EIRP Proceedings (May 2011)
New Technological Trend in Educational Management
Abstract
The authors aim to highlight, after using the LMS based Sakai from implementation, the perceptionof both sides (professors and students) over the use of the implementation of information and communicationtechnology (ITC) in the education process. In the academic year 2007 – 2008, the leadership of DanubiusUniversity from Galati adopted the strategic decision to develop an integrated information system, which toincorporate the Student Information System (UMS), an e-learning platform, management system, researchand administrative management. In the months April – May 2010, at Danubius University from Galati it wasmade a survey organized by MISI 2010, at which 28 universities attended from around the world who useSakai, of the professors and students regarding the use in their activity of the ITC and in general of theplatform Danubius Online. At the university Danubius from Galati answered to the survey 24 professors and177 students. The participants responded to questions about both their views concerning the use of theinformation technology in the superior education in general, and at specific questions concerning theDanubius Online portal. After the experience gained in the pilot phase, developed in the academic year 2009-2010 and taking into account by the results of the survey, it was decided that starting with 1 October 2010 toproceed to the stage production. To this end, it was installed the Sakai version 2.7.1 and significantlyincreased the number of course sites that are operating on the Danubius Online portal, the tendency being togeneralize at all the university courses, taking into account by the trends of the both sides. There have beenintroduced more extensive indications of use, both for students and for professors. The article aims tohighlight the reactions of both sides: professors and students, on the implementation of the Danubius onlineplatform, through a survey that took place during May – June 2010. This is a clear example of response to thetechnological change management within the university. By participating in the survey organized by MISI2010 we found both strengths and weaknesses in the Romanian educational management, but also of all theparticipant universities within the survey. Being the only university from Romania, which has implementedthe learning platform developed in the Sakai project, we can state that the results are unique, so therefore webelieve that this paper brings a new contribution to the higher education by highlighting the current level ofdevelopment.
