DTU rolled out online lessons using the Sakai and Zoom Meeting systems at the beginning of February, to counter the Covid-19 shutdown and avoid interruptions in studies. The new methods have proved to offer many new advantages and have quickly became routine.
DTU students logging into the university’s myDTU websitecan accesslearning and self-study materials through Sakai. At first, the university experimented with the online lessons for assessment purposes, refining and adapting traditional methods by the second week of March.
To prepare for online lessons, the university amended its standard study materials to ensure:
- The quality of each course
- Acceptable student self-study aptitude
- An objectiveconsideration of student capabilities and whether their results met course objectives.
“DTU Online classes are being held on the same schedulesthat students originally signed up for,” explained DTU Vice-Provost Dr. Vo Thanh Hai. “Classroom attendance used to range between 85% to 95%, but online attendance is now 100%, with many unique advantages. Most importantly, lecturers and students can continue classes without meeting each other, to protect their own health and the community. Online students will still steadily progress to graduation and, at the same time, experience new interregional workgroup technologies in preparation for global integration.”
DTU students already use myDTU for payments, schedules, studying, testing and consulting
The Sakai e-learning platform enables interactive teaching and a connection to Zoom Cloud Meetings
Zoom Cloud can be download to mobile phones, tablets or personal computers for scheduled or prior classes
eUniversity and Second Degree Director, MSc Nguyen Trung Thuan
“In the traditional classroom as well as online, lecturers and students must be punctual,” MSc. Thuan explained. “In preparation for successfulinteractive lessons, lecturers create appropriate lesson plans and students must cooperate to allow in-depth questioning by all. Zoom allows everyone to interact spontaneously through audio and video connections to facilitate lively interaction between lecturer and student, with supporting slide and blackboard displays, which bring everyone together. DTU has installed 150 new cameras in three corners of each classroom to maintain a semblance of the traditional learning space.”
Blackboards are filmed and some classrooms are equipped with Wacom writing tablets to teach architecture, artistic drawing and illustrative topics online
Head of the DTU Talent Programs,MSc. Bui Duc Anh lectures
“The Covid-19 situation remains complex, so the DTU Board has arranged training courses for lecturers on online teaching methods and Sakai study materials,” said MSc Bui Duc Anh. “Curricula, slides, exercises, tests and lesson scheduling are particularly suitable for students studying from home. I often integrate short clips and pictures into my lesson plan for clarification. During the lessons, my students take short multiple-choice tests so that I can evaluate their comprehension and amend my lessons accordingly.”
Thien Thanh, from Financial Management, said, “Online lessons are really convenient and straightforward because we can learn from anywhere with an internet connection. Lesson quality is good, lecturers are enthusiastic, thorough and friendly, and lessons inspiring. Documentation, curricula, and slides are fully accessible and we can absorb information quickly. Studying online I almost like learning face-to-face, so it’s so interesting.”
Nhu Hieu, from IT, says that, “The new alternative of online lessons is wonderful, we can learn in a healthy environment and improve our self-study skills. In the traditional classroom, we wereoccasionally shy to ask questions but online we aremore comfortable interacting and confidently giving our opinions. For clarification, we can always go to the Zoom Cloud Meetings chat box or use our microphones to ask questions and share our opinions by interacting directly with the lecturer and classmates.”
In support of online classes, DTU rapidly upgraded its infrastructure:
- Transmission lines were upgraded and internet bandwidth was doubled
- In addition to existing projectors, wide-angle cameras and loudspeakers were added
The four software platforms, myDTU, Sakai, Zoom Cloud Meetings and the DTU Text/Examination Service were integrated.
The Data Center support
DTU is already well-known for its IT training. Now, its IT expertshave diligently implementedvery effective, new and successfulalternative online lecturing systems over the past few weeks.
“Currently, 5,500 online lessons,of one to three hours each, are scheduled weekly,” explained DTU Provost Dr. Le Nguyen Bao. “The transfer of such a heavy teaching load from traditional to online methods resulted from the huge efforts of our technical team, although technology alone was not sufficient. Once the technology was ready, study material preparation and approval, monitoring of lectures and an objective evaluation was integrated through hard work and determination of our lecturers and leaders, proving that online lecturing and testing is extremely effective.”
(Media Center)