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Knowledge Management & E-learning
A Brief Report on
An E-Learning Course on Renewable Energy
Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Mr. Nawa Raj Dhakal September, 2009
Table of Contents Cover page Table of contents
1 2
1. Background 1.1 Definitions of Knowledge Management 1.2 Scope of Knowledge Management
3 3 4
2. Distance Education/ E-Learning and Knowledge Management
4
3. A Distance Learning Course on Renewable Energy 3.1 Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) 3.1.1 WHY DIERET? 3.1.2 ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS 3.1.3 STUDY MATERIALS 3.1.4 EVALUATION TESTS - CRITERIA FOR PASSING THE COURSE 3.1.5 DIERET CERTIFICATE 3.1.6 CONTENTS OF THE STUDY MATERIAL 3.1.7 CONTACT DETAILS
5 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9
4. Discussion
10
5. Conclusion
11
6. References
11
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 2 of 11
1. Background Knowledge is essential in everyday work. Knowledge is used as an overall term, without making a further difference between wisdom, intelligence, creativity etc. A common expression for knowledge is "information in action", i.e., information applied for a purpose. Thereby it is pointed out that knowledge is context-specific. Consider the following observation made by Neil Fleming as a basis for thought relating to the following diagram [1]: A collection of data is not information. A collection of information is not knowledge. A collection of knowledge is not wisdom. A collection of wisdom is not truth. The idea is that information, knowledge, and wisdom are more than simply collections. Rather, the whole represents more than the sum of its parts and has a synergy of its own. Knowledge is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as (i) expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
Knowledge Management (KM) comprises a range of practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute and enable adoption of insights and experiences [2]. Such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in individuals or embedded in organizational processes or practice. The general purpose of KM is to make knowledge usable for more than one individual, e.g. for an organization as a whole; that is, to share it.
1.1 Definitions of Knowledge Management Following are some definitions of knowledge management: The process of systematically and actively managing and leveraging the stores of knowledge in an organization [3]. Organizing, sharing and applying knowledge through the support of people and technology [4]. A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 3 of 11
Discipline within an organization that ensures that the intellectual capabilities of an organization are shared, maintained and institutionalized [5]. The activities related to the capture, use and sharing of knowledge by the organization [6]. To sum up, KM can be defined as involving people and information technology in creating, using/organizing and dissemination of knowledge.
1.2 Scope of Knowledge Management KM efforts typically focus on organizational objectives such as improved performance, competitive advantage, innovation, the sharing of lessons learnt, and continuous improvement of the organization. KM efforts overlap with organizational learning, and may be distinguished from that by a greater focus on the management of knowledge as a strategic asset and a focus on encouraging the sharing of knowledge. KM efforts can help individuals and groups to share valuable organizational insights, to reduce redundant work, to avoid reinventing the wheel per se, to reduce training time for new employees, to retain intellectual capital as employees’ turnover in an organization, and to adapt to changing environments and markets. A broad range of thoughts on the KM discipline exist with no unanimous agreement; approaches vary by author and school. As the discipline matures, academic debates have increased regarding both the theory and practice of KM, to include the following three perspectives [2]: Techno-centric with a focus on technology, ideally those that enhance knowledge sharing and creation Organizational with a focus on how an organization can be designed to facilitate knowledge processes best Ecological with a focus on the interaction of people, identity, knowledge, and environmental factors as a complex adaptive system similar to a natural ecosystem Early KM technologies included online corporate yellow pages as expertise locators and document management systems. Combined with the early development of collaborative technologies, KM technologies expanded in the mid-1990s. Subsequent KM efforts leveraged semantic technologies for search and retrieval and the development of e-learning tools for communities of practice [2].
