bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DISTANCE LEARNING IN THE CONTEXT OF NEW DIGITAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Valicnedeljkovic Dubravka
Published: February 2023

The aim of this study is to map distance learning for the profession of a journalist, or to raise the professional capacity of journalists in the Western Balkans, in institicional as well as non-institutional training centers.

The intention of the author is first make an overview of the existing forms of distance learning for media on the territory of the Western Balkans, and to determine on what level of education they are. The next step is to test how much training for new digital media technology would be the most effective if distance learning is implemented because internet is a common denominator between the two. Thus, the subject of learning and the basic teaching method are related to the use of new technologies.

The starting point is that in practice the distance learning for the media profession is much more complex than the definition because it involves the use of new technologies and new interactive teaching methods, which are still not implemented enough in the Western Balkans. So, it includes exactly what it is simultaneously preparing students for: setting multimedia content on the Internet and achieving interactivity with the audience.

Methods used in this paper are: a) the method of theoretical analysis, which includes a critical analysis of the theoretical assumptions underlying the approaches on distance learning in the field of multimedia platforms on the Internet, and b) descriptive method to describe past experiences of distance learning in academic institutions and non-governmental organizations in the Western Balkans aimed at improving professional standards in the media, c) modeling method, making model of distance learning for working in online media possible.

The technique for data collection is the interview.

In the teaching process of distance learning the impact of digital technologies in the work is decomposed in terms of each of the following elements: a) contextual information in which distance learning is taking place in the countries of the Western Balkans, b) teacher c) participant (journalism students, journalists) and d) subject/content of the distance learning program (multimedia platform on the Internet), e) application of knowledge in practice, namely preparing journalistic contents for media on the Internet.

Basic preliminary results indicate that so far in the Western Balkans, there are no well-developed distance learning programs for the use of new digital media technologies in the creation and deployment of multimedia content on the Internet and for achieving interactivity with the audience.
LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES BY USING E-LEARNING PLATFORMS
Authors: Condruzbacescu Monica
Published: February 2023

The article deals with the idea of using e-learning platforms in order to acquire foreign languages. Computer assisted language learning is often considered a teaching method. Nowadays, teachers look for new ways to better develop students communication competencies. E-learning platforms represent the most important tools in language learning. Using the Internet in education, along with other additional tools, promotes access to real-time information exchange and international cooperation and offer new opportunities for learning - teaching. Furthermore, the article gives some examples of e-learning platforms and also emphasizes the advantages of using them. E-learning is addressed to all those who want to learn, regardless of age or training. It is thus an option of lifelong learning in the information society. Learning methods based on e-learning manage to adapt the educational process to the real needs of students and offer access to relevant and updated information. The main benefits of e-learning platforms are considered to be: individual skill development and team work, development of analysis skills and synthesis of information and the ability to put into practice the theoretical knowledge learned in school. I tend to believe that e-learning represents a new revolution in education and the current role of the teacher becomes obsolete. Experts believe that e-learning fully meet market and modern society demands and help create more economic and social opportunities. Globally speaking e-learning plays an increasingly important role in education and the effects of introducing new technologies in schools bring major effects, helping to develop the whole society. Students are free to enroll in a course or another, and are free to leave the course if it is ineffective. In conclusion, computers will never replace teachers, but teachers who use computers will replace those who do not use them.
EMPOWERING EDUCATION WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
Authors: Logofatu Bogdan
Published: February 2023

Nowadays, there are major issues facing Romanian education system. Policy makers and/or innovative teachers can bring hope and success. This paper will present past achievements and current trends concerning the implementation of the digital technologies for education within the ODL Department of the University of Bucharest. Chapter 1. After 14 years of design, implementation and management of the ODL study programs, the ODL Department reached a stable situation with indisputable achievements that are presented in the first chapter of the paper. The framework for ODL in Romania is legally defined by H.G.1011/2001 and ARACIS Quality Standards. In fact, RO-ODL is a blended learning system. All study programs provided by the ODL Dept are accredited by Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Meanwhile, we have implemented the ICTStrategy of the University of Bucharest that was approved by University Senate (2003). This strategy had 3 levels: digital literacy, ICT based curriculum and computerization of institution and processes. Real achievements will be presented (virtual campus, eL learning resources etc).The chapter two presents the actual context "Digital Agenda 2020 for Europe" which is not surprising at all if we consider forecasts made 30 years ago by visionary people. The chapter 3 presents the digital technologies under implementation within ODL Department. Our objective is to be already prepared for virtual university concept (UNIBUC-Virtual) if such decision will be taken in due time. Subjects as cloud computing, Learning Management Systems, eL learning resources, blended learning, video-lectures, video-conference systems, on-line assessment, free of charge productivity tools will be presented within the context build by ODL Department of the University of Bucharest.
CULTURAL HERITAGE AND EDUCATIONAL WEB SITES
Authors: Ottaviano Simona , Allegra Mario
Published: February 2023

