contact

Information Society Research Institute

Address: H-1111 Budapest

Stoczek street 2-4.

St. building I/108.

Telephone: +36 1 463-2526
 

Telefax: +36 1 463-2547

rab.arpad@ittk.hu

impresszum

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This website reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

DISSEMINATION

Blog

NEtwork for Teaching Information Society blog

The project started its blog mainly for dissemination purposes, and also for communication, interaction and joint thinking. The blog is a community one, which means that members of NETIS project will regularly publish their posts on project activities (e.g. teaching , research) and information society (news, stories, questions in the given countries).

Newsletter

Sign up for our Monthly Newsletter - Get more information on the NETIS project by receiving our newsletter regularly.
Send a request to csoto.mihaly(at)ittk.hu (We will only use your e-mail address to send you our newsletter.)

October 2007 (pdf)

November 2007 (pdf)

December 2007 (pdf)

January 2008 (pdf)

February 2008 (pdf)

March 2008 (pdf)

April 2008 (pdf)

May 2008 (pdf)

June-August 2008 (pdf)

September 2008 (pdf)

October 2008 (pdf)

November 2008 (pdf)

December 2008 (pdf)

NETIS thematic issue of Hungarian Information Society Quarterly

We are proudly present here the NETIS thematic issue of Hungarian Information Society Quarterly. The thematic issue has been published in mid-September: 11 articles, 10 authors, more than 400 thousand characters. The more than 500 copies are disseminated countrywide and can be purchased at bigger local newspaper stands in Hungary. The issue contains country reports (Estonian and Greek ones), papers and a summary of 6th Networked Learning Conference, chapters from the Textbook. All articles are translated into Hungarian. Some article are published in other languages as well, see the Textbook of the project. (pdf, 2 MB)

Student segmentation survey report

The report summarizes the results from the student segmentation survey carried out by the NET-IS network between January and March 2007 in Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia and United Kingdom. The survey aimed at *assessing students’ needs* and *attitudes* toward an Information Society course and its materials (e.g. course textbook). Download (pdf, 306 kb)

The report on the Hungarian segmentation interview results

This report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by ISRI team between May and August
2007 in Hungary. Summing up the results in Hungary, it can be claimed that those teaching and researching information society generally like the Course Book in progress, although, similarly to other fundamental issues in the discipline, emphasis falls on different areas according to individual interest. It draws attention to the fact that researching information society is in the early stages; while the Course Book serves as an important initiative. Download (pdf, 196 kb)

The report on the Estonian segmentation interview results

The report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by Tarmo Kalvet in Estonia, July-August 2007. The general conclusion regarding the information society research and teaching in Estonia was that it is very limited, occasional and fragmented between different universities and departments. Information society topics, considering their important role, should be given more prominent place in curricula. Although books regarding information society are available in Estonia, more accessible additional materials might be useful. The themes going to be covered by the Course Book were generally welcomed by experts interviewed. Analysis of how some countries are doing better in ICT economy, others in eGovernment, etc. would provide an interesting analysis.Blended learning was suggested as the main teaching method. Moodle as e-learning environment is very popular in Estonia among teachers as well as students (having conventional lectures supported with moodle is currently standard solution at some universities in Estonia).

Report on the Estonian segmentation interview results (pdf, 198 kb)

The report on the Greek segmentation interview results

This report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by Kerstin Siakas in Greece, June 2007.
The Greek segmentation report show that the emphasis of the books is influenced by the background of the authors. Usually information society books are written either from social science or from information systems viewpoint. In the NETIS case the authors seems to be multidisciplinary and multicultural, which is likely to bridge the gap in viewpoints from the different disciplines and cultures. As a result this is likely to embrace a wider target group, including students both from social and economical study programmes to IT students. The role of the teacher is highlighted by the interviewees. Teacher will start with an overview of the information society and then put emphasis on different issues according to the audience. The blended learning methodology provided by NETIS is likely to give good course outcome, first because the teacher can highlight topics and concern suitable to the targeted students and secondly because the e-learning platform provides hand-on exercises. Simultaneously the e-leaning platform is a part of the information society and can be an excellent proactive experience if utilised well in the form of creation of social computing exercises, such as blogs, discussion groups, chats, teleconferencing etc.

