The JOVITAL Project: Capacity Building for Virtual Innovative Teaching and Learning in Jordan

Katherine Wimpenny, Arinola Adefila, Alun Dewinter, Valerii Dermol, Nada Trunk Sirca, Ales Trunk

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceedingpeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)
    910 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    This qualitative paper presents the preliminary findings of an ongoing education-focused project JOVITAL an international cooperation project co-funded by the Erasmus + Capacity Building in HE programme of the European Union during the period October 2017-2020 involving four European institutions and five Jordanian universities11Full List of JOVITAL Partners: Technische Universität Dresden, Coventry University, International Business School for Social and Business Studies Slovenia, UNIMED, Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), German Jordanian University (GJU), Tafila Technical University (TTU), Al-Hussein Bin Talal University (AHU), and Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). Our paper outlines how new and emerging technologies are being innovatively used in institutions around the world and on this basis, how they are being adapted and implemented in Jordan as part of JOVITAL. Regulations and instructions on an institutional and national level have been continuously changing over the years, with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) approving the blended model within 25% of programmes, placing a cap on the amount of online learning that take place within a HE programme. However, an alliance of three or more Jordanian universities can establish a fully online programme as well. That being said, MOHESR has expressed some constraints regarding quality assurance including the way exams are conducted, how learning outcomes are measured and how course funding and cultural perceptions are considered. Challenges in the open education methodology, therefore, still exist in the academic medium in Jordan, where three main issues are of particular note: The governmental policies instructed by Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research; the alignment of these policies with regulations published by Jordanian accreditation institutes; and the cultural acceptability of open education and distance learning in general. The ideas we present here include applications of technology for domestic online learning, as well as global partnerships that support the development of intercultural competencies through the use of Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) or Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). This paper presents the activities and the findings of our project work to date and provides a snapshot of the JOVITAL project during its delivery.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2019 2nd International Conference on New Trends in Computing Sciences, ICTCS 2019 - Proceedings
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
    Number of pages4
    ISBN (Electronic)9781728128825
    ISBN (Print)9781728128832
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 5 Dec 2019
    Event2nd International Conference on New Trends in Computing Sciences, ICTCS 2019 - Amman, Jordan
    Duration: 9 Oct 201911 Oct 2019

    Publication series

    Name2019 2nd International Conference on New Trends in Computing Sciences, ICTCS 2019 - Proceedings

    Conference

    Conference2nd International Conference on New Trends in Computing Sciences, ICTCS 2019
    Country/TerritoryJordan
    CityAmman
    Period9/10/1911/10/19

    Keywords

    • COLLABORATIVE ONLINE INTERNATIONAL LEARNING
    • E-LEARNING
    • HIGHER EDUCATION
    • Jordan
    • JOVITAL
    • LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES
    • ONLINE LEARNING
    • TEACHING AND LEARNING

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Information Systems and Management
    • Health Informatics
    • Education
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Computer Networks and Communications
    • Computer Science Applications
    • Information Systems

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