ICT and Internet have allowed the creation of new educational objects in an innovative and original way, in particular in the fields of the retrieval and study of cultural heritage and art. The connectionbetween the digital and cultural domains brought a new approach to learning which reveals in activities where space and time vanish, giving rise to a new relationship between an individual and culture.
The digital world, offering many potentialities and chances, enters in the museum, bringing substantial changes permitting new experiences of living and perceiving exhibition places, stimulating interest, curiosity, imagination and emotions of the users. This is possible through the use of innovative ways to communicate with people using a more extensive advertising that can reach a wide audienceand through the creation of attractive and smart websites that allow access to collections through interactive guided tours in all languages, consultation of databases, 3D reconstructions of environments, educational section dedicated to children and students, online meeting with experts and assistants.
The paper describes an overview of the current state of the websites of the main Italian museums, archives and libraries that make available to users online information and learning resource. The study of these sites and their functionalities allow us an analysis about methodological and pedagogical implications of the impact that ICT tools and the related educational models have on the Cultural Heritage Education.
Finally, the contribution investigates how new technological tools can be used to create open access-museums for disabled people and which are the technological device and techniques necessary to develop appropriate frameworks and to outline the future directions to support Cultural Heritage Education.
ine the future directions to support Cultural Heritage.
THE IMPACT OF MASSIVE ONLINE OPEN COURSES IN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Elena simona Nicoara
Published: February 2023

The use of computer in education passed through different stages, from early computer assisted instruction (CAI) movement of the 1950s to web-based learning and lately to online distributed education. A real revolution seems to appear in the traditional academic environment as large-scale online classrooms develop and proliferate. This new educational system, based on network technologies, proved in a quite short time many advantages, much over the initial estimates, especially from students' perspective. First of all, human interactivity between many people - students and tutors - brings the major beneficial results; other advantages are: an exploratory learning model that motivate the student by active participation, combining personal experience with group experience (by forums, feedback etc.), using modern computer-based teaching technologies alongside with the traditional educational materials, using virtual laboratories for various types of simulations, using evaluation methodologies favoring learning and the very wide range of options for the students: they are free to learn in the own pulse, they can be 14 years old or 70 years old, they can have whatever knowledge background. The teacher benefits also in this kind of tutoring especially through the feedback from the vast number of students; the educational material is hence iteratively improved so that covers more and more learning needs.
The online distributed education is described as a tutoring system adequate to the actual working marketplace, made for hundreds or even millions of students for a long time.
Though these results could concern the traditional educational institutions, at least for the moment they should enrich the current learning models in academic environment.
PERFORMABILITY METRICS FOR ONLINE SERVICES IN EDUCATION
Authors: Albeanu Grigore , Popentiu vladicescu Florin
Published: February 2023

Performability metrics for online services in education

Abstract

Online services, in general, and web services as the most used services by current online software developers, are provided by various service-oriented providers. In order to evaluate such services a set of metrics to measure the services performability are required.

Performability modelling and evaluation integrates both computer and communication system performance evaluation and system reliability and availability evaluation. Recently, in the context of the increasing security requirements, the systems' dependability should be evaluated [4].

This paper review the existed literature and propose the usage of some aggregated metrics in order to model expressions like "high availability", "high performance", "short response time", "high reliability", "high security", and "high dependability". The models consider soft computing approaches like fuzzy numbers, vague numbers, and intuitionistic fuzzy numbers and operators.

The analysis covers architectures like grids [2], clusters [3, and clouds[1] (to mention some references) which are used not only in research and business, but also to provide e-learning services.

Keywords:
service oriented architectures, performability, reliability, availability, dependability, security, e-Learning

Selected references

[1] Ghosh R., Performance, Availability and Resiliency Models for IaaS Cloud, IBM Tokyo Research Lab, 2010.

[2] Jarvis S., Thomas N., van Moorsel A., Open issues in grid performability, IJ Simulation 5(5), pp. 3-12.