2. Distance Education/ E-Learning and Knowledge Management Distance education, or distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the pedagogy and andragogy, technology, and instructional systems design that aim to deliver education to students who are not physically "on site". According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “distance A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 4 of 11
education is a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.” In other words, it is the process of creating an educational experience of equal qualitative value for the learner to best suit their needs outside the classroom. Rather than attending courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time and through other online ways [7]. E-learning (or sometimes electronic learning or eLearning) is a term which is commonly used, but does not have a common definition. Most frequently, it is used for web-based distance education, with no face-to-face interaction. However, also much broader definitions are common. For example, it may include all types of technology enhanced learning (TEL), where technology is used to support the learning process. Furthermore, it is often used interchangeably with various other related terms, such as distance learning, distributed learning, and electronic learning. Lately in most Universities, e-learning is used to define a specific mode to attend a course or programmes of study where the students rarely or never meet face-to-face, nor access on-campus educational facilities, because they study online [8]. Hence, distance education and E-learning can be considered as synonymous for a web-based distance education, with no face-to-face interaction. Since KM makes the use of information technology for capturing, organizing and dissemination of knowledge, it also facilitates E-learning. So, E-learning can be considered as one of the application of KM with fast growing scope in the recent years. With the recent trend of technological advancement, E-learning is becoming more recognized for its potential in providing individualized attention and communication with students internationally.
3. A Distance Learning Course on Renewable Energy Modern society continues to rely largely on fossil fuels to preserve economic growth and today's standard of living. But because of the depletion of fossil fuels, the world is coming to a shortage of such fuels and exploitation and exploration of renewable energy is the prime concern of today’s world. Renewable energy is ‘the energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat—which are renewable or naturally replenished’. Another term sustainable energy is also in common use, which means ‘the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs’. It includes all renewable energy sources and the technologies that improve energy efficiency (i.e., using less energy to provide the same level of energy service).
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 5 of 11
In the modern world, where everything changes at an extremely fast rate, a constant and everyday updating of knowledge is necessary. Global climate change, emission of green house gases, high oil price, limited world oil reserves are driving increasing search for new alternative and green energy resources. So, renewable energy has become one of the important and favorite subjects of study in recent years. The following sections give a brief account on a renewable energy course that can be completed in distant learning mode.
3.1 Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) [9] Course Title: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) Type: Post-Graduate Programme Provider: INFORSE*(www.inforse.org) *INFORSE (International Network for Sustainable Energy) is a worldwide network consisting of 140 Non Governmental Organizations working in about 60 countries to promote sustainable energy and social development. The Network was established in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to secure follow-up in the political decision sat the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).
DIERET is a free educational course offered to INFORSE members and the general public to upgrade knowledge on renewable energy technology. The course was prepared in the framework of the INFORSE North-South co-operation. The development of the material was supported by the Forum for Energy Development Denmark, and European Commission DG Environment Civil Society Support and the Danish Outdoor Council. INFORSE launched DIERET in 1999. Each round includes 25-30 students, and rounds have been held in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. In 2003, it was translated to Russian and Albanian with support from the Danish Outdoor Council Small Grant Fund. 3.1.1 WHY DIERET? Education on sustainable energy is an INFORSE priority. The main goal of DIERET is to supply students with knowledge that is not usually covered by ordinary educational institutions (including universities). The students who are completing the course will obtain basic knowledge about renewable energy technologies and their use in different parts of the world. For students from A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 6 of 11
NGOs, this means the acquisition of reliable arguments in campaigns and lobbying for sustainable energy development. Students from developing counties can use the course as their starting point for promotion of renewable energy in rural areas. Students will be equipped also with the abilities to design simple systems utilizing renewable energy technologies and thus provide technically backed answers to the renewable energy technology related problems. 3.1.2 ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS If you are interested in joining the study course, please forward a request at any point during the year to project leader Emil Bedi/FAE. Students accepted will be informed by the project leader about their tasks in the study course and the best way of communication will be agreed. Students will receive a set of materials (modules and examination tests) by e-mail and will be asked to send answers to the project leader. The maximum time available for completion of the DIERET course is set for 4 months (does not include delays in communication). 3.1.3 STUDY MATERIALS DIERET study materials consist of five modules and examination tests. The study materials consist of about 300 pages and 450 illustrations. The study materials are divided to the following chapters: 1. Why Renewables? 2. Biomass Energy 3. Solar Energy 4. Hydro Power 5. Wind Energy 6. Alternative Fuels for Transportation (New in 2006) Annexes on Organising and Policy Making for Renewable Energy Cases, Units The text in each module includes introduction, history, technology, applications, guides etc (Details given in section 3.1.6). When you enroll to the course, you will receive the study materials and the questions. You can also download the text material from the internet or buy a CD which includes the materials. At each chapter, there are approx. 20 questions, which have to be answered by the student. Questions are set not to be difficult and can be answered without any technical background knowledge.
