E-learning - Project “Virtual schools”

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Since 2002, in cooperation with the International Center “Olof Palme”, CePIT has developed the project “Virtual schools”. By constructing, applying and standardizing the original methodology of internet-based learning, this project aims to support and promote the process of decentralization of educational system and structure in Serbia .

First virtual courses in Serbia CePIT organized in 2002, andso far twelve e-courses were held. Internet course “European Integration” was nominated for the best e-content during the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS, Geneva, UN, 2003).

By this time, “virtual courses” engaged about 50 lecturers, and almost 300 participants from around 30 different cities from Serbia and the Western Balkans. The most prominent result of these courses are two published collections of participants' final papers, dictionary of democratic society, e-magazine “Nova škola”, the first number of which was also published as a special issue of “Prosvetni pregled”, and "European union - youth guide".

INFORMATION SOCIETY, 2006

Course “Information Society” lasted from 26th April to 30th July 2006. Main objective of the course was to provide participants with information relevant for understanding the phenomenon of social change caused by information-communication technologies concerning the development of the Information Society, dilemmas of globalization and contemporary global media . "Information Society" was online programme for participants from Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro>>>

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POLITICS AND CULTURE, 2005

Every generation has its own special approach to the established value system in one society. This system of values is adopted by the process of socialization, education and upbringing, but at the same time that already established and shaped system of values introduces its view and understanding of the world. Program of the course “Politics and culture”, in cooperation with the participants and our lecturers, has an aim to question the established system of values, cultural forms, idols, the impact of media culture and the origination of the identity. With very serious approach to the state of the young generation today, it is very important to us to establish which are the values and role models to be found in the focus of their attention >>>

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INFORMATION SOCIETY, 2005

Course “Information Society” lasted from 1 st April to July 2005. Main objective of the course was to provide participants with information relevant for understanding the phenomenon of social change caused by information-communication technologies concerning the development of the Information Society, dilemmas of globalization and contemporary global media . "Information Society" was online programme for participants from Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro who are or going to be active in the transition processes of industrial to Information Society >>>

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EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, 2005

The European integration topic is a burning issue in Serbia today, but the formal system of education hasn't paid significant attention to the very current process. Belgrade Open School is actively dealing with the question of EU integration ever since 1997. This course is focused on the high school students education and its aim is to introduce them to the basic ideas, history and EU institutions, and at the same time the European integration process. This course is designed for high school students form Serbia and Montenegro. It provided participants with basic knowledge of European Union's institutions and history of integration process. Additionally, it highlighted position of Serbia and Montenegro in the European integration process.>>>

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EUROPEAN INTEGRATION - A VIEW FROM THE BALKANS, 2004

„European Integrations – view from the Balkans “ is a first two-semester regional virtual course created and realized by CePIT. This multidisciplinary course was created for young people from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro: students, NGO, political parties and syndicate activists, government officials, professionals and pepople engaged at the universities, in one word – those whose professional engagement depends on knowing the basic facts about the European integrations. The school was organized between the 14 th of April and 19 th November of 2004. The participants were listening four modules: Law of the EU I , Economy of the EU , Law of the EU II and The EU Policies. >>>

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THE LITTLE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM, 2004

„The little school of Journalism “ was realized between March the 6 th and May the 29 th , 2004. It was the second time that we realize the course, and its main aim was to offer alternative knowledge about journalism and the importance of its independence to secondary school pupils. The participants were pupils from 8 cities of Serbia: Kragujevac, Ivanjica, Backi Petrovac, Velika Plana, Krusevac, Sremski Karlovci, Nis. CePIT associates, Aleksandar Mitic and Boris Drenca created the course. >>>

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WHAT IS DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY?, 2004

Virtuelni kurs "Šta je to demokratska država“ osmišljen je kako bi se omogućilo srednjoškolcima da se na zanimljiv način upoznaju sa osnovnim institucijama demokratskog društva i principima na kojima one počivaju. Kurs je, uz nekolike izmene u sadržaju i uključivanje novih škola - čime je dobio regionalni karakter, izveden drugi put, a polaznici i predavači imali su mogućnost da razgovaraju o šest najvažnijih tema koje se tiču institucija demokratske države. >>>

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ASPECTS OF GLOBALIZATION, 2003

Virtual course „Aspects of Globalization “ was held in 2003, between the 19 th of April an July the 21 st . This course was an attempt of CePIT to discuss the problem of globalization from the perspectives of different scientific disciplines, and to enable the participants to reconsider and rethought the challenges of the life of individual in a global society. Being very different, considering their academic background, the participants' chat discussions gave a real chance for the examination of every topic from various perspectives. >>>