[3] Nagaraja K., Gama G., Bianchini R., Martin R.P., Meira W.Jr., Nguyen T.D., Quantifying the Performability of Cluster-Based Services, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, 16(5), 2005.

[4] Fl. Popentiu-Vladicescu, Software Reliability Engineering Book, 2012.
STANDARDS IN PRACTICE: A SERIOUS GAME PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Stefan Antoniu , Roceanu Ion , Tesei Alessandra , Barbieri Alessandra , Beligan Daniel
Published: February 2023

Serious Games, unlike entertainment games, necessitate the implementation of specific educational and technical requirements related to pedagogical constructs, learners' assessment and standardization. The authors present a case study based on the premises that the application of standards and interoperability has the potential to improve ease of development and of use, while lowering overall cost. The scope of this study has been to investigate key interoperability challenges encountered when implementing a SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) compliant game on a Learning Management System (LMS). MAN has carried out a case study on the implementation of the "Cultural Awareness Training - Afghanistan" game on the ILIAS (Integrated Learning, Information and Work Cooperation System) platform of the "Carol I" National University of Defence in Romania. The Cultural Awareness Training is part of the Afghanistan Pre-Deployment Course developed by the Joint Advanced Distributed Learning and Simulation Section, Allied Command Transformation. The ILIAS platform is an open source web-based learning management system (LMS) - compliant with standards such as SCORM 1.2 and 2004, LOM, AICC, QTI, XML - that supports learning content management and tools for collaboration, communication, evaluation and assessment.. It also complies with information exchange standards (LDAP, SOAP, Shibboleth, CAS, RADIUS) and the NATO security standards and was the first open source LMS that was awarded the NATO security certificate. The main aim of the work is to highlight the advantages and the restrictions of implementing a SCORM compliant game into an LMS, in order to provide practice-based guidance to game developers.
PLAYFUL METHODS FOR EVALUATION, CORRECTION AND REHABILITATION OF VISUAL FUNCTION
Authors: Baritz Mihaela ioana , Cotoros Diana
Published: February 2023

Some aspects concerning different forms of "games" used to evaluate, correct and rehabilitate visual functions in optometric field are presented in this paper. In the first part of the paper some theoretical and experimental considerations about the eye movements, amblyopic or cross eyes manifested in preschool children and the importance of preserving the health of visual function during the life are presented. For this purpose, the paper presents some types of tests and devices designed to be used in evaluation, correction and rehabilitation of visual function of pre-school children. In the first part of the paper the visual anomalies discovered in pre-school children are presented, which should be carefully, constantly and competently analyzed and corrected in a personalized manner. Playful methods, based upon games perception or on the relaxed approach during the tests proved to be very helpful in that which means evaluation and correction methods. In the second part of the paper, we present a series of games and tests combinations, which stimulate besides the understanding ability also some functions of the visual system of the pre-school child, such as: in depth perception, three-dimensional sight, eye movements, color vision, tracing contours. In the third part the authors present the evaluation and correction procedures for different cases, all based upon game method, effective and affective participation of the child and the visual function reactions and responses are observed together with the understanding development and participation to rehabilitation forms. These methods for stimulation and developing visual function can help specialists from optometric field to understand, to analyze different forms of visual behavior and to develop personalized evaluation procedures, correction and adaptation of visual impairments for children. Also the results, conclusions and future applications of these researches are presented.
ARROW BRAINSTORMING APPLICATION
Authors: Chitu Catalin , Marcu Sabin
Published: February 2023

Arrow is a brainstorming application with millions of uses. The starting point for this application was creating an Outliner for the web. An outliner is an application that creates, in essence, nested check lists. However, one of the formats in which an outline can be saved is the OPML format, which can be used for a lot of other things, one of which being mind-mapping.
Mind-mapping is a way of displaying ideas as an idea tree, starting from the most basic and general topic or the concept itself, and then the branches go in deeper, analyzing a particular subtopic of its parent. Sounds familiar? This is the idea behind outlines, as well.
Starting from this idea, and the two ways of displaying the data, there is no limit to the domain in which the Arrow application can be of use. Education, development, or maybe just domestic to-do lists. Everything goes.
Arrow is a web application designed to work in the cloud, connecting people to share ideas, outline projects and imagine the world. Take education for example: A teacher can always bring a summary of the lesson to class structured as a mind-map or an outline. This way, he can keep track of what he's taught already, and what to teach next. At the same time, student can be given access to that outline, and can follow the teacher as he goes through it, and furthermore, can use it to study easier.
Possibilities are endless. It all depends on the user!
ABILITY TO USE TECHNICAL AUDIO-VISUAL MEANS AND INFORMATION SND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOY (ICT) - A FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT IN TEACHERS DIDACTIC TRAINING
Authors: Serbanescu Laura
Published: February 2023

