LOGISTICS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR E-LEARNING COURSES

Introduction

E-learning system in static view is a set of related professionals (teachers, instructors, staff) and resources (hardware, software, materials, etc.) put in stand-by mode. If there would be no activity to perform, the system would generate only stand-by costs and no educational benefits. It means that only in dynamic view, this is during the time of carrying out the process of e-learning, thus satisfying e-ducational needs, the whole system gets the right justification for its existence. Thus, e-learning system can be defined as a set of processes (activities, functions) performed with usage of resources (staff, IT) started in response of an event (e.g. a need for e-ducation was identified) and completed by an event (e.g. the need was satisfied).1

From the above point of view, a system which satisfies e-ducational needs also requires support from the other ‘in shadow’ system or systems. For instance it can require an aid from management body for making the right decisions on initiating, motivating, planning, controlling e-courses; it can need also an assistance of administration staff, technicians, and a lot of support from preparing, training, maintaining, repairing, supplying and other services (financial, legal). All the supportive resources and services can be provided independently, often causing problems with coordination, or integrated within so called logistics service support system. This way, awareness about logistics

1

A.W. Scheer, Architecture of integrated information systems, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 1992, p. 4.

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arises, at the most broad sense, as about a supportive structure of services aimed at supplying any other system with the right package of resources (materials, information, staff, money) at the right time, place and cost.2 In other words both systems, supporting and supported, formulate a kind of symbiosis or cooperation in the form of a new system functioning on the base of mutual synergic benefits, which can be named as an extended e-learning system. Hence, the aim of this article is to put under critique a reference model of logistics support services for running e-learning courses. Achievement of this aim is also very important form the point of view of service management3 which proposes to use reference models for instance for planning and controlling purposes or for elaborating work-flow procedures, quality book, instructions and so on.

Identification of Logistics Support Services for Running E-learning Courses

Four projects on building e-learning systems were studied to find how the logistics support aspect was dealt with. They were:

– EMDEL,4

– DECTUG,5

– System of e-duc@tion in Pommeranian Region,6

– The Baltic University Programme.7

It was discovered that none of the above projects included a formal model of logistics support activities for the projected e-learning systems, for instance in the form of reference models or some other functional schemes. Only at the third one there was presented a model of the whole education system which one functional module was named “supportive processes”, but with no reference to

2

J.V. Jones, Integrated logistics support handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York 2006, p. 1.

3

Modele referencyjne w zarządzaniu procesami biznesu, ed. T. Kasprzak, Wydawnictwo Difin, Warszawa 2005, p. 12.

4

Emdel – a model for valorization of eLearning in the knowledge society. The final report (2005), ed. E. Gard, Oslo, http://www.emdel.org, 27.11.2009.

5

Distance Education Centre at Gdansk University of Technology, http://www.dec.pg.gda.pl/dec/index.php?id=index_en, 28.11.2009.

6

System e-duk@cji w Regionie Pomorskim. Projekt Leonardo da Vinci No.M01/69/k/D/354, Uniwersytet Gdański, Sopot 2003, http://panda.bg.univ.gda.pl/~cezary/praca.zip, 17.10.2010.

7

Logistics suport for… 53

logistics and treated as so called black boxes with no inside structures (fig. 1). However, this model, though it is high of abstract, seems to be implemented in real e-learning system in Pommeranian Region in Poland. For example, at Gdansk University, the module “main process” (fig. 1) has been implemented in the form of 608 processes running the same number of courses.8 The next functional module “management process” is reflected by activities carried out by the Council for Distance Learning, a management and advisory body set by Rector of Gdansk University. And finally, the “supportive processes” module is exemplified in formally stated functions of two technicians9 employed at the Computer Centre of Gdansk University, and a lot of activities, not formally stated, self organised, carried out by tutors, management and administration staff, within their usual duties.

The above example proves clearly that all e-learning systems, just satisfying or planned to meet e-ducational needs, in reality, are supported by logistics services regardless they have got or have not got a formal model. It also proves that logistics activities are critical factors for running e-learning courses enabling or just opposite breaking them, and thus worthy to work out an idea how to be managed.

8

Statistics Educational Portal of Gdansk University, https://pe.ug.edu.pl/Statystyki/Kursy, 17.10.2010.

9

Consultations with L. Czyżewski at Computer Centre of Gdansk University taken on 16 September 2010.

