Inform ation Society Research Institute, Budapest University of Technology and Economics

1. Pintér Róbert Information Society Studies in Practice – a Networked LearningCase StudySixth International Conference on Networked Learning, 05-06 May 2008. Halkidiki, Greece Information Society Research Institute, Budapest University of Technology and Economics H-1111 Budapest, Stoczek u. 2-4. St ép 108. • Phone: +36-1 463-2526 • Fax: +36-1 463-2547 • Web: www.ittk.hu

2. Short intro of NETIS • Part of LEONARDO DA VINCI Community Vocational Training Action Programme (priority in Call: Developing relevant and innovative e-learning content) • Partners: Hungary (coordinated by BUTE ITTK), Estonia, Great-Britain, Greece, Italy, Slovakia • 24 months, November 2006 – October 2008 • app. 385k € (72,4% community contribution) • 1 course-book, 1 text-book, e-learning environment, test teaching in blended learning (5 countries)inthe topic of information society (IS)

3. Background on European level • In Hungary as well in other European countries, even the main themes of Information Society (IS) are not well known, and their knowledge is not as widespread as it should be. • Launching the eEurope Action Plans and i2010 creation of a set of tools to disseminate adequate and high level knowledge on IS became crucial for both the university systems and students. • The very nature of this endeavour requires setting up a partnership that should include more European countries.

4. Hungarian origin: the ISERGs • Since 2003 there is an information society higher education project in Hungary co-founded by the Ministry of Informatics and Communication and the Ministry of Education. • In the framework of this initiation a network was established consisting of so-called Information Society Education and Research Groups (ISERGs). • These groups are located at different nationwide recognised universities and colleges in Hungary and also partly in the Carpathian-basin (more than 20 partners altogether). • Every ISERG has research and training activities focusing on definite areas (e.g. social sciences, arts, natural science, industrial art etc.) based on a joint set of knowledge. They can also use a draft course thematic on Introduction to the Information Society. • This project was initiated by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Information Society Research Institute, and the first ISERG was established in 2001.

5. Aims of NETIS • The project participants participate in developing materials on teaching IS at tertiary level and have the opportunity to disseminate the developed materials and project results in their own countries and possibly everywhere in Europe. • Create teaching materials (e.g. course book, text book, professional curriculum, CD) for the topic of information society. • Develop courses based on special teaching methods and methodologies. • The project functions as a pilot project and is tested in higher education institutions with the help of its Moodle (http://netis.nyme.hu). • Meanwhile we promote to develop an experimental international pre-network by building an ISERG-network at a European level. • Our vision is to create a “test bed” to a Europe-wide network of education and research institution to foster diversified, yet strictly coordinated teaching and research activities concerning the information society.

6. Structure of NETIS • Work Package I – Segmentation: Further specification of main target group needs • Work Package II – Course book: Developing an introductory course book • Work Package III – Text Book: Developing and disseminating complementary text book • Work Package IV – E-learning transformation: Transforming the course book and text book into virtual form, and offer the content on e-learning platform • Work Package V – Valorization and dissemination of project products and results/methods • Work Package VI – Teaching: Test teaching of books in blended learning courses • Work Package VII – Evaluation and quality management of the project • Work Package VIII – Project management and office work

7. Target groups • The primary target group of the project are students studying in tertiary education and getting their first final qualification. • The secondary target group consist of other students; teachers, researchers and experts belonging to education and research institutions who are generally interested in learning more on information society. • Thirdly, we intend to target the wider public publishing our results with an e-learning environment. • Direct beneficiaries of the project are the students and the participating institutions who are actively involved in the project. • Indirect beneficiaries of the project are all the students in higher education institutions, the narrow and wide community of the students, their future working places (NGOs, enterprises, governmental institutions) academics and experts and researchers working in research center or other relevant institutions.

8. Products of NETIS • The main products of the project are • curricula, • A course book (printed version, CD and e-learning format in English, Greek and Hungarian), • a text book (electronic and e-learning format), • blended learning courses and curricula, • reports on methodological developments, • and evaluation of teaching. • E-learning and other written project materials will remain available on the internet after finishing the project until 2013.

