Final Report Summary - IRNET (International research network for study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences.)
The IRNet project aimed to set up a thematic multidisciplinary joint exchange program dedicated to the development of new tools for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, distance learning and intercultural competences in EU, Australia, Ukraine and Russia.
Project Partnership:
1. University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland)
2. University of Twente (Netherlands)
3. University of Extremadura (Spain)
4. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia)
5. Lisbon Lusiada University (Portugal)
6. University of Ostrava (Czech Republic)
7. Curtin University in Perth (Australia)
8. Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (Ukraine)
9. Dniprodzerzhinsk State Technical University (Ukraine)
10. Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St.Petersburg (Russia)
The overall goal of this project was the study of innovative forms and effective methods of education, and above all, ICT techniques and e-learning methodology, evaluation of teaching competences and suggestion of effective strategies of implementing new innovative tools in the educational activity in the context of globalization of education.
The specific objectives of the project were:
a) To explore indicators of educational effectiveness in the EU and third countries involved in the project;
b) To exchange experiences, analyze and evaluate teaching competences in usage of innovative forms of education and suggest effective strategies of implementing innovative ICT tools in the education activity;
c) To analyze and evaluate social, economic, legal and ethical conditions, as well as methodologies and models of e-learning techniques being developed in the European and third countries involved into the project;
d) To evaluate the effectiveness of the existing models/methodologies designed to provide e-learning and enhance intercultural awareness;
e) To develop a new model based on the current existing models/methodologies and literature review.
f) To evaluate and present new models/methodologies for an effective remote collaborative work and improve Information technologies in Education Science in EU and third countries.
g) To actively transfer knowledge with a view to generating strategic impacts in the thematic research area;
h) To promote scientific discussion about the integrity of systems of education and work focusing on competence issues in the context of globalization of higher education.
The realization of the research programme and the transfer of knowledge were implemented through staff exchange between institutions in Europe (Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain) and third countries (Ukraine, Russia and Australia), allowing to strengthen existing collaborative research and to expand scientific contacts with other promising partners from higher education institutions.
The scientific activities were divided into 7 interconnected work packages, of which one WP was focused on dissemination of results (WP7), one WP was designed to project management (WP1) and five WPs were based on joint research of all the partners:
WP1: “Project and consortium management”
WP2: "Analyses of legal, ethical, human, technical and social factors of ICT and e-learning development and the state of intercultural competences in every partner country":
WP3: “Analyses and evaluation of the ICT level, e-learning and intercultural development in every participating country”:
WP4: “Selection and testing new IT tools”
WP5: "Pilot methodology development"
WP6: “Implementation of methodology”
WP7: “Dissemination of project results”
The mobility of researchers has created new links and contacts between different countries, considerably strengthened their collaboration and significantly enhanced the dissemination of knowledge within the participating institutions and worldwide. In the further part of the project the following partnership contribution to the collaboration is expected: a dataset for analyzing the development of ICT, e-learning, intercultural competences in EU countries; a literature and ICT tools review and analysis of their place in European educational systems and in project partner countries; the detailed methodology of developing ICT and intercultural competence for evaluation of the network research effects in educational institutions of EU countries; deepening the classification of different welfare state regimes, assessing their effectiveness to represent different educational institutions; a detailed identikit of a teacher in each project country as an expression of certain welfare and educational regime; nationwide studies to assess the network research effects in each country; cross-national studies on these effects; educational suggestions concerning the issues studied in the project.
The mobility of researchers has created new links and contacts between different countries, considerably strengthened their collaboration and significantly enhanced the dissemination of knowledge within the participating institutions and worldwide. The secondments provided to the IRNet research teams the opportunity to develop and transfer best practices related to the development of new tools and methods of work in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences, in particular it provided the following support and knowledge to the project and future research possibilities:
• to analyze the methodological background and main approaches to conducting international investigations on ICT, e-learning and intercultural competences in order to work out a system of measuring instruments appropriate for the research at the international level;
• to analyze and evaluate the level of ICT, e-learning and intercultural developments in every participating country applying the system of measuring instruments approved;
• to compare the results obtained and to draw the conclusion about the existing barriers in ICT, e-learning and intercultural competences, taking into consideration descriptions of the national specifics of legal, human, social, ethical and technological factors of their implementation.
Project facts and figures:
• 204,41 months of research staff exchange have been carried out within the 4 years of the project.
• 47 researchers have been involved in the exchange programme.
• 220 papers have been published by members of the network.
• 23 conferences have been organized
• Dissemination of results: through the specifically designed website http://www.irnet.us.edu.pl
The successful completion of the IRNet project provided several major outputs:
- Highest quality competence in research in advanced pedagogical science in area of e-learning, ICT and intercultural competences with significant influence on the development of the HEIs staff and open information and educational environment from different region/country
- Reinforce ERA as an internationally-renown partners of AU and initiator of cooperation projects in the next Erasmus+, Cost, IVF, H2020 with an international cooperation dimension focused on the participation of companies and development of the close cooperation with outstanding EU and AU partners
- Synergy of the research offer with the requirements of innovative education approach and strengthening cooperation EU and non-EU HEIs in framework open educational electronical environment and developing of SMART universities.