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 7 of 11
3.1.4 EVALUATION TESTS - CRITERIA FOR PASSING THE COURSE It is proposed that students will have to answer correctly at least 75 % of all answers in each module to pass the examination. All questions bear equal weight meaning that e.g. at least 15 of 20 questions will have to be answered correctly in each module. Students will be informed about their results. 3.1.5 DIERET CERTIFICATE All successful students will receive a Certificate issued by the INFORSE Secretariat and signed by the project leader, co-coordinators and head of INFORSE Secretariat. Despite the fact that INFORSE is not recognized as the educational institution (now), we are certain that this Certificate and knowledge will help you in future. 3.1.6 CONTENTS OF THE STUDY MATERIAL 1. WHY DO WE NEED RENEWABLES? - ENERGY TODAY - ENERGY CONSUMPTION - SUSTAINABILITY PROBLEM - ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ENERGY USE - SOCIAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY USE - RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - LITERATURE 2. SOLAR ENERGY - INTRODUCTION - POTENTIALS - SOLAR ENERGY UTILISATION - PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY USE - SOLAR COLLECTORS - SOLAR THERMAL POWER PRODUCTION - PHOTOVOLTAICS - GUIDELINES FOR ESTIMATION OF SOLAR POTENTIALS, BARRIERS AND EFFECS - LITERATURE - SOLAR ENERGY 3. BIOMASS - INTRODUCTION - ENERGY VALUE - BENEFITS OF BIOMASS AS ENERGY SOURCE - ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 8 of 11
- BIOMASS FUELS - BIOMASS FUELS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES - METHODS OF GENERATING ENERGY FROM BIOMASS - TECHNOLOGY EXAMPLES - LOW-COST PRACTICAL DESIGNS OF BIOGAS TECHNOLGY - CONVERSION OF BIOMASS INTO ELECTRICITY - GUIDELINE FOR ESTIMATION OF BIOMASS POTENTIALS, BARRIERS AND EFFECTS - LITERATURE - BIOMASS 4. WIND ENERGY - INTRODUCTION - ENERGY IN THE WIND TECHNOLOGY - APPLICATION OF WIND TURBINES - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF WIND POWER PLANTS - GUIDELINES FOR WIND POWER APPLICATIONS - LITERATURE - WIND POWER 5. HYDRO POWER - INTRODUCTION - HYDRO POWER PLANTS - TECHNOLOGY - BIG OR SMALL HYDRO ? - BIG HYDROPOWER - SMALL HYDROPOWER - OCEAN POWER 6. ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR TRANSPORTATION ANNEX: - ORGANISING and POLICIES - UNITS.
