and suggestions made by the international experts. Experts recommended publication of the revised analytical survey as a UNESCO document and particularly publishing on the IITE Web-site. They paid special attention to the need for the establishment of a series of modules relating to the use of the Internet in education within the framework of the intersectoral UNESCO project The status of teachers and teacher education in the information society and including them in the IITE educational programme. They suggested that IITE should develop an information sub-system as a module contributing to an entire IITE s information system within the framework of the IITE international project ICTs in Education: State-of-the-Art, Needs and Perspectives. The module should serve to assist effective Internet navigation and to provide for the exchange and dissemination of information relating to education, teaching and learning. The participants included in the final document their gratitude to the IITE for the organisation of the expert meeting and also their appreciation to the Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and the State Committee for Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus for their support. A special thanks was afforded to the Belarus State University and the National Institute for Higher Education for hosting the meeting. Mr. V. Kinelev expressed the gratitude to the Government of Belarus, the National Commission for UNESCO of Belarus, and host institutions for the support and fruitful collaboration. He thanked the participants for their contribution to the success of the discussions and declared the Meeting closed. 14

Annex 5: Answers to the questionnaire. Brief output IITE accumulated experts answers to the questionnaire on IITE information system Education via the Internet as a subsystem of international project ICTs in Education: State-of-the- Art, Needs and Perspectives focused on national action plans and policy documents. Here are the main outcomes. I. Expediency of creation of an international information system covering the Internet usage in education (surely upon condition that the functions of the system and its qualities needed for users are relevantly defined). 1. The majority of the experts (80%) supported creation of an international information system covering the Internet usage in education. At the same time 40% of the experts marked that this issue needs an additional study but four fifth of them wrote that it is not a reason to delay creation of the system. II. Groups of users on which information requirements the international information system Education via the Internet should be oriented. 1. There is no unified opinion on this question between experts. Nevertheless majority of them (91%) thinks that system should be oriented to the information requirements of administration of educational system 2. On the second place is orientation on teachers - 64%. 3. 54% of experts wrote that system should be intended for learners. III. Tasks that could be accomplished with the help of the international information system Education via the Internet taking into account requirements of the users groups. 1. The most of the experts (more than 80%) pointed out on facilitating navigation in educational segment of the Internet by providing information on information systems specialised in education and relevant to users interests. 2. Monitoring (in research purposes) of information resources of the Internet according chosen subjects received support more than half of the experts (54%). IV. The kinds of information that should be accumulated in the international information system taking into account requirements of the users groups. 1. All the experts decided that information system should contain information on universal and specialised information systems providing search of information on education. 2. The experts distinguished particularly the next issues in providing search of information on education as l Educational technologies and educational process (91%); l International organisations (foundations, centres, associations, etc.) assisting in development of education via the Internet (82%). 3. Two thirds of the experts think that system should accumulate information about leading scientific centres in the world and methodological materials and teaching aids for different categories of the system users V. Information sources and methods of their selection appropriated for the international information system 1. The most preferable (support level more than 70%) methods for information accumulating are: l Search of information in the Internet following by expert selection; l Preparation of special analytical and methodological and teaching materials for this system according IITE requests. 2. The most of experts (54%) think that collecting information from organisations included in special list is good variant for this purpose. 15

Annex 6: Recommendations As agreed by the participants in the Expert Meeting Education via the Internet held by the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE) on March l- 2, 2000 in Minsk (Belarus). Sharing the UNESCO goals and strategies of providing education for all throughout life and learning without frontiers and being sure that the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including the Internet, offers new opportunities and new challengers for education; Noting with satisfaction the increased involvement of UNESCO in promoting ICT usage in education and upholding the intersectoral UNESCO project The status of teachers and teacher education in the information society aimed at imparting competencies in the use of new technologies (e.g. computers, the Internet) to teachers and other educational personnel and at providing more effective use of new technologies, including the Internet in the professional development of teachers and teacher educators (30 C/5, par. 01240); Taking into account that the storing, analysis and classification of experience of the Internet usage in education regarding its benefits, as well as obstacles and undesirable consequences, is becoming an urgent problem for many nations and the global educational community; Bearing in mind that education via the Internet has an international character and being convinced that the organisation of international co-operation, exchange of knowledge and experience in the use of the Internet in education should serve to support national educational systems: Having been informed about the statutes goals and aims of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education as well as about the IITE programme activities; Having discussed the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education we, as participants in the Expert Meeting, recommend: l that the IITE should finalise the preparation of the analytical survey The Experience of Internet Usage in Education taking into account the comments and suggestions made by the international experts; l that the revised analytical survey (i.e. chapters 1, 2, 3 and the bibliography) should be published as a UNESCO document and distributed in Member States in the following formats: printed booklet; on the IITE Web-site as a down-loadable PDF file.. that the IITE should develop an information sub-system as a module contributing to an en-tire IITE s information system within the framework of the IITE international project ICTs in Education: State-of-the-Art, Needs and Perspectives. The module should serve to assist effective Internet navigation and to provide for the exchange and dissemination of information relating to education, teaching and learning; * that the establishment of a series of modules relating to the use of the Internet in education should be undertaken within the framework of the intersectoral UNESCO project The status of teachers and teacher education in the information society and included in the IITE educational programme. The participants expressed their gratitude to the IITE for the organisation of the expert meeting and also their appreciation to the Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and the State Committee for Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus for their support. A special thanks was afforded to the Belarus State University and the National Institute for Higher Education for hosting the meeting. 16

MEETING OF EXPERTS EDUCATION VIA THE INTERNET Materials Printed by Belarus State University, National Institute for Higher Education httr,:l/www.iite.ru ISBN 985-6299-48-9 0 UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE). Moscow, 2000

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