This article presents several findings of a quantitative research conducted during 2011-2012 related to the degree of acquiring competences in using technical audio-visual means and ICT by the graduates of psycho-pedagogical university studies during the training for a teaching career. These competences are included in this specific case under the competences required by the subject ?Didactics of speciality?. The questionnaires designed and applied in this research particularly aimed to identify the main information about the current training system in universities. As concerns the topic of this article, the questionnaires also included items related to the competences in using technical audio-visual means and ICT. Out of the total number of respondents, 1,200 are students, 1,200 debutant teachers and 200 university teaching professionals. The sample groups comprised respondents selected from all areas of the country. Starting from the general competences needed for a teaching career, respondents were requested to assess in what weight the graduates of the psycho-pedagogical university studies have acquired competences during the training for a teaching career in the framework of the subject ?Didactics of speciality?. The ability to use technical audio-visual means and ICT has been included within the instrumental and application of knowledge in practice competences. From the data presented and analyzed, there are at least two elements to bear in mind. On one hand, it is noticed that in case of instrumental and application of knowledge in practice competences, which include ability to use technical audio-visual means and ICT, the acquiring degree is at an average level, with slight differences in case of the three types of respondents. On the other hand, the intensity of the efforts made to acquire instrumental and application of knowledge in practice competences is low, which may be an advantage in developing teachers? abilities to use technical means in didactic field.
MOBILE LEARNING PLATFORMS
Authors: Serafimov Lyubomir
Published: February 2023

When the first European project dedicated to the mobile learning (mLearning for brevity) was launched in the very beginning of the XXI century - in 2001, the application of mobile devices in education was considered "highly innovative and unusual" and the mLearning concept was scarcely known. In 2005 it was still described as "a new concept", "difficult to define, conceptualise and discuss", but also as "growing in visibility and significance". Numerous proofs of the mLearning growth in the period 2001-2005 can be found - about 10 seminars, workshops and conferences were initiated, dedicated mostly or especially to the mLearning and about 15 projects, 5 institutions, 15 journals and 15 specialists, researching the mLearning in a substantial extent can be numbered. Reviewing this period firstly is due to the fact that in it the first software tools for producing, deployment and managing of mLearning content for were developed, which evidently shows that the necessity of such tools has been quickly realized in the very beginning of the mLearning growth.

Mobile devices usage in the years that followed was constantly growing - the global mobile phone subscriptions has increased by factor of 5 - to five billion in 2010 from about one billion in 2001 and the mobile data traffic in 2010 - 237 petabytes per month - has tripled in comparison to the entire global internet traffic in 2000 - 75 petabytes per month. The usage grow of mobile devices, united with their unceasingly lowering costs and improving capabilities, as well as with the increasing need to be connected and learn at any place and time lead to significant advancement in the mLearning field. On its part, it stimulated the development of tools for supporting the production, deployment, management and other stages of mLearning. While in the small and, to some extent, middle-sized organisations implementing mLearning, it may be enough a tool for production and/or deployment of the mobile content, in the large-scale organisations the management and other mLearning stages are complex processes and the tool used should support virtually all needed stages. Such tools have different names, e.g. mLearning platforms, mLearning solution providers, and for the sake of brevity mLearning platforms is used. Their comparison is the subject of this paper.
FORMATION OF BLENDED LEARNING IN TEACHER TRAINING AND INSIGHT INTO INITIAL TRAINING OF FUTURE TEACHERS. ANALYSIS OF EXPERIENCE
Authors: Carmen maria Chisiu
Published: February 2023