3.1.7 CONTACT DETAILS DISTANCE INTERNET EDUCATION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES - DIERET Project Manager: Foundation for Alternative Energy (FAE), attn. Emil Bedi, INFORSE-Europe Coordinator Godrova ul. 3/b, 811 06 Bratislava, Slovakia Ph/fax : +421 2 63 836964 Ph/fax: +421 2 54 413968 (SZOPK) A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 9 of 11
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] More Information and Application Form: http://www.inforse.org/europe/educat.htm Contact person: Emil Bedi About the Russian version: Contact: INFORSE member REA in Ukraine, att. Andrei Konechenkov, http://www.rea.org.ua/ email: [email protected] About the Albanian version: Contact: INFORSE Member, Albanian Ecological Club, Att. Ali Eltari e-mail: [email protected]
4. Discussion DIERET was started with objective to upgrade the knowledge of its members and other interested persons on renewable energy technologies. The course used information technology system from its formulation phase for capturing, organizing and dissemination of knowledge. As the course is conducted in E-learning mode, interested students can enroll in the course electronically; receive all the study materials including examination tests by e-mail and complete the evaluation tests electronically too. The students can manage their study time by themselves and complete the course within the given time period of 4 months. So, DIERET applies knowledge management very well. Since its launching of first round in 2000, eight batches of students completed DIERET in English medium. The course has also been translated in Russian and Albanian versions to have a greater coverage of students studying in language other than English. As a part of regular updating of the course, the chapter on ‘Alternative Fuels for Transportation’ was added in the course. Hence, DIERET is keeping pace with the innovation in technology and changing demand of the course from the people with different capabilities. Though INFORSE is not an educational organization, it is using its organizational network spread in 60 countries of the world through different NGOs to disseminate information on renewable energy. In other words, a very large group of people having interest in renewable energy has got opportunity to study this subject while doing their work at your own place. So, the course is developing capacity of people with the diverse backgrounds in the renewable energy sector. Therefore, DIRET can be taken as very good application of knowledge management. A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) Page 10 of 11
5. Conclusion Information and communication technologies (ICTs) as well as the renewable energy technologies (RETs) are developing very rapidly. KM is also gaining its scope as an emerging discipline to meet the changing demands of this modern society. E-learning, as an application of KM, provides the opportunities such as flexible learning and life-long learning and the opportunity to update the professional skills and knowledge; DIERET is a good example of such learning. The scope of such courses in renewable energy seems to become even wider with the advancements in ICTs and RETs. In addition to the different academic courses being provided by different educational institutions, the course like DIERET can help to develop the capacity of people from different professional levels and academic backgrounds hence covering the different strata of the society.
6. References [1] http://www.systems-thinking.org/kmgmt/kmgmt.htm [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_management [3] www.usq.edu.au/planstats/Docs/GlossaryTerms.doc [4] www.finance.gov.au/Publications/annual-reports/annualreport99-00/gloss.htm [5] www.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au/knowledgebase/itservices/a-z/k.html [6] http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=6878 [7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_education [8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Learning [9] http://www.inforse.org/europe/educat.htm
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) Page 11 of 11
A Brief Report on
An E-Learning Course on Renewable Energy
Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Mr. Nawa Raj Dhakal September, 2009
Table of Contents Cover page Table of contents
1 2
1. Background 1.1 Definitions of Knowledge Management 1.2 Scope of Knowledge Management
3 3 4
2. Distance Education/ E-Learning and Knowledge Management
4
3. A Distance Learning Course on Renewable Energy 3.1 Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) 3.1.1 WHY DIERET? 3.1.2 ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS 3.1.3 STUDY MATERIALS 3.1.4 EVALUATION TESTS - CRITERIA FOR PASSING THE COURSE 3.1.5 DIERET CERTIFICATE 3.1.6 CONTENTS OF THE STUDY MATERIAL 3.1.7 CONTACT DETAILS
5 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9
4. Discussion
10
5. Conclusion
11
6. References
11
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 2 of 11
1. Background Knowledge is essential in everyday work. Knowledge is used as an overall term, without making a further difference between wisdom, intelligence, creativity etc. A common expression for knowledge is "information in action", i.e., information applied for a purpose. Thereby it is pointed out that knowledge is context-specific. Consider the following observation made by Neil Fleming as a basis for thought relating to the following diagram [1]: A collection of data is not information. A collection of information is not knowledge. A collection of knowledge is not wisdom. A collection of wisdom is not truth. The idea is that information, knowledge, and wisdom are more than simply collections. Rather, the whole represents more than the sum of its parts and has a synergy of its own. Knowledge is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as (i) expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
Knowledge Management (KM) comprises a range of practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute and enable adoption of insights and experiences [2]. Such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in individuals or embedded in organizational processes or practice. The general purpose of KM is to make knowledge usable for more than one individual, e.g. for an organization as a whole; that is, to share it.
1.1 Definitions of Knowledge Management Following are some definitions of knowledge management: The process of systematically and actively managing and leveraging the stores of knowledge in an organization [3]. Organizing, sharing and applying knowledge through the support of people and technology [4]. A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 3 of 11
Discipline within an organization that ensures that the intellectual capabilities of an organization are shared, maintained and institutionalized [5]. The activities related to the capture, use and sharing of knowledge by the organization [6]. To sum up, KM can be defined as involving people and information technology in creating, using/organizing and dissemination of knowledge.