Project Partnership:
1. University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland)
2. University of Twente (Netherlands)
3. University of Extremadura (Spain)
4. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia)
5. Lisbon Lusiada University (Portugal)
6. University of Ostrava (Czech Republic)
7. Curtin University in Perth (Australia)
8. Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (Ukraine)
9. Dniprodzerzhinsk State Technical University (Ukraine)
10. Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St.Petersburg (Russia)
The overall goal of this project was the study of innovative forms and effective methods of education, and above all, ICT techniques and e-learning methodology, evaluation of teaching competences and suggestion of effective strategies of implementing new innovative tools in the educational activity in the context of globalization of education.
The specific objectives of the project were:
a) To explore indicators of educational effectiveness in the EU and third countries involved in the project;
b) To exchange experiences, analyze and evaluate teaching competences in usage of innovative forms of education and suggest effective strategies of implementing innovative ICT tools in the education activity;
c) To analyze and evaluate social, economic, legal and ethical conditions, as well as methodologies and models of e-learning techniques being developed in the European and third countries involved into the project;
d) To evaluate the effectiveness of the existing models/methodologies designed to provide e-learning and enhance intercultural awareness;
e) To develop a new model based on the current existing models/methodologies and literature review.
f) To evaluate and present new models/methodologies for an effective remote collaborative work and improve Information technologies in Education Science in EU and third countries.
g) To actively transfer knowledge with a view to generating strategic impacts in the thematic research area;
h) To promote scientific discussion about the integrity of systems of education and work focusing on competence issues in the context of globalization of higher education.
The realization of the research programme and the transfer of knowledge were implemented through staff exchange between institutions in Europe (Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain) and third countries (Ukraine, Russia and Australia), allowing to strengthen existing collaborative research and to expand scientific contacts with other promising partners from higher education institutions.
The scientific activities were divided into 7 interconnected work packages, of which one WP was focused on dissemination of results (WP7), one WP was designed to project management (WP1) and five WPs were based on joint research of all the partners:
WP1: “Project and consortium management”
WP2: "Analyses of legal, ethical, human, technical and social factors of ICT and e-learning development and the state of intercultural competences in every partner country":
WP3: “Analyses and evaluation of the ICT level, e-learning and intercultural development in every participating country”:
WP4: “Selection and testing new IT tools”
WP5: "Pilot methodology development"
WP6: “Implementation of methodology”
WP7: “Dissemination of project results”
The mobility of researchers has created new links and contacts between different countries, considerably strengthened their collaboration and significantly enhanced the dissemination of knowledge within the participating institutions and worldwide. In the further part of the project the following partnership contribution to the collaboration is expected: a dataset for analyzing the development of ICT, e-learning, intercultural competences in EU countries; a literature and ICT tools review and analysis of their place in European educational systems and in project partner countries; the detailed methodology of developing ICT and intercultural competence for evaluation of the network research effects in educational institutions of EU countries; deepening the classification of different welfare state regimes, assessing their effectiveness to represent different educational institutions; a detailed identikit of a teacher in each project country as an expression of certain welfare and educational regime; nationwide studies to assess the network research effects in each country; cross-national studies on these effects; educational suggestions concerning the issues studied in the project.
The mobility of researchers has created new links and contacts between different countries, considerably strengthened their collaboration and significantly enhanced the dissemination of knowledge within the participating institutions and worldwide. The secondments provided to the IRNet research teams the opportunity to develop and transfer best practices related to the development of new tools and methods of work in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences, in particular it provided the following support and knowledge to the project and future research possibilities:
• to analyze the methodological background and main approaches to conducting international investigations on ICT, e-learning and intercultural competences in order to work out a system of measuring instruments appropriate for the research at the international level;
• to analyze and evaluate the level of ICT, e-learning and intercultural developments in every participating country applying the system of measuring instruments approved;
• to compare the results obtained and to draw the conclusion about the existing barriers in ICT, e-learning and intercultural competences, taking into consideration descriptions of the national specifics of legal, human, social, ethical and technological factors of their implementation.
Project facts and figures:
• 204,41 months of research staff exchange have been carried out within the 4 years of the project.
• 47 researchers have been involved in the exchange programme.
• 220 papers have been published by members of the network.
• 23 conferences have been organized
• Dissemination of results: through the specifically designed website http://www.irnet.us.edu.pl
The successful completion of the IRNet project provided several major outputs:
- Highest quality competence in research in advanced pedagogical science in area of e-learning, ICT and intercultural competences with significant influence on the development of the HEIs staff and open information and educational environment from different region/country
- Reinforce ERA as an internationally-renown partners of AU and initiator of cooperation projects in the next Erasmus+, Cost, IVF, H2020 with an international cooperation dimension focused on the participation of companies and development of the close cooperation with outstanding EU and AU partners
- Synergy of the research offer with the requirements of innovative education approach and strengthening cooperation EU and non-EU HEIs in framework open educational electronical environment and developing of SMART universities.