The paper makes an assessment of psycho-pedagogical point of view, the objectives, structure, and operation of how the system efiicienşei ICOS online platform for teacher training were trained to teach pre-school class in the school year 2012 -2013. The sample consists of 60 qualified teachers in urban and rural areas. First, over 40 hours, organized into two groups, teachers participated in a direct training, supported by a specialist in primary teaching. Online activity was a direct continuation of the training phase and allowed remote, further theoretical training through self-study, self-paced browse the contents contained in five modules, three compulsory and two optional.
Students proposed application modules, reflection exercises, continuous assessment tests and final assessment tests. It also enabled a rich exchange of views, sharing of best practices, results of applying the proposed innovative strategiior class, instead of working tools: design teaching activity sheets for students. Online activity to be carried out under the guidance and expert advice to the same primary teaching. Course evaluation consisted of two phases. From direct training evaluation was conducted by observing each student by the trainer.Evaluation of online activity was done by counting the time spent on the platform, a minimum of 92 hour, creating a portfolio, whose products were loaded onto the platform and present a draft interdisciplinary teaching.The findings of this analysis will be used to organize the most efficient and closer to the educational actors, an a paltforme to be used by students of Primary and Preschool Pedagogy specialization, for the counseling and guidance of remote teaching practice.
DATA MINING SOLUTIONS FOR DETERMINING STUDENT'S PROFILE
Authors: Andreescu Anca , Bara Adela , Velicanu Manole , Botha Iuliana , Florea Alexandra
Published: February 2023

The importance of this article comes from the complex issue of determining the students' profile in order to develop educational activities and to improve their technical or social skills. The paper presents our experimental results and methods used to determine students'profile based on questionnaires collected from our university. We applied different methods of data extraction and analysis in order to assess their comparative effectiveness for determining the profile of our students in order to enroll them in extra curriculum activities such as international competition, internships, research and development. We consider the data mining techniques to be more efficient and thus we applied several techniques, supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms. We consider very useful to determine the profile for each student and also to group them in clusters. Based on questionnaires we extract and load data into a database and build the data mining models that function for construction, implementation, testing and manipulation of data. These models are based on a series of algorithms for classification, prediction, regression, clustering, association, selection and data analysis. The results are relevant; we manage to obtain an accuracy of 95% in several models. Therefore, the subject of students' profile is a major research area due to its effect. In this research various attribute selection and data mining techniques have been used to build a few predictive models for this subject. It has been found that Logistic Regression performs very well, followed closely by the Support Vector Machines. Further work is under progress to apply the results in terms of clustering and developing new educational programs based on this clusters.
MOOC'S ANATOMY. MICROBLOGGING AS THE MOOC'S CONTROL CENTER
Authors: Holotescu Carmen , Grosseck Gabriela , Cretu Vladimir
Published: February 2023

The term MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) was coined by Downes (2008) and Siemens (2010), who facilitated the first such online course, the hundreds of participants being distributed geographically, and the content, communication and collaboration being hosted by a large typology of Social Media platforms; the central topic of the course was Connectivism and Connective Knowledge (http://connect.downes.ca/archive/08/09_15_thedaily.htm).
Some important characteristics of MOOCs are: learner-centered, open access, and scalability.
In 2012, which can be considered the year of MOOC, this trend has evolved at an unprecedented pace, fueled by high profile entrants like prestigious universities (MITx - https://www.edx.org/university_profile/MITx and edX - https://www.edx.org) and open platforms (Coursera - https://www.coursera.org and Udacity - http://www.udacity.com) (Watters, 2012).
Also MOOC is listed in NMC Horizon Project Short List: 2013 Higher Education Edition (NMC HP, 2013), time to adoption one year or less.
After exploring the characteristics of a number of MOOC projects, the paper proposes a framework for MOOC's anatomy, with dimensions such as: Social Media platforms for content distribution, facilitators activities, participants interactions, and relations with mobile learning and Open Educational Resources.
Having an important experience in implementing and facilitating online/blended courses with tens/hundreds of participants geographically distributed, and with content and interactions hosted by different Social Media platforms (Holotescu and Tella, 2007; Holotescu and Grosseck, 2007; Holotescu and Grosseck, 2009; Grosseck and Holotescu, 2010), the authors present the design of the first Romanian MOOC (roMOOC), which will be run in the spring of 2013, for teachers and practitioners from schools and universities.
The roMOOC topics are related to Social Media and OER integration in the teaching and learning process, while Cirip.eu, the educational microblogging platform, is the central node connecting the distributed participants, facilitators/experts, content and interactions.
DATASTORES SUPPORTING COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACES IN A CLOUD COMPUTING E-LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Copie Adrian
Published: February 2023

