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the external environment and to “learn” from this
interaction. Thus, a web-based engineering course
should be evolutionary; and from this point of
view the search is not for the “best of the world”
solution (because it does not exist) but for mature
solutions able to balance various dimensions
characterizing a web-based engineering course.
Elementary aspects about these dimensions are
further brought into discussion.
The first dimension is referring to the course
structure. The web-based course structure usually
has some additional elements than a classical
course. On one hand, this is because a web-based
course is provided remotely, via electronic means.
On the other hand, the limitations in terms of
interaction between student and teacher require
additional sections in the course structure, which
could contain in some cases explanations on how
to use the course material, as well as additional
materials in electronic format that support the
core unit of the course.
Content is another dimension of analysis for a
web-based course. In principle, the content should
be similar as in the case of a face-to-face course.
However, a web-based course should contain
supplementary questions and answers and/or
supplementary case studies and exercises. Also, the
information itself should be user-centric organized
such as the information to be delivered in a more
intuitive way-because of the remote, limited and
less natural interaction of student with teacher
and with other students. Sometimes, a web-based
course could include supplementary explanations
to compensate the lack of student interaction with
the teacher. The volume of information should
be carefully dimensioned, too, in order to avoid
overloading the student's study time.
For storing the information of a web-based
course, electronic formats are mainly used. Nowa-
days, a quite large variety of electronic formats
for storing information is met. This ranges from
usual “static” electronic files where information
is stored in text, graphics and picture formats to
more animated formats like web pages, electronic
books, movies, simulations, interactive games,
remote test benches, virtual instrumentation, etc.
Focal points in this area are also about easy access
of students to information using web technologies
and about handling with minimum effort the course
files on computers.
Communication technology is another key is-
sue in the case of web-based engineering courses.
It varies from already well-known, usual commu-
nication means like e-mails, web conferences and
chats with web cameras as part of the system (e.g.
Yahoo Messenger, Skype), to complex web-based
video conference systems, web-based smart boards
and remote desktop control server applications for
interacting in the teaching/learning environment.
Management of the teaching process rises up
specific challenges in the framework of web-based
courses in engineering, too. A lot of web-based
software platforms are available onto the market
for handling various aspects of the teaching process
like course scheduling, course content adminis-
tration, student profiles, student attendance and
results administration, forums, role management,
access rights and so on. More and more popular
are the open-source learning management systems
(LMS) or virtual learning environments (VLE)
like, for example, Moodle.
Besides the above mentioned characteristics,
any initiative of setting up and running web-based
courses requires a careful planning from finan-
cial, as well as economic points of view. This
involves calculation of financial indicators for the
investment in a web-based course like return on
investment and internal rate of return, to which
economic indicators like economic net present
value can be added. The cost-benefit analysis
should represent a major element for deciding the
form in which a web-based course in engineering
has to be designed and delivered.
Moreover, the dynamics and evolution of
the educational environment should not be ex-
cluded from the list of relevant dimensions to
which a web-based course is planned, designed
and implemented. Dynamics of the educational
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