E-learning in Practice

Continuing Professional Education (CPD) is a hot topic, since new technologies are emerging almost daily, while knowledge rapidly ages. The internet provides new possibilities, enabling mid-career people to learn at any time and in any place. Since 2003 the European Organisation for Spatial Data Research (EuroSDR) has been providing blended learning courses. The author elaborates on their design and experience gained.<P>

European national mapping agencies (NMA) are tasked with collecting, processing and harmonising spatial data. Joint research in photogrammetry began in 1953 with the founding of the Organisation for Experimental Research in Photogrammetry (OEEPE), in 1999 renamed the European Organ­isation for Spatial Data Research (EuroSDR). This is also when research activities were extended to include all processing stages of geospatial core data. EuroSDR has seventeen member countries and research projects are initiated by the science and steering committees, each of which has two dele­gates from each member country, one representing a university or research institute and the other the NMA. The mix of research, education and practice has enabled the solving of many problems, as witnessed by the long list of OEEPE/EuroSDR publications. This series currently consists of 52 reports published as books or CDs. The knowledge acquired is further disseminated through seminars, conference presentations (see www.euorsdr.net ), and, since 2003, also through e-learning.

EduServ
Since 2003 an EuroSDR working group has organised e-learning courses via the internet, supported by workshops: EduServ modules. Four current modules of two weeks duration are offered each spring. The teachers have participated in recent EuroSDR research projects and the courses aim at disseminating the knowledge acquired among practitioners and PhD/Master students. Following internet courses can be lonely and frustrating because one misses the social aspect; drop-out rates are thus high. This makes the blend of e-learning and face-to-face teaching essential. A two-day workshop offers the chance not only to introduce topics and the learning management system, often accompanied by practical sessions, but also to get involved in social activities. This helps teachers and participants (about fifty in total) get acquainted, building trust and enhancing motivation. That participants get to know each other is important for collaboration, a proven and effective learning approach. The ambience stimulates personal contact.

e-learning courses
The internet is used in various ways. Communication is by the Learning Management System (LMS), which resides on a server computer that also runs the courseware. Client computers connect teachers and participants. Development and updating of the courseware may also be done via the internet. The LMS integrates all courseware, mails, discussions, calendar and announcements within one environment. LMS systems used so far are FirstClass, Blackboard, WebCT and ­Moodle; all offer quick and easy user familiarity. Essential is the quality of the courseware, key concepts being ‘Learning by Doing’ and ‘Quick Response’. Literature has to be studied in simplified form and assignments carried out, all supported by a set of questions. Answers can be instantly checked for correctness, followed by recommendations on how to proceed, i.e. by multiple-choice ‘quiz’. ­Special learning programmes facilitate interactive learning, allowing for experiment and simulation using dynamic graphs; also used is software for calculations or visualisation. Other important courseware includes datasets such as imagery, maps, terrain models, measurements and reference data. Software and datasets result from the research projects and discussions also play an important role. Participants can submit questions to teachers. Collaborative learning may involve students writing a report together on, for ex­ample, their experience with a certain method; so-called ‘wikis’ are created for this purpose. Table 1 lists the courses delivered so far.

Experience
Each course requires about thirty hours’ work, and participants receive a “Certificate of Attendance” when assignments have all been submitted and “accepted”. The effort required to create courseware is great and quality assurance essential. Teacher selection is the first step, and feedback given by participants via a questionnaire is used for maintaining quality. The questionnaires indicate the following points of good practice:

- fast teacher reaction to questions and submitted assignments

- subjectively experienced pro­gress in learning 

- manageable intended workload

- encouragement of collaborative learning.

Participants return to attend other modules. Teachers appreciate active participation and the constructive criticism of participants. Scientists and teachers profit from contact with practitioners and may derive satisfaction from others using their research. Problemsinclude diversity of participants as regards technical background, culture, age and ability to communicate. Education under such conditions requires specialised teachers. EuroSDR courses are carried out in English only. Writing in a foreign language may lead to misunderstanding and demands greater attention and care than face-to-face education.

EduServ 6
In the spring of 2008, organiser Professor E. Gülch initiated the sixth module, EduServ6, at the University of Applied Sciences in Stuttgart. He welcomed 32 participants from fourteen countries, an above average number. Introduction to Moodle was given by the Finnish Geodetic Institute, which hosted the courseware. The EuroSDR research projects were also presented. Coffee breaks, lunches and a dinner provided good opportunities for teachers and participants to learn about one another and share experience.

Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to the EuroSDR working group on education.

Further reading
- Cho, K., König, G., Höhle, J., 2008, Educational Developments and Outreach, in ISPRS 2008 Congress Book, page 21. 

- Höhle, J., 2004, Designing of Course Material for e-learn­ing in Photogrammetry, in ­ Inter­national Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. XXXV, Part B6, Istanbul, pp 89-94.

- Schiewe, J. [ed.], E-learning in Geoinformatik und Fernerkun­dung ; Herbert Wichmann Verlag, page 190, (2004)

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Höhle, Aalborg University, Department of Development and Planning, Fibigerstraede 11, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark, e-mail: jh@land.aau.dk.