Cloud computing is now a mature technology with a high degree of adoption by a wide area of institutions and companies, regardless of their size. Having its philosophy built around essential characteristics like on-demand self service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, measured services and having a convenient pay-as-you-go financial model, it has become an attractive platform for an increased number of activities. Higher education and e-learning are no exceptions and they fully benefit from its technical and economical advantages. The economical crisis have led to drastic reduction of the education budgets, the educational institution changed their focus to some effective and affordable solutions. E-learning environments provisioned in the cloud have demonstrated to be an inspired movement due to variable and decreased operational costs combined with the highly available and reliable provided infrastructure. An essential component of an e-learning environment is a collaborative workspace allowing the participants of the educational process to take part to an interesting and interactive experience, regardless of their physical location. These collaborative workspaces are sustained by powerful storage systems designed to perform in highly distributed environments, aiming to offer great performances in terms of data processing and scalability. This paper focuses on evaluating some of these databases in terms of performance and features, in order to integrate them in a collaborative workspace designed to work in a Cloud computing environment. An architecture for data storage supporting the collaborative environment is proposed and various aspects related to the data model and data security are discussed.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH THROUGH NEW MEDIA AND E-TOOLS
Authors: Marinescu Roxana
Published: February 2023

This paper seeks to present some of the effects the new media and e-tools usage have on learning styles in the context of foreign language education, with an emphasis on the English language, which is the most widely learned and used 'foreign language' in Europe. In connection with this, the notions of 'international English', along with 'English as a lingua franca', 'British English', 'American English' are explored to verify their functionality within the European space.
The hypothesis is that the increased use on a large scale of social media (such as facebook and twitter), as well as the widely spread educational e-tools, affect the way people select and design their educational strategies in general, and in particular their English language learning strategies. In order to verify this hypothesis a small scale survey was conducted within the Bucharest University of Economic Studies among students and staff on how they use the new media and technologies in formal and informal language learning and on the effects of this usage on how they learn English. The results, presented in the paper, were collected by means of a questionnaire and informal discussions.
Also this paper presents some of the possible future opportunities, as well as future challenges that the inclusion of the use of new media and technologies in educational policies may pose. The paper puts forward some ideas concerning assessment of English language proficiency and language competence acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning, and questions the usefulness of the existing systems and mechanisms designed to recognize and certificate language proficiency, while also making suggestions on ways to improve them.
EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATION AIMING AT EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Authors: Nicolau Felix
Published: February 2023

Resorting more and more to e-learning means a thorough transformation of the teaching processes. Once the teacher-student communication is realized on yahoo-groups or Facebook-groups, the classical roles in the classroom become obsolete. With teachers having the possibility to enter in due time on students? forums, the former relation of power in education moves to a collaborative one. More and more the educational system targets the communication abilities and skills, instead of acquiring specialized knowledge. Good communicators are able to ?translate? the jargon of their profession to other people and this capacity indicates crystal-clear and well-balanced thinking. Renouncing at frontal teaching and multiplying the centres of information in the educational process can only increase the quality of the dialogue. The teacher is no longer the main actor, not even the stage-director, but a sort of pathfinder. Thus, he/she has to be trusted by his/her followers, and not feared or taken for granted. Such an approach aims at transferring parts of the teacher?s responsibilities to students. E-learning stresses the individual response, taking students away from the false security of their groups. The first result is that the childish and irresponsible reactions will dwindle. Paradoxically, e-learning encourages self-assessment, involvement and efficient communication. The use of yahoo and Facebook groups for sending tasks, didactic materials and suggestions is completed with debates in real time on the proposed topics. In this way, classes are anticipated and even started before the official meeting. In the post-postmodernist world, education looks like an uninterrupted dialogue, and not like a series of obstacles that has to be faced with anxiety.
NONLINEAR MODELS. THEORY, SOFTWARE AND APPLICATIONS
Authors: Vlada Marin
Published: February 2023

This paper presents mathematical models that estimate nonlinear evolution processes or phenomena based on parameters that define processes and phenomena in pursuit of calculations and approximations (fitting) of experimental data. It addresses the non-linear model (nonlinear regression), the method of Least Squares (MLS) with examples. Are presented theoretical calculations for logarithmic and exponential models realizing a comparison with results obtained using software.

In practice in various scientific, economic, social, etc.. occur most complex problems to be solved. Science and scientific research have developed influenced by the complexity of these issues and human society projects. Treasury of human knowledge is influenced by science and technology, culture and art, and in particular how to solve unsolved problems of human society.
Such problems arise in chemistry, biology and medicine, physics and geology, in economics and sociology, etc.. To study and analyze processes and phenomena such activities require valid and effective methods and techniques so that models used to eliminate as many uncertainties and approximations.

