An Electric Paper Solution
In August 2004, the Computing services department introduced the Electic Paper e-learning solution for the ECDL to both staff and students of the instiute.
The Computing Services department in GMIT has eighteen staff members, reporting to the IT manager, responsible for IT matters throughout the Institute (eg. systems, network services, MIS, multimedia/AV, projects, tendering, IT training…) The staff directly concerned with ECDL are the IT trainer and the IT Helpdesk team. These staff will qualify as Certified Training Professionals in the coming months.
The idea of running an ECDL programme evolved in the context of the new Institute facilities that included the establishment of a Learning Resource Centre. The Learning Resource Centre comprises a library, auditoria, classrooms, language laboratories, training rooms and an IT centre.
The IT centre provides 200 learning spaces with open access and a helpdesk facility. This was an ideal environment in which to run ECDL and it fitted well with the concept of a learning centre, and indeed, with
the mission statement of GMIT.
The ECDL programme, as envisaged by Computing Services would be an optional qualification for students and staff of the Institute. As it evolves, a number of departments within the Institute have now made it a mandatory part of their academic programmes GMIT is in the process of introducing modularisation and indications are that ECDL may be offered as a module with appropriate credits awarded for same.
To date, 750 students and staff members have registered for the ECDL programme. 132 have completed all seven modules and have received their certificates. All age groups are represented; the eldest student to complete ECDL last year was 63, the youngest 18.
People returning to college in later life, is an ever-increasing dynamic in third-level education. ECDL is a very valuable skill for this type of student to attain, as they often feel that IT is an area that they had missed out on the most.
Electric Paper training materials and online testing are an ideal way to introduce such students to computer-based learning environments. Both products are extremely reliable and free of the type of errors that some software programmes can intimidate a new user with,” according to Deirdre Fahy, IT and Learning Applications Trainer, GMIT.
Due to the success of the ECDL programme at the main campus, the Letterfrack campus is now making ECDL mandatory on all of its academic programmes.
Why GMIT Selected the ECDL Qualification
• To ensure that students reach a common, measurable standard in essential IT skills
by the end of their first year.
• To enhance graduates’ CVs with a widely recognised practical skill set.
• To enable students, who, for whatever reason, choose not to follow through with third level study, leave GMIT with an internationally recognised qualification.
Funding for the ECDL Programme
The ECDL programme is fully funded by GMIT. The Computing Services department prepares a budget for the Finance Office and candidates are informed that the Institute is funding the programme on their behalf.
How ECDL is Taught – a Self-Study Programme
The ECDL programme at GMIT is a self-study course delivered using Electric Paper software over the Institute’s network. Students are able to learn in their own time in the IT centre. (Where ECDL is a mandatory part of an academic programme, a student’s timetable may be reduced to allow time for e-learning.) Opening hours in the IT centre are extensive (up to 12 hours each day) to allow students optimum flexibility.
Candidates attend an information session at which they learn about all aspects of ECDL (including testing procedures), familiarise themselves with the online training materials and are informed about the support provided throughout the ECDL programme.
An important resource for students on the ECDL programme is an IT helpdesk manned by four staff who are available at all times for queries and support. If more in-depth individual or small group training
is required, or if a candidate has special needs, they are referred to the IT trainer. Regular module-specific “drop-in sessions” are also offered. Although take-up of these sessions is not high, as most queries are dealt with at the Helpdesk or by the IT trainer, the Institute still feels it is important to offer this extra support. If a candidate fails an ECDL test, the test supervisor takes time to review the results with them, highlight areas that need extra work and give advice on how to re-focus.
Deirdre Fahy commented, “Students who sign up for ECDL, independent of their academic programme, are responsible for seeking help if they need it. As candidate numbers are 700+ per annum, we don’t contact them individually, but rather, through posters, mailshots and information sessions,encouraging them to seek any support they need. Where ECDL is a mandatory part of an academicprogramme,
the ECDL team (IT trainer and Helpdesk team) works closely with the academic programme tutor to monitor progress. Tutor involvement is vital.”
Questions & Answers
Deirdre Fahy, IT and Learning Applications Trainer at GMIT answers some important questions about the ECDL programme that she is responsible for managing and implementing at the Institute.
Learners
Q. What is a typical learning cycle for the average student?
A. “It depends on the base from which the student starts, i.e. their prior level of knowledge. Some students have worked their way through ECDL in a matter of days. Others would take several weeks per module.”
Q. Do different types of learners have different requirements?
A. “Most definitely. Age, level of prior experience and preconceptions about computers affect student requirements. Students arriving to us with reasonable confidence merely need to be shown the system and will work comfortably on their own. Students with low confidence or with limited or no IT experience need more attention and time to motivate them and build their confidence.”
