Tracing OER phenomenon in Lithuania: state-of-the-art and development perspectives

Airina VolungevičienėVytautas Magnus UniversityLithuania

International Conference IITE-2010

November 15–16, 2010 St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Vytautas Magnus University

www.vdu.lt

Vytautas Magnus UniversityIs situated in Lithuania, Europe

Vytautas Magnus University

www.vdu.lt

Vytautas Magnus University

www.vdu.lt

Discover Kaunas

University of Artes Liberales

• Graduates with a broad humanistic orientation for Lithuania's needs in research, culture, education and economy.

• Academic freedom as one of the mostimportant principles of University's activity

• Languages - students are offered to learn up to 16 languages, including Japanese, Arab, Turkish, etc.

• Establishing successful international relations (partnership with 84 universities in 23 countries)

Facts and FiguresA brief outline of VMU

• 9000 students• 550 teachers and researchers• 70 study programmes • 11 faculties• Situated in 15 buildings

ICT infrastructure development in Lithuania

• Lithuanian strategic guidelines in the context of European Policy for 2008 – 2013 support the development of information society

• The development of information society is among general (horizontal) areas that address cross-priority areas in HRD program and ESF assistance strategy implementation in the period 2007 – 2013

• early initiatives addressing the need of application of ICT in education, namely:

LITNET is (an association, prior network of)academic, research organizations

ITMIS - Information technologies for science and studies – program (2001 – 2006)

• Lithuanian academic library network • Lithuanian science and study information system • Lithuanian Distance Education Network

LieDM infrastructure• ICT for enhancing the quality of open, flexible

and distance learning • Video, VLE infrastructure - implemented

Audio/Video Streaming

server

ViPS server

Internet Teachers

Workstation 1

Teachers Workstation 2

LITNET computer network

MCU Multipoint Videoconfernece

Server LieDM remote classromm 1

LieDM remote classromm 3

LieDM remote classromm 2

LITNET user 1 LITNET user 2

Internet user 1

Internet user 2 Internet user 3

Broadband

ViPT – public internet access points in Lithuania (2010) (source www.vipt.lt)

Lithuanian Virtual University program (2007 – 2012)

The main aim of the programme is to expand information infrastructure of Lithuanian science and studies, applying available resources via:

• HE management service tasks • Lithuanian academic library network • E-learning service provision

OER phenomenon - HEI

• There is no institutional encouragement policy for OER repository development

• OER activities are mainly implemented by individual enthusiasts• Secondary schools are the only ones that benefit from the national online OER repository

Individual initiatives by institutions

www.tvdu.lt

www.liedm.net

Example OER repository: museums!

First international cooperationinitiatives in Lithuania

Prospects and recommendations

1. Establish OER development culture in Lithuania:– invite international experts to promote and bring

awareness on OER development and use– establish international partnerships and contribute to OER,

preparing national strategy and policy issues as action plan– contribute to development, assessment, use and re-use of

OER on both, national and international level2. Undertake immediate actions using LieDM association

infrastructure, experience and potentials to initiate promotion of OER repositories and possibilities for education institutions

3. Invite global experts to lead research to prepare a white paper on implementation of OER policy in Lithuania

Prospects and recommendations

4. Prepare the umbrella program for e-Education in Lithuania based on OER development and use

5. Review responsibilities and functions of DE centres with the potential for re-organization of their roles and responsibilities, and shift in their activities

6. Investigate and suggest the action model for interaction among education institutions

7. Direct all efforts to support and promote OER application practices through adaptation of existing OER repositories and tools

8. Invite individuals, institutions and user – communities to contribute to implementation of OER policy levels

Lithuania is a small country. Small countries should work together – they share

their needs… We speak Lithuanian.We need OER.We are open!

Thank you for your attention.

Airina VolungevičienėVytautas Magnus University, Lithuaniaa.volungeviciene@dsc.vdu.lt