In practice, the study of various processes and phenomena is a wide variety of nonlinear models. The diversity of these nonlinear models depends on the variety fields of chemistry, physics, medicine, biology, sociology, economics, etc. Mathematics and Computer Science have changed dramatically analiya project on methods and analysis of experimental data. Chemistry, biology, pharmacokinetics are areas / disciplines have greatly benefited from the development of theories, methods and techniques of Mathematics and Computer Science via computer. Today procedures for drug testing include important results obtained in research on drug use in the treatment of various diseases. Bioinformatics, Biostatistics and Biopharmaceutics are disciplines that provide various methods and analysis on the pharmacokinetics.
AN ONLINE NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL MODEL - A PROPOSAL FOR LIFELONG LEARNING IN THE FIELD OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
Authors: Maiorescu Irina , Visan Smaranda , Pamfilie Rodica
Published: February 2023

As the markets are continually developing, people must also keep up with updated skills and knowledge. Lifelong learning is an important issue of European Union educational programs, the European Council from Lisbon setting it as base component of the European social model. Through lifelong learning, the cognitive barriers, forbidding the access of different members of society to the workforce market, are lowered or eliminated. The professional progress is encouraged through lifelong education and training. In this context, online non-formal education is a very convenient and affordable method for a large share of the population. This form of education presents a series of advantages that make it particularly suitable for those that are already engaged in the work field and wish to further develop their careers. Organic agriculture is a field of activity registering an increase in popularity both in numbers of consumers and in the numbers of those involved in the production and selling of respective products. To this purpose, organic agriculture is very well suited as an area of expertise in which online software can be successfully used to acquire up to date information and knowledge. The present paper brings in discussion the use of an interactive software that will act as step by step guide for those who wish to learn and apply the methods of organic crop culture. The software integrates the legal European Union requirements in the field of organic agriculture in a way that is both user friendly and adequate for non-experts willing to learn.
SIMULATION AND MODELING METHODS USED IN OPTOMETRIC FIELD FOR ASSESSING VISUAL FUNCTIONS BEHAVIOR
Authors: Baritz Mihaela ioana , Cotoros Diana
Published: February 2023

In this paper it is presented some practical aspects about assessing visual functions in optometric field using simulation and virtual environments.
In first part of the paper it is presented some theoretical and experimental considerations about the eye movements, gaze direction, optical image on the retina and correlation between them and the posture of human head. For this purpose we use virtual environments to simulate different movements of the eyes and also optical modeling of the visual process. First of all it is important to analyze the movements of the eyes and also the modeling of image creation on the retina surface according to the illumination and normal accommodation process. In the same analyze it is necessary to establish relations between biomechanical movements of the eyes and energy consumption in these process. In the second part of the paper we presented the experimental setup used to record the eye movements and the human head posture in possible situations and actions. In the final part of the paper we analyzed the recordings of eye movements for a human subject during time experiments correlated with the eye gaze direction and simulations using virtual environments. It is very important to develop, to optometry specialists, practical skills using virtual methods for knowing the possibilities of all procedures. These methods for simulation and modeling visual function can help specialists from optometric field to understand, to analyze different forms of visual behavior and to develop personalized assessment procedures, correction and adaptation of visual impairments. Also the results, conclusions and future applications of these researches are presented.
IMPACT OF DIDATEC PROJECT ON ENGINEERING CURRICULA THAT USE "BLENDED-LEARNING": EXPERIENCE OF THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY "GH ASACHI" OF IASI
Authors: Rusu Ioan , Adascalitei Adrian , Lungu Irina , Giurma Ioan , Seghedin Neculai eugen
Published: February 2023

Authors: Ioan Rusu, Adrian Adascalitei , Irina Lungu, Ioan Giurma, Neculai Eugen Seghedin, Technical University "Gheorghe Asachi" of Iasi