1.2 Scope of Knowledge Management KM efforts typically focus on organizational objectives such as improved performance, competitive advantage, innovation, the sharing of lessons learnt, and continuous improvement of the organization. KM efforts overlap with organizational learning, and may be distinguished from that by a greater focus on the management of knowledge as a strategic asset and a focus on encouraging the sharing of knowledge. KM efforts can help individuals and groups to share valuable organizational insights, to reduce redundant work, to avoid reinventing the wheel per se, to reduce training time for new employees, to retain intellectual capital as employees’ turnover in an organization, and to adapt to changing environments and markets. A broad range of thoughts on the KM discipline exist with no unanimous agreement; approaches vary by author and school. As the discipline matures, academic debates have increased regarding both the theory and practice of KM, to include the following three perspectives [2]: Techno-centric with a focus on technology, ideally those that enhance knowledge sharing and creation Organizational with a focus on how an organization can be designed to facilitate knowledge processes best Ecological with a focus on the interaction of people, identity, knowledge, and environmental factors as a complex adaptive system similar to a natural ecosystem Early KM technologies included online corporate yellow pages as expertise locators and document management systems. Combined with the early development of collaborative technologies, KM technologies expanded in the mid-1990s. Subsequent KM efforts leveraged semantic technologies for search and retrieval and the development of e-learning tools for communities of practice [2].
2. Distance Education/ E-Learning and Knowledge Management Distance education, or distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the pedagogy and andragogy, technology, and instructional systems design that aim to deliver education to students who are not physically "on site". According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “distance A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 4 of 11
education is a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.” In other words, it is the process of creating an educational experience of equal qualitative value for the learner to best suit their needs outside the classroom. Rather than attending courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time and through other online ways [7]. E-learning (or sometimes electronic learning or eLearning) is a term which is commonly used, but does not have a common definition. Most frequently, it is used for web-based distance education, with no face-to-face interaction. However, also much broader definitions are common. For example, it may include all types of technology enhanced learning (TEL), where technology is used to support the learning process. Furthermore, it is often used interchangeably with various other related terms, such as distance learning, distributed learning, and electronic learning. Lately in most Universities, e-learning is used to define a specific mode to attend a course or programmes of study where the students rarely or never meet face-to-face, nor access on-campus educational facilities, because they study online [8]. Hence, distance education and E-learning can be considered as synonymous for a web-based distance education, with no face-to-face interaction. Since KM makes the use of information technology for capturing, organizing and dissemination of knowledge, it also facilitates E-learning. So, E-learning can be considered as one of the application of KM with fast growing scope in the recent years. With the recent trend of technological advancement, E-learning is becoming more recognized for its potential in providing individualized attention and communication with students internationally.
3. A Distance Learning Course on Renewable Energy Modern society continues to rely largely on fossil fuels to preserve economic growth and today's standard of living. But because of the depletion of fossil fuels, the world is coming to a shortage of such fuels and exploitation and exploration of renewable energy is the prime concern of today’s world. Renewable energy is ‘the energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat—which are renewable or naturally replenished’. Another term sustainable energy is also in common use, which means ‘the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs’. It includes all renewable energy sources and the technologies that improve energy efficiency (i.e., using less energy to provide the same level of energy service).
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 5 of 11
In the modern world, where everything changes at an extremely fast rate, a constant and everyday updating of knowledge is necessary. Global climate change, emission of green house gases, high oil price, limited world oil reserves are driving increasing search for new alternative and green energy resources. So, renewable energy has become one of the important and favorite subjects of study in recent years. The following sections give a brief account on a renewable energy course that can be completed in distant learning mode.
3.1 Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) [9] Course Title: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) Type: Post-Graduate Programme Provider: INFORSE*(www.inforse.org) *INFORSE (International Network for Sustainable Energy) is a worldwide network consisting of 140 Non Governmental Organizations working in about 60 countries to promote sustainable energy and social development. The Network was established in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to secure follow-up in the political decision sat the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).