Resources
Q. What kind of resources and time are needed to maintain the ECDL programme?
A. “The ECDL programme has fitted neatly into the resources that are already in place, i.e. IT centre resources, IT trainer, and the IT helpdesk. If we had not embarked on a self-paced ECDL programme, we would have spent far more time coaching students informally on office application topics. The self-paced system enabled us to use this time with students who specifically needed one-to-one attention. Electric Paper’s automated testing system saved us significant time as well.”
Challenges
Q. What challenges or issues has the Institute faced while implementing ECDL?
A. “Communicating what the ECDL programme entailed and how it would be delivered in a third level education environment was a major challenge. As information technology is part of various academic programmes, if not an essential element of all academic programmes, there was concern about the introduction of ECDL and where it fitted into curricula throughout the Institute. But, now that the programme has been up and running for a full year, virtually all of the original concerns have been allayed.”
Promotion
Q. How have you promoted the ECDL programme internally within the Institute?
A. “ECDL is included in a general Computing Services presentation to all first years as part of their induction week.
• We have placed posters in prominent areas around the Institute.
• We held a draw for candidates who had completed various modules of the ECDL programme at the end of the first year. The prizes were more lucrative, depending on the number of modules passed.
• Last year we ran a very successful mailshot to all final year students encouraging them to complete ECDL prior to graduation.
• The next mailshot will be to all enrolled ECDL candidates with tests remaining.
• This year, students’ email accounts are the definitive communication medium. So, after the mailshot mentioned above, all future promotion will be through the ‘All Students’ email distribution list.
• We also promote ECDL on both the staff intranet and the student information portal (This portal is set as the default home page when a student opens their web browser).”
Reaction to the ECDL Programme within the College
Q. What has been the reaction from students and IT tutors to the e-learning solution?
A. “Students came on board from the start. They saw it as a great opportunity to get a practical and an internationally recognised qualification. Academic programme tutors involved in ECDL are great advocates and motivators for the students.”
Q. What has been the reaction from the Computing Services department and academic department heads to an e-learning solution?
A. “The Computing Services department is pleased with progress to date. We have learned a lot and will continually adjust the programme according to evolving requirements. The reaction from academic department heads has been positive – a full year has been completed, and the programme went smoothly and successfully. This has generated an increased interest from departments, and we are expecting a greater volume of ECDL candidates as a result.”
Automated Testing
Some benefits of using Electric Paper’s automated testing (AuoTest for ECDL):
• Students can book tests individually at intervals that are appropriate to the level and pace of their own learning in any particular module.
• Tests results are available immediately – as soon as a candidate has completed the test.
• Feedback resulting from a test can be provided immediately to a student (a question by question breakdown with guidance from the test supervisor).
Results
Q. What impact has ECDL had on students?
A. “Our day to day experiences show that students have a greater confidence with information technology, especially those who came into a class feeling that they had to “catch up”. It can be daunting to arrive in third level education and feel that your skills are behind those of others. Many students have benefited from the facility of being able to acquire or refresh skills in a supportive environment, and at a pace chosen by them. Acquiring practical skills that complement their course work – being able to research the Internet, communicate by email and design presentations, is also a bonus.
A student who reaches the ECDL standard by the end of their first year is well equipped with theskills that they need to produce professionally formatted assignments as they progress through subsequent years.
A student’s sense of personal achievement in acquiring skills is very clear, as is their pride on gaining their licence.”
Q. What impact has the ECDL programme had on the Computer Services department?
A. “As stated earlier, the availability of online materials has freed up the IT Helpdesk staff’s time to spend on other issues. Because the vast majority of students can now be directed towards self-paced online
learning material, we have more time to dedicate to students who have less confidence in using IT.”
Q. What impact has the ECDL programme had on the tutors?
A. “Where ECDL became a mandatory part of the first year of an academic programme (eg. Property Studies), the impact of it was very clear in second year. All students in the group commence second year with the same level of skills. Furthermore, as the ECDL pass rate is high (75%), everyone in the group has acquired their skills to a high level. This enables the lecturer to begin working with second year students immediately on specialist software, knowing that they all have a confident grasp of essential IT skills. It has also been noted that first year students are demonstrating their IT skills much earlier in the year – for eg. producing presentations as early as October.”
Q. Is ECDL viewed as important for CV?
A. “Very much so. This is evidenced by a sharp rise in final year students pursuing the ECDL programme after their final exams.”
About GMIT
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), founded in 1972 (as Regional Technical College, Galway), is a third-level educational institute located in the west of Ireland. Over the thirty years of its existence GMIT has grown rapidly and now offers a wide range of academic programmes at five campuses at various levels – degree, post graduate, professional etc. across a wide range of disciplines in business studies, engineering, humanities and the Arts, hotel and catering studies, science and nursing – to just under 9,000 students.
