DIGITAL LIBRARY
CLOSING COMPETENCY GAPS USING E-LEARNING IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY MASTER’S STUDIES
Lublin University of Technology (POLAND)
About this paper:
Appears in: EDULEARN16 Proceedings
Publication year: 2016
Pages: 3412-3420
ISBN: 978-84-608-8860-4
ISSN: 2340-1117
doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2016.1749
Conference name: 8th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Dates: 4-6 July, 2016
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Abstract:
Multidisciplinary Master’s studies linking computer science and environmental protection were prepared under the project “Mobile Application Development in Environment Monitoring - a New Program of Master Studies in English” (MADEM). The MADEM project is aimed at extending the educational offer of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Lublin University of Technology (LUT) by creating a new, multidisciplinary Master’s specialization in English. The prepared specialty in the field of computer science will educate students to build information systems, especially mobile applications, dedicated to environment monitoring with special consideration of monitoring threats, working with detecting sensors and safety issues.

The developed curriculum includes 23 subjects, most of which will be conducted in a traditional manner in the form of lectures, laboratories, classes, projects and seminars. It was assumed that 3 subjects will be fully conducted in the form of e-learning courses and the others involving traditional learning will provide students with didactic materials on the e-learning platform.

The developed multidisciplinary curriculum before approval was evaluated by external stakeholders from the IT industry and institutions dealing with environmental protection. The main issue emphasized by representatives of employers was the situation on the employment market concerning university graduates frequently lacking a uniform, sufficient level of key competencies in the area of computer science and environmental protection. In order to bridge, and eventually also close, the specified competency gaps six additional subjects in the form of complete e-learning courses were developed. The courses were designed to fill gaps in required competences.

The article presents the problem of education competency gaps, the developed solution, the list of e-learning courses provided in the study curriculum of the MADEM specialization and examples of their contents.
Keywords:
Master’s programme, degree programme, higher education, environment, monitoring, mobile application, e-learning courses.