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Fig. 1. Reference model of e-duc@tion system in Pommeranian Region

Source: System e-duk@cji w Regionie Pomorskim Projekt Leonardo da Vinci nr M01/69/k/D/354, Uniwersytet Gdański, Sopot 2003, p. 41; retrieved September 17, 2010 from http://panda.bg.univ.gda.pl/~cezary/praca.zip. Decision on creating e-duc@tion system in Pommeranian Region Management process E-duc@tion system in Pommeranian Region was liquidated Decision on creating e-duc@tion system in Pommeranian Region

Info into environment

Info from environment

Data base (reference models, procedures)

Supportive processes

Financial services

Administration staff and technicians Offer of e-duc@tional courses E-duc@tion Centres administration staff Teachers E-duc@tional Centres

Main Process (distance learning)

E-duc@tional services in Pommer.Region

Information subsystem of main process

Data base (didactic materials)

Data base (archive, office data)

Supplies of materials

Information management subsystem Services, costs, incomes,

indicators

Regional Centre of E- duc@tion Management

Board

Data base (methods and tools of management)

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Reference Model of Logistics Support Services for Running E-learning Courses

Some prerequisites to build a reference model of logistics services aimed at supporting e-learning system are required. First of all, the main processes and their needs have to be identified. Next, they should to be related with the right logistics activities supporting them with the right resources. Finally, after presenting the whole structure for instance in the form of reference model, it should be put at the stage of analysis, discussion, and decision taking. Based on my own experience as a tutor of e-learning courses on logistics, as well as a member of the Council for Distance Learning of Gdansk University, and a professional dealing with modelling of business processes according to ARIS10 methodology, I would like to put the following model under critique.

The proposed model (fig. 2) consists of many related elements, but two groups of them are the most important. First group includes two main processes and the second one embraces five logistics processes which support the first ones. From the point of final user (students, audience), the first main process can be identified as “running e-courses”. Especially, when a course is run at a synchronous mode (e-classroom, e-lecture, video chat), a lot of maintain, preparation, support or operation activities (hidden but critical) have to be taken to serve the on-line course. Of course, all these activities can be also performed out of the real time, especially on the accidental or scheduled base. Their importance allows to compose of them the first group of logistics support services, named in the model as “performing MRO services”.11

The second supporting set of activities is initiated by the event “need for changing the course’s content occurred”. Usually it is exemplified by the need for changing, updating or improving the course’s content what can be mostly done by tutors, but often may also involve changing the methods or tools used in the course, thus requiring professional training or consultations which can be offered by own personnel (trainer/consultant), or even purchased as outside services (training, voice of lector). Running e-courses can also require such logistics functions as purchasing material resources (multimedia, hardware, software) and supporting with the required information.

10

A.W. Scheer, op. cit., p. 41.

11

Shortcut for maintenance, repair and operations or maintenance, repair and overhaul. Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maintenance,_Repair_and_Operations, 17.10.2010.

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Fig. 2. Reference model of the logistics support services for running e-learning courses

Source: own work based on EPC standard of modelling with usage of ArisToolset, ver. 7.1.

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Sometimes, it needs obtaining an earlier agreement in the form of “decision”, as a condition for the change, from a management body. Such a situation shows that in some cases “management activities” play not only main but also supporting role.

The “management activities” are the second group of main functions which need logistics support. Due to the fact that the “management activities” involve a lot of analytic and making decision works, supplying them with the right information, at the right time and place is a very important activity. Thus the service named “supporting in info” is distinguished to reflect all the activities focused on gathering, preparing, presenting, printing, supplying, etc., different kinds of required information, for instance in the form of analyses, statistics, documents, reports and others. As a result, such activities as MRO services, changing the content, training/consultations, purchasing, supporting in info, and sometimes management activities, formulate a set of logistics services aimed at direct or indirect support of e-learning courses.

Finally, the above mentioned supporting services also create some needs mostly for information from the main processes to know what kind of assistance they require and after the support - a feedback. Additionally, supporting functions also need to be supplied with information, materials and services. Thus the model (fig. 2) is full of elements which reflect different kinds of resources and services as the input or output for the respective processes/functions. They are named for instance “need for info”, “feedback”, “reports, documents”, “materials”, “services” and others. It also means that the processes which previously were the main ones now are performing the supportive role, and opposite, what shows once more that altogether they form a whole aimed at meeting e-ducational needs.

Conclusions

The presented model of logistics services supporting e-learning courses reveals that the both systems are in very deep interactions. It also means that in real situation they complement one another composing a unity resulting at manifold profits, mainly for final users of the e-ducational offer and for the suppliers of the offer. Thanks to high level of abstract, this model can be decomposed to meet specific requirements. Besides, if it would be completed with the concrete data: time, costs, probability, number of staff and others, it

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could be simulated, and after receiving an acceptance from management body, to become a routine model ready for implementation for instance in the form of work-flow procedures meeting ISO 9000/2000 standards.

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