DIERET is a free educational course offered to INFORSE members and the general public to upgrade knowledge on renewable energy technology. The course was prepared in the framework of the INFORSE North-South co-operation. The development of the material was supported by the Forum for Energy Development Denmark, and European Commission DG Environment Civil Society Support and the Danish Outdoor Council. INFORSE launched DIERET in 1999. Each round includes 25-30 students, and rounds have been held in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. In 2003, it was translated to Russian and Albanian with support from the Danish Outdoor Council Small Grant Fund. 3.1.1 WHY DIERET? Education on sustainable energy is an INFORSE priority. The main goal of DIERET is to supply students with knowledge that is not usually covered by ordinary educational institutions (including universities). The students who are completing the course will obtain basic knowledge about renewable energy technologies and their use in different parts of the world. For students from A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 6 of 11
NGOs, this means the acquisition of reliable arguments in campaigns and lobbying for sustainable energy development. Students from developing counties can use the course as their starting point for promotion of renewable energy in rural areas. Students will be equipped also with the abilities to design simple systems utilizing renewable energy technologies and thus provide technically backed answers to the renewable energy technology related problems. 3.1.2 ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS If you are interested in joining the study course, please forward a request at any point during the year to project leader Emil Bedi/FAE. Students accepted will be informed by the project leader about their tasks in the study course and the best way of communication will be agreed. Students will receive a set of materials (modules and examination tests) by e-mail and will be asked to send answers to the project leader. The maximum time available for completion of the DIERET course is set for 4 months (does not include delays in communication). 3.1.3 STUDY MATERIALS DIERET study materials consist of five modules and examination tests. The study materials consist of about 300 pages and 450 illustrations. The study materials are divided to the following chapters: 1. Why Renewables? 2. Biomass Energy 3. Solar Energy 4. Hydro Power 5. Wind Energy 6. Alternative Fuels for Transportation (New in 2006) Annexes on Organising and Policy Making for Renewable Energy Cases, Units The text in each module includes introduction, history, technology, applications, guides etc (Details given in section 3.1.6). When you enroll to the course, you will receive the study materials and the questions. You can also download the text material from the internet or buy a CD which includes the materials. At each chapter, there are approx. 20 questions, which have to be answered by the student. Questions are set not to be difficult and can be answered without any technical background knowledge.
A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 7 of 11
3.1.4 EVALUATION TESTS - CRITERIA FOR PASSING THE COURSE It is proposed that students will have to answer correctly at least 75 % of all answers in each module to pass the examination. All questions bear equal weight meaning that e.g. at least 15 of 20 questions will have to be answered correctly in each module. Students will be informed about their results. 3.1.5 DIERET CERTIFICATE All successful students will receive a Certificate issued by the INFORSE Secretariat and signed by the project leader, co-coordinators and head of INFORSE Secretariat. Despite the fact that INFORSE is not recognized as the educational institution (now), we are certain that this Certificate and knowledge will help you in future. 3.1.6 CONTENTS OF THE STUDY MATERIAL 1. WHY DO WE NEED RENEWABLES? - ENERGY TODAY - ENERGY CONSUMPTION - SUSTAINABILITY PROBLEM - ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ENERGY USE - SOCIAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY USE - RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - LITERATURE 2. SOLAR ENERGY - INTRODUCTION - POTENTIALS - SOLAR ENERGY UTILISATION - PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY USE - SOLAR COLLECTORS - SOLAR THERMAL POWER PRODUCTION - PHOTOVOLTAICS - GUIDELINES FOR ESTIMATION OF SOLAR POTENTIALS, BARRIERS AND EFFECS - LITERATURE - SOLAR ENERGY 3. BIOMASS - INTRODUCTION - ENERGY VALUE - BENEFITS OF BIOMASS AS ENERGY SOURCE - ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
Page 8 of 11
- BIOMASS FUELS - BIOMASS FUELS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES - METHODS OF GENERATING ENERGY FROM BIOMASS - TECHNOLOGY EXAMPLES - LOW-COST PRACTICAL DESIGNS OF BIOGAS TECHNOLGY - CONVERSION OF BIOMASS INTO ELECTRICITY - GUIDELINE FOR ESTIMATION OF BIOMASS POTENTIALS, BARRIERS AND EFFECTS - LITERATURE - BIOMASS 4. WIND ENERGY - INTRODUCTION - ENERGY IN THE WIND TECHNOLOGY - APPLICATION OF WIND TURBINES - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF WIND POWER PLANTS - GUIDELINES FOR WIND POWER APPLICATIONS - LITERATURE - WIND POWER 5. HYDRO POWER - INTRODUCTION - HYDRO POWER PLANTS - TECHNOLOGY - BIG OR SMALL HYDRO ? - BIG HYDROPOWER - SMALL HYDROPOWER - OCEAN POWER 6. ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR TRANSPORTATION ANNEX: - ORGANISING and POLICIES - UNITS.
