Storm and eLearning forum 2009

Yesterday evening was incredibly stormy outside. Bucharest was the scene of thunders, strong wind, fallen trees and branches, some cars destroyed and me and my brother feeling like storm chasers. Insanity I would say but it was breathtaking.



This morning when I left home I was astonished to see what was on the streets. But I had other things to worry about. My boss announced one evening earlier the we're invited to a eLearning forum. Those were great news, because a year ago we've been involved in devoping such a platform, but as I'm used to travel by subway it took me such a long time to get there by bus and I was worried not to be late. Despite my concern I was the first one to get there, so from 9 to 15.00 I witnessed one of the first times a forum on eLearning took place in Romania. As you know e-learning or learning on-line is making small but sure steps in Romanian learning system. Even though there still are barriers on the legislation level those will be over passed soon, because this is the future. Informal learning and teaching becomes formal. Think about that: new members of the same company but in different cities are able to have the same training without traveling costs.

It was good to find out that among consecrated e-learning or Live Meeting platform developers like Microsoft, SIVECO or IBM, we have people involved in this process at the universitary and preunivesitary level. ASE has developed 4 years ago a successfully project of online Master on Communication and PR. Grigore Moisil's high school developed an a Ael and Microsoft platform that is the only one existing in the central and eastern Europe at this level. From what I understood there is another one existing in Great Britain.

First part of the program, named "Study anywhere, anytime now is possible" was about how universities an big companies adapt to the new educational experiences, about time and costs advantages.

The second part "eLearning solutions for companies" was about the most efficient ways to implement the new technology in educational process and some case studies about the efficiency of eLearning implemented until now in organisations.

Among the speakers were: Viorel Jigman – eLearning project manager, Siveco; Marian Stas – president of CODECS Fundation for Leadership; Prof. Dana Bobocea – manager Grigore Moisil high school; conf. dr. Florina Mohanu – PR and Communication ASE Mananger; lect.drd. Cristina Ştefania Curea – Chief of service Online Learning Technology; Emilia Tomoaică – commercial manager INTUITEXT Educational; Dana Holotescu – general manager Timsoft; Bogdan Lupu – e-learning consultant Phare CES 2006; Silviu Martin – Manager, Operations & Implementation.


So you don't have only to imagine that you can learn online, on your PDA or chatting on the www. That technology exists and not only over the borders, but also here in Romania thanks to some intelligent proactive minds.