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EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, 2003

The „European integrations “ course for the first time was realized in 2003, from October the 11 th to December the 13 th . Its main aim was to present the basic facts about history of European integrations, economy and policies of The EU to the participants – activists of NGOs and political parties, representatives of the local government, students and young professionals. Special accent was put on the discussion of the place of Serbia and Montenegro in the process of European integrations. >>>

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THE LITTLE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM , 2003

„The Little School of Journalism “ for the first time was held between October the 5 th and December the 6 th in 2003. Twenty three participants from nine Serbian cities (Kragujevac , Ivanjica , Bački Petrovac , Velika Plana , Kruševac , Sremski Karlovci , Niš , Lazarevac i Kikinda ) during these two months were engaged in the subjects considering the basis of successful journalism. The course was created by Aleksandar Mitić and Boris Drenča. >>>

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WHAT IS DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY?, 2003

Course „What is a Democratic Society “ was created as an attempt to offer a view about which are, and how should look and work the institutions of a democratic society. The main idea of this course was to offer some basic information to secondary school pupils who are extremelu vulnerable – their generation grew up during the wars, in time when Serbia could not be considered as a democratic country. The course was realized between April the 19 th and June the 14 th of 2003. >>>

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SERBIA IN TRANSITION, 2002

The course „ Serbia in transition “ aimed to introduce the participants with the achievements of Serbia in the process of transformation into a democratic society. The other, also very important aim of the course was to present various obstacles that the Serbia is experiencing, and that it will have to deal with during the process of transition. The participants on the course were activists of NGOs and professionals interested in these matters. Course was realized in 2002, between October the 8 th and December the 14 th. >>>

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FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY, 2002
The course was created for secondary-school pupils, an its main aim was to provide the participants with the fundamental knowledge about institutions, processes and mechanisms supporting the development of open, democratic society. The participants were students from five Serbian cities: Velika Plana , Ivanjica , Bački Petrovac , Subotica i Kragujevac. >>>	about course >>> online classroom >>>

Course methodology

Courses are being realized in the virtual classroom – web site of the course, where participants can find the materials needed for the preparation of all the subjects. Depending on the duration of the course, 7-16 topics are covered (one each week) by 20 selected participants and lecturers. Instead of attending the lectures, which they are used to, participants use two internet tools: course forum and chat.

Course forum is the most important place where participants and lecturers meet and discuss various subjects. Work on the specific topic begins with the introductory message that the lecturer sends on the forum. He/she presents the issue to be covered, explains the teaching materials, and then gives weekly assignments to the participants. The main purpose of these assignments is to enable participants prepare for chat sessions. Accordingly, the assignments may vary: from writing a short essay, internet search, conducting a short survey, up to the preparation for a simulation or quiz. If writing a short essay is the assignment, lecturer sends timely and specific feedback on the quality of the essays.

Lasting an hour, chat sessions are held once a week, and their function is closest to the one a lecture should have. Their structure is directly influenced by the type of weekly assignment. The participants are divided into four equal groups to enable everyone to take part in the discussion of the subject. The lecturers are required to enable interactive learning, and, apart from offering the basic knowledge, help interested students to broaden their education.

After all the topics have been covered, participants work on their final assignments: essays, dictionaries, articles for the e-magazine. Depending on the type of the assignment, they work individually or in small teams, in both cases consulting their mentor. All the consultations with the mentor are being held online – using course chat, forum, or e-mail. The time for the preparation of final works is accommodated to the type of the assignment.

Organizing introductory and final meeting of all the participants, lecturers and organizers of the course, is one of the specificities of these programs. The purpose of introductory meeting is to help all the people engaged on the course meet each other, and, therefore, increase the motivation of the participants and enhance the quality of work during the whole course. Final meeting is the time for the participants to present their final work, and be awarded with certificates for successfully finishing the virtual course.

Teaching materials

Participants get all of the materials on a special CD, and most of it could be found on the course web site. These teaching materials cover every topic:

· An internet page, where the introductory text is given, such as the internet links for all of the materials included

· Main text which gives an informative review of the subject

· Short video material (up to 5 minutes) in which the lecturer presents himself and the subject that he/she is going to teach

· Collection of links leading to the internet pages where additional resources on the subject could be found

· List of the referring additional materials (texts, books, videos, archives, etc.)