3.1.7 CONTACT DETAILS DISTANCE INTERNET EDUCATION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES - DIERET Project Manager: Foundation for Alternative Energy (FAE), attn. Emil Bedi, INFORSE-Europe Coordinator Godrova ul. 3/b, 811 06 Bratislava, Slovakia Ph/fax : +421 2 63 836964 Ph/fax: +421 2 54 413968 (SZOPK) A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET)
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E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] More Information and Application Form: http://www.inforse.org/europe/educat.htm Contact person: Emil Bedi About the Russian version: Contact: INFORSE member REA in Ukraine, att. Andrei Konechenkov, http://www.rea.org.ua/ email: [email protected] About the Albanian version: Contact: INFORSE Member, Albanian Ecological Club, Att. Ali Eltari e-mail: [email protected]
4. Discussion DIERET was started with objective to upgrade the knowledge of its members and other interested persons on renewable energy technologies. The course used information technology system from its formulation phase for capturing, organizing and dissemination of knowledge. As the course is conducted in E-learning mode, interested students can enroll in the course electronically; receive all the study materials including examination tests by e-mail and complete the evaluation tests electronically too. The students can manage their study time by themselves and complete the course within the given time period of 4 months. So, DIERET applies knowledge management very well. Since its launching of first round in 2000, eight batches of students completed DIERET in English medium. The course has also been translated in Russian and Albanian versions to have a greater coverage of students studying in language other than English. As a part of regular updating of the course, the chapter on ‘Alternative Fuels for Transportation’ was added in the course. Hence, DIERET is keeping pace with the innovation in technology and changing demand of the course from the people with different capabilities. Though INFORSE is not an educational organization, it is using its organizational network spread in 60 countries of the world through different NGOs to disseminate information on renewable energy. In other words, a very large group of people having interest in renewable energy has got opportunity to study this subject while doing their work at your own place. So, the course is developing capacity of people with the diverse backgrounds in the renewable energy sector. Therefore, DIRET can be taken as very good application of knowledge management. A brief report on an E-learning course: Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies (DIERET) Page 10 of 11
5. Conclusion Information and communication technologies (ICTs) as well as the renewable energy technologies (RETs) are developing very rapidly. KM is also gaining its scope as an emerging discipline to meet the changing demands of this modern society. E-learning, as an application of KM, provides the opportunities such as flexible learning and life-long learning and the opportunity to update the professional skills and knowledge; DIERET is a good example of such learning. The scope of such courses in renewable energy seems to become even wider with the advancements in ICTs and RETs. In addition to the different academic courses being provided by different educational institutions, the course like DIERET can help to develop the capacity of people from different professional levels and academic backgrounds hence covering the different strata of the society.
6. References [1] http://www.systems-thinking.org/kmgmt/kmgmt.htm [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_management [3] www.usq.edu.au/planstats/Docs/GlossaryTerms.doc [4] www.finance.gov.au/Publications/annual-reports/annualreport99-00/gloss.htm [5] www.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au/knowledgebase/itservices/a-z/k.html [6] http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=6878 [7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_education [8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Learning [9] http://www.inforse.org/europe/educat.htm
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