Report on the Greek segmentation interview results (pdf, 192 kb)

The report on the UK segmentation interview results

This report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by UK NETIS partners (Middlesex University) team between May and August 2007 in UK. The United Kingdom universities have researched and written on information society for at least twenty five years often within the framework of wider interests in the interactions between science, technology and society. The NETIS project, in consequence, enters a field already rich with experience where there are practitioners showing commitment to its mission in the UK. Where the project Course Book breaks very important new ground in our view, and theirs, is in its setting of information society studies in the European context of law and institutions and the relevant policy which has changed our circumstances in the largest bloc of developed states in the world. The contribution of NETIS project to greater understanding among the most educated in society was universally welcomed by British respondents. (pdf, 210 kb)

The report on the Slovakian segmentation interview results

This report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by Slovakian NETIS partner’s (J.
Selye University, Komarno, SK) team between July and August 2007 in Slovakia. The general conclusion regarding the information society research and teaching in Slovakia was that it is very limited, occasional and fragmented between different universities and departments (this is also supported by the results of the student questionnaire). It is mainly taught as an individual subject within social science and public administration oriented faculties. Other university programmes (curricula) only rarely include individual subject oriented to information society. Topics related to information society are introduced to first year university students as a part of subject Information and communication technologies. This subject is included into curricula for getting information and communication literacy by university students for their every day using. A general feeling is that information society topics, considering their important role, should be given more prominent place in curricula.
The opinion that there is a strong need for additional teaching materials was clearly expressed, although textbooks and course books regarding information society from Slovak authors are up till now no published. Student use information sources on Internet. While text-book would be welcomed by students, they would not be probably willing to pay for it. Considering how Internet-friendly students are, on-line version might be a solution. Blended learning was suggested as the main teaching method, but piloting of teaching with recorded lectures might be worth of trying as well. Moodle as e-learning environment is very popular in Slovakia among teachers as well as among students. (pdf, 223 kb)
 

The report on the Italian segmentation interview results

This report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by Italian NETIS partner (SCIENTER,
Bologna) in October 2007 in Italy. About researching and teaching in the information society in Italy, all the experts agree that a lot has been made in these years but also that still a lot have to be done to bring Italy to a satisfactory and homogeneous level on the national terri-tory.
In Italy Schools and Universities are not “totally” ready to answer to the key questions of the information society and a there are lot of resistance among all levels of educators and teachers. Many experiences and activities being carried out with success now have to be “systemised” at national level. The NETIS course book has been considered very positively by the experts group. It seems that in Italy does not exist a wide range of courses about information society and the NETIS course book that is very comprehensive, could fulfil the different needs of different categories of beneficiaries. The course book turns out to be very interesting at a regional level, for the local authorities and for the educational environment as well (both schools and universities). One of the most important elements to keep into great consideration is to choose a simple and understandable language that could allow the course book to be targeted to different users’ categories. (pdf, 206 kb)

Summary of Segmentation Interviews Reports

This report summarizes the results from the researchers/teachers segmentation interviews carried out by NETIS partners in Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and the UK between May and October 2007. This report based on the individual country reports, which are available at NETIS project website. Concluding the interviews one can highlight the importance of standardized, general introductory course of information society based on this information given by the country experts. In practice this course should use the combination of traditional and new forms-tools (e-learning) of teaching the topic. There were controversial needs and expectations regarding the Course Book driven by the specific background of the given interviewee. It was not possible to fulfil all of these needs in our Course Book however the comments on target groups and inclusion of several topics (e.g. history, technology, digital divide, e-learning, legal issues etc.) were very practical and helpful, and were used in preparation of the book. But we had to reject some of the topics as independent chapters, because the length of the book was limited. The idea of Country Reports was highly welcomed, but the planned structure of the reports seemed to be too strict and somewhat limited.
Hence we have improved the concept of Country Reports and some important topics included in independent papers within the Textbook. All partners had the right to add extra chapters to his own Country Report to cover the most important missing area in his country. This process resulted in more accurate reports but kept the advances of the same structure (comparability) of the reports. (pdf, 248 kb)