Abstract:

E-learning is a term that encompasses learning and teaching using information and communication technology (ICT), which includes the Internet, but also other digital resources, materials and tools. The development of various information and communication technologies, especially Learning Management Systems (LMSs) has a major role in the development of e-courses. ICT provides the environment needed for transition from courses held in traditional classrooms to e-courses held online.

So far, at author’s University, classes have combined face-to-face (f2f) learning in traditional classrooms with online learning. However, due to the situation with COVID-19, a transformation of all courses into online courses and move to a virtual environment was required.

One of the courses that has been then transferred from blended (hybrid or mixed) learning to an online course is the Data Modelling course. The Data Modelling course is a course held in summer semester at the author’s institution (hidden for review). Data Modelling course is a mandatory course for students of Undergraduate study programme in Informatics – single major; Graduate study of Mathematics and Computer Science and Graduate study of Polytechnics and Informatics. Two teachers (professor and teaching assistant) participate in the realization of the course. The course carries 5 ECTS points and is held in the form of 2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of exercises.

So far, the course took place in a hybrid model using the Moodle LMS, adapted to specific needs of this university. Classes (lectures and exercises) were entirely face-to-face and students used the e-learning system to access different sources such as presentations used in lectures and assignments used in exercises. Moodle was also used for tests (in the classroom), self-assessment online tests, teaching assignments, seminar papers, etc.

In the social restrictions caused by COVID-19 this course had to be transformed completely online. All lectures and exercises were moved to a virtual environment. According to syllabus, every week a recorded video of lectures and audio recordings from the exercises was published. There was a redistribution of points within the course and introduction of new "weekly activities". (Almost each lecture and exercise was followed with an assignment for which students had 7 days to solve. During the semester, teachers were available to students through forums, emails, chats and video consultations using a variety of tools.

This paper will describe the transformation of a traditional Data Modelling course into an online course and the experiences and problems encountered during the transition to the online environment. In the end of the semester teachers conducted a survey and its results will be presented as well. Let us highlight the most interesting results received for 2 questions: 1) 67% of students are satisfied with the way online classes were held, 14% are not satisfied while others cannot estimate; 2) 82% of students believe that teachers have adapted well their assignments to the given situation (assignments can be done at home); 5% disagree with this statement and the rest cannot estimate.

Keywords:

e-learning, online course, data modelling.