9. Products in details: Course Book • Course book: Information Society – from Theory to Political Practise • Contains: 13 chapters • app. 250 pages • Available formats: • published book: 2-3000 printed books altogether (in the following languages): • English edition 1400 items • Greek edition 400 items • Hungarian edition 1000 items • CD-ROM: 1-2000 issues altogether (in the above mentioned languages) • PDF book (in the above mentioned languages) • Moodle (e-learning environment): http://netis.nyme.hu

10. Products in details: Course Book • Preface by Robert Pinter • Robert Pinter: Towards getting to know information society • László Z. Karvalics: Information society – what is it exactly? (The meaning, history and conceptual framework of an expression) • Attila Kincsei: Technology and society in the information age • Szilárd Molnár – Bence Kollányi – Levente Székely: Social networks and the network society • Bence Kollányi: Use of space in the information society age • Márton Holczer: Innovation and competitiveness in the information society • Éva Simon: Introduction to the legal regulation of information society

11. Products in details: Course Book • Lilla Juhász: The information strategy of the European Union • Szilárd Molnár: eGovernment in the European Union • Elisa Mancinelli: e-Inclusion in the Information Society • Árpád Rab: Digital culture – Digitalised culture and culture created on a digital platform • István Bessenyei: Learning and Teaching in the Information Society. eLearning 2.0 and Connectivism • Robert Pinter: Popular buzzwords, supernarratives and metanarratives for development: What does the term “information society” mean? • Bibliography • Key terms

12. Products in details: Text Book • Text book: Colorful Information Societies – Country Reports, Case Studies and Papers • Contains: 6 country papers , 25-30papers, and an annex (statistics, bibliography, terms’ dictionary, further resources in IS) • 450-600 pages, > 1,2m characters • Available formats: • CD-ROM 1-2000 issues altogether (in English, country reports and selected papers also available in native languages) • PDF book • separately printed articles (disseminated by partners) • Mooodle, e-learning environment

13. Products in details: Curriculum and Teaching • Curriculum and Teaching: • E-learning materials in Moodle (available until 2013) • Blended learning courses with own adaptation of e-learning content (course structure and syllabi): • Estonia • Great Britain • Greece • Hungary • Slovakia • Audio of selected lectures • Teachers’ notes on teaching • Reports on test teaching

14. Products in details: other • Project website: http://www.netisproject.eu • Monthly newsletter (available on the site) • Regularly refreshed blog of project participants: http://netis.edublogs.org • Mail list archives (for WPs’ and enquirers’ mail list. N.B.: available only for mail list members)

15. Impacts: on students • Short and long term impact on the participating students • the expertise and knowledge of the students increase on IS • those skills and competencies increase that can help them in their private life • their skills and competencies increase in managing their future carrier • the course provide them with indispensable knowledge on joining the IS and how to utilize this expertise on their own working field (the project rise awareness on IS) • this knowledge help them to get a lucrative position at the workforce and build their professional future carrier.

16. Impacts: on teachers and researchers • Short and long term impact on teachers and researchers • acquire new methodological culture • acquire new methodological tools • develop professional cooperation • establishing professional international partnership • intercultural experiences • their expertise and knowledge will further develop and deepen due to international cooperation

17. Long term impacts • The main goal is to test how to foster a basic standardised European-wide information society lecture, and organize a network community for teaching IS courses in as many countries as possible. • As a result of the program we hope to rise awareness of the new challenges and opportunities of the modern information society. • Based on the experiences of this pilot project we plan to expand the project in the future and build a stable and persistent network for IS actions (mainly for teaching, partly for R&D).

18. Summary • The overall objective of the project are • to increase the knowledge and competence of students on IS, • introducing a course on Information Society in tertiary education institutions as a model program • and rising awareness of new challenges and opportunities of the modern information society. • With the help of this pilot project we expand the nation-based ISERG network and start to build a frame for an international cooperation for teaching/researching IS and exchange experience in Europe (dissemination of good practices at European level). • Our network is innovative in the method of teaching IS, introducing a basic, standardised, European-wide IS course in university training, using e-learning environment, holding joint researches, meetings and other coordinated activities.

19. Thank you for your attention! Robert Pinter, PhD , BME-ITTK scientific and strategic director pinter.robert@ittk.hu http://www.ittk.hu Skype and twitter: probesz Mobile: +36-30-9996595 NETIS: http://www.netisproject.eu, http://netis.nyme.hu, http://netis.edublogs.org BME – Information Society Research Institute 1111, Budapest, Sztoczek u. 2-4 St. building 108. Telephone: +36-1-4632526 Fax: +36-1-4632547