Project "University School of initial and continuous training of teachers and trainers in the field of engineering and technical specialties - DidaTec" POSDRU/87/1.3/S/60891 was designed as a national strategic partnership, involving ten technical universities from Romania, coordinated by the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. The project aims to achieve the necessary framework to adapt teaching of engineering and technical education, in an environment marked by the digital revolution, by implementing modern educational tools and ICT technologies in teaching and learning activities performed in technical universities from Romania. The paper analyses the consequences of the Project on engineering curricula. Also the impact of learning ICT technology on both teachers and students from Technical University "Gh. Asachi" of Iași are analyzed. Quality Blended Learning applied to engineering education activities have to improve: engagement of learners; acknowledgement of learning context; challenge for learners; and the involvement of practice. The provision of support mechanisms for students in blended learning settings contributes to the learning experience in a number of ways: enables learners to establish a sense of belonging and involvement, a sense of community, which encourages and motivates participation; Supports can scaffold learning and help students to undertake and complete activities and tasks they might not be able to do on their own; Learning supports in the form of communications and discussions provide opportunities for higher order thinking and conceptual development often not evident in independent learning settings. This paper explores blended learning environments from metaphorical and generational perspectives, suggesting that that the language of higher education reflects metaphors that are evolving for the academy, faculty, and students. Fundamentals of continuous training of teachers were put through: expansion of teaching and learning techniques using support offered by ICT, and the educational platforms of "blended-learning" and / or e-Learning, used as integrated tools for managing teaching. Teachers benefit from using virtual environment, provided by Project: DIDATEC platform. Simultaneously, teachers use Moodle experimental platform of the Technical University. Thus, teachers obtained theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to set up their Blended-Learning BL courses , by integrating interactive teaching and learning techniques and computer-mediated communication.
TRADITIONAL VS. E-LEARNING LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. TEACHER - STUDENT ROLES
Authors: Chiseganegrila Anamaria , Kraft Luiza , Tutuianu Diana
Published: February 2023

The advancement in computing and teaching has led to the creation of VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments), which marked a turning point in education and in the way people gained access to knowledge as part of life-long learning. The low costs, the possibility to access the content anywhere and anytime, and the use of modern technology make VLEs very popular among learners.
The use of technology on the one hand, and of social media and software, on the other, has generated a shift from the teacher-based learning to the technology-based one. In this context, information will be provided mediated by the platform and the teacher will withdraw physically, except for the case of blended learning, where teacher-student communication resembles to some extent the one used in the traditional courses.
The traditional teachers' roles were meant therefore to change in order to bridge the gap created by the interface. Some institutions relied on attractive software, embedding blogging and social media into their courses, others on virtual classrooms in Second Life with the use of avatars to mimic the traditional presence of the teacher adding hi-tech flavor. Thus, the teachers' function in VLEs is more connected with the necessity to provide mentorship and weld the group of students, who are more autonomous than those enrolled in traditional courses, in order to ensure learning.
By exploring resemblances, differences, common roots, weaknesses and strengths, in other words, by performing comparative analysis, the paper will look into the changes which have occurred in teachers' and learners' roles over time alongside with the momentum gained by e-learning courses.
APPLYING REAL-TIME SIMULATIONS TOWARDS TEACHING PHYSICS
Authors: Fabian Breharu , Mingireanu Florin
Published: February 2023

Nowadays, mathematics, sciences and physics in particular offers students a wide range of career opportunities and alternatives. Attracting students to mathematics and physics proves to be a more difficult job than in the past due to shrinking educational budgets as well as a wider range of career and job opportunities for non-science jobs (e.g.: lawyers, humanities, arts etc.). While a balance should exist between humanities and non-humanities subjects one should strengthen the teaching of sciences and in particular of mathematics and physics. As opposed to previous knowledge based teaching we show that a great opportunity exists from using the computer based teaching (elearning) to increase the effectiveness and attractiveness of physics curricula. At the same time, we show that simulation based modules are one of the best ways to use the computers in teaching physics and showing natural phenomena otherwise difficult or, even, impossible to show in classroom with conventional methods. Simulations range from the celestial motions that sometimes take billions of years to complete (hence impossible to observe during a standard 50 minutes class) to atomic level phenomena (flow of electric current) which are again difficult to observe due to their very small size and very fast speeds. We show a Runge-Kutta 4 based simulation toolset that can be used to integrate a wide array of differential equations that are at the basis physics phenomena like the ones mentioned above. We provide a description on how to structure the simulation and how to best use it in a classroom environment in an interactive way. Based on a survey of elearning and didactic literature we show that interactively exploring our world is one of the best ways to teach students without letting the boredom install in the classroom. Several physics simulation examples are shown together with the context in which they can be used along with a series of future capabilities/add-ons that can transform this material into self-learning material as well. We show the difference between the self-learn material and the teaching based on classroom material as well as how simulations can provide a bridge between these two sets. We structured our paper into 5 chapters with one conclusion chapter in which we draw conclusions on how to best use simulations both in class and for self-learning elearning content.