institutions are developing and experimenting with international, web based courses for
teachers.
IFB Instituto de Formacao Bancaria [75] (
http://www.ifb.pt
) in Portugal has 47 students in
the course Financial Markets. IFB is the department for professional training of the
Portuguese Banks Association. Advanced training methodologies, using telematics media, are
often used. Thousands of students have already attended the IFB distance learning courses,
mostly coming from the bank and financial sector. The "Introduction to Financial Market
Via Internet" intends to set up a virtual school. The participants are organized in teams with a
tutor who directs the learning process through e mail and computer conferences. The course is
divided in units and each student also receives written materials and video.
CECENET Instituto de Tecnicas Educativas; [79] (
http://www.cece.es
) in Spain offers 4
courses in Quality, Values, Education Technology, and Administration. The CECENET is the
first Spanish web program for non university education. Its purpose is to provide the non
university education world with all the services and information that satisfy its needs and
implements a more efficient administration of resources. The CECENET is coordinated by the
Instituto de Tecnicas Educativas that serves 46 federations across Spain. The methodology
used is based on self study at home, classroom lectures, telephone and Internet tutoring. These
courses are attended by directors and trainers that work at the education centers.
UNED [80 82] (
http://www.uned.es
), the Spanish Open University, is represented with three
entries in the catalogue. The Psychology Faculty [80]
(
http://www.uned.es/proyectos/ing/Telementos.htm
) has12 students and 3 courses in Law,
Economics, and Psychology. The Foteumidis project has the objective to teach disabled
persons using mail, telephone, Internet, e mail, connecting the computers to the RDSI public
line and receiving information via audio and video. The project was designed to help people
with deficiency or disability learn and develop their knowledge without having to leave their
home or workplace. The disabled students that participated in the project belong to the study
centers placed in Cadiz (3), Toledo (3), Murcia (2), Terrasa (1), Las Palmas (1), Mallorca (1),
and Tenerife (1). The technologies used are: personal computers, multi videoconference using
ISDN, communications system, and access to ISDN network.
The Food Engineering department of Lund Institute of Technology [86]
(
http://anka.livstek.lth.se
) in Sweden has 15 students in the course IT aided Distance Learning
for the Food Industry. The course consists of 10 modules e.g. Food Technology (3), Food
Engineering (3), Nutrition, Food Microbiology, Food analyses, and Statistics. Most of the
modules are given according to problem based learning via Internet. The cases are presented
via Internet and for the meetings once a week, the students are using computer based
programs as Iparty and NetMeeting. For communication teacher student and student student
e mail and the web are used. The students are part time students supposed to follow 4
modules per year. The students are coming to Lund 3 5 times per semester for introductions,
to do laboratory work and final examination.
Abacus Learning Systems [94] (
http://www.abacus uk.co.uk
) in the U.K. has 4 courses about
online training. The training is mainly delivered virtually in the Abacus Virtual College
through the medium of the learner s computer connected to a virtual classroom by a telephone
line. Products and services offered by Abacus Learning Systems are: online training courses in
the Abacus Virtual College, consultancy to help organizations understand the concepts and set
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